Testing Rules with Order Daemon Pro

Learn how to test your automation rules instantly with Order Daemon Pro’s built-in testing tools, saving time and ensuring rules work correctly before going live.

Overview

Order Daemon Pro includes a Rule Tester that lets you test rules against existing orders without placing new test orders or waiting for real transactions. This helps you:

Verify rules work as expected before activating them
Debug why a rule didn’t trigger on a specific order
Fine-tune rule conditions to match exactly the right orders
Save time during rule development and troubleshooting

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Order Daemon Pro installed and activated with a valid license
At least one existing order in your store to test against
User account with WooCommerce management permissions

Finding the Rule Tester

Go to Order Daemon → All Order Rules in your WordPress admin
Create a new rule or edit an existing one
Look for the “Test This Rule” panel in the right sidebar
The panel shows a PRO badge to indicate it’s a premium feature

Note: If you don’t see the Test This Rule panel, verify that Order Daemon Pro is active and your license is valid.

How to Test a Rule

Step 1: Select an Order

In the “Select Order to Test” field, you can search for orders by:

Order ID: Type the exact order number (e.g., “12345”)
Customer Name: Type part of the customer’s name (e.g., “John” or “Smith”)
Order Total: Type an amount to find orders with that total (e.g., “150”)

The search will show recent orders with:

Order ID and status badge
Customer name and email
Order total (formatted in your store currency)
Order date

Use the arrow keys to navigate search results, or click to select an order.

Step 2: Run the Test

Once you’ve selected an order, the “Test Rule Against Order” button becomes available
Click the button to run the test
The test runs instantly using your current rule configuration
Results appear immediately below the button

Step 3: Review Results

The test results show:

Overall Status:

✅ “Would trigger” – The rule matches this order and would run
❌ “Would NOT trigger” – The rule doesn’t match, with details why

Component Details:

Each condition is listed with pass/fail status
Failed conditions show specific reasons (e.g., “Order total $75.00 is less than $100.00”)
You’ll see exactly which part of your rule prevented it from matching

Visual Feedback:

Failed conditions will briefly flash red in the main rule editor
This helps you quickly identify which settings need adjustment

Suggestions:

The system provides helpful suggestions for improving your rule
Examples: “Consider adding a product category condition to be more specific”
Use these suggestions to refine your rule for better targeting

Common Testing Scenarios

Testing a New Rule

When building a rule from scratch:

Start with a broad rule – Add just a trigger and one simple condition
Test against multiple orders – Try orders that should and shouldn’t match
Gradually add conditions – Test after each addition to ensure it still works
Fine-tune thresholds – Adjust amounts, quantities, or selections based on results

Debugging an Existing Rule

When a rule isn’t working as expected:

Find a specific order that should have triggered the rule but didn’t
Test the rule against that order to see exactly what failed
Check each condition to identify the problem area
Adjust the rule settings and test again to confirm the fix

Validating Rule Changes

Before activating a modified rule:

Test against recent orders that the rule should have matched
Test against orders it should ignore to prevent over-triggering
Verify edge cases like minimum/maximum amounts or special product types

Understanding Test Results

Test Result Status

“Would trigger”

All conditions passed successfully
The rule would run and complete the order automatically
Safe to activate the rule on live orders

“Would NOT trigger”

At least one condition failed
Review the failed conditions to understand why
Adjust your rule settings before activating

Condition Results

Each condition in your rule shows:

Pass ✅: The condition matched the order
Fail ❌: The condition didn’t match, with specific details
Skip ⏭️: The condition wasn’t evaluated (usually if trigger failed)

Reading Failure Messages

Failure messages are specific and actionable:

“Order total $75.00 is less than $100.00” → Increase the minimum amount or lower your threshold
“No products match the selected categories” → Check if you selected the right categories or if the order contains different products
“Customer role ‘customer’ is not in allowed roles” → Add ‘customer’ to your allowed roles or check if the customer has a different role

Best Practices

Choice of Test Orders

Use recent, real orders from your store for the most accurate testing
Test with various order types (different products, amounts, customers)
Include edge cases like very small or very large orders
Test failed orders occasionally to ensure rules don’t trigger inappropriately

Testing Workflow

Test frequently during rule development, not just at the end
Document test results for complex rules (which orders worked/failed)
Test rule interactions if you have multiple rules that might conflict
Re-test after changes even small adjustments can have unexpected effects

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Don’t test only perfect scenarios – include orders that should fail
Check your trigger conditions – make sure the trigger itself would fire
Review order status – some conditions only work with specific order statuses
Consider timing – remember when during the order process yor rule would actually run

Troubleshooting

“Rule data not found” Error

Save your rule first before testing
The test needs the current rule configuration to be saved
Click “Save Draft” or “Update” then try testing again

No Orders Appear in Search

Check that you have orders in your store
Try broader search terms or search by order ID
Verify permissions. Ensure you can manage WooCommerce orders

Test Results Don’t Match Expectations

Verify order status: some conditions depend on specific order statuses
Review condition logic: “All conditions must pass” vs “Any condition can pass” vs “No conditions can pass”
Check product data: ensure categories, types, and other product data is correctly set

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