# Order Notes
### Introduction
Order Notes lets customers and merchants attach notes to upcoming subscription orders. Notes are visible to both sides and automatically included in the Shopify order when charged — so your fulfillment team always sees the customer's instructions.
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### Understanding order notes
**Signup note** — A note added during checkout becomes the default for all future orders in that subscription.
**Order-level note** — A note added to a specific upcoming order. Editable anytime before the order is charged.
When editing, check **Apply to all upcoming orders** to set the new note as default for all future orders. Leave it unchecked to only update the current order.
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### How to add a note from admin
**Step 1:** Go to **Joy Subscriptions → Subscriptions** and open the subscription you want to add a note to.
**Step 2:** In the sidebar on the right, find the **Notes** section. It shows the note for the nearest upcoming order. If no note exists, you will see "No notes from customer". Click **View order** to open the upcoming order detail page.
**Step 3:** On the upcoming order detail page, click the pencil icon next to **Notes** to open the note editor.
**Step 4:** Enter your note in the text field (up to 5,000 characters). If you want this note to apply to all future orders in the subscription, check **Apply to all upcoming orders**. Then click **Save**.
The note is saved and immediately visible to the customer in their **Customer Portal**.
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### How customers add notes
Customers can add or edit notes from their **Customer Portal**. When they open an upcoming order, they see a **Notes** section with a "+" button (if no note exists) or a pencil icon (if a note already exists).
After clicking, they enter their note and choose whether to apply it to all upcoming orders. Once saved, the note appears in your admin immediately.
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### How notes work with Shopify orders
When an upcoming order reaches its scheduled charge date, Joy Subscriptions creates a Shopify order and automatically includes the note in the Shopify order details. Your fulfillment team can see the note when viewing or exporting orders from Shopify — no extra steps needed.
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### Tips and best practices
* **Signup notes carry forward.** If a customer adds a note during checkout, it becomes the default for every future order in that subscription. You do not need to copy it manually.
* **Use "Apply to all" for permanent changes.** When a customer updates their delivery instructions for good (e.g., a new gate code), check **Apply to all upcoming orders** so every future order picks up the change.
* **Leave it unchecked for one-time requests.** If a customer has a special request for just one delivery (e.g., "Leave at back door this week"), do not check the box — the note only applies to that single order.
* **You can clear a note by saving it empty.** If a note is no longer needed, open the editor, clear the text, and click **Save**. To clear notes from all future orders, check **Apply to all upcoming orders** before saving.
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### Overall
Order Notes bridges the gap between your customers' requests and your fulfillment process. With signup notes that carry forward automatically, flexible per-order editing, and seamless integration into Shopify orders, you can ensure every delivery reflects your customers' preferences — without any manual work.
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