Missing invoices since a few days

I noticed that I had several sales and since last Sunday, I am no longer getting an invoice. I only get the Paypal notification. I didn't do any upgrade, or added any mod or anything.

I am running 1.5.0 version on W7. I had no issue prior to that.

I heard that sometimes invoices can get "stuck" in limbo and can be pushed/forced out, but I don't know how.

Anyone can help me as I have no idea where to even look for fixing this issue.

Do you mean you aren't getting the details of the order from Paypal ? Are you using Paypal Standard (IPN) ?

I am getting the notification of Paypal that i have received a payment of $x from So-and-so but I am not getting the invoice with the listing of all the items they purchased.

As for Paypal IPN, my guess is that I am using it, the same as I have in the last 4 years!

You should switch to the much more stable Paypal Express. The problem may have just started, but IPN requires communication between your host's servers and Paypal's servers which Express doesn't. There may have been some change in your host's server configuration recently that's causing the communication failure. There's no reason not to use Express, so switching would almost certainly be the solution to your problem.

Can you tell me where I should look to be sure which Paypal I have?

CaroleAs:

Can you tell me where I should look to be sure which Paypal I have?

Admin-modules-payment. Then look in list to see which paypal is being used. Under typical iinstall paypal standard/paypal ipn is the first in the list of paypals, paypal express is last. Also typically a green dot is adjacent to the installed/active choice. If not mistaken, only one paypal option can be installed at any time.

Yup, I have the Standard one. To install the Express checkout, it says I have to remove the Standard one, is that correct? Now, is there a particular requirement on Paypal to use the Express? Is there a fee? I seem to remember having checked that for something else before and I could not. Does it require Paypal pro or something?

CaroleAs:

Yup, I have the Standard one. To install the Express checkout, it says I have to remove the Standard one, is that correct? Now, is there a particular requirement on Paypal to use the Express? Is there a fee? I seem to remember having checked that for something else before and I could not. Does it require Paypal pro or something?

No difference in fee structure. No additional fee to use. Will need to setup the functionality in paypal. There is a great faq in this forum to help identify how best to set it up. Sorry I don't have the link readily available.

Yes, when you are ready to set it up, you will have to deactivate the old one. Do you have a local/alternate location you can try this out with before doing it on your live site? And by try, I mean setup. You do not need to actually purchase anything to test it. Just try to get to paypal and then you can cancel the order, or can enter payment info to verify that you do come back to your site, but don't need to purchase.

Yes, I have a test store so I can do that there without the ceiling falling on any customer!
I'll search for that FAQ but if you find the link before me, it might be good to have it in this thread as a solution (if it actually solves it).
But again how would I test if it solves the actual problem I have on the live site?

CaroleAs:

Yes, I have a test store so I can do that there without the ceiling falling on any customer!
I'll search for that FAQ but if you find the link before me, it might be good to have it in this thread as a solution (if it actually solves it).
But again how would I test if it solves the actual problem I have on the live site?

Well, to verify that your problem is gone upon installation/setup of paypal express on your live site I guess you will need to have a purchase made. My comment was in relationship to the general test that communication between your site and paypal worked. Because your problem is associated with the actual purchase notification, probably will need someone (you or other) to make a purchase of some size/quantity. Unless someone else has a different idea.

Will post link if someone else doesn't beat me to it. :)

Make a note of your current Paypal configuration options, then Remove Paypal Standard and Install Express, using the same configuration options. Express is sort of a subset of IPN, so everything should work as usual and there's no extra charge.

CaroleAs:

Yes, I have a test store so I can do that there without the ceiling falling on any customer!
I'll search for that FAQ but if you find the link before me, it might be good to have it in this thread as a solution (if it actually solves it).
But again how would I test if it solves the actual problem I have on the live site?

So, I found a link to the area in question from the FAQ. I started at: http://www.zen-cart.com/content.php?227-i-am-setting-up-two-zen-carts-and-would-like-to-use-the-same-paypal-account-for-both

And it has a link to a wiki page: http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/PayPal
But for some reason the site is having a problem at the moment and is suggesting to try again later.

OK, I did the changes on the Test store. I had someone purchase something FREE.
The problem I have in the Live store is that the store invoice does not come in, while the Paypal notification does. It means that free purchases (not going through a paypal transaction) don't show up in my emails at all.

With the Express checkout in the test store, the FREE purchase was completed (I can see it in the admin), but I still don't get the invoice.

This leads me to think that this is not a solution for the live store.
Any other suggestion?

I got a confirmation from the testing customer that she did receive an invoice. I just didn't get my copy.

I checked the email address and it is correct. I suspected that maybe the email was stuck on the server, but it never reached my host.

Still digging for hints but I could use more help with suggestions.

CaroleAs:

I got a confirmation from the testing customer that she did receive an invoice. I just didn't get my copy.

I checked the email address and it is correct. I suspected that maybe the email was stuck on the server, but it never reached my host.

Still digging for hints but I could use more help with suggestions.

Setting to send the email invoice set to 1 or true? I would have to look at my own store to recall the list of email options used to do that. But it sounds like on your email side of forcing you to receive a response.

Send email is set to True
Send Copy of Order Confirmation Emails To has the correct email address

Those were the first obvious potential culprits I checked, but they were innocent!

CaroleAs:

Send email is set to True
Send Copy of Order Confirmation Emails To has the correct email address

Those were the first obvious potential culprits I checked, but they were innocent!

Agree, though I thought there was a setting just below that to say send those emails. Existence of an email address in the field does not guarantee that it will send an email.

Any other suggestion? or things to look into?

CaroleAs:

Any other suggestion? or things to look into?

Can you post the settings you have (obscure the email address(es) and the server info)?
All of the settings.

Here are screenshots of both the email options and payment module.

Is that what you need? Do you see anything odd in there?
In the test site, which only gets occasional "accidental" transactions (when google send visitors to the test site instead of the live one), the last transaction was on Nov 3rd, and I did get the invoice copy normally.