WooCommerce: Manually Sending Order Complete Emails – A Comprehensive Guide
Introduction:
WooCommerce, the Discover insights on How To Customize Woocommerce Templates leading e-commerce platform for WordPress, automatically sends out various order-related emails, including the “Order Complete” email, which notifies customers that their order has been processed and shipped (or is ready for pickup, depending on your fulfillment Discover insights on How To Add Payment Method In WordPress Woocommerce method). However, there are instances where you might need to manually trigger these emails. Perhaps the automatic email failed to send due to a server glitch, a customer claims they didn’t receive it, or you’re testing your WooCommerce setup. Understanding how to manually send order complete emails in WooCommerce is a valuable skill for any online store owner. This guide will walk you through the process, its benefits, and some potential drawbacks.
Main Part: Manually Triggering Order Complete Emails in WooCommerce
There are two primary methods for manually sending order complete emails in WooCommerce: using the WooCommerce admin panel or utilizing custom code. We’ll explore both approaches.
Method 1: Using the WooCommerce Admin Panel
This is the simplest and most common method for manually sending order complete emails.
1. Locate the Order:
- Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
- Go to WooCommerce > Orders.
- Find the order you want to send the “Order Complete” email for.
- Click on the order number to open the order details.
- In the “Order actions” meta box on the right-hand side, use the dropdown menu to change the order status to “Completed.” If the order already marked as ‘Completed’ change the status to ‘Processing’ and update order and then change it to ‘Completed’ again and update order. This will trigger the Order Complete email.
- Click the “Update” button to save the changes.
2. Edit the Order:
3. Change the Order Status:
Important Note: Changing the order status to “Completed” will automatically trigger the “Order Complete” email to be sent to the customer’s email address associated with the order.
Method 2: Using Custom Code (For Advanced Users)
If you need more control or want to integrate the manual email sending process into a custom workflow, you can use custom code. This method requires basic PHP knowledge.
1. Access your theme’s `functions.php` file or use a code snippets plugin:
* The safest method is using a code snippets plugin, so your changes won’t be lost when your theme is updated. If you choose to edit `functions.php` always create a child theme first.
2. Add the following code snippet:
function manually_trigger_order_complete_email( $order_id ) { $order = wc_get_order( $order_id );
if ( $order ) {
WC()->mailer()->customer_completed_order( $order );
}
}
// Example usage: Replace ‘123’ with the actual order ID
// manually_trigger_order_complete_email( 123 );
Explanation:
- `wc_get_order( $order_id )`: This function retrieves the WooCommerce order object based on the provided `$order_id`.
- `WC()->mailer()->customer_completed_order( $order )`: This line triggers the “Order Complete” email. It utilizes the WooCommerce mailer class to format and send the email.
- The commented-out `manually_trigger_order_complete_email( 123 );` line shows how to use the function. Replace `123` with the actual order ID you want to send the email for. You’ll need to uncomment this line when you want to use it, and remember to comment it back out (or remove it) afterward to avoid repeatedly sending the email.
3. Run the code and then remove it:
- Place the un-commented code in your `functions.php` file or code snippet and refresh your website. This will run the code and send the email.
- After the email is sent, comment the code again to prevent it from being sent again on every page load.
Alternative Code for Hooking into an Action:
Instead of directly calling the function, you might want to trigger it based on a specific action, such as a button click on a custom admin page. Here’s an example:
add_action( 'woocommerce_order_status_completed', 'my_custom_function_after_completion', 10, 1 );
function my_custom_function_after_completion( $order_id ) {
// Get the order object
$order = wc_get_order( $order_id );
if ( $order ) {
// Send the “Order Complete” email
WC()->mailer()->customer_completed_order( $order );
}
}
This code uses the `woocommerce_order_status_completed` action hook, which is triggered whenever an order’s status is changed to “Completed.” This means the email will automatically be sent again every time the status is set to completed, be mindful of this if using this code. Use it with caution if you’re changing order statuses back and forth.
Important Considerations for Using Custom Code:
- Error Handling: The provided code snippets are basic examples. For production environments, you should add error handling to gracefully manage situations where the order ID is invalid or the email fails to send.
- Security: Be cautious when adding custom code to your WooCommerce site. Always ensure your code is secure and doesn’t introduce vulnerabilities. Only make code changes if you understand the code and potential implications.
- Testing: Thoroughly test any custom code changes in a staging environment before deploying them to your live site.
- Backups: Always back up your website before making any code changes.
Conclusion:
Being able to manually send order complete emails in WooCommerce is a valuable asset for maintaining excellent customer service and resolving potential issues. While the admin panel method is typically sufficient for most scenarios, understanding how to use custom code offers greater flexibility and control. Remember to choose the method that best suits your needs and technical expertise, always prioritize security and testing.