Draft Orders
Draft orders let you create orders manually, for example when a customer orders by phone or email. A draft is not yet a real order — you can put it together at your own pace, send the customer an invoice, and only then convert it into a regular order.
What can I do here?
- View all draft orders with status, customer, line items and amount, filter (by status) and search (by number, email or customer)
- Create a new draft order: pick an existing customer or create a new one, add products or free-text items, enter billing and shipping address
- Set payment terms, payment method and shipping method, and apply a percentage discount to the whole order
- Attach notes and tags to the draft
- Send an invoice to the customer
- Convert the draft into a real order
- Cancel or delete the draft
Step by step
- Create a draft: Click "Create Draft", search for an existing customer or create a new one, add products via the product search (or add a free/custom item), check quantity and price, fill in billing and shipping address, and save.
- Send invoice (optional): While the draft is "Open", an invoice can be sent to the stored customer email. The status then changes to "Invoice Sent".
- Convert to order: From an open draft or one with an invoice already sent, clicking "Convert to Order" creates a real order. The draft is then marked completed and can no longer be edited.
- Cancel or delete: An open draft or a draft with an invoice sent can be cancelled. Only open or already cancelled drafts can be deleted — a completed draft (converted into an order) can neither be deleted nor cancelled.
Fields explained
| Field | Meaning | Notes/Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Draft No. | Automatically assigned number in the format D-YYYYMMDD-XXXX | Generated automatically when created |
| Customer | Linked customer (name/email) | Can also be created without a customer ("No customer assigned") |
| Payment Terms | Due on receipt, net 7/14/30/60/90 days | Informational only, does not affect automatic payment processing |
| Payment Method | Linked payment method | Selectable from the payment methods configured in the store |
| Shipping Method | Linked shipping method | Selectable from the shipping methods configured in the store |
| Line Items | Products or free/custom items with quantity, unit price (gross) and tax rate | Only editable while the draft is open |
| Order Discount | Percentage discount on the entire order total | 0–100% |
| Billing Address / Shipping Address | Address data for invoicing and shipping | Shipping address can be copied from the billing address with one click |
| Tax Exempt | Marks the order as tax-exempt | Affects the tax calculation of the line items |
| Notes | Internal note on the draft | Visible internally only |
| Tags | Freely assigned, comma-separated keywords | For your own categorization |
| Amount | Gross total of the order | Calculated automatically from the line items |
Values & statuses
Draft order status
| Value | Meaning | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Open | The draft is being worked on | Can be fully edited, invoiced, converted, cancelled or deleted |
| Invoice Sent | An invoice has been sent to the customer | Can still be converted to an order or cancelled, but is no longer editable |
| Completed | The draft has been converted into a real order | Final state — can no longer be edited, cancelled or deleted |
| Cancelled | The draft has been discarded | Can still be deleted |
Frequently asked questions
Why would I use draft orders when I can create orders normally?
Draft orders are meant for cases where an order doesn't come in through the normal store checkout, for example phone orders or custom quotes. You can assemble them at your own pace and only convert them into a real order when needed.
Can I still change a draft once it's completed?
No. Once a draft has been converted into an order (status "Completed"), it can no longer be edited. Changes must then be made directly on the resulting order.
What happens to the line items when I convert the draft?
All line items, amounts and addresses are carried over 1:1 into the newly created order.
Can I create a draft without a customer?
Yes, a customer is not required. Without a linked customer, "No customer assigned" is shown.
Why can't I delete a draft?
Deletion is only possible for open or cancelled drafts. If an invoice has already been sent or the draft is completed, it must first be cancelled (if possible) — a completed draft cannot be deleted at all.