Install WooCommerce in only 1 site within multi site

  • Resolved Harm10

    (@harm10)


    4 weeks ago

    I have a test multi site (not accessible from the outside) on which I want to install WooCommerce in only 1 of the sites.

    First I tried to install it in the normal way for plugins that you only want to use in specific sites: download the plugin and do NOT network activate.
    In the specific site I activated WooCommerce and got the dialog that belongs to the set-up. But that never ended. So after a while I went back to the dashboard and it looked like WC was added properly. After a while I got problems with accessing methods that should be in the $product.
    In SQLAdmin there where only *_wc_* and *_woo* tables for the site I activated it on.

    So I found instructions on the net that looked like you could not have this set-up and needed to Network activate it. So I followed the uninstall instruction on Network level (with the wp-config option).
    It turned out the tables were removed so I deleted them manually.
    I started again on Network level and now activated on Network level. All seemed well but going to another site that should not have WC the dialog started for the WC set-up.
    In SQLAdmin I saw that each site got its own set of WC tables without me going to the dashboard of them all.
    So I deleted WC again.
    But looking in SQLAdmin all tables were still there…………….
    So I deleted them all.

    Then I started again Network install without activation and activated on the site intended.
    I did not get the set-up dialog! And when I went to WC settings I got error messages for tables that are missing. Looking in SQLAdmin again there were no _wc_ and _woo tables.

    Can WC work in the way I want? So only 1 WC installation active in a set of more sites on multisite?
    If so, how should I do a (re)install to get the dialog again? And is it correct that it never finishes when used like that?

    I am on WP 6.7.1

    The page I need help with: [log in to see the link]

Viewing 3 replies - 16 through 18 (of 18 total)
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  • Plugin Support Shameem R. a11n

    (@shameemreza)

    1 week, 3 days ago

    HI @harm10

    Thanks for sharing the detailed steps you’ve taken. Let’s clarify the process and address your key concerns:

    Your initial approach of activating WooCommerce only on the target site (not network-activating) is correct. There’s no need for network activation unless you want WooCommerce available across all sites.

    I switched HPOS off on both sites. Weirdest thing is that those extra tables are still there. You would expect them to be deleted or not?

    When you disable HPOS, the additional tables created for high-performance order storage (e.g., _wc_orders and _wc_orders_meta) are not automatically deleted. This is intentional, as WooCommerce retains them for data integrity and rollback purposes. If these tables are no longer needed and you’re confident they won’t impact your setup, you can manually delete them via phpMyAdmin or a database management tool.

    However, make sure to keep backup to avoid data lost.

    And there is also the question how can I test whether WC is properly installed?

    To confirm that WooCommerce is working correctly:

    • Check Database Tables: Ensure all required tables (like _wc_products, _wc_orders, _wc_order_meta) exist in the database for the target site. To do so, go to WooCommerce > Status > Tools and click Verify base database tables.
    • Run Setup Wizard: Visit /wp-admin/admin.php?page=wc-setup to complete the setup process.
    • Test Basic Features:
      • Add a product and check if it’s displayed correctly on the site.
      • Place a test order to confirm the checkout process works smoothly.
      • Use the WooCommerce REST API (if applicable) to verify endpoints respond as expected.
    • Review WooCommerce System Status: Navigate to WooCommerce > Status and ensure no warnings about missing tables or configuration errors.

    Additionally,

    Let us know if these steps help resolve your concerns or if you encounter anything unexpected.

    Thread Starter Harm10

    (@harm10)

    1 week, 1 day ago

    I checked everything you mention and there are no problems……….
    But this all started out that I activated WC on a sub site the first time. The installation process (the progress bar display) never finished. So after several minutes I refreshed the screen. Things seemed to work properly until I encountered an error with a WC extension plugin (turned out it was irrelevant as it is still there and all other things work fine).
    But as I wasn’t sure at that time that WC could work on a sub site (there is a lot of info on the net giving the impression that it could not — I know you cannot control what people post on the net 🙂 ).
    So I tried uninstalling. I could deactivate, tried network activation and after that deactivation again without giving me the remove option on the network level. So I deleted the folder on the server and the tables manually. At that time I was aware of the clear constant to set in config.php.
    I used it and then installed everything anew without network activation to get into the situation of the missing tables and HPOS being switched on although I never activated it.

    I know that you cannot analyse the original problem any more but still I think there is some flaw in the installation process.

    Having said this I was positively surprised to get that many support although the problem could not be found. It looks like WC is working properly on the sub site I choose.

    And it is now sure that WC can work on multi site in only 1 sub site!

    So thanks again for all support.

    Plugin Support Mahfuzur Rahman(woo-hc)

    (@mahfuzurwp)

    1 week ago

    Hi @harm10,

    Thank you for the detailed update! We’re glad to hear that WooCommerce is working properly on the sub-site now. It sounds like you’ve done thorough troubleshooting, and it’s great to know that you’ve been able to resolve the issue on your own.

    We appreciate you sharing your experience and confirming that WooCommerce can indeed work on a single sub-site within a multisite setup. If anything else comes up or if you need further assistance in the future, feel free to reach out.

    Thanks again for your kind words and patience throughout the process!

Viewing 3 replies - 16 through 18 (of 18 total)
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