OpenCart Order Management Guide

Introduction to Order Management

Effective order management is vital for the smooth operation of an e-shop and customer satisfaction. OpenCart provides an integrated system for monitoring and processing orders from the moment they are submitted to completion and delivery.

This guide will guide you in the steps to view, edit, update situations, manage returns and communicate with customers about their orders.

Order View (List)

All orders placed in your store are recorded and accessible from your admin panel.

To see the list of orders, go to Sales > Orders.

• Filter: You can filter orders based on various criteria such as Order ID, Customer Name, Order Status, Total, Date Add, Date Change.
• View: By clicking on the "View" button (View) next to an order, you are transferred to its details page.
• Edit: (Note: Direct processing of an existing order is limited in OpenCart. Usually, changes are made via cancellation and new order or by contacting the customer).
• Print Shipping Prices/lists: You can select multiple orders and print their invoices or mailing lists in mass.

Order Details

The details page of an order provides all information related to it. It consists of several tabs/modules:

Order Information

• Order ID: The only identifier on the order.
• Invoice No.: The invoice number (if created).
• Store Name/URL: The store from which the order was made (important for multi-store).
• Date Added/Modified: Dates of creation and last modification.
• Payment Method: The payment method the client chose.
• Shipping Method: The way the client chose.

Customer Details

• Customer: Customer name (with link to customer page).
• Customer Group: The team to which the client belongs.
• Email: The client's email address.
• Telephone: The client's phone number.
• IP Address: The IP address from which the order was made.

Payment & Mission Addresses

The full addresses provided by the client for payment and shipment appear.

Order Products

List of products included in the order, together with:

• Product Name & Model: Product name and model.
• Quantity: Quantity.
• Unit Price: Unit price.
• Total: Total value for each product.
• Order Totals: Individual sets such as Subtotal, Shipping Cost, VAT, Final Total are also shown.

Order History

This section is critical for processing the order. Here you can:

• Change the Order Status.
• Notify the customer (Notify Customer) to change the situation.
• Add Comments (Comment) which may be visible or not visible to the client.
• See the full history of changes in status and comments.

Order Status

Order states (Order Statuses) help you track the progress of each order. OpenCart comes with default situations, but you can create your own.

To manage Order Statements, go to System > Local Adaptation > Order Status.

Common situations include:

• Pending: It is pending (order has been submitted but no processing or payment has been made).
• Processing: In Processing (payment has been confirmed and order prepared).
• Shipped: Shipped (the order has been shipped to the customer).
• Complete: Completed (order has been delivered and successfully completed).
• Canceled: Canceled.
• Refunded: Money Back.
• Failed: Failed (eg, payment failure).

Edit Orders

The process of processing an order usually includes the following steps from the order details page:

Create Invoice

After the payment is confirmed (for non-payments), you can create the invoice. In the "Order Details" tab, click the button "Generate Invoice". This will assign an invoice number to the order.

Print Send/Invoice List

You can print the invoice or a mailing slip by clicking on the corresponding buttons ("Print Invoice", "Print Shipping List") at the top of the order details page.

Add Historic & Customer Notice

On the History tab:

1. Select the appropriate "Order Status" (e.g., "Processing", "Shipped").
2. Check it out. "Notify Customer" if you want the client to receive an email to change status.
3. Add Any comments in the field "Comment". These comments will be included in the email if the notification is active.
4. Click on "Add History".

Repeat this step for any change in order status (e.g., when sent, when delivered).

Refund Management (RMAs)

OpenCart has a product return management system (RMA).

To manage returns, go to Sales > Returns.

• Customers may request a refund from their account (if the function is activated).
• You can see requests, approve or reject them, and update the return status (e.g., "Pending", "Awaiting Products", "Complete").
• Contacting the customer about the return is usually done by email or by the return history section.

Refund arrangements (e.g. refund conditions) are usually found in System > Settings > Store Edit > Tab Options.

Customer Notifications

Informing customers about the progress of their order is crucial for good service. OpenCart automatically emails for certain events:

• Confirm Order: It is sent automatically when the customer submits an order.
• Order Status Updates: They are sent when changing the order status and you choose "Notify Customer".

The templates of these emails can be modified (for advanced users) in the language and template files of your subject.

Best Practices

• Instant Confirmation: Edit new orders as soon as possible.
• Clear Communication: Keep customers informed about the status of their order, especially about any delays.
• Accurate Record Keeping: Use order states correctly and add related comments to the history.
• Timely Shipping: Try to send orders within the promised time frames.
• Effective Return Management: Handle return requests quickly and professionally.
• Data Protection: Manage customer information safely and in accordance with the regulations (GDPR).

Dealing with Problems

• Order does not appear in the list:
  • Check the filters you have applied to the order list.
  • Make sure the payment is successfully completed (for some ways of payment, the order can only be created after confirmation of payment).
• The client did not receive confirmation/update emails:
  • Check your store's email settings ( System > Settings > Store Processing > Mail (tab).
  • Make sure your mail server works properly.
  • Check the client's spam folder.
• Wrong order sets calculation:
  • Check product prices, tax classes, discounts and shipping charges.