Help with WooCommerce API Calls, Order Metadata, Stock Updates & Settings

  • Dear WooCommerce Support Team,

    I am developing a custom WooCommerce integration plugin that connects my store with an external API for automatic product ordering and license key management. To ensure a seamless and correct implementation, I need your assistance in clarifying some key aspects of WooCommerce functionality.

    1?? API Calls & Order Processing

    I want my plugin to trigger an API request when an order status changes to Completed.

    • Is woocommerce_order_status_completed the best hook to use, or do you recommend an alternative?
    • Are there any known limitations or best practices for making API calls when an order is marked as completed?

    2?? Custom Order Metadata for License Codes

    The API returns a license code when an order is completed, and I need to store it in WooCommerce orders.

    • What is the best method to store and retrieve custom metadata inside WooCommerce orders?
    • Is there a recommended way to make these license codes accessible in the WooCommerce order details for both admins and customers?

    3?? WooCommerce Stock Management

    The API also provides real-time stock levels for products. I need to update WooCommerce stock based on these API responses.

    • If I update stock levels using update_post_meta( $product_id, '_stock', $new_stock ), will it work correctly with WooCommerce’s inventory management?
    • Is there a preferred WooCommerce function for dynamically updating product stock to ensure compatibility with WooCommerce’s stock control?

    4?? WooCommerce Settings Integration

    I am adding a custom settings tab inside WooCommerce > Settings for configuring API credentials and plugin options.

    • What is the correct method or recommended WooCommerce hook to add a new settings page inside WooCommerce settings?

    I would greatly appreciate your guidance on these points to ensure seamless integration.

    Looking forward to your response.

    Best regards,

    Zaid

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)
  • Plugin Support shahzeen(woo-hc)

    (@shahzeenfarooq)

    Hi there,

    Thanks for reaching out and for providing detailed information about your custom integration plugin. I’ll be happy to point you in the right direction, though please note that support provided here focuses on WooCommerce core functionality. Custom development, including creating custom plugins or handling external API integrations, falls outside our scope of support. That said, I can share some general guidance to help you get started:

    API Calls & Order Processing

    • The woocommerce_order_status_completed action is commonly used to trigger actions when an order is marked as completed.
    • As a best practice, it’s recommended to keep any external API calls non-blocking (asynchronous, if possible) to avoid delays in order processing. If the API is slow or unreliable, it could impact the performance of your store.

    For further guidance on working with hooks, you can review the official WooCommerce hook documentation.

    Custom Order Metadata for License Codes

    • WooCommerce provides functions like update_post_meta() and get_post_meta() for storing and retrieving custom order metadata. For orders created in newer WooCommerce versions (using HPOS — High-Performance Order Storage), you’ll want to use the CRUD methods, such as $order->update_meta_data() and $order->get_meta() to ensure compatibility.
    • To display this data in the admin order edit screen, you could use the woocommerce_admin_order_data_after_order_details action. For showing the license code to customers, you might need to customize the order emails or the My Account order details page, which would require custom development.

    If you need more in-depth support or want to consider professional assistance for customization, I can recommend?WooExperts?and?Codeable.io?as options for getting professional help. Alternatively, you can also ask your development questions in the??WooCommerce Community Slack?as custom code falls outside our usual?scope of support.

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)
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