How to Print Orders in WooCommerce: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

Managing orders effectively is crucial for any successful WooCommerce store. While the WooCommerce dashboard provides a good overview, sometimes you need a physical copy of an order for packing, accounting, or record-keeping. This article will guide you through various methods of printing orders directly from your WooCommerce store, covering everything from simple Check out this post: How To Enable Woocommerce Api browser printing to more sophisticated plugin-based solutions. Whether you need to print individual orders, bulk print, or customize the printed output, this guide has you covered.

Main Part

Why Print WooCommerce Orders?

Printing orders might seem old-fashioned in the digital age, but it offers several advantages:

• Improved Order Fulfillment: A printed order acts as a packing slip, ensuring accuracy when picking and packing items.
• Streamlined Workflow: Having a physical copy allows staff to work independently of the computer, speeding up the fulfillment process.
• Offline Record Keeping: Printed records are valuable for accounting purposes and serve as a backup in case of technical issues.
• Enhanced Communication: You can include specific instructions or notes for the warehouse or shipping team directly on the printed order.

Methods for Printing WooCommerce Orders

Here are a few methods for printing WooCommerce orders, ranging from the simplest to the most advanced:

#### 1. Browser Printing (Basic)

This is the simplest method, requiring no plugins or extra configuration.

• Steps:

1. Navigate to the “Orders” section in your WooCommerce dashboard.

2. Open the specific order you want to print.

3. Use your browser’s print function (usually `Ctrl+P` or `Cmd+P`).

4. Adjust print settings as needed (e.g., paper size, margins, headers/footers).

5. Click “Print.”

• Pros:
• Simple and readily available.
• Requires no extra plugins.
• Cons:
• The printed output might include unnecessary elements from the WooCommerce dashboard.
• Limited customization options.
• Not ideal for bulk printing.

#### 2. Printing Directly from the Order Page

WooCommerce usually generates a better formatted version.

• Steps:

1. Navigate to the “Orders” section in your WooCommerce dashboard.

2. Open the specific order you want to print.

3. Look for a “Print Order” button, usually located at the top or in the “Order actions” meta box.

4. The order will open in a new print friendly format. Use `Ctrl+P` or `Cmd+P` to print.

• Pros:
• Slightly better formatted than using the browser print function directly.
• Easy to use.
• Cons:
• Limited customization options.
• Not ideal for bulk printing.

#### 3. Using a Dedicated WooCommerce Printing Plugin

Several plugins provide more advanced printing functionalities, including:

• Order/Invoice Printing: These plugins typically offer:
• Customizable templates: Tailor the layout and content of your printed orders.
• Bulk printing: Print multiple orders at once.
• Automatic invoice generation: Generate and print invoices alongside orders.
• PDF Check out this post: How To Add Tab In Tab Manager Woocommerce creation: Save orders as PDF files.
• Label Printing: These plugins are designed for creating shipping labels with customer addresses, product information, and tracking barcodes.
• Examples of popular plugins:
• WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips by Ewout Fernhout
• Print Invoice & Delivery Notes for WooCommerce by WPGens
• WCPrint – WooCommerce Order Printer by Acowebs
• Example: Integrating a Plugin (WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips)

After installing and activating the plugin:

1. Go to WooCommerce > PDF Invoices in your WordPress dashboard.

2. Configure the plugin settings to customize the appearance of the invoices and packing slips. You can often add your company logo, address, and other information.

3. When viewing an order, you’ll now see options to generate and download a PDF invoice and packing slip, which you can then print.

#### 4. Custom Code (Advanced)

For advanced customization, you can use custom code snippets to generate specific printing outputs. This requires PHP knowledge.

• Example Snippet (Adding a “Print Order” button):

 add_action( 'woocommerce_admin_order_actions_end', 'add_print_order_button' ); 

function add_print_order_button( $order ) {

$order_id = method_exists( $order, ‘get_id’ ) ? $order->get_id() : $order->id;

$print_url = admin_url( ‘admin-ajax.php?action=print_order&order_id=’ . $order_id );

echo ‘‘ . __( ‘Print Order’, ‘woocommerce’ ) . ‘‘;

}

add_action( ‘wp_ajax_print_order’, ‘print_woocommerce_order’ );

function print_woocommerce_order() {

$order_id = intval( $_GET[‘order_id’] );

$order = wc_get_order( $order_id );

if ( $order ) {

// Start HTML output

echo ”;

echo ”;

echo ”;

echo ‘‘;

echo ‘

/* Add custom CSS styling here */

‘;

echo ”;

echo ”;

echo ‘

Order #’ . $order->get_order_number() . ‘

‘;

echo ‘

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

‘;

// Loop through order items

echo ‘

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 ‘

‘;

// Add more order details as needed

echo ”;

} else {

echo ‘Order not found.’;

}

wp_die(); // Required to properly end AJAX call.

}

• Important Considerations:
• This is a basic example; you’ll need to customize the HTML output and CSS styling to match your requirements.
• Add the code to your theme’s `functions.php` file or a custom plugin.
• Always back up your website before making code changes.

Choosing the Right Method

The best printing method depends on your needs and technical expertise:

• Basic needs, low volume: Browser printing or order page printing might suffice.
• Customization and bulk printing: A dedicated WooCommerce printing plugin is recommended.
• Highly specific requirements, coding expertise: Custom code provides maximum control.

Conclusion

Printing WooCommerce orders offers tangible benefits for fulfillment accuracy, workflow efficiency, and record-keeping. By understanding the available methods – from simple browser printing to advanced plugin integrations and custom coding – you can choose the solution that best fits your business needs and optimize your order management process. Remember to consider factors like customization, bulk printing requirements, and your technical skill level when making your decision. Implementing the right printing strategy will contribute to a smoother and more efficient operation for your online store.