How To Add Additional Checkout Fields To Woocommerce

How to Add Custom Checkout Fields to WooCommerce: A Beginner’s Guide

WooCommerce is a powerful and flexible e-commerce platform. However, sometimes the default checkout fields just don’t cut it. Maybe you need to collect specific information like a VAT number for EU customers, a gift message for personalized orders, or delivery instructions for fragile items. That’s where adding custom checkout fields comes in handy.

This guide will walk you through the process of adding these extra fields to your WooCommerce checkout page, even if you’re new to WordPress and WooCommerce. We’ll focus on the easiest and most user-friendly methods.

Why Add Custom Checkout Fields?

Think about a scenario: You sell personalized gifts. Without a custom field, customers might email you their personalization details *after* placing the order. This creates extra work for you, potentially leading to delays and customer frustration. Adding a “Personalization Message” field directly to the checkout avoids this whole problem.

Here are a few other reasons why adding custom checkout fields is beneficial:

• Gather Essential Information: Collect data specific to your products or services.
• Improve Customer Experience: Make the checkout process more tailored to your needs.
• Streamline Order Processing: Have all the necessary information upfront, reducing back-and-forth communication.
• Increase Conversion Rates: A smoother, more personalized checkout experience can lead to more sales.

Method 1: Using a Plugin (Recommended for Beginners)

The easiest way to add custom checkout fields is by using a plugin. There are several excellent free and premium options available. For this example, we’ll use the free “Checkout Field Editor (Checkout Manager) for WooCommerce” plugin. It’s a popular and well-maintained option.

1. Install and Activate the Plugin:

• In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.
• Search for “Checkout Field Editor (Checkout Manager) for WooCommerce”.
• Click Install Now and then Activate.

2. Access the Checkout Field Editor:

• Once activated, you’ll find the settings under WooCommerce > Checkout Form.

3. Add Your Custom Field:

• Click the “Add Field” button.
• A popup will appear with various options:
• Type: Choose the field type (text, select, checkbox, etc.). For example, for a VAT number, you’d likely choose “text”. For delivery instructions, you might select “textarea”.
• Name: This is the unique identifier for the field (e.g., `vat_number`, `delivery_instructions`). Use lowercase letters and underscores.
• Label: This is what the customer will see on the checkout page (e.g., “VAT Number”, “Delivery Instructions”).
• Placeholder: A hint text inside the field (e.g., “Enter your VAT number”, “Special delivery instructions”).
• Required: Check this box if the field is mandatory. For a VAT number, you might make it required for EU customers only (more on that later).
• Position: Choose where the field should appear on the checkout page (e.g., billing details, shipping details, after the order notes).
• Example: Adding a “Delivery Instructions” field:
• Type: `Textarea`
• Name: `delivery_instructions`
• Label: `Delivery Instructions`
• Placeholder: `Please provide any specific delivery instructions (e.g., leave at the back door).`
• Required: Uncheck it for this example (not always mandatory).
• Position: `After Order Notes` (or wherever you prefer).
• Click Save.

4. Test Your New Field:

• Go to your WooCommerce checkout page and see your new field in action.
• Place a test order to ensure the data is being captured correctly.

Method 2: Using Code (For More Advanced Users)

If you’re comfortable with code, you can add custom checkout fields directly to your theme’s `functions.php` file (or a child theme’s `functions.php` file). Always use a child theme to avoid losing your changes when the main theme updates.

Important: This method requires some PHP knowledge. If you’re not comfortable with code, stick to the plugin method.

1. Open your child theme’s `functions.php` file.

2. Add the following code snippet:

<?php
/**
Add a custom checkout field
*/
function woocommerce_custom_checkout_field( $checkout ) {

echo ‘

‘;

woocommerce_form_field( ‘custom_delivery_instructions’, array(

‘type’ => ‘textarea’,

‘class’ => array(‘my-field-class form-row-wide’),

‘label’ => __(‘Delivery Instructions’, ‘woocommerce’),

‘placeholder’ => __(‘Please provide any specific delivery instructions (e.g., leave at the back door).’, ‘woocommerce’),

‘required’ => false,

), $checkout->get_value( ‘custom_delivery_instructions’ ));

echo ‘

‘;

}

add_action( ‘woocommerce_after_order_notes’, ‘woocommerce_custom_checkout_field’ );

/**

• Update the order meta with field value

*/

function woocommerce_custom_checkout_field_update_order_meta( $order_id ) {

if ( ! empty( $_POST[‘custom_delivery_instructions’] ) ) {

update_post_meta( $order_id, ‘Delivery Instructions’, sanitize_text_field( $_POST[‘custom_delivery_instructions’] ) );

}

}

add_action( ‘woocommerce_checkout_update_order_meta’, ‘woocommerce_custom_checkout_field_update_order_meta’ );

/**

• Display field value on the order edit page

*/

function woocommerce_custom_checkout_field_display_admin_order_meta( $order ){

echo ‘

‘.__(‘Delivery Instructions’, ‘woocommerce’).’: ‘ . get_post_meta( $order->get_id(), ‘Delivery Instructions’, true ) . ‘

‘;

}

add_action( ‘woocommerce_admin_order_data_after_billing_address’, ‘woocommerce_custom_checkout_field_display_admin_order_meta’, 10, 1 );

?>

Explanation of the Code:

• `woocommerce_custom_checkout_field()`: This function adds the custom field to the checkout page. It uses `woocommerce_form_field()` to create the field.
• `’type’ => ‘textarea’`: Specifies the field type as a textarea.
• `’label’ => __(‘Delivery Instructions’, ‘woocommerce’)`: Sets the label for the field.
• `’placeholder’ => __(‘…’, ‘woocommerce’)`: Sets the placeholder text.
• `’required’ => false`: Makes the field optional.
• `add_action( ‘woocommerce_after_order_notes’, ‘woocommerce_custom_checkout_field’ )`: Hooks the function into the `woocommerce_after_order_notes` action, which places the field after the order notes section.
• `woocommerce_custom_checkout_field_update_order_meta()`: This function saves the value of the custom field to the order meta (the order details).
• `update_post_meta( $order_id, ‘Delivery Instructions’, sanitize_text_field( $_POST[‘custom_delivery_instructions’] ) )`: Stores the sanitized value of the `custom_delivery_instructions` field in the order meta. `sanitize_text_field()` is important for security.
• `add_action( ‘woocommerce_checkout_update_order_meta’, ‘woocommerce_custom_checkout_field_update_order_meta’ )`: Hooks the function into the `woocommerce_checkout_update_order_meta` action, which runs when the order is being processed.
• `woocommerce_custom_checkout_field_display_admin_order_meta()`: This function displays the custom field value on the order edit page in the WordPress admin panel.
• `add_action( ‘woocommerce_admin_order_data_after_billing_address’, ‘woocommerce_custom_checkout_field_display_admin_order_meta’, 10, 1 )`: Hooks the function into the `woocommerce_admin_order_data_after_billing_address` action to display the field after the billing address.

3. Customize the Code:

• Change the `name`, `label`, `placeholder`, and other attributes to suit your needs.
• Adjust the `add_action` hooks to change the field’s position on the checkout page.

4. Test Your Code:

• Clear your website’s cache.
• Visit your WooCommerce checkout page and verify that the new field is displayed correctly.
• Place a test order to ensure the data is saved and displayed in the order details.

Displaying the Custom Field in Emails

By default, WooCommerce emails won’t include your custom fields. You’ll need to add some code to display them. Again, this requires using a child theme and editing the `functions.php` file.

/**
Add custom field to WooCommerce emails
*/
function woocommerce_custom_checkout_field_display_email( $order, $sent_to_admin, $plain_text = false ) {
echo '
'.__('Delivery Instructions', 'woocommerce').': ' . get_post_meta( $order->get_id(), 'Delivery Instructions', true ) . '
';
}
add_action('woocommerce_email_after_order_table', 'woocommerce_custom_checkout_field_display_email', 10, 3);

This code adds the “Delivery Instructions” field to the WooCommerce emails sent to both the customer and the admin.

Conditional Logic (Advanced)

Sometimes, you might only want to display a custom field under certain conditions. For example, you might only need the VAT number for customers in the EU. This is where conditional logic comes in.

While implementing conditional logic with code can be complex, many premium checkout field editor plugins offer built-in conditional logic features. These features allow you to show or hide fields based on factors like:

• Billing country
• Shipping country
• Product in cart
• Cart total

Example (using a premium plugin with conditional logic):

You could configure the VAT Number field to only appear if the billing country is one of the EU member states. This simplifies the checkout process for customers outside the EU and ensures you only collect the VAT number when necessary.

Key Takeaways

• Adding custom checkout fields to WooCommerce can significantly improve your customer experience and streamline your order processing.
• Using a plugin is the easiest method, especially for beginners.
• If you’re comfortable with code, you can add custom fields directly to your theme’s `functions.php` file (using a child theme!).
• Always test your changes thoroughly to ensure everything works correctly.
• Consider using premium plugins with conditional logic features for more advanced requirements.

By following these steps, you can easily add custom checkout fields to your WooCommerce store and collect the information you need to provide the best possible service to your customers. Remember to always back up your website before making any code changes, and consult the documentation of your chosen plugin for specific instructions. Good luck!