How to require a date before checkout or add-to-cart
How to require a date before checkout or add-to-cart
Make scheduling mandatory — block checkout (or add-to-cart) until the customer picks a date, so no order arrives without one.
Overview
For stores where the schedule is essential, Date requirement forces customers to choose a date before they can proceed. Pair it with Auto-Recovery as a safety net for any edge cases.
Before you start
- The widget is displayed on the correct page: cart page for "require before checkout", product page for "require before add-to-cart".
Require a date before checkout
Requirement: the widget is displayed on the cart page.
How to set it up
Go to Widget display → Date requirement and enable the option.
Require a date before add-to-cart
Requirement: the widget is displayed on the product page.
How to set it up
Go to Widget display → Date requirement and enable the option.
Note for customized themes
If you use a non-default Shopify theme, use manual block: enter your checkout button selector and direct-payment selector. The logic is the same — those buttons stay disabled until a schedule is selected.
Common scenarios
Schedule is mandatory for every order
Require before checkout on the cart page — the most common setup.
Per-product scheduling required
Require before add-to-cart on the product page.
Mandatory + safety net
Require a date, and also enable Auto-Recovery to catch any order that still slips through.
Configuration options
Option | Page required | Effect |
|---|---|---|
Require before checkout | Cart page | Blocks checkout until a date is chosen; disables Buy now / express pay |
Require before add-to-cart | Product page | Blocks add-to-cart until a date is chosen |
Tips & Best practices
Troubleshooting
Customers still check out without a date?
Confirm the widget is on the right page (cart for checkout, product for add-to-cart) and that "Buy now" is removed or being disabled. On custom themes, set the manual block selectors.
The requirement disabled my express buttons permanently?
They're disabled only until a date is selected; once chosen, they re-enable.
FAQ
How do I turn the requirement off?
Disable the Date requirement option in Widget display.
Does this work on the checkout page position?
Use the checkout block's "Allow app to block checkout" — see Show the date picker on the checkout page.
Related articles
- Where can you display the date picker? — Set the right position first (Widget Appearance & Placement)
- Auto-Recovery: recover orders with missing dates — Safety net for no-date orders (Auto-Recovery)
Updated on: 09/06/2026
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