Problem with the license of Advanced Order Export PRO

This guide provides the most frequently asked pre‑purchase questions about the Advanced Order Export for WooCommerce PRO plugin. Whether you are deciding between the free and Pro versions, confirming compatibility, or understanding licensing terms, this article will help you make an informed decision before you buy.

1. Licensing and Purchase

How does the Pro version license work?

The Pro version is licensed per site.

What you need to know:

After purchasing the Pro version, the license key is sent in the purchase confirmation email.
Visit WooCommerce → Export Orders → License, enter the key, and click Activate.
A valid license is required to receive automatic updates.
Activating the license unlocks all Pro features such as scheduled exports and advanced filtering.

Can I use the Pro license on a staging or development site?

Yes. The plugin allows the license to be activated on one live (production) site.

Recommended workflow:

Keep the Pro version active on the live store.
Use the free version on staging or development environments for testing.
Settings profiles can be exported from the live site and imported into the staging site via the Tools tab.

Can I upgrade from the free version to Pro without losing my settings?

Yes. Settings are preserved during the upgrade process.

Step‑by‑step:

Deactivate the free version.
Do not delete the free version – deleting it would remove all settings.
Install and activate the Pro version.
Delete the free version after confirming the Pro version is working correctly.

2. System Requirements and Compatibility

What are the minimum system requirements?

Requirement	Minimum Version	Notes
WordPress	4.7.x or higher	Latest version strongly recommended
WooCommerce	3.x or higher	The plugin will not work without WooCommerce
PHP	8.1 or higher	Excel (XLS) generation requires PHP 8.1+

Is the plugin compatible with HPOS (High‑Performance Order Storage)?

Yes. The plugin is fully compatible with HPOS, the new custom order table system introduced in WooCommerce.

Does the plugin work with multistore/multisite WordPress networks?

The plugin can be activated network‑wide or on individual sites within the network.

Settings are stored separately for each site; there is no automatic sharing of export profiles across subsites.

Which third‑party plugins are supported?

The plugin correctly exports custom fields added by third‑party plugins in most cases.

For some complex plugins, ready‑to‑use code snippets are available in the developer documentation.
Popular plugins with integration support include ACF (Advanced Custom Fields), WPML, Dokan, WC Vendors, WooCommerce Subscriptions, and others.

3. Free vs. Pro Version

What features are included in the free version?

The free version is a complete, professional‑grade tool for manual exports.

Core features of the free version:

Export orders in CSV, XML, and PDF formats.
Select, rename, and reorder fields for export via drag‑and‑drop.
Export custom meta fields for orders, products, and coupons.
Group data by products or customers (summary reports).
Export orders via bulk action directly from the WooCommerce → Orders list.
Apply basic filters by date range and order status.

Which features require the Pro version?

The Pro version adds advanced automation and integration capabilities.

Pro‑only features include:

XLS / XLSX, JSON, HTML, and TSV export formats.
Scheduled exports – run reports automatically every day, week, or month.
Multiple destinations – deliver exports via Email, FTP, SFTP, HTTP POST, and more.
Status change jobs – export an order automatically when its status changes (e.g., from “Pending” to “Processing”).
Save multiple export profiles for different use cases.
Advanced filtering – filter by product SKU, product category, custom fields, and other sophisticated criteria.

Should I start with the free version?

For most stores, starting with the free version is strongly recommended.

The free version allows:

Testing all basic export functionality.
Verifying that the plugin works correctly with existing themes and plugins.
Confirming that the available fields (including custom meta fields) meet the store’s needs.

After the free version is confirmed to work, the Pro license can be purchased at any time. Settings are preserved during the upgrade.

4. Feature‑Specific Questions

Can I export only specific columns (not all fields)?

Yes, both free and Pro versions allow full control over which columns appear in the report. Use the Setup Fields section to drag and drop only the required fields into the left (export) column.

Can I export custom fields from other plugins?

Yes, in most cases. Locate the meta key of the custom field (usually visible in the database) and add it as a custom field in the relevant category – Order for order‑level fields or Product Items for line‑item fields.

If the custom field stores complex data (e.g., serialised arrays), the field may export as the word “Array”. In such cases, custom PHP code added via the Misc Settings section can convert the data into a readable string.

Can I export product images?

Yes. Product images can only be embedded in XLS / XLSX exports. Add the Embedded Product Image field to the export profile, and set the desired Images Width and Height (e.g., 75 × 75) in the Output block. Image dimensions can be adjusted in the Output block.

Can I export orders automatically every day (or every hour)?

Yes, but scheduled exports require the Pro version. Scheduled jobs can be configured to run hourly, twice daily, daily, weekly, monthly, or according to a custom cron schedule. Exported files can be delivered via Email, FTP, SFTP, or HTTP POST without any manual intervention.

Important note: Scheduled exports rely on WordPress cron. For strict timing, replace WP‑Cron with a real server cron job by adding define('DISABLE_WP_CRON', true); to wp-config.php and setting up a systems cron job to call https://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php every few minutes.

Can I send exports to Google Sheets or Dropbox?

Yes, but this requires the Pro version and Zapier as an intermediate automation platform. After the license is activated, connect the plugin to Zapier, create a Zap that triggers on a new export, and set the action to send data to Google Sheets, Dropbox, or any of the thousands of apps supported by Zapier.

Can I export refunds or child orders?

The free version includes basic refund and child order handling. For advanced scenarios, such as including both parent orders and refund records (shop_order_refund post type) in a single export, custom PHP code is required.

5. Troubleshooting Before Purchase

I see a blank page or error 500 when trying to export.

Probable cause: The server’s PHP memory limit is insufficient for the export volume.

Solution:

Add define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M'); to the wp-config.php file.
Use the Scheduled Jobs feature (Pro version) to run exports during off‑peak hours.
Narrow the date range to export fewer orders at one time.

Some of my order fields are missing from the export.

Check the following:

Ensure the field has been dragged from the right panel to the left panel in the Setup Fieldssection.
Verify the field category: order‑level custom fields belong to Order, product‑level custom fields belong to Product Items.
Create a test order that contains the custom field; the plugin only recognises fields that exist in at least one order.
Check the meta key name: meta keys are case‑sensitive and must match exactly.

Will the plugin slow down my site?

The plugin only runs during exports; it does not affect front‑end performance for store customers. During a large export, server resources are consumed, but the impact is limited to the admin area. For stores with very high order volumes, scheduled exports can be configured to run during low‑traffic hours to avoid any performance impact on store operations.

What happens if I stop paying for the Pro license?

When the Pro license expires:

Automatic updates stop.
All Pro features continue to work as they did before expiration.
New activations on other sites are blocked; but all existing functionality remains intact.

6. Support and Documentation

What support resources are available before I purchase?

Before buying, the plugin offers:

Complete documentation: https://docs.algolplus.com/category/algol_order_export/
Developer documentation: Ready‑to‑use code snippets for popular plugins and custom integrations are available.
Support ticket system: Submit a pre‑sales question through the support form.

Can I try the Pro features before purchasing?

The best way to evaluate Pro features is to:

Install and configure the free version to confirm basic compatibility.
Review the detailed Pro feature list in the Free vs. Pro article.
Watch the available video tutorials on the Algol Plus YouTube channel demonstrating Pro features in action.

Is there a refund policy?

Standard refund policies apply. For specific refund questions, we recommend a direct inquiry through the support ticketing system.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

I can’t buy the PRO version

Try logout from Paypal and pay as guest (using credit card) or contact me via email [email protected].

I can’t update the Pro version that is already installed. I get the message “Update failed: Download failed. Unauthorized.”

Visit “Woocommerce” – “Export Orders”. Switch to tab “License”. Enter key (from purchase email) and press button “Activate”.

How to install just purchased plugin?

You should get the mail with download link and license key!

1. Deactivate and delete free version at first. You won’t lose settings.

2. Visit “Plugins” – “Add new”, click “Upload Plugin” and select downloaded Pro version.