Understanding WooCommerce Tax (Shipping & Tax) Feature Requests and Workarounds

Many WooCommerce store owners use the WooCommerce Tax plugin (formerly WooCommerce Shipping & Tax) to streamline their shipping process. A common point of confusion arises when users look for specific features that are not currently part of the plugin. This article explains the nature of these feature requests and outlines the official process for suggesting and tracking them.

Common Unavailable Features

Based on community discussions, several highly-requested features are not yet natively supported by the WooCommerce Tax plugin. These include:

• Custom Shipping Dates on Labels: The ability to edit the shipping date printed on a label, rather than it automatically using the current date.
• Return Label Generation: A built-in tool to easily create, purchase, and email return shipping labels by reversing sender and recipient addresses.
• Bulk Label Printing: Functionality to validate addresses, pay for postage, and print labels for multiple orders in a single, bulk action.
• Automatic Tracking Entry: Having tracking numbers from purchased labels automatically populate the order's tracking fields and send notifications.
• Carrier Expansion: Adding integrated shipping label support for carriers outside of USPS, such as Canada Post.
• Tracking Number Copy Button: A convenient "copy to clipboard" button next to the tracking number after a label is purchased.

Why These Features Aren't Available Yet

The WooCommerce Tax plugin is under active development. The team behind it prioritizes new features and expansions based on user demand, technical feasibility, and strategic goals. When a feature is absent, it is typically because it is either still in the planning phase, under development, or not yet scheduled for a future release.

Official Process for Feature Requests

The primary channel for users to influence the plugin's development roadmap is the official WooCommerce Ideas Board. The development team uses this board to gauge community interest.

How it works:

1. Search the Ideas Board to see if your feature has already been suggested.
2. If it has, vote for it. The number of votes a idea receives is a major factor in its prioritization.
3. If it hasn't, you can submit a new idea for the community to vote on.

Current Workarounds and Built-in Functionality

While waiting for new features, you can utilize existing functionality:

• Tracking Information: When you mark an order as "Complete" after purchasing a label, the tracking information is automatically included in the order completion email sent to the customer (provided this email is enabled in WooCommerce > Settings > Emails).
• Custom Development: For developers, some feature gaps can be bridged with custom code. The WooCommerce Tax codebase is available on GitHub, and certain aspects of the plugin can be extended using hooks and filters. For example, a developer could theoretically create a solution to modify the shipping date on a label.

Conclusion

The lack of a specific feature in WooCommerce Tax (Shipping & Tax) is usually a matter of prioritization, not oversight. The most effective way to get a feature added is to engage with the WooCommerce Ideas Board. For immediate needs, exploring custom code solutions with a developer may be an alternative. Understanding this process helps set realistic expectations for when new functionality might arrive.