WooCommerce: How to Download a CSV of Your Orders (Step-by-Step Guide)
Introduction:
Managing orders effectively is crucial for any successful WooCommerce store. One of the most common tasks is exporting order data, often in a CSV (Comma Separated Values) format. This allows you to analyze sales trends, manage inventory, integrate with other systems (like accounting software), and generally gain a better understanding of your business performance. This article will guide you through several methods to download a CSV of your WooCommerce orders, ensuring you can access and utilize your valuable sales data. We’ll explore both built-in options and plugins that offer more advanced features.
Downloading Your WooCommerce Orders as a CSV
There are several ways to download your order data in CSV format. We will look into the most common ways:
1. Using the Built-in WooCommerce Export Tool
WooCommerce comes with a basic built-in export feature. While it’s not as comprehensive as dedicated plugins, it’s a good starting point if you need a quick and simple export. Here’s how to use it:
1. Navigate to WooCommerce > Orders in your WordPress Admin dashboard.
2. Apply filters if needed. If you want to export only specific orders (e.g., orders from a particular date range or with a specific status), use the filters at the top of the Orders page to narrow down your selection.
3. Select the “Export” option. At the top of the Orders page, you should see a dropdown menu labeled “Bulk actions”. Instead, find the “Export” button usually located on the top left of your screen.
4. Configure your Export Options: A modal window will appear, prompting you to set export options:
- Column Selection: Choose which columns to include in your CSV file (e.g., Order ID, Billing Address, Shipping Address, Product Details, Totals). This is the most important setting to customize the export to fit your needs.
- “Do you want to export all custom meta?” This option exports all custom order meta data.
- Export Type: Select “Orders”.
- “Export all columns?” Allows you to export all order columns.
- Order Export & Order Import for WooCommerce by WebToffee: This plugin offers a wide range of customization options, including filtering by date, order status, product, and more. It also supports scheduling exports and exporting to various formats beyond CSV.
- Advanced Order Export For WooCommerce by AlgolPlus: Another powerful option with advanced filtering, custom fields, and scheduling capabilities.
- WooCommerce Customer/Order CSV Export by SkyVerge: A solid option that allows you to export both customer and order data.
- Select Fields/Columns: Choose exactly which order details you want to include in the CSV. This is usually much more granular than the built-in export tool.
- Apply Filters: Filter orders by date range, status, product, customer, and many other criteria.
- Set Date Formats: Define the format for date fields.
- Choose Export Format: Select the desired export format (CSV, Excel, XML, etc.).
- Schedule Exports: Set up automatic exports to run daily, weekly, or monthly.
- Map Fields: Rename column headers to suit your needs.
5. Click “Generate CSV”. WooCommerce will then generate and download the CSV file to your computer.
This method is the quickest and most easily accessible, however it can be limited. Read on below for more robust solutions.
2. Using a WooCommerce Orders Export Plugin
For more advanced features and customization, using a dedicated WooCommerce Orders Export plugin is recommended. Several excellent options are available, both free and paid.
Here are a few popular choices:
Here’s a general outline of how using a plugin works (using WebToffee as an example):
1. Install and Activate the Plugin: Search for the desired plugin in the WordPress Plugin Directory and install it. Activate the plugin after installation.
2. Access the Export Settings: Most plugins will add a new menu item under WooCommerce or within the WooCommerce settings. Look for an option like “Order Export” or “Export Orders”.
3. Configure the Export: The plugin’s settings page will typically allow you to:
4. Run the Export: Once you’ve configured the export settings, click the “Export” or “Generate CSV” button.
Example configuration (using WebToffee):
1. Navigate to WooCommerce > Order Export.
2. Click the “Create New Export” button.
3. In the “Column Selection” tab, select the order data you want to export.
4. In the “Filters” tab, filter the orders based on order date, status, etc.
5. In the “Export Settings” tab, select the CSV format.
6. Click “Export”.
These plugins offer granular control, more flexible formats and scheduled backups.
3. Exporting Orders via Code (Advanced)
For developers or those comfortable with code, you can programmatically export orders using WooCommerce’s API. This provides the ultimate level of customization, but requires technical knowledge.
Here’s a basic example of how to export order data to a CSV file using PHP:
<?php
// WooCommerce function to get all orders.
$orders = wc_get_orders( array(
‘limit’ => -1, // Retrieve all orders
‘status’ => ‘any’, // Retrieve orders of any status
));
// CSV file headers
$header = array(
‘Order ID’,
‘Order Date’,
‘Customer Name’,
‘Total’,
‘Status’
);
// Create the CSV file
$filename = ‘woocommerce_orders.csv’;
$file = fopen($filename, ‘w’);
// Write the headers to the CSV file
fputcsv($file, $header);
// Loop through each order and extract data
foreach ($orders as $order) {
$order_data = array(
$order->get_id(),
$order->get_date_created()->format(‘Y-m-d H:i:s’),
$order->get_billing_first_name() . ‘ ‘ . $order->get_billing_last_name(),
$order->get_total(),
$order->get_status()
);
// Write the order data to the CSV file
fputcsv($file, $order_data);
}
// Close the CSV file
fclose($file);
// Force download the CSV file
header(‘Content-Type: text/csv’);
header(‘Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=”‘ . $filename . ‘”‘);
header(‘Pragma: no-cache’);
header(‘Expires: 0’);
readfile($filename);
exit;
?>
Important considerations when using code:
- Security: Ensure your code is secure and does not expose sensitive information.
- Performance: Exporting a large number of orders can be resource-intensive. Consider using batch processing or background tasks for large datasets.
- Error Handling: Implement proper error handling to gracefully handle any issues during the export process.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Method for You
Downloading a CSV of your WooCommerce orders is essential for data analysis, reporting, and integration with other systems. The best method for you depends on your specific needs and technical skills:
- Built-in Export Tool: Suitable for basic exports with limited customization.
- WooCommerce Orders Export Plugin: Ideal for more advanced filtering, customization, and automation.
- Custom Code: Offers the ultimate level of control but requires technical expertise.
By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily download a CSV of your WooCommerce orders and unlock the potential of your sales data. Remember to choose the solution that best fits your requirements, and don’t be afraid to explore different plugins to find the perfect fit for your WooCommerce store. Good luck and happy selling!
