Creating draft orders is a versatile feature in Shopify that allows you to manually create orders on behalf of your customers. This is particularly useful for handling orders over the phone, through email, or in-person, as well as for managing custom orders or orders that require special payment arrangements.

Overview of Draft Orders

Draft orders can be used for:

• Sending invoices with secure checkout links for payment.
• Accepting payments later for orders placed outside of the online checkout process.
• Managing orders for custom items or additional costs not listed in your inventory.
• Handling orders for discounted or wholesale products.

How to Create a Draft Order

1. Navigate to Orders: From your Shopify admin, go to Orders.
2. Create Order: Click on Create order to start a new draft.
3. Add Products: Search for and add products, or create custom items for the order.
4. Customize the Order: Add customer details, apply discounts, adjust taxes, add tags, and set the market for local currency adjustments if using Shopify Markets.
5. Finalize the Order: Choose to send an invoice, accept payment directly, set payment terms, or save the draft to finalize later.

Detailed Steps for Creating and Managing Draft Orders

Add Products to a Draft Order

• Access the Draft: Go to the Drafts page in your Shopify admin and open an existing draft.
• Add Products: Click Browse to view products or Add custom item to include custom charges.
• Manage Inventory: Ensure you manage inventory appropriately, especially if products are low in stock.

Apply Discounts

• Apply Discount Codes: Add existing discount codes or configure automatic discounts directly in the draft.
• Custom Discounts: Apply custom discounts to the entire order or to specific line items.

Add Shipping

• Choose a Shipping Method: Select from preset rates, create custom rates, or choose local delivery/pickup options.
• Adjust Shipping: After adding a customer and their address, select the appropriate shipping rate from your store settings.

Manage Taxes

• Adjust Tax Settings: Taxes can be automatically calculated based on the customer’s shipping address. You can toggle tax collection on or off as needed.

Set Payment Terms

• Due on Receipt: Set payments to be due upon receipt of the invoice.
• Net Terms: Choose a net term for payment due within a specific number of days.
• Fixed Date: Set a specific date when the payment is due.

Send Invoice and Share Checkout Link

• Send an Invoice: Generate an invoice with a checkout link and email it to the customer.
• Share a Checkout Link: For mobile app interactions, share a direct checkout link through social media or other channels.

Accept Payment

• Direct Payment: Accept payment via credit card or mark the order as paid if payment was received through another means.

Best Practices for Using Draft Orders

• Reserve Inventory: Consider reserving items in the draft order to ensure they are not sold to other customers.
• Market Adjustments: Be mindful of currency and market changes if you operate in multiple regions through Shopify Markets.
• Duplicate Orders: Utilize the duplicate order feature to quickly create similar orders, saving time and effort.

Draft orders are an effective tool for businesses that require flexibility in order processing and payment methods, providing a customized shopping experience for your customers.