How to Generate PDF Invoices for Free Orders in WooCommerce?

Learn how to generate invoices for free orders in WooCommerce effortlessly. Simplify your billing process with our step-by-step guide to creating PDF invoices using a free plugin.

Running an online store means juggling a lot of responsibilities. From managing inventory and fulfilling orders to nurturing customer relationships and planning marketing campaigns, there’s always something demanding your attention.

Amidst all this, invoicing for free orders might seem like a minor task. But if not handled correctly, it can quickly become a hassle—especially if you’re offering free samples, running promotional campaigns, or processing orders with discounts that bring the total to zero.

Thankfully, you don’t need to spend hours manually creating invoices for free orders. With WooCommerce, you can streamline the process using the right tools and configurations. While WooCommerce is a powerhouse for eCommerce, it doesn’t provide a built-in solution for generating PDF invoices—especially for free orders. But don’t worry; we’re here to guide you through it.

In this blog, we’ll show you how to generate invoices for free orders in WooCommerce, step by step. Whether you’re new to WooCommerce or looking for ways to simplify your workflows, this guide will help you save time and effort.

Let’s get started!

In WooCommerce, free orders refer to transactions where customers are not required to make any payment to complete their purchase. These orders typically result in a total cart value of zero. While no money changes hands, free orders are still processed like regular orders in your WooCommerce store and may require similar handling, such as invoicing, shipping, or email notifications.

Common Scenarios for Free Orders

Free orders can occur in several situations, including:

• Free Samples: Many businesses offer free samples as a marketing strategy to attract new customers or promote new products. These are processed as free orders in WooCommerce.
• Giveaways or Contests: If you run a contest or giveaway where winners receive products for free, these transactions are recorded as free orders.
• Promotions and Discounts: When customers use a coupon code or promotional discount that covers the entire cost of their order, it results in a free order.
• Subscription Trials: Some WooCommerce stores offer free trial periods for subscription products or services. Orders placed during these trials are processed as free orders.
• Charitable Donations: If you provide products to non-profits or individuals as part of a charitable initiative, you might process those as free orders.

It’s easy to assume that invoices are only necessary for paid transactions, but that’s not entirely true. Even for free orders, issuing invoices is an important practice that benefits both your business and your customers. Here’s why:

1. Maintain Professionalism

Invoices serve as an official record of a transaction, regardless of whether money is involved. By providing an invoice for free orders, you demonstrate professionalism and transparency, which can help build trust and credibility with your customers.

2. Ensure Legal Compliance

In many jurisdictions, businesses are required to generate invoices for every order, including free ones, to comply with tax laws and other regulations. An invoice documents the exchange of goods or services and ensures you’re adhering to the rules of your region.

3. Track Business Performance

Invoices for free orders provide valuable data for analyzing your business performance. For instance, you can track the effectiveness of promotions, giveaways, or sample distributions by reviewing the records of free orders over time.

4. Manage Inventory

Even though free orders don’t generate revenue, they still impact your stock levels. Providing invoices ensures proper documentation, which helps you keep your inventory management accurate and up to date.

5. Customer Clarity

Customers appreciate having a detailed record of what they received, even if it’s free. An invoice can eliminate any confusion by listing all the items included in their order, along with any discounts or promotional codes applied.

6. Simplify Accounting

Well-documented invoices, including those for free orders, make your bookkeeping process easier. It ensures your financial records are complete and consistent, which is especially useful during tax season or audits.

7. Brand Visibility

Invoices are an additional touchpoint to showcase your brand. Including your logo, contact information, and a personalized note on the invoice reinforces your brand image and leaves a positive impression on customers.

To create PDF invoices for free orders in WooCommerce, we will be using the WooCommerce PDF Invoices plugin by WebToffee. 

Follow the below steps to generate invoices for free orders in WooCommerce:

Step 1: Install and Activate WebToffee WooCommerce PDF Invoices Plugin

• Log in to your WordPress admin account. 
• Navigate to Plugins and select Add New.
• Search for the “WooCommerce PDF Invoices plugin” by WebToffee.

• Install and activate the plugin on your WordPress website. 
• Once the plugin is installed, you’ll need to fill in some basic details about your online store.

Step 2: Enable Invoices for WooCommerce

• Go to the Invoice/Packing menu from the sidebar and select Invoice.
• Select the Enable Invoice option. 
• Choose whether to show the order date or the invoiced date.
• Select the order statuses to automatically generate the invoice.
• Choose the emails you want to attach the PDF copies of invoices. 

Step 3: Select the Invoice Number Format

To personalize your invoice numbering system, follow these steps:

• Navigate to the Invoice Number section in the plugin settings.
• In the Invoice number format field, customize your format by adding a prefix, suffix, or a combination of both. For example, use “wt” as a prefix to represent your brand or store.
• Set the Invoice number length to define the minimum digits in your invoice numbers. For instance, entering “4” will ensure that all invoice numbers have four digits (e.g., 0001, 0002).
• Specify the Invoice starting number to decide where your numbering begins. You can start with “1” or any number that fits your sequence.
• Preview the format in the section below to confirm how the invoice number will appear (e.g., “wt 0001”).

Step 4: Configure Additional Invoice Settings

In the Others section, you can fine-tune how invoices are generated and managed. Follow these steps:

• Generate Invoices for Existing Orders: Check the box labeled Enable to create invoice for orders generated before plugin installation if you want to generate invoices for orders placed prior to activating the plugin.
• Enable Invoices for Free Orders: Select the option Enable to create invoices for free orders to ensure invoices are automatically generated for orders with a total value of zero.
• Display Free Line Items: Check Include free (priced as 0) line items in the invoice to display products or services with no cost as separate line items in the invoice.
• Use the PDF name format field to set how the PDF invoice file names are structured. For example, you can include a prefix and the order number (e.g., [prefix][order_no]) to make file names clear and consistent.
• In the Custom PDF name prefix field, define a prefix for the file names. For instance, entering Invoice_ will result in file names like Invoice_1234.pdf.
• Apply Latest Settings for Existing Invoices: Enable the Use latest settings for invoice option to apply your current settings to all previously created invoices. 

• After making the necessary changes, click on Update Settings to save the changes.

That’s it! You’ve now successfully configured PDF invoices for free orders in WooCommerce. 🎉

Managing invoices for free orders in WooCommerce doesn’t have to be a complicated or time-consuming process. By leveraging the right tools, such as the WebToffee WooCommerce Invoices plugin, you can streamline your workflow, enhance professionalism, and ensure compliance—all while saving valuable time and effort.

Free orders may not generate revenue, but they play a crucial role in customer satisfaction and business operations. Whether you’re running giveaways, offering free samples, or providing subscription trials, generating clear and professional invoices for these transactions reflects your commitment to transparency and organization.

Now that you’ve learned how to generate PDF invoices for free orders step by step, you’re equipped to handle every aspect of invoicing seamlessly. Take the next step to simplify your billing process and create a more efficient and professional WooCommerce store today!