docs: clarify Shopify subscription signal update behavior

data-transformations/order-segmentation/order-type.mdx

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
 title: "Order Type (sm_order_type)"
 description: "How SourceMedium classifies orders as subscription vs one-time purchases"
 sidebarTitle: "Order Type"
 icon: "repeat"
@@ -23,13 +23,39 @@
 
 | Priority | Signal | Result |
 |----------|--------|--------|
-| 1 | Amazon Subscribe & Save line item match | `Subscription` |
-| 2 | `prepaid` + subscription tag in order tags | `Subscription - Prepaid` |
-| 3 | Subscription platform line item type (ReCharge, Retextion) | Per platform classification |
-| 4 | Shopify Subscription Contract app ID | `Subscription` |
-| 5 | Order tags matching subscription patterns | `Subscription` |
-| 6 | Line item `is_from_subscription` flag | `Subscription` |
-| 7 | **Default** | `One-time` |
+| 1 | Shopify explicit one-time line signal | `One-time` |
+| 2 | Shopify explicit subscription line signal | `Subscription` |
+| 3 | Amazon Subscribe & Save line item match | `Subscription` |
+| 4 | Subscription platform line item type (ReCharge, Retextion) | Per platform classification |
+| 5 | Legacy tag/order-source fallback logic | `Subscription` / `One-time` |
+| 6 | **Default** | `One-time` |
+
+## Shopify Metadata Update (February 20, 2026)
+
+For Shopify, order-line classification now uses a broader set of line-item metadata keys from `stg_stitch__shopify__order_line_properties`.
+
+### What changed
+
+- Added more subscription-indicator keys (e.g., selling plan, prepaid, bundle, and app-emitted subscription metadata keys).
+- Added explicit one-time keys used by common subscription apps.
+- Added guardrail for placeholder values:
+  - `subscription_id = '1'` by itself is treated as a placeholder and **does not** create a subscription signal.
+- Added Shopify app-id fallback coverage for single-line orders:
+  - Includes ReCharge app id `294517` in the post-cutover order-source fallback list.
+
+### Signal precedence (Shopify)
+
+1. Explicit one-time signal wins.
+2. Explicit subscription signal is used when explicit one-time is absent.
+3. Exact/fuzzy subscription platform line-item matches are used next.
+4. Legacy/tag-based fallback logic applies.
+5. Otherwise classify as one-time.
+
+### What existing users should expect
+
+- Some Shopify lines/orders may move from `One-time` to `Subscription` where subscription metadata was previously under-detected.
+- A smaller set of Shopify lines/orders may move from `Subscription` to `One-time` when the only signal was placeholder `subscription_id = '1'`.
+- No schema change: field names like `sm_order_type`, `is_subscription_order`, and `subscription_order_sequence` are unchanged.
 
 ### Subscription Tag Patterns
 
@@ -52,13 +78,13 @@
 | Platform | Data Source |
 |----------|-------------|
 | ReCharge | Line item type from ReCharge API |
 | Retextion | Line item type from Retextion API |
 | Chargebee | Invoice line subscription sequence |
 | Amazon Subscribe & Save | SKU-level subscription matching |
 
 ## Related Dimensions
 
 ### is_subscription_order
 
 A boolean convenience field derived from `sm_order_type`:
 
@@ -71,7 +97,7 @@
 LIMIT 10;
 ```
 
 ### order_sequence
 
 Customer lifecycle classification based on order position:
 
@@ -80,7 +106,7 @@
 | `1st_order` | Customer's first order (new customer) |
 | `repeat_order` | Any subsequent order (returning customer) |
 
 ### subscription_order_sequence
 
 Subscription-specific lifecycle classification:
 
@@ -137,7 +163,7 @@
 
 ### Ensure Consistent Tagging
 
 For accurate subscription classification in Shopify, ensure your subscription app consistently applies subscription tags to orders. Most subscription apps (ReCharge, Skio, etc.) do this automatically.
 
 ### Validate with Subscription Platform Data
 

help-center/core-concepts/data-definitions/subscription-flags.mdx

@@ -21,6 +21,20 @@
 These fields are most reliable when you have a direct subscription-platform integration (or consistent subscription tagging in Shopify).
 </Note>
 
+## Shopify behavior update (February 20, 2026)
+
+For Shopify order lines, SourceMedium now uses expanded line-item metadata signals when setting subscription flags.
+
+What this means in practice:
+- More Shopify subscription metadata keys are recognized (including common selling-plan/prepaid/app-emitted keys).
+- Explicit one-time line signals take precedence over explicit subscription line signals.
+- Placeholder-only `subscription_id = '1'` no longer counts as a subscription signal by itself.
+- Post-cutover, single-line order-source fallback includes ReCharge app id `294517`.
+
+Expected impact for existing users:
+- You may see some historical Shopify orders reclassified between one-time and subscription after refresh/backfill cycles.
+- Field definitions and column names do not change.
+
 ## Recommended query pattern
 
 ```sql
@@ -41,4 +55,3 @@
 
 - [Order Type (sm_order_type)](/data-transformations/order-segmentation/order-type)
 - [`obt_orders` column docs](/data-activation/data-tables/sm_transformed_v2/obt_orders)
-

help-center/faq/data-faqs/data-faqs-home.mdx

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 icon: "question-mark"
 ---
 
 Use this section when you’re comparing SourceMedium to another system (Shopify, ReCharge, ad platforms, GA4) and you’re trying to understand why numbers don’t match.
 
 ## Start here
 
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 - [Why would external reports not match the SourceMedium dashboard?](/help-center/faq/data-faqs/why-would-external-reports-not-match-the-sourcemedium-dashboard)
 - [Why don't the Executive Summary and Shopify's Sales Report match?](/help-center/faq/data-faqs/why-dont-the-executive-summary-and-shopifys-sales-report-match)
 - [Why doesn't ReCharge subscription data match SourceMedium reports?](/help-center/faq/data-faqs/why-doesnt-recharge-match-sourcemedium)
+  - Includes notes on the February 20, 2026 Shopify subscription signal update.
 - [What impact does Global-E have in SourceMedium?](/help-center/faq/account-management-faqs/what-impact-does-global-e-have-in-source-medium)
 - [What attribution windows does SourceMedium report on for marketing platforms?](/help-center/faq/data-faqs/what-attribution-windows-does-sourcemedium-report-on-for-marketing-platforms)
 - [How does Stripe metadata work?](/help-center/faq/data-faqs/how-does-stripe-metadata-work)

help-center/faq/data-faqs/why-doesnt-recharge-match-sourcemedium.mdx

@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@
 
 It’s common for subscription reporting to differ across tools. ReCharge and SourceMedium may be answering slightly different questions, using different timestamps, or applying different rules for refunds, cancellations, and attribution.
 
+<Note>
+As of **February 20, 2026**, Shopify line-item subscription classification in SourceMedium was updated to use expanded metadata signals (including ReCharge app-id fallback coverage for `294517`) and to ignore placeholder-only `subscription_id = '1'`.
+</Note>
+
 ## Start by aligning on definitions
 
 Before troubleshooting, confirm which definition you’re using in each tool:
@@ -40,6 +44,14 @@
 
 Confirm you’re comparing the same store(s), channel(s), and date range in both tools.
 
+### 5) Shopify metadata signal changes (for existing users)
+
+If your subscription/non-subscription split changed recently, this can be expected after the Shopify signal update:
+
+- Some lines previously marked one-time may now be classified as subscription due to newly recognized metadata keys.
+- Some lines previously marked subscription may now be one-time if the only prior signal was placeholder `subscription_id = '1'`.
+- In post-cutover Shopify data, single-line orders with `order_source_name = '294517'` can now classify as subscription via fallback logic.
+
 ## What to do next
 
 If you’re still seeing unexplained differences, share the following with your SourceMedium team: