Orders are created when a customer completes the checkout process, and they are visible to users with Admin and Shop Manager roles only. Each order is given a unique Order ID.
Order IDs are non-sequential as they use the default WordPress ID approach.
An order also has a Status. Order statuses let you know how far along the order is, starting with “Pending payment” and ending with “Completed.” The following order statuses are used:
Pending payment — Order received, no payment initiated. Awaiting payment (unpaid).
Failed — Payment failed or was declined (unpaid) or requires authentication (SCA).
Processing — Payment received (paid) and stock has been reduced; order is awaiting fulfillment. All product orders require processing, except those that only contain products which are both Virtual and Downloadable.
Completed — Order fulfilled and complete – requires no further action.
On hold — Awaiting payment – stock is reduced, but you need to confirm payment.
Canceled — Canceled by an admin or the customer – stock is increased, no further action required.
Refunded — Refunded by an admin – no further action required.
Authentication required — Awaiting action by the customer to authenticate the transaction and/or complete SCA requirements.
This visual representation follows an order through its statuses from “Pending payment” to “Completed”, “Canceled” or “Refunded.”
Order Statuses and Emails
More about the different emails that are automatically sent at Email Settings.
If you are using PayPal and orders are staying in Pending, you may have an IPN issue. See the troubleshooting section at Debugging IPN Issues.
When a shop starts taking orders, the Orders management page begins to fill up. Go to: WooCommerce > Orders.
Each row displays several details. Some are there by default, others can be added. These are the available options:
Order number and customer name
Date of purchase
Order status
Billing address
Shipping address
Purchase total
Actions
To change these columns:
Go to: WooCommerce > Orders
Select Screen Options in the top right corner
Select which Columns to show
Select how many Items you want to be displayed on each page
Then Apply
Filter orders by Date (month/year) or by registered customer:
Select the month, or search for a customer
Select Filter
Arrange orders in ascending or descending order by Order number, Date, or Total by selecting the heading.
Note that the “Total” column does not take the refunded amount into consideration.
Click the order number and customer name to see the Single Order page, where you can also Edit order details, Update Status, and Add Notes.
Order rows have a Preview “eye.”
Clicking Preview opens a Modal, containing the order number, order status, billing details, payment method, shipping details, shipping method, items ordered, and the option to change the order status.
Order Statuses are color-coded and descriptive:
Canceled – Grey
Completed – Blue
Failed – Red
On Hold – Orange
Pending Payment – Grey
Processing – Green
Refunded – Grey
Hovering over an order Status displays Notes made on the order.
At the end of a row are shortcut buttons to quickly mark orders as Processing or Complete.
From the Single Order page not only can you view all order data, but also edit and update:
Change the order status
Edit order items – modify the product, prices, and taxes
Stock – Reduce and restore stock for an order
Order Actions – Email order details to customer or Regenerate download permissions
Modify product Meta to edit product variations
Apply coupons
Add fee
The Order Details panel allows you to view:
Order number
Payment details
Order date and time
Order status
Customer details:
Username and email
Billing details
Shipping details
Most of the details in this section can be updated:
To change the date and time, use the dropdown date selector and time selector
To change the status, choose the right status from the dropdown
To change the customer, select the current customer and search for a new one
Under “Billing”:
Billing address (can also be loaded from the customer’s profile)
Phone number
Payment method and details
Under “Shipping”:
Shipping address (can be copied from billing or loaded)
Customer provided note
Once you’ve made changes, select Update.
The Order Items panel contains product items, shipping details, and order summary.
Each product item row lists:
Product image
Product name
Cost
Quantity
Total (with discounts)
Taxes
Shipping details:
Shipping method
Boxed items
Total cost
Taxes
Order cost overview includes:
Items subtotal
Coupon(s)
Shipping
Taxes
Order total
Payment breakdown (paid amount and gateway fees)
Order items can only be edited if the order is “Pending payment” or “On hold.”
Editable product fields:
Add Meta – Change product options
Quantity
Total – Before discounts
Tax – Remove if tax-exempt
Other actions:
Add item(s)
Add product(s)
Add fee
Add shipping
Add tax
Cancel or Save
Recalculate totals
You can also:
Apply coupon
Refund
To add custom meta fields, use the Custom Fields section.
Order Notes
The Order Notes panel shows system and customer notes. These help track events like payments or add messages.
Types of notes:
Purple: System status (e.g., payment details)
Grey: Private notes or system updates (not shown to customers)
Blue: Notes sent to customer (viewable via order tracking)
To add a note:
Enter note content
Select Private or Note to customer
Click Add
To add an order:
Go to: WooCommerce > Orders
Click Add New
Enter customer details, items, coupons, fees, etc.
Set order status (e.g., Pending payment)
Save
Use the Order Actions dropdown to send order emails.
Orders in “Pending payment” can be paid via a payment link.
As shop manager, you can find this link in the order overview.
For guests: Anyone with the link can pay.
For registered users: Only the logged-in user can access it.
The customer can also view and pay the order via My Account > Orders.
If assigned, the customer will be prompted to log in before paying.