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