# How to Change an Order to Pending in WooCommerce: A Beginner’s Guide
WooCommerce is a powerful e-commerce platform, but sometimes you need to tweak things manually. One common task is changing an order’s status to “Pending.” This is useful for various reasons, from awaiting payment verification to holding an order for special processing. This guide will walk you through how to do this, both manually and using code, in an easy-to-understand way.
Why Change an Order to Pending?
Before diving into the “how,” let’s understand the “why.” Changing Read more about How To Cancel A Subscription Order On Woocommerce an order to “Pending” is a crucial step in managing your WooCommerce store effectively. Here are some real-life scenarios:
- Payment Verification: A customer used a less common Read more about How To Trigger Ontraport Tags From Woocommerce payment method, and you need time to verify the transaction. Setting the order to “Pending” prevents accidental fulfillment before confirmation.
- Manual Order Creation: You’ve received an order via phone or email and need to add it manually to your WooCommerce system. Initially setting it to “Pending” is best practice.
- Waiting for Stock: An item is low in stock, and you need to check availability before processing the order. “Pending” keeps the order visible but avoids automatic fulfillment.
- Custom Order Processing: The order requires special handling or customization, and setting it to “Pending” flags it for your attention.
Method 1: Changing the Order Status Manually (The Easiest Way)
This is the simplest method, perfect for beginners. No coding is required!
1. Log into your WordPress Dashboard: Access your website’s admin area.
2. Navigate to Orders: Under the “WooCommerce” menu, click on “Orders.”
3. Find the Relevant Order: Locate the order you want to change. You can use the search functionality if needed.
4. Select the Order: Click on the order number to open the order details page.
5. Change the Status: Look for the “Order status” dropdown menu. Select “Pending payment” or just “Pending,” depending on your WooCommerce version.
6. Save Changes: Save your changes. The order status will now be updated.
Method 2: Changing Order Status using WooCommerce Code (For Advanced Users)
This method is for users comfortable with PHP and modifying WooCommerce code. Always back up your website before making any code changes.
This code snippet will change the order status to “Pending Payment” (or “Pending” if this is not an available status). Replace `$order_id` with the actual ID of the order you want to change. You can find the order ID in the order details URL. For example, `/wp-admin/post.php?post=123&action=edit` The order ID is `123`.
<?php // Get the order ID $order_id = 123;
// Get the WC_Order object
$order = wc_get_order( $order_id );
// Change the order status to ‘pending’
$order->update_status( ‘pending’ );
//Optional: Add a note to the order explaining the status change.
$order->add_order_note( ‘Order status changed to Pending.’ );
// Save the changes
$order->save();
echo ‘Order status updated successfully.’;
?>
Where to add this code:
You can add this code to a custom plugin, or, if you’re comfortable, directly into your `functions.php` file in your theme’s folder. However, adding it to a custom plugin is strongly recommended as it is a much safer method. If you modify your theme’s `functions.php` file and then update your theme, you will lose your changes.
Important Considerations
- Payment Gateways: Changing the order status to “Pending” might affect how your payment gateway handles the transaction. Be aware of potential implications.
- Automatic Actions: WooCommerce might have automatic actions tied to order statuses. Changing an order status manually can override these actions. Be mindful of potential unintended consequences.
- Customer Communication: Always communicate with your customers about any changes to their order status.
By following these methods, you can efficiently manage your orders and keep your WooCommerce store running smoothly. Remember to always prioritize customer communication Learn more about How To Import Product Images Into Woocommerce From External Url and be careful when making code changes. If you’re unsure about using code, stick to the manual method—it’s just as effective!
