How To Print Customer Receipts From Woocommerce

How to Print Customer Receipts from WooCommerce: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction:

Running an online store with WooCommerce is a fantastic way to reach a global audience and grow your business. However, ensuring a smooth customer experience includes providing essential documentation like receipts. While WooCommerce sends order confirmation emails, sometimes a physical printed receipt is necessary, whether for bookkeeping, record-keeping purposes, or simply as a customer preference. This article will guide you through different methods for effectively printing customer receipts from your WooCommerce store. We’ll cover basic built-in options, plugin solutions, and even custom coding approaches, empowering you to choose the method that best suits your needs and technical expertise.

Why Print Receipts from WooCommerce?

Before diving into the “how,” let’s quickly recap the “why” behind printing receipts:

• Customer Requests: Some customers prefer a physical receipt, especially for reimbursement or tax purposes.
• Bookkeeping and Accounting: Printed receipts can be invaluable for your own financial records and audits.
• Order Fulfillment Accuracy: A receipt can be attached to the package as a checklist to ensure all items are correctly included.
• Professionalism: Providing a receipt shows attention to detail and enhances the overall customer experience.
• Offline Sales Integration: If you have both an online and physical store, printed receipts can help integrate your sales data.

Main Part:

Method 1: Using the WooCommerce Order Page

This is the simplest, built-in method for printing basic order details.

1. Navigate to WooCommerce -> Orders: Log into your WordPress dashboard and find the “WooCommerce” menu. Click on “Orders.”

2. Select the Order: Find the specific order you want to print a receipt for.

3. Open the Order: Click on the order number or “View” to open the order details page.

4. Print from Your Browser: Use your browser’s print functionality (usually accessed by pressing `Ctrl + P` on Check out this post: How To Hide Atrributes In Woocommerce Windows or `Cmd + P` on Mac).

This method provides a simple, no-frills printout of the order details visible on the screen. However, its formatting is limited.

Method 2: Utilizing WooCommerce Plugins for Enhanced Receipt Printing

Several plugins offer much greater control and customization over your WooCommerce receipts. Here are a few popular options:

* WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips: This plugin is extremely popular and feature-rich. It allows you to automatically generate PDF invoices and packing slips, which can then be easily printed. You can customize the appearance, add your logo, and more.

* Print Invoice & Delivery Notes for WooCommerce: A simpler plugin focused specifically on printing invoices and delivery notes directly from the order list or order details page.

* PDF Invoices: Another option for creating and managing PDF invoices that you can then print.

Steps for Using a Plugin (Example: WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips):

1. Install and Activate the Plugin: Go to Plugins -> Add New in your WordPress dashboard, search for “WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips,” install, and activate it.

2. Configure the Plugin Settings: Go to WooCommerce -> PDF Invoices -> Settings. Here, you can customize the invoice template, add your company logo, set invoice numbering, and configure other options.

3. Generate the PDF Invoice: Go back to WooCommerce -> Orders, select the order you want to print, and find the option to “Generate PDF Invoice” or “Print Discover insights on How To Set Up Analytics Transaction Goals Woocommerce Invoice” (the exact wording will depend on the plugin).

4. Print the PDF: Open the generated PDF and print it using your PDF viewer.

Method 3: Custom Coding for Advanced Receipt Customization

For developers or those comfortable with PHP, custom coding offers the ultimate flexibility in designing and printing receipts. This approach requires a deeper understanding of WooCommerce’s data structure and theme development.

Example Snippet (Simple Custom Receipt):

 <?php /** 
Custom function to print a simple receipt from WooCommerce order data.
 
This code should ideally be placed in a child theme's functions.php file
 
or in a custom plugin.
 */ function custom_print_woocommerce_receipt( $order_id ) { $order = wc_get_order( $order_id ); 

if ( ! $order ) {

echo ‘

Order not found.

‘;

return;

}

echo ‘

Order Receipt

‘;

echo ‘

Order Number: ‘ . $order->get_order_number() . ‘

‘;

echo ‘

Order Date: ‘ . wc_format_datetime( $order->get_date_created() ) . ‘

‘;

echo ‘

Billing Address:

‘;

echo ‘

‘ . $order->get_billing_first_name() . ‘ ‘ . $order->get_billing_last_name() . ‘

‘;

echo Check out this post: How To Change Layout On Invoice Woocommerce ‘

‘ . $order->get_billing_address_1() . ‘

‘;

echo ‘

‘ . $order->get_billing_city() . ‘, ‘ . $order->get_billing_state() . ‘ ‘ . $order->get_billing_postcode() . ‘

‘;

echo ‘

Order Items:

‘;

echo ‘

‘;

foreach ( $order->get_items() as $item_id => $item ) {

$product_name = $item->get_name();

$quantity = $item->get_quantity();

echo ‘

• ‘ . $product_name . ‘ (Quantity: ‘ . $quantity . ‘)

‘;

}

echo ‘

‘;

echo ‘

Total: ‘ . wc_price( $order->get_total() ) . ‘

‘;

//Add a print button

echo ‘Print Receipt‘;

}

//Hook to display the receipt (example: in the order confirmation page)

add_action( ‘woocommerce_thankyou’, ‘custom_print_woocommerce_receipt’, 10, 1 ); //hooking into the thank you page

?>

Explanation:

• This code retrieves the order information using `wc_get_order()`.
• It then formats the order details into HTML, including the order number, date, billing address, order items, and total.
• A simple `` is added to initiate the print dialog.
• The `add_action` hook displays this receipt on the order confirmation (‘thank you’) page.

Important Considerations for Custom Coding:

• Security: Sanitize and validate all data to prevent security vulnerabilities.
• Maintainability: Write clean, well-documented code for easy maintenance and updates.
• Theme Compatibility: Ensure your code is compatible with your current theme. Using child themes is highly recommended to avoid losing customizations during theme updates.

Conclusion:

Printing customer receipts from WooCommerce doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Whether you choose the simple browser print option, leverage the power of plugins, or delve into custom coding, the right method will enhance your customer service and streamline your business operations. Remember to consider your specific requirements, technical expertise, and budget when selecting the best approach for your WooCommerce store. By offering clear and accessible receipts, you not only meet customer expectations but also build trust and credibility for your brand.