---
title: "Set up the delivery date picker"
description: "Turn on OrderRules delivery dates, add the theme app block, set your first availability rule, and show a date & time-slot picker on your product and cart pages. No code."
contentType: "docs"
locale: "en"
localized: true
source: "https://orderrules.com/docs/delivery/getting-started-delivery-dates"
slug: "delivery/getting-started-delivery-dates"
---
This guide gets a working delivery date & time-slot picker onto your product and cart pages in about ten minutes. No code required — you'll turn on one app embed, add one theme app block and create one availability rule.

## Before you start

- You're on the **Advanced** plan (delivery features are Advanced-only). If you're on Starter or Pro, upgrade on the **Subscription Plan** page — a **14-day free trial** applies.
- You have at least one product to test with.

## 1. Turn on delivery dates

1. Open OrderRules from your Shopify admin (**Apps → OrderRules**).
2. Go to **Delivery Dates**. The page opens on the **Setup** tab.
3. Under **Delivery dates**, turn on **Offer delivery date selection on your storefront**. No extra permissions are needed for this. OrderRules asks for order-write or fulfillment permission only when you turn on order tagging or apply tracking.

## 2. Add the theme app block

The storefront picker runs through an **app embed** plus a **theme app block**, so it stays inside your theme and survives theme updates.

1. In Shopify admin go to **Online Store → Themes → Customize**.
2. Open **App embeds** and turn on **OrderRules Delivery**. This powers the picker.
3. Open a **product** template. Choose **Add block** in the main product section and pick **Delivery date picker** (it appears under *Apps*).
4. Repeat on the **Cart** template. For a cart drawer, turn on **Show the picker in the cart drawer / mini-cart** in the OrderRules Delivery embed settings instead.
5. **Save.** *(Setup detail: see [Theme app block setup](/docs/delivery/theme-app-block-setup) if the block doesn't appear.)*

## 3. Create your first availability rule

1. Back in OrderRules, **Delivery Dates → Availability rules → Add rule**.
2. Under **Applies to**, pick *All products*, or narrow to a product, a collection, or products with a tag. Choose the **Fulfillment method**: *Delivery & pickup*, *Delivery only*, or *Pickup only*.
3. Set:
   - **Lead time (days)** — the earliest a customer can request (e.g. 2 days).
   - **Cutoff (HH:MM)** — after this time, today stops counting (e.g. 14:00).
   - **Max days ahead** — how far ahead customers can book (e.g. 30 days).
   - **Deliverable weekdays** — which days you deliver.
4. (Optional) Tick **Require a delivery date at checkout** to force a selection.
5. **Save rule.**

### Availability rule settings at a glance

| Setting | What it controls | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Lead time (days) | Earliest date a customer can pick | 2 days |
| Cutoff (HH:MM) | After this, today stops counting | 14:00 |
| Deliverable weekdays | The days you actually deliver | Tue–Sat |
| Max days ahead | How far ahead customers can book | 30 days |
| Applies to | Which products the rule covers | Collection: Cakes |
| Fulfillment method | Delivery, pickup, or both | Delivery only |
| Require a delivery date at checkout | Forces a date selection | On |

## 4. Add time slots (optional)

Open **More options → Time slot templates**. Load a carrier preset (Yamato / Sagawa / Japan Post) or **Add custom template** with windows such as 10:00–12:00 and 14:00–16:00. Set **Cap/day** on a window if you want it to sell out. Then pick the template in the rule's **Time slot template** field. Full slots show as *Full* and can't be picked.

## 5. Test it

Open your test product in the storefront. You should see a date picker (and slots, if configured). Add to cart and start checkout — the OrderRules Shopify Function rejects a missing (when required), sold-out, or blacked-out selection. Place a test order and check it in admin. If you turned on [order tagging](/docs/delivery/order-auto-tagging), it's also tagged `delivery:YYYY-MM-DD` and `slot:HHMM-HHMM`.

## Next steps

- [Availability rules](/docs/delivery/availability-rules) · [Time slots](/docs/delivery/time-slots) · [Capacity limits](/docs/delivery/capacity-limits)
- [Blackout dates & holidays](/docs/delivery/blackout-dates-and-holidays) · [Estimated delivery date](/docs/delivery/estimated-delivery-date)
- [Carrier CSV export](/docs/delivery/carrier-csv-export) · [In-store pickup](/docs/delivery/in-store-pickup)
- [Limits by delivery date](/docs/delivery/delivery-date-limits) — once dates are on, count a product's daily limit against the date the customer picks
- See the [Delivery dates feature overview](/features/delivery-dates).
- [Where to put the picker: product page, cart, or checkout](/blog/where-to-put-delivery-date-picker-shopify) · [Best Shopify delivery date picker apps compared](/blog/best-shopify-delivery-date-picker-apps)