From WooCommerce to Warehouse: A Custom B2B Order System

Custom Warehouse Management with WooCommerce

In this case study, developer Jeff Pearce shows how he turned a basic WooCommerce install into a full warehouse management system for verified business clients. Instead of building from scratch in a framework like Kohana, he repurposed WooCommerce 1.3.2.1 to handle orders, stock updates, and reporting.

Finding a Platform that Works

Finding a platform that could handle both customer storefront and warehouse operations seemed like starting from zero. Instead of writing a new system, Jeff tested WooCommerce as a framework and discovered it already covered most needs. This demo shows how small custom code can fill the gaps and how WordPress can serve as more than a blog tool.

Initial Project Scope

The project needed a secure login that let customers submit orders no matter the stock level. Customer Administrators had to approve or cancel orders. A Warehouse Manager was tasked with processing approved orders, dispatching them, and marking them complete once delivered. Payments were offloaded to a separate process, and a support forum was required for user questions.

Building with WordPress and WooCommerce

Starting with WooCommerce as the core engine cut development time by about 70%. Stock management, order entry, and reporting features were all ready out of the box. Jay and Mike’s code provided a rock solid base. Then, Justin Tadlock’s Members plugin was added to handle custom roles and permissions, while bbPress served the support forum. A custom theme called Shelflife by Fresh01 was applied to polish the front end.

Front End Customizations

Customer users never see the WP dashboard. They use the “My Account” page with minor tweaks such as moving filters into the sidebar widget and adding info shortcodes on the order completion screen to remind them that final approval is still pending. The look is consistent thanks to Shelflife, keeping navigation clear and the order form front and center.

Core Code Tweaks

To let Customer Admins approve orders, the pay_for_order.php file in the theme was adjusted to detect their role. It simply updated the order status. This meant no extra tables or complex logic was needed.

Custom Roles and Workflow

Three user roles were defined:

• Customer – submits orders and views order status
• Customer Administrator – approves or rejects orders across the company
• Warehouse Manager – sees only order and support screens in the backend

Order statuses flow in a defined sequence: Pending, Approved or Cancelled, Processing or On-hold, Dispatched, and Complete. Custom AJAX buttons on the order list let the Warehouse Manager update status with a single click and color coded labels add clarity.

Technical Setup and Deployment

The system runs on an Ubuntu LAMP stack in a local warehouse and a live domain online. XCloner was used to move the site between servers. Next steps include real-time sync between the two databases. Dashboard access was stripped down for each role so that users only saw what they needed.

Outcomes and Lessons

By reusing existing code in WooCommerce, the project saved weeks of coding. The role based dashboards helped keep order approval and dispatching clear. Jeff found that testing his own plugins in real world scenarios often highlights gaps and shows where improvements can be made in future releases.