Understanding orders
Learn what an order is in WooCommerce, where to find your orders, and what information each order contains.
Every time a customer completes a purchase on your store, WooCommerce creates an order. This guide explains what orders are, where to find them, and what all that information means.
Quick summary
Orders live under WooCommerce → Orders in your WordPress dashboard. Each order has a unique number, a status (like "Processing" or "Completed"), and a full record of what was bought, who bought it, and how they paid. You can view, edit, and manage every order from that screen.
Where to find your orders
Log in to WordPress. Go to your site's login page and sign in with your admin account.
Go to WooCommerce → Orders. In the left-hand menu, click WooCommerce, then click Orders.
Browse or search. You'll see a list of all orders. Use the search box or the filter buttons at the top to narrow down by status, date, or customer name.
Click an order number to open the full order detail page.
What's inside an order
When you open an order, you'll see several sections. Here's what each one means.
| Section | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Order number & date | A unique ID and the date/time the order was placed |
| Order status | Where this order is in your workflow (e.g., Processing, Completed) |
| Items ordered | Products, quantities, and prices |
| Customer details | Name, email, billing address, and shipping address |
| Payment method | How the customer paid (credit card, PayPal, etc.) |
| Order notes | A running log of activity and any notes you or the customer left |
| Totals | Subtotal, shipping cost, taxes, discounts, and grand total |
The order number
Every order gets a unique number (for example, #1042). This number never changes. When a customer emails you about an order, ask for this number — it makes finding the right order instant.
Order notes
The Order notes section on the right side of the order page is a log. It records automatic events (like "Payment received") and lets you add your own private notes or notes visible to the customer. This is the best place to track what happened with an order.
Private vs. customer-facing notes
When you add a note, you can choose "Private note" (only you see it) or "Note to customer" (sends the customer an email with your message). Use customer notes to give updates like tracking numbers.
Billing vs. shipping addresses
An order has two addresses. The billing address is where the payment comes from. The shipping address is where the goods go. They are often the same, but not always — for example, when someone buys a gift for another person.
Common questions
Related guides
- Order statuses explained
- How to process & fulfill an order
- How to refund an order
- How to cancel an order
- Managing customers
Need a hand?
Learn more
Selling digital & downloadable products
How to set up and sell digital downloads in WooCommerce — including uploading files, setting download limits, and how customers receive their files.
How to process & fulfill an order
A step-by-step guide to reviewing, fulfilling, and completing customer orders in WooCommerce.