Dolibarr ERP/CRM is renowned for its flexibility, user-friendliness, and a large open-source community. Its capabilities become even more powerful when you integrate it with your online store—whether on WooCommerce or PrestaShop. Through this integration, you can centralize the management of your products, stock levels, and orders, while maintaining full control over your data.

In this article, we offer a step-by-step tutorial on how to configure a bridge between Dolibarr and your e-commerce site.

1. Why Integrate Dolibarr with Your Online Store?

1.1. Centralized Management

Without integration, you need to frequently import and export your data (orders, stock, product lists) between your store and Dolibarr. Integration automates these exchanges, providing real-time access to consistent information.

1.2. Time Savings and Error Reduction

When all your data is synchronized in real time, you no longer have to deal with CSV or Excel files, which greatly reduces the risk of errors (missed orders, un-updated out-of-stock products, etc.).

1.3. Unified Vision for Business Management

With Dolibarr as the central point, you can track sales, manage accounting, analyze sales statistics, or anticipate restocking—all within a single environment.

2. Prerequisites and Integration Options

2.1. Initial Dolibarr Configuration

• Dolibarr Version: Make sure you have a recent version of Dolibarr (e.g., version 14 or higher) to benefit from the latest security and compatibility updates.
• Enabled Modules: At a minimum, enable the “Products/Services,” “Stock,” and “Orders” modules. This ensures you can handle the necessary information for synchronization.

2.2. Online Store: WooCommerce or PrestaShop

• WooCommerce: Built on WordPress, WooCommerce is one of the most popular e-commerce platforms in the world.
• PrestaShop: Designed for e-commerce from the start, PrestaShop is very popular in Europe and benefits from a robust ecosystem of plugins.

2.3. Choosing a Synchronization Method

• Official Module or Plugin: Extensions developed by the community or third-party providers can establish a direct connection between Dolibarr and your e-commerce platform.
• Third-Party Solutions: There are automation platforms (Zapier, Integromat, etc.) that can act as intermediaries.
• API and Custom Development: If you have very specific needs, you might consider custom development using Dolibarr’s REST API and the APIs of WooCommerce/PrestaShop.

3. Tutorial: Integrating Dolibarr with WooCommerce (Concrete Example)

We will take WooCommerce as an example, but the main principles are similar for PrestaShop.

3.1. Install and Activate the Integration Plugin

1. Identify a Trusted Plugin: Search “Dolibarr WooCommerce” or “Dolibarr Connector” on the Dolibarr or WooCommerce marketplace. Make sure the plugin is compatible with your versions of Dolibarr and WordPress.

2. Install the Plugin on WordPress:

   • Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
   • Go to “Plugins” > “Add New.”
   • Upload the plugin or search for it in the official repository.
   • Activate the extension.

3. Plugin Configuration: Then, go to the plugin settings to provide:

   • The URL of your Dolibarr instance (e.g., https://your-domain.com/dolibarr)
   • The username and password for a dedicated Dolibarr account, or an API token if required by the plugin
   • The synchronization rules (when to sync, in which direction, etc.)

3.2. Settings in Dolibarr

1. Create an API Account (if needed): In your Dolibarr interface, go to the API settings (accessible via “Setup” > “Modules/External Applications” > “REST API” or similar). Create a new token and assign the necessary permissions.
2. Assign Rights: Make sure the user role or token can read/write in the “Products,” “Stock,” and “Orders” modules.
3. Check the Multi-Company Mode: If you manage multiple entities, specify which Dolibarr entity you want to synchronize with the store.

3.3. Synchronize Products and Stock

1. Organize Your Products: In Dolibarr, group your products into clearly identified categories. This will make it easier to match them with WooCommerce categories.
2. Match IDs/SKUs: Ensure that the “Ref.” (or SKU) field in Dolibarr corresponds to the SKU in WooCommerce, so that the plugin can link products correctly.
3. Start the Synchronization: In the plugin menu, look for the “Synchronize Products” option. You can synchronize in one direction (Dolibarr → WooCommerce or vice versa) or both ways.
4. Consistency Check: After synchronization, verify that prices, descriptions, and product images (if applicable) are correctly updated on WooCommerce. Also make sure stock quantities are accurate in Dolibarr.

3.4. Synchronize Orders

1. Order Creation and Validation: When a customer places an order on WooCommerce, the plugin should automatically create the corresponding order in Dolibarr.
2. Management Workflow: Define a workflow so that each WooCommerce order creates an order in “Draft” or “Validated” status in Dolibarr. This allows you to track it right away, trigger billing, or manage logistics.
3. Status Updates: When you ship the order from Dolibarr, the plugin can automatically update the order status in WooCommerce (e.g., “Shipped” or “Completed”). Likewise, if a customer cancels an order, the status can be reflected in Dolibarr.

4. Quick Tutorial for PrestaShop

The principle is very similar to WooCommerce:

1. Find a Dolibarr-PrestaShop Module or Connector on the official PrestaShop marketplace or the Dolibarr site.
2. Install and Activate the Module: Enter the URL, API key, and permissions.
3. Check Product Mapping (SKUs, references, categories).
4. Choose the Synchronization Direction: Products (Dolibarr → PrestaShop or vice versa), stock, and orders.
5. Test the Connection: Place a test order to ensure everything is properly imported into Dolibarr.

5. Tips and Best Practices

5.1. Maintain Consistent Product References

Choose a single product reference system (SKU). If your products already have codes in PrestaShop or WooCommerce, make sure to also set these codes in Dolibarr.

5.2. Update Regularly

Keep Dolibarr, WordPress/PrestaShop, and the plugins up to date to avoid security issues and benefit from compatibility improvements.

5.3. Back Up Your Data

Before each major update or change to your integration settings, back up your data (backup your Dolibarr database and your store).

5.4. Set Up Alerts

Enable email or SMS notifications (if the module allows) in case of synchronization issues (authentication errors, invalid out-of-stock status, etc.).

6. Conclusion

Integrating Dolibarr with your online store (WooCommerce, PrestaShop) saves you precious time, unifies your business management, and reduces the risk of errors. By centralizing all operations (stock, orders, invoicing) in a single tool, you increase both efficiency and responsiveness for your team.

Following this step-by-step tutorial, you now have everything you need for a successful integration. Feel free to check out the official Dolibarr, WooCommerce, and PrestaShop forums for additional help or to share your feedback. Finally, stay tuned for updates and new modules—Dolibarr’s ecosystem is constantly evolving to meet the growing needs of online merchants.

Happy integrating and happy selling!