Live vs Snapshot Collections — Which Should I Use?

When you select collections for a schedule, you choose between two modes. The difference is when the product list is decided.

Specific collections (live)

The product list is worked out each time the schedule runs. Add or remove products from the collection later and the schedule automatically follows.

Use live when the collection is the source of truth — e.g. "everything in the Sale collection gets 20% off, whatever's in it at the time." Works beautifully with automated collections.

Watch out for: because products are resolved at run time, the schedule won't show against individual products beforehand, and products added to the collection during a running schedule are not retroactively changed.

Specific collections (snapshot)

The products in your selected collections at the moment you save are stored against the schedule. Future collection changes have no effect.

Use snapshot when you want certainty — the exact list you saw is the exact list that runs, no surprises if someone edits the collection next week.

Watch out for:

If the collections contain more products than your plan allows, you'll be asked to narrow the selection before saving.
Editing the product list afterwards converts the schedule to a regular Products schedule — the link to the source collections is removed.

Quick comparison

	Live	Snapshot
Product list decided	When the schedule runs	When you save the schedule
Follows collection changes	Yes	No
Available on	Pro & Plus	Pro & Plus