Triggers are the starting point of every completion rule in Order Daemon. They define when the plugin should evaluate whether an order should be automatically completed. Think of triggers as the events that wake up the Order Daemon and tell it to check your rules.
What Are Triggers?
A trigger is a specific WooCommerce event that initiates the rule evaluation process. When a trigger fires, Order Daemon:
- Receives the order information
- Checks all active completion rules
- Evaluates conditions for matching rules
- Executes actions if conditions are met
Available Triggers
Free Triggers
Order Status: Processing (Default)
Hook: woocommerce_order_status_processing
This is the primary free trigger available in Order Daemon. It fires when an order status changes to “Processing” and is ideal for most standard automations.
When to use:
- Most common scenario for auto-completion
- Digital products and services
- Standard WooCommerce workflows
- Any scenario where processing status should trigger completion
Example scenario:
A customer purchases a digital course. When their payment is processed and the order moves to “Processing” status, the order completes automatically, granting immediate access to the course materials.
Internal Scheduling Hook (Automatic)
Hook: woocommerce_checkout_order_processed
This hook is used internally by Order Daemon to schedule asynchronous rule evaluation via WooCommerce Action Scheduler. It does not complete orders by itself and is not exposed as a selectable trigger in the Rule Builder.
Why it matters:
- Ensures heavy logic runs off the checkout request
- Improves reliability on high-traffic stores
- Guarantees that your selected triggers are evaluated safely in the background
Note: You do not need to configure this. It is always active and complements the user-selectable triggers below.
Premium Triggers 🔓
Payment Complete
Hook: woocommerce_payment_complete
Advanced trigger that fires specifically when payment is completed, regardless of order status. This is a premium feature requiring a paid license.
When to use:
- Subscription renewals and complex payment gateways
- Delayed capture scenarios
- Payment-specific automation workflows
Example scenario:
A subscription service needs to activate immediately upon payment confirmation, regardless of whether the order goes to “Processing” or “On Hold” first.
Order Status: On Hold
Hook: woocommerce_order_status_on-hold
Fires when an order transitions to “On Hold” status. This is a premium feature for specialized workflow handling.
When to use:
- Bank transfer payments that you pre-approve
- Check payments from trusted customers
- Manual payment verification workflows
Example scenario:
Regular wholesale customers pay by bank transfer. Their orders go “On Hold” but you want to complete them immediately based on their trusted status.
Order Status: Completed
Hook: woocommerce_order_status_completed
Fires when an order status changes to “Completed”. Perfect for post-fulfillment actions and follow-up workflows.
When to use:
- Post-fulfillment notifications
- Customer satisfaction surveys
- Loyalty program point awards
- Follow-up marketing campaigns
Example scenario:
After an order is marked as completed, automatically send a review request email and award loyalty points to the customer.
Order Status: Pending Payment
Hook: woocommerce_order_status_pending
Fires when an order status changes to “Pending Payment”. Useful for payment reminders and abandoned cart recovery.
When to use:
- Payment reminder workflows
- Abandoned cart recovery
- Manual payment method follow-ups
- Order expiration notifications
Example scenario:
When a bank transfer order goes to “Pending Payment”, automatically send payment instructions and set up reminder emails.
Order Status: Failed
Hook: woocommerce_order_status_failed
Fires when an order status changes to “Failed”. Ideal for failure notifications and recovery workflows.
When to use:
- Payment failure notifications
- Recovery workflow automation
- Customer support ticket creation
- Alternative payment method suggestions
Example scenario:
When a payment fails, automatically notify the customer with alternative payment options and create a support ticket for follow-up.
Order Status: Cancelled
Hook: woocommerce_order_status_cancelled
Fires when an order status changes to “Cancelled”. Perfect for cleanup actions and notifications.
When to use:
- Inventory restoration workflows
- Cancellation confirmation emails
- Refund processing automation
- Analytics and reporting updates
Example scenario:
When an order is cancelled, automatically restore inventory, send a cancellation confirmation, and update sales analytics.
Order Status: Refunded
Hook: woocommerce_order_status_refunded
Fires when an order status changes to “Refunded”. Useful for refund processing and notifications.
When to use:
- Refund confirmation workflows
- Customer satisfaction follow-ups
- Inventory management updates
- Financial reporting automation
Example scenario:
When a refund is processed, automatically send confirmation to the customer and update inventory levels for returned products.
Any Status Change
Hook: woocommerce_order_status_changed
Advanced trigger that fires when order status changes between any specified statuses. Provides comprehensive control over order status transitions.
When to use:
- Complex workflow automation
- Multi-step order processing
- Custom status transition logic
- Advanced business rule implementation
Example scenario:
Create rules that trigger only when orders move from “Processing” to “Shipped” or from “On Hold” to “Processing”, with different actions for each transition.
Custom Trigger Events
Hook: Custom WordPress actions
Create triggers based on any WordPress action in your system.
When to use:
- Integration with third-party plugins
- Custom checkout flows
- Specialized business logic
Example scenarios:
- Membership plugin activation
- Booking confirmation
- Custom API webhook receipt
How Triggers Work
The Execution Flow
1. Customer Action
↓
2. WooCommerce Event
↓
3. Trigger Fires
↓
4. Order Daemon Activates
↓
5. Rules Evaluated
↓
6. Conditions Checked
↓
7. Actions ExecutedAsynchronous Processing
Order Daemon uses WooCommerce’s Action Scheduler for trigger processing:
- Scheduling hook:
woocommerce_checkout_order_processed(automatic) - Non-blocking: Triggers don’t slow down checkout
- Reliable: Failed processes automatically retry
- Scalable: Handles high-volume stores efficiently
- Traceable: Every trigger event is logged
- Deduplicated: Prevents duplicate processing when multiple hooks fire close together
WooCommerce Lifecycle: Quick Map
- Order Creation → schedules async evaluation via
woocommerce_checkout_order_processed(internal; non-selectable) - Payment Complete → primary trigger
woocommerce_payment_complete - Status Transitions → optional triggers
woocommerce_order_status_on-hold,woocommerce_order_status_processing
Gateway Patterns at a Glance
Different payment gateways trigger events at different lifecycle stages:
- Credit Cards: Usually trigger Payment Complete immediately
- Bank Transfers: Often go to On Hold first, then Processing after manual verification
- PayPal: May have delayed confirmation depending on configuration
Choosing the Right Trigger
Decision Matrix
Note: The checkout scheduling hook woocommerce_checkout_order_processed) runs automatically and is not selectable as a trigger.
| Trigger | Best For | Avoid When |
|---|---|---|
| Processing (Free) | Most digital products, standard workflows | Complex payment scenarios |
| Payment Complete (Premium) | Subscription renewals, complex gateways | Simple processing workflows |
| On Hold (Premium) | Trusted customers, manual payments | Automated payment gateways |
| Custom (Premium) | Unique business requirements | Standard WooCommerce flows work |
Common Patterns
Pattern 1: Standard Digital Delivery
- Trigger: Processing (Free)
- Condition: All products are virtual/downloadable
- Result: Automatic order completion when payment processes
Pattern 2: Advanced Payment Handling
- Trigger: Payment Complete (Premium)
- Condition: Specific payment gateway
- Result: Immediate completion regardless of order status
Pattern 3: Trusted Customer Fast-Track
- Trigger: On Hold (Premium)
- Condition: Customer role is “Wholesale”
- Result: Skip manual verification for known customers
Trigger Configuration
In the Rule Builder
- Navigate to Order Daemon → Completion Rules
- Click Add New Rule or edit existing
- In the Triggers section, select your trigger
- Configure any trigger-specific settings
- Save and activate your rule
Multiple Triggers
Premium users can select multiple triggers for a single rule:
- Rule evaluates when ANY selected trigger fires
- Useful for covering multiple payment scenarios
- Prevents duplicate processing with built-in safeguards (idempotent checks and event de-duplication)
Advanced Trigger Concepts
Trigger Priority
When multiple rules use the same trigger:
- Rules execute in priority order (menu_order)
- First matching rule wins
- Subsequent rules don’t process that order
Trigger Context
Each trigger provides different context data:
// Checkout Order Processed (internal scheduling) provides:
- Order ID
- Checkout posted data
- Customer/session context
// Processing Status (free) provides:
- Order ID
- Previous status
- New status
- Status change context
// Payment Complete (premium) provides:
- Order ID
- Transaction ID
- Payment method details
// Status transitions (premium) provide:
- Order ID
- Previous status
- New status
- Status change noteCustom Trigger Development
Developers can add custom triggers using the odcm_custom_triggers filter:
add_filter('odcm_custom_triggers', function($triggers) {
$triggers['my_custom_event'] = [
'label' => 'My Custom Event',
'hook' => 'my_plugin_special_event',
'description' => 'Fires when special event occurs'
];
return $triggers;
});Troubleshooting Triggers
Common Issues
Trigger Not Firing
- Check rule is published/active
- Verify trigger event actually occurs
- Review audit logs for processing attempts
- Ensure Action Scheduler is running
Trigger Fired But No Completion
- Remember: First match wins — a higher-priority rule may have matched and stopped processing
- Confirm the rule’s conditions are actually met for the order
- Verify the rule is not restricted by schedule, customer role, or product scope
- Check logs for “conditions not met” entries
Multiple Completions
- Check for duplicate rules
- Verify trigger conditions
- Review rule priorities
- Enable detailed logging
Delayed Processing
- Normal for asynchronous processing (usually < 60 seconds)
- Check Action Scheduler queue
- Verify server cron configuration
- Monitor system resources
Debugging Tools
- Audit Trail: Shows all trigger events and outcomes
- WP-CLI:
wp odcm log list --type=trigger_fired - Developer Mode: Enable
ODCM_DEBUGfor verbose logging
Best Practices
Do’s
- ✅ Use Processing trigger for most digital products (free tier)
- ✅ Test triggers in staging environment first
- ✅ Monitor audit logs after deployment
- ✅ Document custom trigger logic
Don’ts
- ❌ Don’t use multiple triggers without clear purpose
- ❌ Avoid custom triggers for standard WooCommerce events
- ❌ Don’t bypass WooCommerce’s payment confirmation
- ❌ Never modify core trigger behavior
WooCommerce Order Lifecycle Integration
Order Daemon integrates deeply with WooCommerce’s order processing pipeline, listening to key events throughout an order’s journey from creation to completion. Understanding this integration helps you choose optimal triggers and troubleshoot processing issues.
Order Lifecycle Stages and Available Triggers
Order Placement → Payment Processing → Fulfillment → Completion
Stage 1: Order Creation
- Internal Event:
woocommerce_checkout_order_processed(automatic scheduling) - Purpose: Order Daemon schedules background evaluation of all your rules
- When: Immediately after order is created, regardless of payment status
Stage 2: Status Transitions
- Available Triggers:
- Processing Status
woocommerce_order_status_processing) ✅ Free - On Hold Status
woocommerce_order_status_on-hold) 🔓 Premium
- Processing Status
- Purpose: Handle order status changes and workflow requirements
- When: As orders move through WooCommerce’s status progression
Stage 3: Payment Events
- Available Trigger: Payment Complete
woocommerce_payment_complete) 🔓 Premium - Purpose: Advanced payment handling for complex workflows
- When: After payment gateway confirms successful transaction
How Order Daemon Fits Into WooCommerce’s Flow
Order Daemon schedules background jobs at safe, early points and performs heavy logic asynchronously using Action Scheduler. It listens for:
- Order creation (scheduling only; no completion) to set up async evaluation
- Payment complete to initiate primary completion checks
- Status transitions (on-hold, processing) for workflows where gateways or admins change status before/after payment
Deduplication prevents duplicate processing when multiple hooks fire close together.
Multiple Payment Scenarios
Different payment gateways trigger events at different lifecycle stages:
- Credit Cards: Usually trigger Payment Complete immediately
- Bank Transfers: Often go to On Hold first, then Processing after manual verification
- PayPal: May have delayed confirmation depending on configuration
Understanding these patterns helps you choose the right triggers for your specific payment setup.
Next Steps
Now that you understand triggers, you’re ready to:
- Set up conditions to control when rules apply
- Configure actions to define what happens
- View audit logs to monitor trigger activity
Remember: Triggers are just the beginning. The real power comes from combining them with precise conditions and actions to create sophisticated automation rules that match your exact business needs.