Using other Extendiment plugins
Pre-orders on Packboard's board, in Stockline's stock messages, in Slotline's delivery dates and in Gridline's bulk editor.
Preorderline works on its own. If you also use one of these Extendiment plugins, they work together without any setup: activate both and the features below appear.
Packboard: a Pre-ordered column
Packboard is Extendiment's fulfillment board. With Preorderline, the board gets a Pre-ordered column before To pick, with every order waiting for a release, the soonest release date first. Each card notes when it ships and whether it's paid, for example "Ships March 3, 2027 · Paid".
To release orders there, select their cards and click Release now, or drag a card into To pick. Released orders join the pick queue straight away. See Releasing pre-orders for what a release does.
Stockline: a Pre-order stock message
Stockline is Extendiment's stock messages plugin. With Preorderline, its settings under WooCommerce → Settings → Products → Stock messages get a Pre-order state, with a clock icon and a purple colour by default. Products taking pre-orders show that state's message, icon and colour instead of Stockline's backorder ones.
Messages for the Pre-order state can use {date} for the release date, for example "Pre-order now: ships {date}". A Stockline Pre-order message is one text for every pre-order product: it replaces Preorderline's availability text, including a message set on the product, and {date} is empty for a pre-order without a release date. Leave Stockline's Pre-order message empty to keep Preorderline's availability text (each product's own message, and the text without a date), with Stockline's icon and colour.
Slotline: no deliveries before the release date
Slotline is Extendiment's delivery dates and time slots plugin. When the cart holds pre-orders, the first date customers can pick for delivery or pickup is the latest release date in the cart.
A pre-order without a release date can't be scheduled yet, so a cart with one doesn't ask for a delivery date at all: you arrange it when the pre-order is released.
Gridline: pre-orders in the bulk editor
Gridline is Extendiment's bulk product editor. With Preorderline, it has two columns in a Pre-orders group: Pre-orders (the mode) and Release date. They're hidden at first: turn them on in Screen Options on Gridline's screen.
Use them to put a whole range on pre-order, or move the release date of many products at once. The rules are the same as on the Pre-order tab: only a variation can be switched off on its own, and a new release date emails the customers waiting for that product. The time of day a product already had is kept when you change its date in the grid.