If people are still struggling with the way the goal posts have moved in regards to attributes then you can always create a new model to store the data. I think this would work across most versions.

So write an installer script / create a table hdyfu with hdyfu_id, order_id and hdyfu fields then…

/Heared4us/Model/Hdyfu.php

<?php
  class Inchoo_Heared4us_Model_Hdyfu extends Mage_Core_Model_Abstract
  {
      public function _construct()
      {
          parent::_construct();
          $this->_init('heared4us/hdyfu');
      }
  }

/Heared4us/Model/Mysql4/Hdyfu.php

<?php
  class Inchoo_Heared4us_Model_Mysql4_Hdyfu extends Mage_Core_Model_Mysql4_Abstract
  {
      public function _construct()
      {
          $this->_init('heared4us/hdyfu', 'hdyfu_id');
      }
  }

/Heared4us/Model/Mysql4/Hdyfu/Collection.php

<?php
      class Inchoo_Heared4us_Model_Mysql4_Hdyfu_Collection extends Mage_Core_Model_Mysql4_Collection_Abstract
      {
          public function _construct()
          {
              //parent::__construct();
              $this->_init('heared4us/hdyfu');
          }
      }

Then in Observer.php

<?php
class Inchoo_Heared4us_Model_Observer
{
	const ORDER_ATTRIBUTE_FHC_ID = 'heared4us';
    /**
     * Event Hook: checkout_type_onepage_save_order
     *
     * @author Branko Ajzele
     * @param $observer Varien_Event_Observer
     */
	public function hookToOrderSaveEvent()
	{
		//Fetch the data from select
		$_heared4us = null;
		$_heared4us = Mage::getSingleton('core/session')->getInchooHeared4us();
        //Attach it to the order
        $incrementId = Mage::getSingleton('checkout/session')->getLastRealOrderId();
        $order = Mage::getModel('sales/order')->loadByIncrementId($incrementId)->getData();
		$hdyfu = Mage::getModel('heared4us/hdyfu')
                  ->setOrderId($order["entity_id"])
				  ->setHdyfu($_heared4us)
				  ->save();
	}
}

You can then join this to the order grid with a

->joinleft(array('hdyfu' => $_hdyfuTable), 'main_table.entity_id = hdyfu.order_id')

in _prepareCollection

and a

        $this->addColumn('hdyfu', array(
            'header' => Mage::helper('ordertags')->__('Reffered By'),
            'index' => 'hdyfu',
            'width' => '70px',
        ));

in _prepareColumns.

This works as per instructions for Magento 1.5.1.

Same instructions here but much clearer.

http://www.atomicpages.net/blog/2011/06/23/how-did-you-hear-about-us-in-magento-15/

Remember to clear cache, log out, log back in, after uploading module to be able to see “Admin Theme” option.

Does not seem to work if using PayPal Standard as a payment option.

Any ideas on how to fix that?

This works as described if I use bank deposit as the payment method. Eg the checkout step shows up & works, and I can see the value on the admin panel.

But when using PayPal standard (which 95% of orders do), the value doesn’t show up in the admin panel, and there is no value written to the heared4us attribute in the sales_flat_order table.

Any ideas on why this is or how to troubleshoot would be appreciated!

Hello Branko, thank you so much for this post. Also, thank you Michael Terracide and nemo.

I followed your instruction as below but I couldn’t save the value.

1) System > Configuration > Design and write down “custom” under Admin theme section.

2) Follow Michael’s instructions above, by modifying the mysql4-install-01.0.php.
replace
$row = Mage::getSingleton(‘core/resource’)->getConnection(‘core_read’)->fetchRow($sql);
to
$row = Mage::getSingleton(‘core/resource’)->getConnection(‘core_read’)->addColumn(Mage::getSingleton(‘core/resource’)->getTableName(‘sales/order’), ‘giftaid’, ‘TEXT NULL’);

3) Add “heard4us” in the sales_flat_order table.
ALTER TABLE sales_flat_order ADD heared4us text;

heared4us in sales_flat_order table is empty after the order process was completed. So I put a value manually in heared4us and it was shown in admin.

So I think something wrong when the value is saved but I don’t know where I should fix.

Does anyone please give me some advice? My magento version is 1.4.2.0.

I’m sorry again, I did everything from the beginning and I could save the data.

Thanks again for your article.

How can I add simple text when my customer selects OTHER from the drop down menu?

I have installed this module for Magento 1.5.on frontend it’s working fine with all the options but on Backend along with order the details are not diaplying .

I have installed this module for Magento 1.6 on frontend it’s working fine with all the options but on Backend the option selected on frontend is not displayed, why??

Thanks

Guys I am at my wits end. I did everything above and when I try to log in to admin area after clearing cache I get an error.

I’m using version 1.6.1

Please help

hiiii this post is very useful for me, now what i want to do is, i want to combine two steps shipping method and payment information in one single steps an its procedure should remain as it is,but both value should get saved from one step. please send me the procedure with steps and files which need to be change ,if possible then pls pls send me code files for it if u have worked on like this earlier. thanks

Only got a weird problem that when I reach the field the sidebar gets emptied. But when im at the last step its filled again.

Hi,

The module works fine but I want the extra tab to be shown in only one store I have 2 stores in the Site and I want to add the extra step in one store only how can I do that.

Thanks & Regards,
Srikanth thandra

Hi,

Cuurently i am using this modulke in the standard checkout. And this works very well.

But i have bought a one page checkout module – without this functionality.

Now i would like add this too.
But when i just copy-past the code from the heared4us.phtml into the onepagecheckout it will not work. What piece of javascript must i keep, so i can use it correctly?

Hi guys,

I hope some one can help.

using magento 1.7.0.0 I have installed the module and i get an error as follows, this shows on the one page checkout with display errors on..

Notice: Undefined index: heared4us in C:\zend\Apache\htdocs\magento\app\code\core\Mage\Checkout\Block\Onepage\Progress.php on line 93

when we look at this line its obvious that the array $stepsRevertIndex is missing ‘hearded4us’

Array
(
[login] => 0
[billing] => 1
[shipping] => 2
[shipping_method] => 3
[payment] => 4
[review] => 5
)

any pointers here would be welcome,

thanks,
bam

Hi,

i need this module for 1.7.0.2 version pls help,Advance thanks

UPDATED……….!

//START Add order attribute by Branko Ajzele
$sql = “SELECT entity_type_id FROM “.$this->getTable(‘eav_entity_type’).” WHERE entity_type_code=’order’”;
$row = Mage::getSingleton(‘core/resource’)->getConnection(‘core_read’)->addColumn(Mage::getSingleton(‘core/resource’)->getTableName(‘sales/order’), ‘giftaid’, ‘TEXT NULL’);

$attribute = array(
‘type’ => ‘text’,
‘label’ => ‘heared4us’,
‘visible’ => false,
‘required’ => false,
‘user_defined’ => false,
‘searchable’ => false,
‘filterable’ => false,
‘comparable’ => false,
);

$installer->addAttribute($row['entity_type_id'], ‘heared4us’, $attribute);
//END Add customer attribute Branko Ajzele