WooCommerce doesn’t have a built-in way to print invoices, so you’ll need a plugin. This guide uses Challan, a free WooCommerce invoice and packing slip plugin, to show you how to generate, customize, and print invoices for your orders, plus what the Pro version adds if you need more control.
How to Print WooCommerce Invoices Using Challan
Step 1: Install and Activate Challan
Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress admin panel and search for “Challan.” Install and activate the plugin. Challan starts generating invoices for existing orders immediately, so you can print past invoices right away from any order page under the Challan invoice panel.
Step 2: Enable Invoicing and Set Email Attachments
Go to Challan > Settings > General. Turn on Enable Invoicing to start generating invoices. Two settings matter here:
Allow My Account To: Controls whether customers can download their own invoices and credit notes from the My Account page. Invoice Attach to Email: Choose which order emails (New Order, Processing, Completed, Refunded) should include the PDF invoice as an attachment.
Step 3: Choose a Template and Paper Size
Scroll to the template settings and pick Paper Size: A4, A5, or Letter in the free version (A3 is also available). Then click Select Template to choose from the free version’s two pre-made invoice layouts.
Step 4: Set the Invoice Numbering Format
Under Order Settings, add a prefix and suffix for your invoice numbers. For example, a prefix of the current year and a suffix of the current day turns invoice number 2 into something like 2024-2-23. You can also toggle whether the customer’s payment method appears on the printed invoice.
Step 5: Configure Product Display Settings
Set a character limit for product titles so long product names don’t break the invoice layout. Choose whether to show the product SKU or ID, and add any extra attributes from product or order item meta that you want visible on the invoice. You can also configure whether tax is included in the order total shown.
Step 6: Add Your Logo and Business Details
Go to the Seller & Buyer tab. Upload your logo, add your business address, phone number, and email, and set a footer with custom text, links, or a note. Pro adds footer font-size control and a shipping address line in the footer.
Step 7: Print an Invoice from an Order
Go to WooCommerce > Orders. Next to any order, the Actions column has a print icon for the invoice. Click it to print or download that order’s invoice directly.
Printing Invoices and Packing Slips Together
Challan generates packing slips, shipping labels, and delivery notes from the same order screen as invoices, so you don’t need a second plugin. The Actions column on each order shows separate icons for invoice, packing slip, and shipping label, and you can print any combination for a single order in one pass.
Packing slips pull the same order data as invoices but strip out pricing by default, which is useful if warehouse staff or dropshipping partners shouldn’t see the sale price.
Bulk Printing Multiple WooCommerce Invoices
Go to Challan > Bulk Download. Set a date range and, in the free version, filter by order status. Click download and Challan generates a ZIP file with every matching invoice. The Pro version adds filtering by customer email or user ID, which helps when you need invoices for one specific buyer across multiple orders. The download opens all invoices in a new tab so you can print them together instead of one at a time.
What Challan Pro Adds
The free version covers invoice generation, packing slips, shipping labels, bulk download, and basic customization. Pro is built for stores with compliance needs or higher print volume:
10+ premium invoice templates, plus visual customization of layout, colors, and fonts. Digital signature and paid stamp designs (20+ options) on printed invoices. Custom background images for invoice and packing slip templates.
Credit notes and proforma invoices for refunds and pre-sale documentation. GST invoice format for Indian stores and ZATCA e-invoicing support for Saudi Arabia. Barcode and QR code generation on invoices and packing slips. Static file uploads, so terms and conditions attach automatically to the order confirmation email alongside the invoice. Invoice generation in the customer’s own order language for WPML, Polylang, or Weglot multilingual stores.
WooCommerce Invoice vs. Receipt: What’s the Difference
An invoice is a request or record of what’s owed, issued before or at the point of sale. A receipt confirms payment has already been made. In WooCommerce, Challan generates invoice-style documents by default, and you can label them as receipts once an order is marked paid by adjusting the document title in the template settings.
If your store needs both document types issued separately, check whether your accounting requirements call for a distinct receipt template rather than relabeling the invoice.
Best Practices for Printing WooCommerce Invoices
Pick a template that matches your brand: A clean, consistent layout reads as more professional than the default. Include every required field: Customer details, order number, itemized products, tax, and total due, at minimum.
Automate the process: Set invoices to attach automatically on order status change instead of generating them manually per order.
Double-check numbers before bulk printing: Catching an error before 50 invoices go out saves a lot more time than fixing it after.
Keep branding consistent across documents: Invoices, packing slips, and shipping labels should use the same logo, fonts, and colors.
Keep discount rules accurate at checkout: If your store runs promotions, a plugin like Disco applies dynamic pricing rules before checkout, so the totals that flow into your invoice are already correct rather than something you have to fix by hand afterward.
Best WooCommerce Invoice Plugin
Challan is a WooCommerce PDF invoice plugin built by WebAppick that generates invoices automatically and attaches them to order emails without manual work. At the time of writing, the free version has 3,000+ active installations and a 4.5-star average rating on WordPress.org.
Key Features
Automatic PDF invoice generation and email attachment on order status change. Packing slips, shipping labels, and delivery notes from the same dashboard. Bulk invoice download by date range, with ZIP or merged PDF output. Multi-language font support, including Arabic, Bengali, and 15+ other languages. Custom invoice numbering, logo upload, and CSS-level template customization.
Pricing details and current plan tiers are listed on the official Challan page; check there before publishing anything time-sensitive about cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a plugin to print WooCommerce invoices?
Yes. WooCommerce doesn’t include a native invoice or print feature on its own. You need a plugin like Challan to generate a printable PDF invoice from order data. Once installed, invoice printing becomes a one-click action from the WooCommerce orders screen.
Can I print packing slips along with WooCommerce invoices?
Yes. Challan generates packing slips from the same order screen as invoices. Go to any order in WooCommerce and you’ll see separate print options for invoices, packing slips, and shipping labels, so you can print all three for one order without switching tools.
How do I print multiple WooCommerce invoices at once?
Go to Challan’s Bulk Download tab, set a date range, and filter by order status. Click download to get a ZIP file with every matching invoice, which opens in a new tab so you can print them together.
Can I email WooCommerce invoices to customers automatically?
Yes. Challan attaches PDF invoices to WooCommerce order emails automatically once you enable it under Settings > General. You can choose which order statuses, such as Processing or Completed, trigger the attachment.
Is it possible to include custom fields on WooCommerce invoices?
Yes, with Challan Pro. You can add order meta, product attributes, or custom checkout fields to the printed invoice. The free version supports basic customization through template settings and developer hooks.
Key Takeaways
- WooCommerce has no built-in invoice printing feature, so a plugin like Challan is required for both free and paid stores. Invoices, packing slips, and shipping labels can all print from the same order screen once Challan is installed and activated.
- Bulk printing is available in both the free and Pro versions, with Pro adding filters by customer email or user ID. Pro adds compliance-specific features such as GST formatting for India and ZATCA e-invoicing for Saudi Arabia.
- Keeping discount rules accurate at checkout, through a plugin like Disco, helps invoice totals stay correct without manual fixes.
- Check current pricing and plan details on the official Challan page before publishing, since plans and pricing can change.
Free version on WordPress.org. Every Pro licence includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
