How to place a test order

Before launching your store live, it’s essential to verify that your checkout, order processing, and shipping workflows work as expected. This step-by-step article helps administrators place a test order in Business Hub while your system is in Testing Mode.

In This Article

• Why place a test order?
• Prerequisites
• How to Place a Test Order
• Best-Practice Tips
• Troubleshooting
• FAQS
• Additional Resources

Why Place a Test Order?

Placing a test order helps you confirm that your payment gateway, shipping methods, pricing, discount logic, and order email notifications are configured correctly before customers start placing real orders. It reduces launch-day issues and ensures a smooth customer experience.

Prerequisites

How to Place a Test Order

1. Log into your DecoNetwork website.

2. Make sure your system is in Testing Mode by browsing to Admin → Settings → General Settings.

   Select Fulfillment system status.

   

   

   The main work area will display the Fulfillment System Status page.

   

3. Click on the Create an order in Business Hub link.

   

   Business Hub is launched with a new order form.

   

4. Click on the customer field and select a customer from the drop-down list.

   

   You can type in the field to filter the customer list by name, email, street address, city, country, state, postcode, phone number, company, or store.

   If the customer does not exist, you can add a new customer on the fly.

5. Add one or more products. You can add products in a few different ways:

   • Add a new product using the product list
   • Add a free form product
   • Add a previously ordered product
   • Add a product using the Designer

   Click on a link above to see the instructions.

   You can add a divider after a product line item to create a visual separation from the next item. Click here for instructions.

6. For each product added, select a color, specify quantities per size, add designs by clicking on the load in designer icon, select product options (if any), and optionally specify a discount.

   

   Clicking in the Size/Qty field will display a table for you to enter quantities for each size.

   

   The Qty and pre-discount Line Total will be calculated automatically.

   

   If a discount has been specified, the price per unit will be calculated and displayed in the Discounted Unit Price column. The Total column will show the line total with the discount applied.

   

   Clicking on the Discounted Unit Price or the Total column will display the Discount table, allowing you to override the calculated price by adjusting the unit price or the total price.

   

   You can prevent the unit price and/or total price from being overridden by ticking the Lock Total Price and Lock Discounted Unit Price checkboxes.

   When the price has been overridden, the Discount, Discounted Unit Price, and Total Price cells will be highlighted. When the price has been locked, a lock icon will be displayed in the Total cell to indicate this.

   

7. Click on the Shipping row, choose a shipping method from the table, then click on the okay button.

   

   The Shipping table displays all the shipping methods available for shipping to the recipient's address. The price and the expected time for delivery are listed for each shipping method. Package Dimensions will only be shown for live shipping methods. Package dimensions are automatically calculated by the system using the values specified in the configuration page of the products ordered: Products → Manage Product → Edit Product → Shipping & Production.

8. Click on Save & Email Order to save the order and email it to your customer for approval.

   

   You can choose to apply other actions to the order:

   • Save as Draft: If it is incomplete, you can save your order as a draft and update it later.
   • Cancel: Cancel will discard the order if it is no longer required.
   • Save Order: If you do not want to send the order to the customer just yet, just click Save Order. Once saved, you will have the option to send the order to the customer at a later time.
9. Complete the Email form, then click okay.

Best-Practice Tips

• Verify email notifications arrive correctly at the test email address.
• Confirm production print files and shipping labels generate as expected.
• After testing, switch the system back to Live Mode before accepting real orders.

Troubleshooting

FAQs

Will test orders charge real money?

No. When your system is in Testing Mode, payments are simulated and no real funds are captured.

Do test orders appear in production reports?

No. Orders created in Testing Mode are excluded from reporting data. They are used only for system validation.

Will test orders generate print files and shipping labels?

Yes. Test orders can generate production files, packing slips, and shipping labels so you can verify your workflows before going live.

Can I edit or delete a test order?

Yes. Test orders can be edited, canceled, or deleted without affecting live data, allowing you to safely experiment with different configurations.

How many test orders should I place before going live?

It’s recommended to place at least one test order for each major workflow, including decorated products, different shipping methods, discounts, and payment options.

What should I do after testing is complete?

Once you have verified your workflows, switch your system to Live Mode and perform a final review of payment, shipping, and email settings before accepting real orders.

Additional Resources

• What is the difference between test and live mode?
• Take my system live
• Shipping overview