What happens if I haven't configured business hours in my store settings?

The is_business_hours field will be null and the rule will never trigger. You must configure your business hours for this rule to work.

Does this use the customer's timezone or my store's timezone?

It uses your store's timezone as set in WordPress. A customer in a different timezone may place an order during their daytime that falls outside your business hours.

Can I define different business hours for weekdays and weekends?

That depends on how your store settings handle business hours. The rule itself checks a single is_business_hours flag, so any weekday/weekend logic needs to be configured at the store level.

How to track after-hours orders for dispatch planning in WooCommerce | After Hours rule

The problem

Orders placed outside business hours may not be processed until the next working day, but customers may not realise this. Without flagging, out-of-hours orders get mixed in with in-hours orders, making it harder to manage expectations and prioritise the queue.

The solution

OrderBadger can flag orders placed outside your configured business hours.

Who this is for

Stores with defined business hours that want to track and manage orders placed outside those hours - useful for setting dispatch expectations and identifying out-of-hours buying patterns.

At a glance

Uses store timezone from WordPress settings Requires business hours to be configured Applies to all orders placed outside those hours Badge: After Hours (purple)

People also search for

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How it works

Checks whether the order was placed during your defined business hours using the derived is_business_hours field. Orders placed outside those hours are badged, giving you visibility into out-of-hours demand.

Set customer expectations via order confirmation emails that out-of-hours orders will be dispatched on the next business day. Use the data to inform staffing decisions if out-of-hours volume is significant.

Rule template

Plain English rule The order was placed outside of business hours

Write this (or something similar) in the OrderBadger rule builder. The AI compiler turns it into executable logic automatically.

Make it yours

Add or remove conditions

Add 'and order total is over £200' to only flag high-value after-hours orders that warrant proactive dispatch communication. The order was placed outside of business hours and order total is over £200
Add 'and payment method is cod' to single out after-hours COD orders, which are more likely to face delivery complications if dispatched without confirmation. The order was placed outside of business hours and payment method is cod

Badge preview

Default: After Hours

When this rule matches

Outside Business Hours

The order was placed outside of the configured business hours, so is_business_hours is false.

When this rule does not match

During Business Hours

The order was placed during configured business hours, so is_business_hours is true.

Not Configured Null

Business hours are not configured, so is_business_hours is null and the condition cannot be evaluated.

Good to know

Business hours must be configured in your store settings for this rule to work. If not configured, the field will be null and the rule will not trigger.
This uses the store's timezone, not the customer's. A customer in a different timezone may place an order during their business hours that falls outside yours.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I haven't configured business hours in my store settings?

The is_business_hours field will be null and the rule will never trigger. You must configure your business hours for this rule to work.
Does this use the customer's timezone or my store's timezone?

It uses your store's timezone as set in WordPress. A customer in a different timezone may place an order during their daytime that falls outside your business hours.
Can I define different business hours for weekdays and weekends?

That depends on how your store settings handle business hours. The rule itself checks a single is_business_hours flag, so any weekday/weekend logic needs to be configured at the store level.

How to track after-hours orders for dispatch planning in WooCommerce