OrderFusion provides built-in columns organized by workflow and function. Add them to your orders list to see critical data at a glance.
Column Groups: In Screen Options, columns are color-coded by type:
- Light yellow background: Products columns
- Light blue background: Order Details columns
- Light green background: Customer Data columns
Managing Columns
↑ Back to topAdding Columns
↑ Back to top- Click Screen Options (top-right corner of the orders screen)
- Find the Columns section
- Check the boxes for columns you want to display
- Click Screen Options to close the panel
The orders list immediately shows your selected columns.
Reordering Columns
↑ Back to top- Click Screen Options
- Find the Columns section
- Hover over a column item – a move icon appears in the top-left corner
- Click and drag the move icon to reorder the column
- Click Screen Options to close the panel
The column order in the Columns list controls the order in your orders table.
Note: The same drag-and-drop method works for reordering filters in the Filters section of Screen Options.
Hiding Columns
↑ Back to topTo hide a column, click Screen Options, find the column in the Columns section, and uncheck its box. The column disappears from your orders list but remains available to re-enable later.
Available Columns
↑ Back to topProducts Columns
↑ Back to topThis group contains columns for displaying product information in different formats.
Products (Text List)
What it shows: Comma-separated list of product names with quantities
Example: “Blue T-Shirt x2, Red Mug x1, Notebook x1”
Use case: Quick overview of order contents for picking, packing, or customer service. Fits in narrow columns.
Data source: Product names and quantities from order line items
Product Preview (Popup Table)
What it shows: Eye icon with product count. Hover over the icon to see a popup table with product thumbnails, names with variation details, SKU codes, unit prices, quantities, line totals with discounts, and order subtotal with coupons.
Use case: Visual identification for warehouse picking. See product images without opening the order. Verify SKU codes for inventory management.
Data source: Product data from order line items
Configuration: Click the gear icon next to “Product preview” in Screen Options to customize what appears in the popup:
- Show column titles (table headers)
- Image
- Product name
- SKU
- Price
- Quantity
- Total
- Variation details
- Total products (summary footer)
Product Details (Inline Text)
What it shows: Inline text with small thumbnail images, product names, SKU, price, and quantity for each product
Example: “[image] Blue T-Shirt (SKU: TS-BL-001): $29.99 x 2”
Use case: All product details visible at a glance without hover or popup. Best for detailed review or print-friendly views. Hover over product images to see enlarged preview.
Data source: Product data from order line items
Configuration: Click the gear icon next to “Product details” in Screen Options to customize which fields appear:
- Image
- Product name
- SKU
- GTIN, UPC, EAN, or ISBN
- Price
- Quantity
Order Details Columns
↑ Back to topThis group contains columns for order information, notes, coupons, and fulfillment tracking.
Order Notes
What it shows: Note icon with count. Hover over the icon to see order notes (system notes and notes added by store staff)
Use case: Track order history: “Called customer to confirm address” or “Held pending stock arrival.” See notes without opening orders.
Data source: Order notes added by admins or system in order details page
Configuration: Click the gear icon next to “Order notes” in Screen Options to choose which note types to display:
- All notes
- Notes visible to customers
- Private notes only
Important difference: This is NOT the same as “Customer Note” column:
- Customer Note shows the note the customer wrote during checkout (e.g., “Leave at side door”)
- Order Notes shows notes added by store staff and system after the order was placed (e.g., “Stock levels reduced” or “Status changed to Processing”)
Order notes can optionally be visible to customers (like “Your order is being prepared”), but they originate from your store team, not from the customer’s checkout form.
Customer Note
What it shows: Notes the customer left during checkout (e.g., delivery instructions, gift messages)
Use case: Fulfillment teams see special requests without opening each order: “Leave at side door” or “Gift wrap please.”
Data source: Customer note field from checkout
Note: This is the note the customer writes, not admin notes you add internally.
Coupon
What it shows: Coupon codes applied to the order
Example: “SUMMER2024”, “WELCOME10”
Use case: Marketing teams track campaign performance. Accounting teams verify discount applications. Fraud prevention teams spot coupon abuse.
Data source: Coupon codes from order
Note: Orders with multiple coupons show all codes comma-separated.
Tracking Number
What it shows: Shipping carrier tracking number
Use case: Quick tracking lookup for “where’s my order” calls. Copy tracking numbers for batch updates to courier systems.
Data source: Compatible with major shipping tracking plugins (WooCommerce Shipment Tracking, Advanced Shipment Tracking, AfterShip, YITH Tracking, and others)
Invoice Number
What it shows: Invoice or receipt number for the order
Use case: Accounting teams match orders to invoices. Wholesale businesses reference invoice numbers for payment tracking.
Data source: Compatible with major invoicing plugins (PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce, WooCommerce PDF Invoices, Booster for WooCommerce, YITH PDF Invoice, and others)
Note: WooCommerce doesn’t generate invoice numbers by default. This column displays data from invoicing plugins.
Processed By
Important: This column populates when order statuses change. Historical data appears only for status changes made after OrderFusion activation.
What it shows: Name or username of the team member who last processed the order
Use case: Track accountability in multi-person fulfillment teams. See who marked orders as “Completed” or “Shipped.”
Data source: Order meta field tracking the last user who changed order status
Status History
Important: Status history begins tracking after OrderFusion activation. Pre-existing orders show only future status changes.
What it shows: Timeline of status changes with dates
Example: “Pending → Processing (Jan 15) → Shipped (Jan 16)”
Use case: Troubleshoot fulfillment delays. Identify orders stuck in one status too long. Answer “when did this ship?” without opening orders.
Data source: OrderFusion’s order history tracking (custom database table)
Customer Data Columns
↑ Back to topThis group contains columns for customer contact information and customer classification.
Phone
What it shows: Customer’s phone number. If billing and shipping phones match, shows one number. If they differ, shows both with labels: “Billing: [number]” and “Shipping: [number]” on separate lines.
Use case: Support teams call customers about order issues or delivery questions. Having the phone number visible eliminates clicks to the order details page.
Data source: Billing and shipping phone fields from checkout
What it shows: Customer’s billing email address
Use case: Quick email access for order confirmations, shipping notifications, or customer service responses. Copy the email directly from the orders list.
Data source: Billing email field from checkout
Ship to Country
What it shows: Shipping country name
Example: “United States”, “United Kingdom”, “Australia”
Use case: International sellers group orders by country for batch shipping or customs documentation. Spot international vs domestic orders instantly.
Data source: Shipping country field from checkout
Ship to State
What it shows: Shipping state or province
Example: “California”, “Ontario”, “New South Wales”
Use case: Regional fulfillment centers route orders by state. Tax compliance teams verify state tax collection.
Data source: Shipping state field from checkout
Tip: Combine with “Ship to Country” to see full location context (e.g., California, United States vs New South Wales, Australia).
Recipient
What it shows: Customer’s billing name, email, and phone number (with clickable mailto and tel links)
Use case: Contact customers quickly without opening orders. See customer name and contact info at a glance for support calls or emails.
Data source: Billing name, email, and phone fields from checkout
Note: Shows billing information (who placed the order), not shipping information (who receives it). Name links to WordPress user profile if customer has an account.
New Client
What it shows: “New” with checkmark icon for first-time customers, “Returning” with repeat icon for repeat customers
Use case: Prioritize first orders for special attention, welcome gifts, or follow-up emails. Track customer acquisition vs retention.
Data source: Order count per customer email or customer ID (first order = new client)
Customer Role
What it shows: WordPress user role (Subscriber, Customer, Shop Manager, Administrator)
Use case: Identify VIP customers, wholesale buyers, or team member test orders. Filter or sort by role to prioritize high-value customer orders.
Data source: WordPress user role (shows “Guest” for non-registered customers)
Customer Type
What it shows: Whether customer is registered (has WordPress account) or guest (no account)
Use case: Identify guest checkouts vs registered customers. Track account creation effectiveness. Prioritize registered customers for loyalty programs.
Data source: WordPress customer_id field (shows “Registered” if customer_id exists, “Guest” if blank)
Creating Custom Columns
↑ Back to topNeed a column for custom order meta? Create one with the custom columns feature.
When to Use Custom Columns
↑ Back to top- Your shipping plugin uses a non-standard meta key for tracking numbers
- You store custom fields like “Delivery date”, “Gift message”, or “PO number”
- Third-party plugins add order meta you want to display
- You’ve added custom meta fields via code
Creating a Custom Column
↑ Back to top- Click Screen Options
- Find the Columns section
- Click the + button
- Fill in the form:
– Column Name: What appears in the header (e.g., “Delivery Date”)
– Meta Key: The order meta field to display (e.g.,_delivery_date)
– Column Type: How to format the data (Text, Number, Date, Yes/No) - Click Create Column
- Click Screen Options again to close the panel
The new column appears in the Columns list. Check its box to enable it.
Common Uses
↑ Back to topClick any suggestion to auto-fill the form:
- Customer Phone:
_billing_phone(redundant if you use the built-in Phone column, but useful for custom checkout plugins) - Company Name:
_shipping_company - Tracking Number:
_tracking_number(redundant if you use the built-in Tracking column, but useful if your plugin uses a different key) - Paid Date:
_paid_date
Finding Meta Keys
↑ Back to topIf you don’t know your meta key:
- Open any order in WordPress admin
- Scroll to Custom Fields section (enable it in Screen Options if hidden)
- Look for the field name in the “Name” column – that’s your meta key
- Common pattern: Keys start with underscore (e.g.,
_custom_field_name)
Managing Custom Columns
↑ Back to top- Edit: Click the column name in the Columns list to reopen the form
- Delete: Click the delete icon next to the column name
- Reorder: Hover over a column item in the Columns list – a move icon appears in the top-left corner. Click and drag the move icon to reorder
- Enable/disable: Check/uncheck boxes like built-in columns
Permissions: Only the creator can edit or delete a custom column. All team members can see and use custom columns created by others.
Tips
- Use descriptive column names: “Expected Delivery” instead of “Date”
- Choose the right column type: “Date” formats timestamps as readable dates, “Yes/No” converts 1/0 to checkmarks
- Custom columns work in custom views – create a view that includes your custom column
Best Practices
↑ Back to topStart with Essential Columns
Consider enabling columns you check daily. Too many columns create horizontal scrolling.
Use Custom Views for Different Workflows
Create views for different roles:
- Support View: Phone, Email, Customer note, Status history
- Fulfillment View: Products, Tracking number, Ship to state
- Accounting View: Total, Payment method, Coupon, Invoice number
Product Column Strategy
Consider choosing one product column based on your workflow:
- Text list: Fastest, fits in narrow space, good for text-based picking
- Preview popup: Visual identification, best for physical products with images
- Inline details: Complete information visible without hover. Good for complex orders, but takes up much space
All three columns show the same products in different formats, so enabling multiple may create redundancy.
Reorder Columns Logically
Consider placing high-priority columns on the left: Order number, Customer name, Status, then your most-checked custom data.
Column Width
OrderFusion auto-sizes columns based on content. Long product names widen the Products column. Use Product Preview (popup) to keep the column narrow.
Troubleshooting
↑ Back to topColumn not appearing after enabling in Screen Options
Reload the page after enabling the column. Click Screen Options, check the column’s checkbox, close Screen Options, then reload the page (F5).
Browser cache showing old layout
Your browser cached the old orders screen layout. Hard refresh: Ctrl+F5 (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac), or clear browser cache entirely and reload.
Custom column shows blank for all orders
The meta key doesn’t match your actual order meta. Solution:
- Open an order in WordPress admin
- Scroll to Custom Fields section
- Find the field you want to display
- Note the exact meta key (case-sensitive, includes underscores)
- Edit your custom column to use that exact key
Column appears but shows blank values
Your orders don’t have data for that field yet. Example: “Tracking Number” column appears but shows blank because orders don’t have tracking numbers yet. This is expected – enter data and the column will populate.
