How to Import and Export WooCommerce Orders for Migration?

Migration refers to the process of transferring data from one place to another, which includes both importing and exporting. To migrate WooCommerce orders, you just need to export your order data from the existing store and then import it into the new location, making sure that all order details are accurately transferred for a smooth customer experience.

Effectively managing customer orders is vital for a smooth eCommerce operation when running a WooCommerce website. Store owners often encounter the task of transferring orders between different sites, whether for data backup, migrating to a new platform, or consolidating information from multiple stores.

Various tools are available to make this process easier, including specialized order export and import plugins specifically designed for WooCommerce. These plugins provide a user-friendly way to export orders in bulk and import them into another WooCommerce site, saving you time and effort while ensuring data integrity.

Moreover, WordPress offers a default tool that allows you to export WooCommerce orders without additional plugins. Whether you opt for plugins or the native WordPress export feature, the correct methods are crucial for effective order management and smooth transitions between sites.

In this article, we will discuss how to migrate WooCommerce orders using the default WordPress feature and specialized plugins.

There are two main ways to export orders from your WooCommerce store: with WordPress’s default export tool and dedicated order import-export plugins. Here, we will look into each method and tool in detail.

Using the Default WordPress Export Tool

WooCommerce orders can be exported in bulk using WordPress’s default export tool. The tool exports all the data regarding orders in the store to an XML file that you can save to your computer.

Note that this method provides no options for data mapping and customizations.

To export orders via this method,

• Go to Tools > Export on your WordPress dashboard.
• Select Orders and click the Download Export File button.

While the built-in WordPress export tool lets you export WooCommerce orders, it has some limitations regarding customization. For instance, you can’t choose specific columns or fields to include in the export file, which can be a hassle if you’re only interested in certain data.

This lack of flexibility might result in tedious manual edits after the export, particularly with larger datasets.

To gain more control, using a third-party plugin like the Order Export & Order Import for WooCommerce is often a better option. The plugin lets you export orders in batches, selectively filter order data based on different criteria, rename and reorder columns, and more.

Opting for a specialized plugin simplifies the migration process, saves time on data management, and ensures that only the relevant order details are transferred.

You can export WooCommerce orders with this plugin in a few simple steps. Let’s look at this in detail.

Step 1: Install & Activate Order Export for WooCommerce Plugin

First, you must install and activate the plugin on your WordPress website from which you export orders.

For this,

• Go to Plugins > Add New from your WordPress dashboard.
• Search for the “Order Import Export” plugin by WebToffee.
• Once found, click on Install Now. Then, Activate the plugin.

Step 2: Choose Order as Post Type for Export

The Order Import Export plugin lets you export different types of posts, such as orders and coupons. Since we are exporting orders,

• Navigate to WebToffee Import Export (Basic) > Export on your WordPress dashboard.
• Select Order as a post type.
• Proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Choose an Export Method

You can export orders in different ways. The method you select depends on your requirements. There are two available options: Quick export and Advanced export.

Quick Export

The Quick export option lets you export the basic order data in just a single click, making it ideal for users who want a fast, no-setup export. This option includes all the commonly required order fields and does not require configuring filters, column selections, or mapping settings.

If you select this option, you can either

• Directly export the orders by clicking on Export on the same page.
• Click the button Advanced options/Batch export to move to step 5 of the export process (bypassing steps 3 and 4).

From there, you can fine-tune your export by applying filters, selecting specific fields, customizing column mapping, or defining batch export settings. This feature gives you the convenience of starting with a quick setup while still retaining access to advanced customization options when needed.

Advanced Export

The advanced order export option in the plugin enables you to set up filters to export order data selectively. In addition to filters, this advanced export provides several column selections and advanced options.

Let’s select Advanced export and proceed to the next step.

Step 4: Filter Order Data for Export

Here, you can set up filters to export only the order data you want in your export file.

The plugin provides several order data filters, such as the number of orders to export and the number of orders (from the beginning) to skip. The filters also let you export the details of individual orders by order ID. Other filters include purchased products, customers, order status, coupons, etc.

Since you are exporting for migration purposes, you may not want to apply filters and export all the order details. In that case, you may proceed to the next step.

Step 5: Map and Rearrange Export Columns

With this option, you can set up custom column names for your CSV file and connect the column with the respective default fields in WooCommerce. You can also drag and re-order the positioning of the columns from here for the corresponding change to reflect in the export file.

Once you have set up the required configuration, proceed to the next step.

Step 6: Batch Export and Other Advanced Options

In this step of the export process, you have the option to fine-tune your export settings by configuring several additional parameters. These advanced configurations allow you to customize how the orders are exported so that the resulting CSV file matches your specific data requirements.

• You can choose to exclude orders that have already been exported, which is especially useful for ongoing or scheduled workflows where you want to avoid exporting duplicate data.

• Another important setting you can configure here is how line items, the products associated with each order, should appear in the exported file. Depending on your needs, you may want line items displayed in separate columns, combined into a single row, or arranged across multiple entries.

• You can also modify the delimiter to ensure compatibility with different spreadsheet tools, accounting systems, or third-party platforms that require a particular delimiter format

Once this is up, click Export to export and download the order details as a CSV file.

The premium version of this plugin offers more advanced options to migrate WooCommerce orders.

After you export your WooCommerce orders, the next step in the migration process is to import the file to the new location. This involves uploading the exported order data file to the target WooCommerce site or platform, which will be integrated into the existing database.

Using the same Order Export & Order Import for WooCommerce plugin, you can import the exported WooCommerce order data into the new platform or site to complete the migration. So now, let’s look into how you can import WooCommerce orders. 

The plugin lets you import WooCommerce orders from a CSV file to your WooCommerce site. Like export, the import tool also supports batch import, quick import, import using pre-saved templates, and advanced import.

Here’s how you can go about it:

Step 1: Select Order as Post Type for Import

• Go to WebToffee Import Export (Basic) > Import from your WordPress dashboard.
• Select Order as the post type.
• Proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Choose Advanced Import Method

There are two import methods available: Quick import and Advanced import.

The quick import option lets you import all the data in the CSV file with just a single click. With the advanced import option, you can select the columns to be imported, adjust the column mapping, update existing orders, update stock details, and more.

• Select Advanced import.
• Drag and drop or upload the exported order file.
• Proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Map Order Import Columns

Now, map the columns in the export file to the corresponding fields in your WooCommerce store for easy migration.

Proceed to the next step.

Step 4: Import WooCommerce Orders

The following options will help you set the batch import count and update existing orders.

You can also save the current import setting as a template for quick reuse.

Click the Import button to start the import process. The import duration will depend on the size of the import file.

After importing, you can view the import log, which shows the number of successful and failed imports (if any).

Once you migrate WooCommerce orders, your store is fully set up with all the essential order data on the new platform. Having this data intact is vital for a smooth transition, allowing you to continue processing orders without any interruptions.

With everything in place, you’re ready to confidently operate your WooCommerce store on the new platform, knowing that order management and customer service can proceed without any hitches.

Migrating WooCommerce orders requires careful planning to ensure data integrity and avoid downtime or errors. Following best practices helps you maintain clean, reliable order records throughout the migration process.

• Always start with a complete backup of your store. Before exporting or importing any data, create a full backup of your database and files. This ensures that you can quickly restore your store to its previous state if something goes wrong during the migration.

• Validate your CSV or XML file formats before importing. Ensure the exported file follows the correct structure and contains all necessary fields. Even small formatting errors such as incorrect delimiters, missing headers, or mismatched column mapping can lead to failed imports, duplicate orders, or missing information.

• Maintain consistent timezone and currency settings between the source and destination sites. Inconsistencies here can cause incorrect timestamps, inaccurate revenue reporting, or mismatched payment values after migration. Align these settings before running the import.

• Test the import on a staging site first. This step allows you to verify that everything imports correctly without affecting your live store. It also helps you identify any plugin conflicts, formatting issues, or order mismatches early, reducing the risk of errors during the final import on the production site.

• Check plugin and theme compatibility on the destination site. WooCommerce orders often rely on metadata added by extensions such as subscriptions, bookings, shipping tools, or payment gateways. Make sure these plugins are installed and active to prevent missing fields or broken order flows after migration.

• Use batch processing when handling large order volumes. Importing thousands of orders at once can overload your server and cause timeout issues. Processing data in smaller batches ensures a smoother, more stable migration and reduces the likelihood of server-related failures.

• Retain order IDs when required for accounting or continuity. Some businesses rely on existing order sequences for bookkeeping, reporting, or integrations with external systems. If this applies to your store, use plugins that allow preserving original order IDs during import.

By following these best practices, you can significantly reduce the chances of data loss, errors, and inconsistencies, ensuring a smooth and reliable WooCommerce order migration experience.

To further streamline the process and add an extra layer of efficiency, the premium version of the order import-export plugin enhances your migration workflow with robust, advanced features. Here’s an overview of its key capabilities and why it’s an essential tool for your WooCommerce store.

The WooCommerce order export import plugin enables you to migrate WooCommerce orders to and from multiple file types, such as CSV, XML, TSV, and Excel. This plugin also allows you to schedule the order export using multiple FTP/URL profiles; bulk modify data using import rules, and more. 

You can also get several additional filter options, such as payment and shipping methods, vendor email addresses, etc., to narrow the export list further. Moreover, the plugin enables you to import and export WooCommerce coupons and subscriptions in addition to orders.

Key Features:

• Offers various methods for migrating orders.
• Bulk update WooCommerce orders.
• Schedule imports and exports via Server Cron.
• Automate import/export tasks.
• Developer logs for easy troubleshooting.
• Compatible with major third-party plugins.

For many businesses, including WooCommerce stores, order import and export may have to be done regularly. Using the technique mentioned above, you can easily migrate WooCommerce orders.

Even though you can export your WooCommerce orders with the default tools in WordPress, it doesn’t offer much space for customization. But your order data migration requirements might not always follow a linear ‘export all’ pattern. You might need filters to extract the required data, tools to help change the column mapping, and more. This is where a free customization plugin like WooCommerce order import export can help. 

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