The Download Hits Report shows you how customers use the digital files they buy from your store. See who downloaded what, how many downloads each customer has left, when their access runs out, and which files are the most popular.
Requirements
- PHP 8.3.0+
- Joomla! 6.x
- J2Commerce 6.x
- At least one Downloadable product with a file attached
Purchase and Download
Step 1: Go to the J2Commerce website and locate Download Hits Report under Reports.
Step 2: Click View Details -> Add to Cart -> Checkout.
Step 3: Go to My Downloads under your profile button at the top right corner and search for the report. Click Available Versions -> View Files -> Download Now.
Install the Report
This report is a separate add-on. It is not included with the core J2Commerce 6 component. Install it using the Joomla installer.
- In the Joomla admin, go to System -> Install -> Extensions.
- Upload the ZIP file, or use the Install from URL option.
Enable the Report
Once installed, you need to enable the report. There are two ways to reach Reports:
Option A: Go to the J2Commerce icon at the top right corner -> Analytics -> Reports.
Option B: Go to Components on the left sidebar -> J2Commerce -> Dashboard -> Analytics -> Reports.
- Find Download Hits Report in the list.
- Click its status icon. It turns from a red X to a green checkmark, meaning the report is now enabled.
- Click View Report.
Info
This report has no settings to configure. Clicking the Download Hits Report title only opens a page with two toolbar buttons: View Report and Back to Reports.
Set Download Limits on Your Products
The report reads the download limit and expiration you set on each downloadable product. If you leave these empty, the report shows Unlimited and Never Expires.
There are two ways you can access the products:
Option A: Go to the J2Commerce icon at the top right corner -> Catalog -> Products.
Option B: Go to Components on the left sidebar -> J2Commerce -> Products.
Open a Downloadable product -> J2Commerce tab -> Files tab.
Download Limit: How many times a customer can download from one purchase. Leave empty for unlimited downloads.
Download Expiration: How many days the download link stays active after purchase. Leave empty so access never expires.
Click Save.
User Downloads Tab
The report opens on the User Downloads tab. It shows one row for each order that gave a customer access to a downloadable product.
#: Row number.
Order ID: The order that gave the customer access. Click it to open that order.
User Email: The customer's email address.
Product Name: The downloadable product they bought.
Files: Each file attached to the product, with:
- Downloads Remaining: How many downloads the customer has left for this purchase, or Unlimited.
- Download Limits: The total number of downloads allowed, or Unlimited.
Access Expires: The date and time the customer's download access ends, or Never Expires.
Info
The download limit is shared by all of a product's files in the same order. If a product has two files and a limit of 5, the customer has 5 downloads in total for that purchase, not 5 per file.
Total Downloads Tab
Click the Total Downloads tab to see which products and files are downloaded most across your whole store.
#: Row number.
Product Name: The downloadable product.
Files: Each file attached to the product, with its own download count shown in a badge.
Download Count: The combined download count for all of the product's files.
By default, the most downloaded products appear first.
Filtering Your Data
Use the filter toolbar above the table to narrow down the results.
Search
Type into the search box and press Enter.
- On the User Downloads tab, you can search by customer email address or product name.
- On the Total Downloads tab, you can search by product name.
Duration
This filter is only available on the User Downloads tab.
Choose a time period based on when the customer was given download access:
Today: Access granted today
This Week: Access granted during the current week
This Month: Access granted during the current month
This Year: Access granted during the current year
Last 7 Days: Access granted in the past 7 days
Last Month: Access granted during the previous calendar month
Last Year: Access granted during the previous calendar year
Custom: Enter a From Date and a To Date. Both dates are needed for the custom range to apply.
Sorting
Click a sortable column header to sort the table. Click it again to reverse the direction. You can also use the Sort By dropdown.
User Downloads tab:
- ID (ascending or descending)
- User Email (ascending or descending)
- Order ID (ascending or descending)
- Access Granted (ascending or descending)
- Access Expires (ascending or descending)
The newest records appear first by default.
Total Downloads tab:
- Product Name (ascending or descending)
- Download Count (ascending or descending)
Exporting to CSV
Click Export CSV in the toolbar to download the tab you are viewing as a CSV file. The export includes every result that matches your filters, not just the current page.
User Downloads export columns:
- Order ID
- User Email
- Product Name
- File Name (multiple files are separated by semicolons)
- Downloads Remaining
- Download Limits
- Access Expires
Total Downloads export columns:
- Product Name
- File Name
- Download Count
The Total Downloads export lists each file on its own row. Open the CSV in Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet application.
How It Works
- A customer buys a downloadable product.
- The order gives the customer download access, and a row appears on the User Downloads tab.
- Each time the customer downloads a file from their account, J2Commerce adds one to the file's download count and one to the order's used downloads.
- Downloads Remaining is the product's Download Limit minus the downloads already used on that order.
- The Total Downloads tab adds up the download counts for every file across all orders.
Tips
- Use Total Downloads to find your best sellers. Files with the highest counts show what your customers value most.
- Check Downloads Remaining before answering support emails. When a customer says their link stopped working, this report shows right away if they used all their downloads or their access expired.
- Filter by Duration before exporting. This keeps your CSV focused on recent purchases instead of your whole store history.
- Set limits before you sell. Changing a product's Download Limit also changes what the report shows for past orders of that product.
Troubleshooting
No Download Activity Found
Cause: No orders have given download access yet, your filters are too narrow, or the report is not enabled.
Solution:
- Clear the search box and set Duration back to Select Duration.
- Go to the J2Commerce icon at the top right corner -> Analytics -> Reports and confirm Download Hits Report shows a green checkmark.
- Make sure at least one order includes a Downloadable product with a file attached.
A Product Is Missing From Total Downloads
Cause: The Total Downloads tab only lists products that have at least one file attached.
Solution:
- Go to J2Commerce -> Catalog -> Products and open the product.
- Go to the J2Commerce tab -> Files tab and confirm a file is attached.
- Click Save and reload the report.
The Duration Filter Does Nothing on Total Downloads
Cause: Total Downloads always shows all-time counts. The Duration filter only works on the User Downloads tab.
Solution: Switch to the User Downloads tab to filter by date.
The Custom Date Range Is Not Applied
Cause: Only one of the two dates was entered.
Solution: Select Custom, then fill in both From Date and To Date.
Downloads Remaining Shows Unlimited
Cause: The product has no Download Limit set.
Solution: Follow the steps in Set Download Limits on Your Products and enter a number.
The Access Expires Column Is Missing
Cause: The column is hidden on smaller screens to save space.
Solution: Widen your browser window or view the report on a larger screen. The date is also included in the CSV export.