This guide provides a step-by-step process for connecting WooCommerce stores to GelatoConnect, allowing for automated order flow from WooCommerce directly to your production workflow.

Prerequisites

Before you begin connecting a WooCommerce store to GelatoConnect, ensure you have:

Customer set up in GelatoConnect: The customer who owns the WooCommerce store must be created with Storefronts access enabled
Compatible WooCommerce setup: WooCommerce version 2.4.8 or higher with proper API configuration
Admin access: Either the PSP (Print Service Provider) or your customer must have administrator-level access to the WooCommerce store

Connection process overview

The connection process involves four key phases:

Preparation: Ensuring proper setup in GelatoConnect and WooCommerce
Store Connection: Establishing the link between WooCommerce and GelatoConnect
Product Setup: Configuring products for printing
Testing: Validating the integration with test orders

Let's walk through each phase in detail.

Phase 1: Preparation in GelatoConnect and WooCommerce

1) Set up your customer

Go to the Customers section in the left navigation menu of your GelatoConnect account
Select the customer who owns the WooCommerce store. If they do not already exist, add a new customer

2) Decide if you want to give your customer access to the Storefronts Connect interface

Storefronts Connect is the interface used by PSPs and your customers to manage B2C storefronts (including WooCommerce), CSV imports, and manual stores.

Without Storefronts Connect interface access:

PSPs are responsible for connecting new products to the WooCommerce store
Your customer may need to contact you for order details
You will need admin access to the WooCommerce store to authorize the connection

With Storefronts Connect interface access:

Your customers can add new products to their WooCommerce store when they want
Your customer has access to order history and tracking details
You will not need admin access to the WooCommerce store, but your customer will to authorize the connection

3) Access the Storefronts Connect interface

PSPs can access the Storefronts Connect interface at StorefrontsConnect.com using their existing GelatoConnect login details
To give your customers access to Storefronts Connect:
- Navigate to the Customers section in GelatoConnect
- Select the customer and then navigate to Edit customer in the top right
- Enable the toggle "Enable storefronts"
- Provide your customer's email address, first name, and surname
- When you click the "Add admin" button, an email will be sent to your customer with login instructions

4) Prepare your product catalog

Before connecting the store, ensure you have products configured in GelatoConnect
You will need to have created product models and customer products using these product models
Within a customer product, you can define which customer should have access to this product

5) Configure your WooCommerce store

To ensure your WooCommerce store is properly configured for GelatoConnect integration:

Check WooCommerce REST API access:
- Verify your .htaccess file contains: SetEnvIf Authorization "(.*)" HTTP_AUTHORIZATION=$1
Enable Legacy REST API:
- From your WooCommerce Admin Panel, navigate to WooCommerce → Settings → Advanced
- Select the Legacy API tab
- Check the box to "Enable the legacy REST API"
- Click Save Changes
Configure Permalink Settings:
- Go to Settings → Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard
- Under Common Settings, select any option other than Plain
- Click Save Changes
- Verify API functionality by visiting https://your-site-url-here.com/wc-api/v1/ in your browser
Install WooCommerce Legacy REST API Plugin (for WooCommerce 9.0+):
- Navigate to Plugins → Add New in your WordPress dashboard
- Search for "WooCommerce Legacy REST API"
- Install and activate the plugin
Install the Gelato Plugin:
- In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New
- Search for "Gelato"
- Install and activate the Gelato Integration for WooCommerce plugin
Update the Gelato Plugin for Storefront Usage:
- In your WordPress Admin panel, navigate to Plugins → Plugin Editor
- From the dropdown menu in the top-right, select Gelato Integration for WooCommerce
- In the right panel, locate and open includes → Connector → GelatoConnector.php
- Find this line of code: const GELATO_DASHBOARD_URL = 'https://dashboard.gelato.com';
- Replace it with: const GELATO_DASHBOARD_URL = 'https://storefronts.gelato.com';
- Click Update File to save your changes

Phase 2: Connecting a WooCommerce store

For merchants (Your customer)

Log in to StorefrontsConnect.com
Navigate to Stores:
- Click on the Stores tab in the left side navigation
- Click on the WooCommerce icon to begin the connection process
Enter your WooCommerce store URL
Click "Continue" to authorize the connection:
- You'll be redirected to WooCommerce's authentication page
- Log in if prompted
- Review the permissions requested by Gelato
- Click Authorize to approve the connection
Confirm Connection:
- After authorization, you'll be returned to the Storefronts Connect dashboard
- Verify your store appears in the list of connected stores with a "Connected" status

For PSPs (You)

The steps to connect a WooCommerce store as a PSP are very similar to connecting a store as your customer.

The key difference is that you will also be asked to select which of your facilities and which of your customers the WooCommerce store should be assigned to.

Phase 3: Setting up products

Once the store is connected, your products in GelatoConnect need to be linked with product listings on the WooCommerce store. There are three methods for connecting products:

Method 1: Connecting existing WooCommerce products

If the store already has products that need to be produced through GelatoConnect:

Sync Products:
- In the Storefronts Connect dashboard, click on the connected WooCommerce store within the stores list
- Click the Sync Products button in the top right to retrieve the store's current product listings
- Wait for the synchronization to complete
Map Products:
- After syncing, all WooCommerce products will appear in the All products tab
- For each product that needs to be produced, click on the product and then click on the Connect button
- Choose the product you want to connect from the catalog
- For products requiring design files, you will be directed to the design editor where you can upload a design file
- Click Connect to save the mapping

Method 2: Creating new products in Storefronts Connect

To create new products that will be published to the WooCommerce store:

Navigate to the WooCommerce store within the Stores list
Click on the Add product button in the top right
You can add a completely new single product or select one which has already been added to an existing store
If adding a new single product:
- Select a product from the product catalog
- Add a design using the design editor
- Configure the product details (name, description, price)
- Then publish the product to the WooCommerce store

Method 3: Bulk product connection

For stores with many products, you can use the bulk operation feature:

Export product list:
- Navigate to the store's page within Storefronts Connect and click on Bulk Operations in the top right
- Select Connect products using files
- Click Export CSV and a CSV file containing all store products will be downloaded
Complete the CSV:
- Open the CSV in a spreadsheet application
- For each product, add the following in the appropriate columns:
  - Product UID: The GelatoConnect product identifier
  - Design File URL: URL to the printable file for each product. This must be a direct hyperlink to the file
Import mapped products:
- Return to Storefronts and click Bulk Operations
- Enter your email address, click Upload CSV and choose your CSV
- Click Connect products using files in the top right

Phase 4: Testing the integration

Before relying on the integration for production orders, thoroughly test the connection:

Place a test order:
- Go to the WooCommerce store's website
- Purchase one of the mapped products. It's recommended to use a discount code for testing
- Complete the checkout process
Verify order receipt:
- Check that the order appears in Storefronts Connect
- Verify it also appears in your GelatoConnect dashboard order intake manage orders page
- Confirm that all order details are correct, including:
  - Customer information
  - Product specifications
  - Design files
  - Shipping details
Follow order through production:
- Track the test order through your production workflow
- Verify that status updates reflect correctly in Storefronts Connect and in the WooCommerce admin area
Test order cancellation (Optional):
- Place another test order
- Cancel it through WooCommerce
- Verify the cancellation is processed correctly in GelatoConnect