Source: https://wpinplate.com/en/docs/first-test-order/

# Your first test order

Before you open ordering to customers, place one test order. It checks the menu, the order form, the schedule and the kitchen display.

## Preparation

1. **Add at least one dish.** A regular WooCommerce product with a price, assigned to a category, is enough. If you added sample data in the wizard, this step is already done.
2. **Check the schedule.** You can place an order only within the ordering hours and on a day that isn't marked as closed. By default, online orders are accepted until 11:00, and Saturday and Sunday are closed. If you are testing later or at the weekend, change this in **InPlate → Schedule** (the wizard sets the hours from your answers). See [Schedule](/en/docs/schedule/).
3. **Turn on payment at the venue.** In Sales panel → Settings → Payments, enable the “InPlate | Pay at the counter” method. This lets you test an order without a payment gateway.

## Step-by-step test

1. **Open the kitchen display.** On a tablet or in a separate browser window, go to `/wp-inplate/kds/` and sign in with the operator account. **Tap the screen** – the browser turns sound on only after the first tap.
2. **Open the menu as a customer.** Ideally in a private (incognito) window, so you are not signed in as an administrator.
3. **Add a dish to the cart** and go to the order form.
4. **Choose pickup** and a pickup time.
5. **Enter contact details** and choose the “Pay at the counter” payment.
6. **Place the order.** You will see a thank-you page.
7. **Check the KDS.** The new order should appear in the **New** column with a sound.
8. **Take the order through the statuses:** “Start” (In preparation), “Ready”, and finally hand it over to the customer (Delivered).
9. **Check the mailbox** you entered in the order. Once the order is marked as ready, the customer gets a “Ready for pickup” message.

If everything worked, the system is ready. Now you can add your own menu, set up online payments and invite your team.

## The order doesn't arrive?

The most common causes:

- **Page caching.** Cache plugins and server caches can show an outdated menu or form. Turn off full-page caching for the menu page, the order page and the `/wp-inplate/` addresses.
- **Outside ordering hours.** The form shows a message that ordering has ended. Check the ordering hours and the fulfillment windows.
- **No payment method enabled** for the chosen fulfillment method.
- **No sound in the KDS.** Tap the screen after opening the KDS.

See [Troubleshooting](/en/docs/troubleshooting/) for more.