Print-ready files and POD fulfillment

In Designer, open Printing Areas in the left panel. You will see the model's available surfaces, such as front and back, depending on the selected product. You can enable the areas you need and remove them from the current configuration. The add button uses the surfaces provided by the model.

Click an area's name to select its boundary in the workspace. Then choose a shape type and adjust it to the planned production process. When you finish editing the areas, return to working on graphics and text.

You can choose a rectangle or circle for the area. If the model has its own outline, Default shape is also available. After editing the path, you can use Custom shape. This is the boundary to which the composition is clipped during export.

After selecting an area, use the tools above the 2D view. The transformation controls let you set width, height, X and Y positions, and rotation. Enable proportional scaling if changing one dimension should preserve the aspect ratio. You can switch measurement units between millimeters, centimeters and inches.

Vector editing lets you refine the outline using points and curves. You can add or remove points, join them, cut the path, change curvature, and use offset and mirror tools. Check the result in the 2D view and on the 3D product before preparing the files.

For models prepared for AOP (all-over print), you can develop a print on surfaces corresponding to product parts, such as front, back and sleeves. Keep the correct shape and scale of each area and prepare files for the required sizes. In POD fulfillment, AOP availability and the area layout depend on the selected product and provider.

The Size selection identifies the product configuration whose areas you are editing. The Share print areas with field shows the sizes using the same set. This is useful when several sizes should share one print configuration.

If one size needs separate boundaries, use the plus button next to sharing. This creates a copy of the current set assigned to the selected size. You can refine it without changing the other sizes that use the previous collection.

After changing size, check the physical dimensions and graphic placement again. Manual export uses the currently selected size and its areas, so switch the configuration before preparing files for other sizes.

In Save new print area template, name the configuration and use the save button. You can later load this template in another design for the same product. It preserves the area configuration, rather than a finished arrangement of graphics and text.

To use an existing configuration, go to Load print area template, select a name and click the load button. Loading replaces the current settings, so check the boundaries and dimensions afterward. In the local WordPress editor, you work with templates stored by the plugin.

Open Printing manager in Designer's left panel. In the WordPress editor, select the Manual settings tab. If the POD tab is unavailable, the manual export panel opens directly.

In Layers to export, select a specific Print area or all enabled areas. The Layers field lets you export the entire composition or only the selected layers of that area. For the second option, first select the design elements you need.

In Export settings, choose the File type: PNG, SVG or PDF. DPI quality has four values: 72, 150, 200 and 300. The file dimensions come from the area's physical size and the DPI setting, not the size of the product preview on screen.

Choose the format for your next steps. PNG saves a raster image and can preserve a transparent background. SVG allows further work with vector elements, but may also contain embedded images. PDF delivers the composition in a document whose size follows the export settings.

Cut lines adds the area's outline. After enabling it, you can choose a color and Cut line thickness in millimeters. Padding (offset) sets spacing around the area and offsets the outline. It does not automatically extend the artwork beyond its boundary.

Remove semi-transparent pixels is useful when the file needs a sharp transition between print and transparency. It changes semi-transparent pixels into fully transparent or opaque pixels. It can affect soft edges and shadows, so review the result before production.

Add background color includes the selected product variant's color within the print area. Leave it disabled if you need transparent artwork. The 3D scene background and interface images are not the production file's background.

Click Download and wait for the export to be prepared. For one result, the browser downloads a single PNG, SVG or PDF. For several areas, you receive a ZIP archive with separate files whose names refer to the design and area.

Open the downloaded files and check that all surfaces are included, the print boundaries and background are correct, and the selected size matches. If you need files for another product size, switch it in the design and export again.

Open Alter Product → Settings → Print on Demand. In Provider connections, select Printify or Printful and use Add provider. In the connection dialog, enter the access token and choose Test mode or Production mode.

For Printify, choose Test connection and load shops, then select a Printify shop. For Printful, use Test connection and enter a store ID if needed. Finish with Save connection. The provider becomes available for mapping after a successful test and saving the configuration.

In the WooCommerce product editor, open Product data → Print on Demand. Select the Fulfillment provider and choose Save POD profile. Then assign the matching product from the provider's catalog.

For Printify, open the catalog, choose a product, then use Open providers to select the print shop that will handle production. Save the product catalog. For Printful, choose a product through Open catalog and save the product catalog; this workflow has no separate print shop selection.

Mapping connects an existing WooCommerce product to an item in the provider's catalog. Check that the selected model, its available colors and sizes match the product you offer in your store.

Go to Product attributes and choose Import POD attributes to WooCommerce product. This fills or replaces size and color values based on the selected catalog. Review the result before continuing the setup.

For a variable product, go to Variations. If WooCommerce is missing combinations, use Generate missing variations. Then choose Load variants for mapping, check the assignment of each offered size and color to a POD variant, and click Save changes.

Check selling prices and other listing details in WooCommerce. This step maps variants; it does not automatically set store prices according to the provider's price list. After changing the catalog product or print shop, prepare the mapping again because previous variant assignments are removed.

In Printing Areas, select the prepared surface and click Print on Demand settings. At the top of the dialog, check POD, Product and Print provider. This data comes from the WooCommerce product mapping.

In Placement, choose the provider's print placement, such as front or back if available in the catalog. The table shows area assignments, print size and export parameters. Move between its rows to prepare the surfaces you need.

One placement from a given provider cannot be assigned to another area at the same time in this configuration. To move an assignment, first set Not selected for the previous area and apply the change.

Set for all sizes is enabled by default. Leave it selected if the assignment and adjustments should apply to the sizes you offer. Disable it when working only on the current size.

Set proportions adjusts the area's dimensions to the POD placement's target pixels and DPI, taking product calibration into account. It preserves the area's position and rotation. After using it, check that the print is still in the right place on the model.

Set shape changes the boundary to a rectangle while preserving its current position, rotation and visual size. Use it when preparing a rectangular export area. Then review all required sizes and confirm the settings.

In Mockup, select Front, Back, Default or No mockup. The visualization helps you check the finished product and is saved as a separate preview file. The print file remains a separate production asset.

Expand More to set Format, DPI, Include background and Note. The format list depends on the provider and its catalog. Printify's quick edit offers PNG and JPG; JPG does not preserve transparency. Choose dimensions and DPI for the selected print placement instead of assuming one file size fits every product.

Click Apply and save the design after preparing the areas. These settings determine the parameters for the next file generation.

Open Printing manager → Print on Demand. The list includes active areas with a POD assignment. Each shows the provider, Placement, target pixel dimensions, DPI and format. Select the areas for which you want to prepare files.

The Quick edit POD settings icon lets you adjust the format, DPI, mockup choice and background inclusion. Once the settings are ready, click Generate POD files and wait for generation and saving to finish.

If the product has several available color variants, Generate POD files (all colors) may appear. This button processes the colors in turn and restores the previous selection. It does not automatically export every size and is not shown when editing a specific order item.

In Printing manager, Saved POD file sets shows the prepared results. Check the date, print placement, format and dimensions. Use Open file to view the print and mockup. You can delete a set you no longer need.

In the WordPress plugin, files are also available in Generated POD files for the relevant product or customer design. Use Browse files and check that the set belongs to the correct composition and variant. Mockups help assess appearance; print files are sent for production.

After changing graphics, area boundaries or export settings, generate and save a new set. Saving the design alone does not update previously generated production files.

Open WooCommerce → Orders and select an order containing an Alter Product product. At the relevant item, review the POD fulfillment data: product, variant, quantity and provider. For personalization, check the design saved for that order item.

If the required files are not ready yet, open the item's design in the administrative editor, check the composition and generate a set through Printing manager → Print on Demand. After saving, return to the order and choose Browse files.

Also check the recipient details. The plugin first uses the WooCommerce shipping address, then a complete billing address. The fallback recipient address in POD settings is used only when the order lacks a complete address; it is not a Printify return address.

Use Request payload preview in the fulfillment panel for the item. It lets you review the prepared data and validation result before placing the order. Correct any missing mapping, files or address details.

After checking the data, choose Submit POD order in production mode. This is an action performed by the administrator. Paying for a WooCommerce order does not by itself trigger submission to the provider.

With Printful, submission confirms the order for fulfillment, so treat this button as a real production order. With Printify, you also submit the order to the provider; check its status in the history afterward.

For orders containing several items, Combined order payload preview and Submit combined order are available. First check each product's files and mapping, then review how fulfillment is split.

The plugin groups items by fulfillment configuration, including provider and print shop. One WooCommerce order can therefore create several orders with providers. Check statuses and shipments for each group.

POD order history contains the local ID, provider ID, status and available tracking information. After submitting the order, use Refresh provider status to retrieve current data.

Refreshing is performed with a button. Check the returned status and tracking, and manage the overall store order status in WooCommerce. This lets you track the customer design, saved files and provider fulfillment progress separately.