How to Export WooCommerce Orders: CSV, Excel & Sheets (Crucial for WooCommerce to Shopify Migrations)

The fastest way to export WooCommerce orders without a plugin is through Analytics > Orders, where you can set a date range and click Download to get a basic CSV report. However, for a comprehensive export including full billing/shipping addresses, detailed product line items, and custom fields, a dedicated plugin is essential. This guide will walk you through various methods to export your WooCommerce orders to CSV, Excel, and Google Sheets, explaining which approach suits different tasks, whether for accounting, logistics, CRM integration, or even preparing for a woocommerce to shopify migration.

Can You Export Orders in WooCommerce Without a Plugin?

Yes, you can partially export orders from WooCommerce without a plugin, but with significant limitations. The built-in Analytics reports offer a basic CSV export that includes essential order data, but lacks the depth required for most operational or reporting needs.

The native Analytics export, accessible via WordPress Dashboard > Analytics > Orders, provides data points such as order date, number, status, customer name, products ordered, total amount, and net sales. This can be useful for quick overviews or simple reconciliation. However, it notably omits crucial details like complete billing and shipping addresses, customer phone numbers, individual SKU details per line item, custom fields added by other plugins (e.g., checkout fields), or any meta-data generated by third-party extensions. For larger datasets, the system typically emails the CSV report to the administrator's email address. It's also vital to understand that due to the introduction of High-Performance Order Storage (HPOS), orders are no longer stored as a standard post type shop_order. Consequently, the general Tools > Export function in WordPress, which is designed for posts and pages, cannot export your WooCommerce orders. This underscores the need for HPOS-compatible solutions when dealing with comprehensive order exports.

How to Export WooCommerce Orders to CSV Using Analytics

Exporting a basic CSV report of your WooCommerce orders through the Analytics section is a straightforward process, ideal for quick data checks or simple financial summaries.

1. From your WordPress Dashboard, navigate to Analytics > Orders. This section provides an overview of your store's sales performance and individual order data.
   [Screenshot: WordPress Dashboard with Analytics > Orders highlighted in the sidebar]
2. At the top of the Orders report, use the date range picker to select the period for which you want to export orders. You can choose from predefined ranges like "Last Month," "Quarter to Date," or "Custom" to specify your own start and end dates.
   [Screenshot: Analytics Orders page with date range picker highlighted]
3. Optionally, apply Advanced filters to refine your dataset. You can filter by specific order status (e.g., "Completed," "Processing"), particular products, or even customer type (e.g., "Guest," "Registered"). Click Update to apply your filters.
   [Screenshot: Analytics Orders page with Advanced Filters dropdown open and filter options shown]
4. Once your date range and filters are set, click the Download button located at the top right of the report area. This will generate a CSV file containing your filtered order data, which will either download directly to your computer or be emailed to the store administrator for larger reports.
   [Screenshot: Analytics Orders page with Download button highlighted]

In practice, a common use case is to export all completed orders for the last quarter to hand over to an accountant for tax reconciliation. By setting the date range to "Quarter to Date" and selecting "Completed" in the order status filter, you can quickly generate a relevant report without needing any additional plugins.

How to Export Orders with a Plugin (Full Order Data)

When the native Analytics export falls short, a dedicated WooCommerce order export plugin becomes indispensable for accessing full order data, including crucial details like customer addresses, product SKUs, and custom fields. The general logic across most robust plugins involves a streamlined process from installation to final export.

First, you'll need to install the plugin by navigating to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress Dashboard, searching for your chosen plugin, and then clicking Install Now and Activate. Once active, the plugin typically adds a new menu item, often under WooCommerce or as a top-level item, providing access to its export interface. Within this interface, you'll configure your export settings. This usually starts with powerful filters, allowing you to precisely define which orders to include based on order status, date range, specific products, customer details, payment methods, or shipping zones. Next, you'll select and arrange the columns to be included in your export file. This is where you can choose standard fields like order ID, date, status, billing/shipping details, email, phone, line items, SKU, quantity, total, payment method, and applied coupon codes. Crucially, this is also where you can often add custom fields or meta-data from other plugins. Finally, you'll choose your desired output format (CSV, Excel, XML, JSON) and initiate the export.

[Screenshot: A plugin's export settings screen showing filter options]

Export All Orders or Selected Orders from the Orders Screen

Many plugins integrate seamlessly with the standard WooCommerce Orders screen, offering convenient bulk export options directly where you manage your orders. After installing a compatible plugin, you'll typically find new export capabilities within the WooCommerce > Orders page.

To export selected orders, simply check the boxes next to the orders you wish to include. Then, from the Bulk actions dropdown menu above the order list, you'll find new options like Export selected to CSV or Export selected to CSV (the specific wording might vary slightly by plugin). Choose the appropriate option and click Apply. If you need to export all orders on the current page, or even all orders in your store, the plugin might also add a button or an Export All to CSV option to the Bulk actions menu. For exporting a large number of orders at once from the page itself, you can adjust the Screen Options at the top right of the WooCommerce > Orders screen. Increasing the "Number of items per page" will allow you to select and export more orders in a single bulk action, though for truly massive exports, using the plugin's dedicated export interface with its robust filtering capabilities is generally more efficient.

[Screenshot: WooCommerce > Orders screen with checkboxes selected, Bulk actions dropdown open showing "Export selected to CSV" option, and Screen Options tab highlighted]

Filter Orders by Status and Date Range

Precise filtering is key to generating useful order export reports, allowing you to extract exactly the data you need for specific business functions. Whether you're preparing data for your logistics team or analyzing customer behavior, filtering by order status and date range is fundamental.

For example, your shipping department might only need a list of processing orders from the last 24 hours to fulfill new shipments. By setting the date range to "Yesterday" or "Today" and filtering by the "Processing" status, you can provide them with a concise, actionable report. Conversely, your marketing team might want to analyze cancelled or refunded orders over the past quarter to identify common reasons for churn or product issues. Robust plugins provide a wide array of filters beyond just status and date, often including customer details, products contained within orders, payment gateways, and even shipping methods. This granular control ensures that your exported data is always relevant to its intended purpose, preventing information overload and making your reports more impactful.

[Screenshot: A plugin's filter section showing options for order status, date range, and other common filters]

Choose Columns and Custom Fields

The ability to customize the columns included in your export file is one of the most powerful features of a dedicated export plugin, far surpassing the fixed fields of the native Analytics report. This is where you tailor the output to perfectly match the requirements of your accounting software, CRM, or data analysis tools.

Typically, you'll want to include essential data points such as order ID, date, status, full billing/shipping addresses, customer email and phone number, detailed line items (including SKU and qty for each product), total order value, payment method, and any coupon codes applied. Beyond these standard fields, many WooCommerce stores utilize custom fields or meta data added by other plugins (e.g., extra checkout fields, delivery instructions, gift messages, or wholesale pricing meta). A good export plugin will allow you to easily select and include these custom fields in your report, ensuring no critical data is left behind. A crucial nuance is deciding whether each order should occupy one row in your spreadsheet or if each product within an order should get one row. Choosing one row per order is ideal for summary financial reports, while one row per product is better for inventory management, detailed sales analysis by item, or populating a system that processes individual line items.

[Screenshot: A plugin's interface for selecting and ordering export columns, including an option to add custom fields]

How to Export WooCommerce Orders to Excel

Exporting WooCommerce orders directly to Excel (.xlsx) or converting a CSV file into a proper Excel spreadsheet requires careful attention to data formatting to ensure accuracy and usability, especially for numerical and date fields.

There are two primary ways to get your order data into Excel. The most straightforward method is to use a plugin that offers direct .xlsx output as one of its export formats. This option is highly recommended as the plugin typically handles the complex task of formatting data correctly, minimizing issues with corrupted numbers or dates. If a direct Excel export isn't available, or you're using the native CSV export, you'll need to import the CSV file into Excel manually. To do this, open Excel, go to Data > From Text/CSV, select your CSV file, and then carefully adjust the import settings. It's crucial to specify UTF-8 encoding to prevent garbled characters and to ensure that columns containing dates, long numbers (like phone numbers or order IDs that might exceed Excel's default number precision), or SKUs are imported as "Text" rather than "General." This prevents Excel from automatically reformatting dates into its internal serial number system or truncating long numbers, which can lead to broken data. Always verify the first few rows of your imported data to confirm proper formatting.

How to Export WooCommerce Orders to Google Sheets

Integrating your WooCommerce order data with Google Sheets offers flexibility for collaborative reporting, real-time dashboards, and seamless integration with other Google Workspace tools. There are three main options, ranging from manual to fully automated.

1. Manual CSV Import: The simplest way is to manually export your orders to CSV (using either the native Analytics export or a plugin) and then import that file directly into Google Sheets. In Google Sheets, go to File > Import > Upload, select your CSV, and choose whether to create a new spreadsheet, insert new sheets, or replace data. This method is quick for one-off reports but requires manual intervention for updates.
2. Plugin with Scheduled Export to Google Drive / Sheets: Many advanced plugin solutions, such as some of those reviewed below, offer scheduled exports. These allow you to configure an export to run automatically at set intervals (e.g., daily, weekly) and save the output directly to a connected Google Drive folder. Some even integrate directly with Google Sheets, updating a specified sheet with new data. This strikes a good balance between automation and control, making it ideal for regular reporting.
3. Integration via Zapier/Make (formerly Integromat): For real-time or event-driven automation, integrating through services like Zapier or Make is the most powerful option. You can set up a "Zap" or "Scenario" where, upon a new WooCommerce order being placed, a new row is automatically added to a Google Sheet. This requires a compatible WooCommerce integration (often provided by the export plugin or a separate connector). This option is perfect for dynamic dashboards, real-time sales tracking, or instantly feeding new order data into other automated workflows.

In practice, a marketing team might use a scheduled export plugin to send completed orders to a Google Sheet weekly. This sheet can then be linked to a Google Data Studio dashboard, providing up-to-date insights into sales trends without any manual data handling. For a small business preparing for a woocommerce to shopify migration, regularly syncing order data to a Google Sheet can also serve as an important backup and validation step.

Best WooCommerce Order Export Plugins Compared

Choosing the right plugin for exporting your WooCommerce orders depends on your specific needs regarding features, flexibility, and budget. Here's an overview of three popular and highly-regarded solutions:

Customer / Order / Coupon Export (WooCommerce.com)

This is an official, premium extension available on WooCommerce.com, offering robust capabilities for exporting various data types, not just orders. It supports CSV and XML formats, allowing for highly customizable exports. A key feature is its ability to automate exports on a schedule, sending files to FTP, HTTP POST, or email - perfect for recurring reporting or integrations. It provides extensive filters for refining your data and allows for the inclusion of custom fields. While it offers powerful export features, it does not include an import function.

Order Import Export for WooCommerce (WebToffee)

The Order Import Export for WooCommerce plugin by WebToffee is a comprehensive solution that handles both export and import of orders, making it ideal for migrations or mass updates. It provides a wide range of filters (by order status, date range, products, customers, payment methods, etc.) and allows for detailed customization of columns, including custom fields. This plugin also supports bulk actions for exporting selected orders directly from the WooCommerce > Orders screen and includes a scheduled export feature for automating data transfers. It supports multiple formats, typically CSV and XML.

Advanced Order Export for WooCommerce

Known for its flexibility and powerful free version, Advanced Order Export for WooCommerce (often referred to simply as Advanced Export) allows for highly granular control over your order exports. It supports multiple formats including CSV, XLS (Excel), XML, and JSON. Its strength lies in its extensive filters and highly configurable columns, making it easy to include almost any piece of order data, including custom fields and meta data from other plugins. While the free version is extremely capable, some advanced features like scheduled exports or specific integrations might require the premium version. It is focused solely on export and does not offer import functionality.

How to Export and Import WooCommerce Orders to Another Store

Migrating WooCommerce orders to a new store, or even to a different platform like woocommerce to shopify, is a multi-step process that requires a robust plugin as WooCommerce does not offer a built-in order import function. The process demands careful planning to ensure data integrity.

The general order of operations for a successful migration is crucial: first, migrate your products, ensuring all product details, variants, and images are in place. Next, transfer your customers, so that orders can be correctly linked to existing user accounts. Only after products and customers are established should you proceed with importing orders. This sequence prevents orphaned orders or orders linked to non-existent products/customers, maintaining crucial relationships. You'll need an export plugin that also offers an import feature, such as Order Import Export for WooCommerce by WebToffee. After exporting your orders from the source store, use the import functionality in the target store, carefully mapping your columns to the new store's database fields. After the import is complete, thoroughly check a sample of the imported orders. Verify statuses, sums, and especially the priv’y (linkage) to customers and products. Crucially, ensure that no duplicate email notifications are automatically sent to customers for old orders; most good import plugins offer an option to disable these notifications during the import process. If you are performing a full store transfer, including posts, pages, and settings, consider consulting a comprehensive migration guide or specialized service to ensure a smooth transition.

FAQ

How do I export all orders from WooCommerce?

To export all orders from WooCommerce, you typically need a plugin. While the native Analytics report provides a basic CSV, a dedicated plugin allows for a comprehensive export of all order data. After installing a plugin, you can generally access an export interface where you select all orders or use the Bulk actions on the WooCommerce > Orders screen to Export All to CSV.

Does WooCommerce have a built-in order export?

WooCommerce has a limited built-in order export function. You can export basic order data (date, status, total) via Analytics > Orders by setting a date range and clicking Download. However, it does not export full customer billing/shipping addresses, custom fields, or detailed line item SKUs. For complete order data, a plugin is required.

How do I export WooCommerce orders to Excel?

You can export WooCommerce orders to Excel in two ways: either use a plugin that directly supports .xlsx as an output format, which handles formatting automatically, or export to CSV and then import it into Excel. When importing a CSV into Excel, use Data > From Text/CSV and ensure you correctly specify UTF-8 encoding and set appropriate column data types (e.g., text for dates and long IDs) to prevent data corruption.

Can I automatically export new WooCommerce orders to Google Sheets?

Yes, you can automatically export new WooCommerce orders to Google Sheets. This can be achieved using a plugin with a scheduled export feature that can save directly to Google Drive or Sheets, or through integration services like Zapier or Make. These tools allow you to create automated workflows that add new order data as new rows in a specified Google Sheet upon order creation.

How do I export order data with custom fields?

Exporting order data with custom fields requires a specialized plugin. The native WooCommerce Analytics export does not support custom fields. Most robust export plugins provide an option within their columns selection interface to include custom fields and meta data that have been added to your orders by other plugins or custom development, allowing you to tailor your output precisely.