WooCommerce: Making the Company Name Field Mandatory – A Beginner’s Guide
Are you running a WooCommerce store and need to require customers to enter their company name during checkout? Perhaps you primarily sell to businesses, or maybe you need the company name for shipping purposes or legal compliance. Whatever your reason, this article will guide you through the process of making the company name field mandatory in your WooCommerce checkout form. Don’t worry; even if you’re new to WooCommerce and a little scared of code, we’ll walk through it step-by-step.
Why Make the Company Name Mandatory?
Before diving into *how*, let’s quickly discuss *why*. Requiring the company name can be beneficial in various situations:
- B2B Sales: If your business primarily deals with other businesses (B2B), knowing the company name is essential for invoicing, order tracking, and customer relationship management. Imagine trying to send an invoice to “John Smith” without knowing the company he works for – it could lead to delays and confusion.
- Shipping & Logistics: Sometimes, shipping carriers require a company name for commercial shipments. Having this information upfront prevents delays and ensures accurate delivery. Think of a large corporation receiving hundreds of deliveries daily; the company name helps them route packages correctly internally.
- Legal Compliance: Depending on your industry and location, you might be legally obligated to collect the company name for certain transactions.
- Improved Data Collection: Knowing the company name allows you to better segment your customer base, tailor your marketing efforts, and gain valuable insights into your customer demographics. For example, you can analyze which industries are most interested in your products.
Method 1: Using the WooCommerce Settings (Limited Option)
While WooCommerce doesn’t offer a direct setting to make the company name *mandatory*, you can use the settings to display the company name field. However, this approach only makes it visible, not required. Customers can still skip it.
Here’s how to display the company name field:
1. Go to WooCommerce > Settings.
2. Click on the Shipping tab.
3. Under Shipping Options, ensure that “Force shipping to the customer billing address” is *unchecked* if you want customers to be able to ship to different addresses, and then save. This displays the shipping fields including company.
4. Go to WooCommerce > Settings then Checkout.
5. Under Checkout Options, make sure to select `Display billing address fields on checkout page` and `Display shipping address fields on checkout page`.
This method is very limited. To truly *require* the company name, you’ll need a bit of code.
Method 2: Using a Code Snippet (The Recommended Approach)
This method involves adding a small snippet of code to your website. Don’t worry, it’s easier than it sounds! We’ll use a child theme or a code snippet plugin to avoid modifying your theme’s core files directly (which is *strongly* recommended).
Step 1: Install a Code Snippet Plugin (Recommended for Beginners)
If you’re not comfortable editing theme files directly, install a plugin like “Code Snippets.” This is a free and safe way to add custom code to your website.
1. Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Search for “Code Snippets.”
3. Install and activate the plugin.
Step 2: Add the Code Snippet
1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Snippets > Add New.
2. Give your snippet a descriptive title, like “Make Company Name Mandatory”.
3. Paste the following code into the code editor:
add_filter( 'woocommerce_billing_fields', 'make_company_name_required' );
function make_company_name_required( $fields ) {
$fields[‘billing_company’][‘required’] = true;
return $fields;
}
add_filter( ‘woocommerce_shipping_fields’, ‘make_shipping_company_name_required’ );
function make_shipping_company_name_required( $fields ) {
$fields[‘shipping_company’][‘required’] = true;
return $fields;
}
4. Choose “Only run in administration area” and “Run snippet everywhere” in the options below the code editor.
5. Click Save Changes and Activate.
Explanation of the Code:
- `add_filter( ‘woocommerce_billing_fields’, ‘make_company_name_required’ );` This line hooks into the WooCommerce billing fields.
- `function make_company_name_required( $fields ) { … }` This function modifies the billing fields.
- `$fields[‘billing_company’][‘required’] = true;` This is the key line! It sets the ‘required’ attribute of the ‘billing_company’ field to ‘true’, making it mandatory.
- The second function mirrors this logic for the shipping address’s company field.
Step 3: Test Your Changes
Visit your WooCommerce checkout page. You should now see an asterisk (*) next to the “Company name” field, indicating that it’s required. If a customer tries to proceed without filling it in, they’ll receive an error message.
Method 3: Editing Your Theme’s `functions.php` File (Not Recommended for Beginners)
Warning: Editing your theme’s `functions.php` file directly can break your website if done incorrectly. It’s *highly* recommended to use a child theme or a code snippet plugin instead. If you choose this method, make sure you have a backup of your website.
1. Create a Child Theme: This is the *safest* way to modify your theme. Creating a child theme prevents your changes from being overwritten when your theme is updated.
2. Locate the `functions.php` file: Find the `functions.php` file in your child theme’s directory (usually `/wp-content/themes/your-child-theme/`).
3. Add the Code: Paste the same code snippet from Method 2 into your `functions.php` file at the very bottom.
4. Save the File: Save the changes to your `functions.php` file.
5. Test Your Changes: Visit your checkout page to ensure the company name field is now mandatory.
Customizing the Error Message (Optional)
By default, WooCommerce will display a generic error message if the company name is missing. You can customize this message to be more specific. Here’s how:
add_filter( 'woocommerce_checkout_fields' , 'override_billing_checkout_fields' );
function override_billing_checkout_fields( $fields ) {
$fields['billing']['billing_company']['label'] = 'Company Name (Required)';
return $fields;
}
add_filter( ‘woocommerce_validate_checkout_field’ , ‘custom_validate_company_name’ , 10, 2 );
function custom_validate_company_name( $passed, $fields ) {
if ( ! $fields[ ‘billing_company’ ] ) {
wc_add_notice( __( ‘Please enter your company name.’, ‘woocommerce’ ), ‘error’ );
$passed = false;
}
return $passed;
}
add_filter( ‘woocommerce_checkout_fields’ , ‘override_shipping_checkout_fields’ );
function override_shipping_checkout_fields( $fields ) {
$fields[‘shipping’][‘shipping_company’][‘label’] = ‘Company Name (Required)’;
return $fields;
}
add_filter( ‘woocommerce_validate_checkout_field’ , ‘custom_validate_shipping_company_name’ , 10, 2 );
function custom_validate_shipping_company_name( $passed, $fields ) {
if ( ! $fields[ ‘shipping_company’ ] ) {
wc_add_notice( __( ‘Please enter your shipping company name.’, ‘woocommerce’ ), ‘error’ );
$passed = false;
}
return $passed;
}
Explanation:
- This code overrides the validation process.
- `wc_add_notice( __( ‘Please enter your company name.’, ‘woocommerce’ ), ‘error’ );` This line adds a custom error message when the company name field is empty.
Remember to add this code snippet using a code snippet plugin or a child theme, just like before. This also modifies the label to ‘Company Name (Required)’ on the billing/shipping address pages.
Conclusion
Making the company name field mandatory in WooCommerce is a simple yet powerful way to improve your B2B sales, streamline shipping, and collect valuable customer data. By following the steps outlined in this guide, even beginners can easily implement this change without breaking their website. Remember to always back up your website before making any code changes, and use a child theme or a code snippet plugin for added safety. Good luck!
