Woocommerce How To Automatically Send Email Invoice At Order

WooCommerce: Automatically Sending Email Invoices at Order Confirmation

Introduction

In the world of e-commerce, providing a seamless customer experience is paramount. One crucial aspect of that experience is prompt and efficient communication. Automatically sending email invoices upon order placement in your WooCommerce store is not just a convenience; it’s a professional touch that enhances customer trust and streamlines your workflow. This article will guide you through the process of setting up automatic invoice emails in WooCommerce, exploring different methods and highlighting the benefits they offer. By automating this task, you can free up valuable time, reduce manual errors, and ensure your customers receive the information they need in a timely manner. Let’s dive into how to implement this essential feature for your online store.

Setting Up Automatic Email Invoices in WooCommerce

The default WooCommerce setup includes order confirmation emails, but they don’t always include a detailed invoice document suitable for accounting or tax purposes. Here are several methods to achieve automatic invoice delivery:

Method 1: Utilizing WooCommerce’s Built-in Functionality (Partially)

While WooCommerce doesn’t offer a dedicated “Invoice Email” option, you can leverage the “Processing Order” email. This email is automatically sent when an order transitions to the “Processing” status. You can customize this email to include more detailed order information.

1. Access WooCommerce Settings: Discover insights on How To Connect Woocommerce To Elementor Navigate to WooCommerce > Settings > Emails in your WordPress admin panel.

2. Locate “Processing Order” Email: Find the “Processing Order” email type.

3. Manage the Email: Click “Manage” to customize the email template.

4. Customize the Email Body: You can add details about the order, such as items purchased, price, shipping address, and payment method. However, generating a formal PDF invoice requires additional steps outlined below.

Limitations: This method, while simple, doesn’t provide a proper, downloadable PDF invoice. It only augments the existing notification with order specifics. For a professional invoice, plugins are generally necessary.

Method 2: Using WooCommerce Invoice Plugins

The most effective way to automatically send email invoices is by using a dedicated WooCommerce invoice plugin. Many plugins are available, both free and premium, that offer advanced customization options and generate professional-looking PDF invoices. Here are a few popular choices:

• WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips: A widely used, free plugin that generates PDF invoices attached to WooCommerce emails. It’s user-friendly and provides basic customization options.
• WooCommerce PDF Invoices, Packing Slips, Delivery Notes & Shipping Labels: A more comprehensive premium option from WebToffee that offers advanced features like custom branding, multiple invoice templates, packing slips, and delivery notes.
• YITH WooCommerce PDF Invoice & Shipping List: Another popular option, both free and premium, that allows for invoice customization and generates shipping lists.

How to Implement using WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips (Example):

1. Install and Activate the Plugin: Install the “WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips” plugin from the WordPress plugin repository and activate it.

2. Configure the Plugin: Navigate to WooCommerce > PDF Invoices > Settings.

3. General Settings: Configure basic settings such as company name, address, logo, and invoice number format.

4. Documents Settings: This is where you configure the invoice itself. Enable automatic sending for the invoice. You can also customize the invoice template, add your logo, and modify the content. Specifically, check the “Attach PDF to Email” option.

5. Choose Email for Attachment: Select which WooCommerce emails should include the invoice PDF. Usually, you’ll select “Completed Order” or “Processing Order.” The “Completed Order” email is a good choice as it signals successful order completion. The “Processing Order” is sent when the order is accepted.

6. Save Changes: Click “Save Changes” to apply your settings.

Example of modifying the invoice number generation (using plugin settings – not code):

You can usually customize the invoice number format within the plugin settings. For example, you might use a prefix like “INV-” followed by the order number.

Method 3: Custom Coding (Advanced)

For developers who prefer a custom solution, you can use WooCommerce hooks and filters to programmatically generate and attach invoices to emails. This approach requires PHP coding knowledge.

 <?php /** 
Automatically attach invoice to the 'customer_completed_order' email.
 */ add_filter( 'woocommerce_email_attachments', 'attach_invoice_to_email', 10, 3 ); 

function attach_invoice_to_email( $attachments, $email_id, $order ) {

if ( $email_id == ‘customer_completed_order’ ) { // Or ‘customer_processing_order’

$invoice_path = wc_get_invoice_path( $order ); // Assuming you have a function to generate the invoice path

if ( file_exists( $invoice_path ) ) {

$attachments[] = $invoice_path;

}

}

return $attachments;

}

/

* Example function to generate the invoice path (replace with your own logic).

*/

function wc_get_invoice_path( $order ) {

$order_id = $order->get_id();

$upload_dir = wp_upload_dir();

$invoice_dir = $upload_dir[‘basedir’] . ‘/woocommerce-invoices/’;

if ( ! file_exists( $invoice_dir ) ) {

mkdir( $invoice_dir, 0755, true );

}

$invoice_path = $invoice_dir . ‘invoice-‘ . $order_id . ‘.pdf’;

// Add logic Explore this article on How To Update Smart Coupons Woocommerce here to actually *generate* the PDF if it doesn’t exist.

// This will involve using a PDF library (like TCPDF or Dompdf)

// to create the PDF content based on the order details.

// For this example, we’re just returning a potential path. A real

// implementation needs to *create* the PDF at Explore this article on How To Sertup A Bulk Order Discount Woocommerce this path.

return $invoice_path;

}

?>

Explanation:

• `woocommerce_email_attachments` filter: This filter allows you to modify the attachments sent with WooCommerce emails.
• `customer_completed_order`: This specifies that the attachment should only be added to the “Customer Completed Order” email (sent when the order status changes to “Completed”). You could change this to ‘customer_processing_order’ if you want the invoice sent when the order is initially being processed.
• `wc_get_invoice_path()`: This is a placeholder function. You must replace this with your own code to generate the PDF invoice file. This would involve:
• Using a PDF generation library like TCPDF or Dompdf.
• Retrieving order details from `$order` object (e.g., `$order->get_items()`, `$order->get_total()`).
• Formatting the data and generating the PDF document.
• Saving the PDF file to the specified path.

Important Considerations for Custom Coding:

• PDF Generation Library: Choose a reliable PDF generation library like TCPDF or Dompdf.
• Security: Ensure your code is secure to prevent unauthorized access to invoices.
• Error Handling: Implement proper error handling to catch any issues during PDF generation.
• Maintenance: Custom code requires ongoing maintenance and updates to ensure compatibility with WooCommerce updates.
• Complexity: This method requires significant PHP development skill.

Benefits of Automating Invoice Emails

• Improved Customer Experience: Provides customers with instant access to their invoices, enhancing transparency and building trust.
• Streamlined Accounting: Simplifies bookkeeping by providing downloadable invoice documents.
• Time Savings: Eliminates the need to manually create and send invoices, freeing up valuable time for other business tasks.
• Reduced Errors: Automation minimizes the risk of human error in invoice generation.
• Professionalism: Enhances your brand image by providing a professional and efficient service.