Google Cloud Print, Google’s cloud-based printing solution will no longer be supported as of December 31, 2020. Beginning January 1, 2021, devices across all operating systems will not be able to print using Cloud Print. We recommend that you find an alternative print solution with your respective platform’s printing infrastructure. So what are the best options do we have instead of Google Cloud Printing?
Well, there are a couple of options and private services that can work best for printing Woocommerce orders, let explore them. I was particularly finding the solution for WordPress and Woo-commerce so this article is going to be more effective for woo-commerce system.
Plugin: WooCommerce Automatic Order Printing (PrintNode)
This WordPress plugin is an integration to PrintNode service for Woocommerce system. Orders, invoices and packing slips/delivery notes can be printed. Compatible with any printer including thermal printers.
Setup of this plugin is easy as well;
- You just need to open a PrintNode account on their website
- Install their app on your computer which is driving your printer
- Install and configure the plugin and that is it.
Extensive documentation is available on their website. You can visit their website for more information.
PrintNode Software and API
PrintNode is a good service for connecting your printers to the Internet, bringing a range of benefit such as the ability to print directly from a website and not being hindered by firewalls. This plugin uses PrintNode to automatically print new WooCommerce orders. You can begin using Lite package of PrintNode for free and later upgrade to other pages depend on your printing needs.
To use PrintNode, you need a printer and a computer, it is that easy.
To use their service you just need to follow simple steps;
- You need to sign up for an account.
- Install their software on your computer or laptop.
- Obtain the API key, and add it to the settings of our plugin.
For more information you can visit their website.
I wish they provide the Woo-commerce integration as a value-added service.
Plugin: WooCommerce Print Invoice and Delivery Note
The WooCommerce Print Invoice & Delivery Note plugin allows you to easily print invoices pick lists for orders right from the orders listing page.
Installation WooCommerce Print Invoice & Delivery Note plugin
- Download the WooCommerce Print Invoice & Delivery Note Plugin.
- Go to
Plugins > Add New > Upload. - Select the ZIP file you just downloaded.
- Click Install Now, and then Activate.
Print Order in WooCommerce
- Go to
WooCommerce > Orders. - Then select the order which you want to print.
- Select “Print Invoice” from the bulk actions and hit Apply.
Auto Print Orders Via Email
Another option is to print orders via email and for that you need an extension plugin called Automatic Email Manager which will send to printer any email w/o attachments, or save on disk,… It runs on Windows background: https://www.automatic-email-manager.com/
This Alternative solution is to email receipts to admin and then another service prints those emails automatically. I have found a detailed steps in another article, you can check how to setup manual printing
Conclusion:
At the moment there is no free alternative found apart from the email method so far. Although some of them claiming to migrate to another API or build in house solution papercut API is likely candidate.
There are also some plugins which do not go into much detail about if they are dependent on google cloud and they don’t have any update regarding it.
For example:
https://wordpress.org/plugins/woo-instant-notifications/https://www.automatic-email-manager.com/woocommerce-best-extension-to-auto-print-invoices-packing-lists
So, further developments are going to be build soon due to the discontinued service of Google Cloud Print.
