When manual tracking makes sense
- Counter postage: You buy postage at the Post Office but still want WooCommerce to look tidy.
- Supplier drops: A supplier emails you a tracking reference to pass on.
- Courier collections: Drivers collect parcels and hand over a manifest at the warehouse door.
In every case, ParcelOffice keeps customers informed even if the label came from somewhere else.
One-step save
Pasting a tracking number does three jobs automatically:
- The tracking entry is logged against the order with carrier, notes, and user.
- The order status changes to your configured “Shipped” or “Completed” state.
- The correct customer email sends, including the formatted tracking link.
Need a softer status? Pair it with status automation to move orders between stages before completion.
Consistent customer experience
Email confidence
Every manual entry feeds a consistent snippet with carrier logo, service name, and clickable link.
My Account clarity
Customers see the same info in their account timeline, so they never need to raise a WISMO ticket.
Audit trail friendly
- Each entry records the staff member, date, and any internal note.
- Re-open orders to add more tracking later without losing the original event.
- Export logs to share with suppliers or support agents.
Frequently asked questions
Can I paste photos of receipts?
Enter the number itself rather than uploading a photo. ParcelOffice needs the digits to build the correct tracking link.
What if the carrier is not listed?
Add a custom carrier once, map its tracking URL format, and it becomes available to the whole team.
Can I delay the customer email?
Yes. Configure a short delay or require approval so customer messaging matches your fulfilment promise.
Does manual tracking work with partial shipments?
It does. Add a new entry for each parcel and customers see each one in sequence. Read more about partial shipment tracking.
Will this break automated labels later?
No. Manual and automated tracking live together, so you can start simple and adopt auto-labels when ready.
Manual tracking with pro-grade comms
Keep shipping nimble today while building towards automation tomorrow. ParcelOffice keeps customers updated either way.