DOWNLOAD FROM CONTROL PANEL HERE

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Update Instructions HERE

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Additionally, with the release of WP-Client v3.2.x, you now have the ability to manage your active domains, download the latest version of the plugin, as well as upgrade your license level at any time through the WP-Client Control Panel.  Found here: CONTROL PANEL

Instructions for licensing domains using the new system can be found HERE

Getting Started with WP-Client

Beginner :: Lesson 1 :: Introduction to Concepts

WP-Client On-Board Documentation

Scroll Down or use Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Conceptual Information

Introduction | Important Concepts | First Steps | Explanation of Roles | How Permissions Work | HUB vs Portal | Custom Page Templates

Clients Menu

Add Clients | Import Clients | Client Self-Registration | Client Profiles | Convert Existing Users | Payment to Register | Client Staff | Custom Fields

Managers Menu

What is a Manager? | Add Manager

Circles Menu

What is a Circle? | Add Circle | Circle Settings

HUB Pages Menu & Shortcode Key + Attributes

Editing a HUB page | Shorcode Key | Shortcode Attribute Modifiers

Portal Pages Menu

Editing Portal Pages | Setting Permissions | Portal Page Settings | Add Portal Page

Templates Menu

How Templates Work | Using Placeholders | Shortcode Templates

File Sharing Menu

Adding Files | Adding Files via FTP | Adding External Files | Categories

Messaging Menu

About Private Messaging

Settings Menu

Notification Settings | Create Client/Staff Settings | File Display Settings | Custom Navigation Settings | Custom Login | Login/Logout Redirects | Skins | Login Alerts | Add-ons

Add-ons Items

Feedback Wizard | Estimates/Invoicing | Paid Registration | Time Limited Clients

Most Recent Videos

The new Add-On Feature began with WP-Client v.2.7.9.x >http://www.screencast.com/t/kesCTlDs

QUESTION: How do I make a HUB Page? >http://www.screencast.com/t/RzYgYLUmJfS Introduction to WP-Client Important Concepts | Top

The primary concept of WP-Client is that each client has their own unique 'HUB Page', and that HUB serves as the starting point for the client. From the HUB, the client can see which pages they have access too, which files have been uploaded for them, and any other information that the site owner wants to relay.

When a new client is added ( Add Client ), the client is added to the 'Clients' list. Additionally, that client's HUB page is created, and one Portal Page is created and permissioned to that client. A login re-direct is programmed to automatically direct the client to their HUB page upon successful login. So, immediately upon client creation, all the essentials of a client area are automatically created.

Explanation of WP-Client Roles | Top

The roles within WP-Client are categorized by the amount of access and capabilities each role has, going from most access to least access as:Admin-->WPC_Admin-->WPC_Manager-->WPC_Clients_Staff-->WPC_Client

WPC Client Capabilities

This is the core user of the plugin. This is the role that will apply to anyone who is using the portal of your site to access HUB and Portal Pages. They can also have access to upload files, submit feedback on assigned Feedback Wizards and pay/view Estimates and Invoices. Their access can be controlled/limited through Paid Registration and Time Limited Registration.

Example 1: In an advertising agency, the Client would be someone who the agency is working for, say for example Apple Computers.

Example 2: If the business is a product distribution center, the Client would be someone who buys your product.

WPC Client’s Staff Capabilities

This would be the people that work for your client. They may be managers that work for your client, or employees that need access to the content on the client portal, such as uploaded files or estimates/invoices.

Example 1: In the advertising agency, the Client’s Staff would be someone that works for Apple Computers, say Bob at Apple needs to login and check out files meant for Apple. And, so does Sally from Apple. And, so does Jane from Apple. Good corporate etiquette is that they can't share the same login, in case Sally leaves Apple. Her login could be deleted and done, she no longer has login access, without affecting Bob or Jane.

Example 2: For the distribution center, the Client’s Staff would be someone who works at the store that buys your product, maybe a salesperson or customer service rep.

WPC Admin

The WPC Admin role has full access to WP-Client settings, but no access to the rest of your WordPress installation. This is ideal if you want to delegate the admin duties of the Portal to a staff member, but don’t want to give them full WordPress admin level capabilities.This person will only be able to manage the WP-Client plugin.

Example 1: This would be someone who works possibly in the IT department of the advertising agency. Someone who needs access to all of the settings of WP-Client, but doesn’t deal with the clients.

Example 2: This might be someone who works for the store you sell to, or it could be someone who works for you that handles the WP-Client side of your business.

WPC Manager Capabilities

This role allows you to assign a specific group of clients to one manager within your organization. You can create managers and assign existing clients to them to provide a more personal experience and greater organization.When a client uploads a file or a private message is sent, the alert email is sent to that client's Manager. If no Manager is set, then those emails will be sent to the default WordPress administrator.

Example 1: This would be an agent within the advertising agency, someone who handles clients.

Example 2: This could be someone who works for your distribution center, possibly a sales rep or sales manager that handles a specific set of customers.

How permissions for Portal Pages works | Top

As earlier explained, each time a new client is added, by default, they automatically have their first Portal Page created, and initially, this Portal Page is permissioned only to them. This default action can be disabled in Settings.

However, at any time, you can re-permission any Portal Page by using the 'Allowed Users' selection boxes in the "Edit Page" interface. SCREENSHOT

Each Portal Page can be permissioned to only one, more than one, or every single client. No need to worry about grouping clients into 'roles' or 'groups' that may or may not be uniform - your business may not lend itself to this type of rigid classification. WP-Client gives you the flexibility to adjust on a case by case basis.

If you navigate to "Portal Pages", you will see for each Portal Page, all users that have permissions for each page are listed in association with that page.

An example of how this can be used is: A Web Design Firm who creates tutorial videos for their clients explaining how to use specific features of the website that are being created for them. Perhaps one of the videos is a tutorial on how to use features of a discussion forum, but only some of the clients have need of this tutorial, as others don't have a discussion forum as part of their site. The site owner then, can pick and choose which clients will have permission to this particular video, and as new clients are added that have need of the video, they can easily add them as permissioned users by simply checking a box and clicking Update.

What's the difference between a HUB Page and a Portal Page | Top

Firstly, each HUB Page can have only one client associated with it. When the client is added, a HUB page is also created. The concept is that you can use that HUB to display links to all the content that client has permissions to view, whether it be several Portal Pages or a set of files. A Portal Page is a page that can be created, and then permissioned to one, several or all of your clients. You can choose who will have permissions when you create a new Portal Page, and you can change those permissions at any time by simply checking/unchecking the appropriate client. One client can have permissions to many Portal Pages, and many clients can have permissions to each Portal Page - does that make sense :)

Creative ways to use WP-Client | Top

The beauty of WP-Client is the fact that it's very flexible. You don't have to use it in the stock configuration, and since all the components are generated individually by shortcodes, you can mix/match the functionalities to achieve whatever end result you desire.

You can easily use WP-Client as it comes right out of the box, but your needs may differ.

If you only need to use the file upload function, then you can edit your HUB Page template to do away with the shortcodes for the other functions, and only keep the file upload shortcode.

And the same with all other functions. You can rearrange the order or layout both HUB Pages and Portal Pages, and add/subtract functionalities to fit your needs.

For other ideas about how you can use WP-Client, see the video section at the bottom of this Help page.

Customizing your Login Page | Top

If you want to customize your login screen with your own graphics, you will want to create a graphic in either Photoshop, GIMP or a similar graphics editor. You can have graphics with transparent backgrounds if you use a PNG or GIF file.

The size should be approximately 310 pixels wide by 600 pixels high. Your logo/graphics should be placed approximately in the upper third of the graphic so that it is placed above the login form.

Upload this file with WordPress' media uploader or an FTP client software, and then place the path/filename into the appropriate field in the WP-Client menu /Custom Login.

For ideas on striking color combinations, visit Adobe's Kuler Project | HERE

Linking to the HUB Page | Top

If you want to use custom navigation, or in some other way provide a link on your site to the logged in clients' HUB page, then you should link to the page designated as the HUB page in your settings

• This page is recorded by Page ID so you can change the name/permalink to whatever you'd like it to be after it is assigned. The default title: HUB Page ( permalink: hub-page )
• Be sure to include in your linking path the parent page that is included for the purpose of neatly organizing your WP-Client component pages. The default title: Portal ( permalink: portal )
• So, the default path would be: http://yourdomain.com/portal/hub-page
• It's important to note that your Settings > Permalinks must be set to "Post Name"

The Clients menu allows you to manage your clients at a high level. You can Add, Import, Edit and Delete your clients from this menu section. You can also create and assign Staff accounts if you're dealing with a large client and have multiple persons within the client organization that you will be working with.

Client List | Top

Menu: Members > Clients Tab

The first Tab in the Clients menu displays all of your existing clients. From this Tab you will be able to manage client files, private messages, edit client details, or delete a client. Each client is listed in their own row with a selection of menu options under the Action section at the end of each row.

Add Clients | Top

Menu: Members > Add Clients Tab

Adding clients is very simple but there are a few key things to keep in mind:

>> All fields are required.

>> Clients are created in the User table of the WordPress database, which means that Client usernames and email addresses must be unique. No duplicates.

>> The Business Name field will be used to generate the title of the client Hub Page.

>> If you check the 'Send this password to the new user by email' option it will use the email template as defined in the Templates>Email Templates section. It's a good idea to customize and test these templates before sending emails to your clients.

>> Once you've filled out all of the required fields, click the 'Add Client' button at the bottom. The new client will be created along with their Hub and Portal Pages. You will also be able to see the new client under the Clients Tab of the Clients menu.

Import Clients | Top Menu: Members > Clients Tab

If you already have a list of clients, WP-Client makes it fast and easy to import them. You can do this from the Clients Tab under the Clients menu.

To import, you must first have a list of clients in a CSV format file. You can create this format from any spreadsheet application such as Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice Calc. Your CSV file should be formatted to look like the following:

For the 'SendEmail?' column: 1 = Send New Client email, 0 = Don't send New Client email.

If you need a template to help you with your client import, you can download one here>EXAMPLE CSV

From the Clients Tab under the Clients menu, select the 'Choose File' button and navigate to your CSV file and select it. Click the button labeled @Import!" to import you file into WP-Client. Once the import completes, you will see each of your clients in the client list. Respective Hub and Portal Pages have also been created for each as well and can be found under the Hub Pages and Portal Pages menu items.

Advanced Importing Actions

You may wish to take advantage of some of the advanced importing actions provided by WP-Client

Adding Clients to Circles during import

You can accomplish this in two ways

1. Include a column in your CSV file with the first row showing this value: client_circles --- To add the client to multiple Circles, then separate Circle Titles with pipes ( Ex. CircleA|CircleB|CircleC )

2. Use the "Assign to Circle(s)" dialogue provided next to the Import Button - See HERE

Importing using column headers

WP-Client includes a parsing script in the import process that will look at the first row of each column and try to determine which data field you are attempting to import with that column. If the value in that first row is properly configured, then WP-Client will recognize it and add it properly to the database for that client.

See above example for standard values for the first row

Importing using Custom Fields

To import data associated with Custom Fields that you have already created, you should make the appropriate column's first row reflect the Field Slug that you assigned to that Custom Field. ( Example: wpc_whateveryoutyped ) See HERE

Permitting Clients to register themselves | Top

Menu: Settings > General Tab

If you'd like to allow you're clients the ability to create their own login, you can enable Open Client Registration in the WP-Client settings.

Go to the General Tab of the Settings menu and switch the 'Open Client Registration' option from Off to On.

All client created logins will require Administrator approval before the account becomes active.

Things to remember:

• First, be sure that you have Client Registration set to Yes SCREENSHOT
• Second, be sure that you're logged out of the site
• Third, use this link > http://yourdomain.com/client-registration (Replace yourdomain.com with your URL)
• You can also use this link in any navigation item to allow clients to register themselves

Client Profiles | Top

The "Client Profile" feature allows clients to have a profile page that they can view and edit. This allows them to change/update their email address, phone number and any custom fields you have implemented.

Permitting Clients to edit their Profile | Top

In order for a client to update their own profile, you will need to allow the client access to the Client Profile page.

Navigate to WP-Client-->Settings-->Capabilities tab. From here you can select which capabilities you want your clients, staff and managers to have. SCREENSHOT

Lost Password | Top

The "Lost Password" option allows clients to recover their password if they have forgotten it. This can be turned on/off from WP-Client-->Settings-->General tab, under "Create Client/Staff Settings" SCREENSHOT Convert existing users to WP-Client Roles | Top

General Concept

ATTN:: DO NOT CONVERT YOUR ADMIN USER - THERE IS NO NEED TO DO THIS - AS ADMIN, YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY SET AS THE ADMIN/MANAGER OVER ALL THE PLUGIN FUNCTIONS.

This feature is only meant to convert users with lower permission roles ( Subscriber, Editor, etc.. ) into either Managers or Clients.

When you install WP-Client, you may have existing users already created on your website that you want to now have the capabilities of a Manager, Client or Client Staff.

This functionality makes that conversion possible, while still retaining the characteristics of the users current role as well.

Specific Settings

Menu: Clients > Convert Users

Table containing all users that are currently not assigned a role by WP-Client Steps to use

• STEP ONE: Select checkbox next to all users that you would like to convert
• STEP TWO: Use select box to assign a WP-Client role - SCREENSHOT
• STEP THREE: Configure options before initiating the conversion process - SCREENSHOT

ATTN:: DO NOT CONVERT YOUR ADMIN USER - THERE IS NO NEED TO DO THIS - AS ADMIN, YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY SET AS THE ADMIN/MANAGER OVER ALL THE PLUGIN FUNCTIONS. Approving Clients | Top Menu: Clients > Approve Clients Tab

If you have enabled Open Client Registration, you must first approve a client created account before it becomes active. To do this, navigate to the Approve Clients Tab of the Clients menu. A number value in the Tab will tell you how many requests are pending in addition to receiving a notification email of any pending requests that are submitted.

Pay to Register as Client/Member | Top

General Concept

You can permit your client to register, and then after submission be sent to your chosen Payment Gateway for payment. Upon successful payment, the plugin then issues credentials, creates the appropriate HUB, Portal Pages and sets the proper permissions.

Steps to being sure that you have everything configured correctly. STEP ONE:

• Be sure to set 'Open Client Registration' to YES - SCREENSHOT
• This setting is located in WP-Client > Settings > General > Create Client/Staff Settings

STEP TWO:

• Be sure to install/activate the 'Paid Registration' extension - SCREENSHOT
• This setting is located in WP-Client > Settings > Extensions

STEP THREE:

• Be sure to enable and configure all settings in Registration Settings - SCREENSHOT
• The setting is located in WP-Client > Payments > Registration Settings

STEP FOUR:

• Be sure to enable and configure your chosen payment gateway(s) - SCREENSHOT
• This setting is located in WP-Client > Payments > Payment Settings

STEP FIVE

• Your users can begin the registration process using the URL address that you configure in the URL Slugs settings Tab - SCREENSHOT
• This setting is located in WP-Client > Settings > URL Slugs

Specific Settings for Payments

Payment History

Menu: Payments > Payment History

Table containing all paid registrations along with status, payment method, transaction ID and amount

Registrations

Menu: Payments > Registrations

Here you'll find a table with all those users who have completed the registration form, but either declined to make payment or had trouble making payment. This is helpful so that you identify those that may be having trouble, and follow up with them.

Registration Settings

Menu: Payments > Registration Settings

Enable Paid Registration

• To enable the paid registration functionality, set "Enable Paid Registration" to Enable

Payment Gateways

• Choose your preferred payment gateway(s) - PayPal only now, but more to be added all the time

Registration Cost

• This is the cost to become a client/member, and is a one time cost for a membership that never expires

Payment Descriptions

• Description of the product/service that is being offered along with any details/policies you'd like to be displayed

Payment Settings

Menu: Payments > Payment Settings

Here's where you'll configure your preferred payment gateways Clients Staff | Top Menu: Members > Clients Staff Tab

If you're working with a large client and have multiple employees or persons within the client organization that you will be working with, you can create Staff accounts that can then be assigned to your existing clients. You can manage Staff entries in the same way you manage Client entries, but they exist solely under the client level.

To add a new Clients Staff, navigate to the Clients Staff Add Tab of the Clients menu. You must assign the new employee to an existing client under the 'Assign to Client' section of the Clients Staff Add Tab.

Approve Clients Staff | Top Menu: Members > Clients Staff Approve Tab

If you have enabled Open Client Registration, you must first approve a Clients Staff created login before it becomes active. To do this, navigate to the Approve Clients Staff Tab of the Clients menu. A number value in the Tab will tell you how many requests are pending in addition to receiving a notification email of any pending requests that are submitted.

Custom Fields | Top Menu: Clients > Custom Fields

If you'd like to collect more information than what is natively done by WP-Client, then you can use the Custom Fields menu to do that by using the Custom Fields component in this Tab.

These fields will show up both in the 'Add Client' form for adding clients manually, and in the 'Self-Registration' form for permitting users to register themselves as clients/members.

There are features in the "Add Custom Field" options, including "Display Field on Admin Add Client Form", "Display Field on Clients Registration Form", "Display Field on Client Edit Profile Form", "Required Field" and "Readonly Field". Can be found by navigating to WP-Client-->Clients-->Custom Fields tab. SCREENSHOT Manager Menu

The Managers menu allows you to create and manage Admin Managers for your WP-Client installation.

ATTN: If you are already an Admin in WordPress, you are automatically given permissions that exceed that of a Manager in WP-Client, so there is no reason for you to become a manager unless you need to have multiple points of contact for your Clients.

What is a Manager?

Managers allow multiple users to manage your clients. This is useful if you are working in a team environment, such a design firm, and have multiple people interacting with the client or specific people working on different client projects. You can create managers and assign existing clients to them to provide a more personal experience and greater organization.

When a client uploads a file or a private message is sent, the alert email is sent to that client's Manager. If no Manager is set, then those emails will be sent to the default WordPress administrator.

You can set specific Capabilities for your Managers by using the Capabilities tab in the Settings menu.

Managers | Top Menu: Members > Managers Tab

The first Tab in the Managers menu displays all of your existing managers. From this Tab you will be able to edit or delete your managers. Each manager is listed in their own row with a selection of menu options under the Action section at the end of each row.

Add Manager | Top Menu: Members > Managers Tab

Circles Menu Circles allow you to bring together several Clients into one Circle for greater manageability. Add Circles | Top

Menu: Circles To add a new Circle, click on 'Create New Circle' from the Circles menu. This will toggle a form into view for creating the Circle. Enter a name to assign to the Circle in the Circle Name field. Choosing to "Auto-Select this Circle" will make it so any new clients created will, by default, be selected to be assigned to this Circle. You can also assign all existing clients by checking the respective box. If you're not ready to assign clients yet or want a more specific selection, click the Add Circle button. Edit Circle | Top

Next to each Circle item in the Circle List is an Actions Menu. This allows you to either edit or delete a Circle. In edit mode, you can change the name of the Circle. Press Save after making changes to commit them or press Close to cancel any changes. Assigning Clients | Top

Click on 'Assign Clients' from the Action Menu lets you assign one, several, or all existing clients to a Circle. Circle Settings | Top

Auto-Select this Client Circle on the Add Portal Page

This setting will automatically tick the select box by this Circle on the Add Portal Page interface

Auto Add new Clients to Circle

This setting will automatically add all new Clients to the Circle you are creating, whether they are manually added, converted, imported or added via the self registration form.

Assign all existing Clients

This setting will automatically add all existing Clients to the Circle you are creating.

Hub Pages Menu

What is a Hub Page?

A Hub Page is used to display links to all the content that a client has permissions to view, whether it be several Portal Pages or a set of files.

Editing a Hub Page | Top Menu: Hub Pages > Client Title > Edit

Hub Pages are automatically created when you create a new Client. To manage Hub Pages, hover your cursor over the Client Title. You will see a menu appear that allows you to Edit, Quick Edit, Trash, or View the Hub Page for that client. To edit existing Hub Pages, click on Edit and you be directed to the Edit Hub Page Item page that looks very similar to the post editor built into WordPress.

From the editor, you can fully customize how your Hub Pages appears to your clients. WP-Client comes with an extensive set of shortcodes to help you do this.

Using Shortcodes

Shortcodes can be used to quickly add snippets of code without having any coding experience.

These shortcodes can be mixed and matched according to your needs, and this is one of the main features of WP-Client that makes it so flexible.

Some shortcodes have attributes that permit you to further customize their output, and you'll find some examples of those listed below the Shortcode Key

Below is a table of available shortcodes used in the WP-Client plugin.

Shortcode Key | Top

Shortcode Attribute Examples | Top

Only display Portal Pages from a specific category

[wpc_client_pagel categories="IDs" show_categories_titles="yes|no"] Replace "IDs" with the Portal Page category ID (multiple IDs can be separated by commas. For example "categories="12,8,24"). Use "show_categories_titles" to choose whether or not to display the Portal Page category names to the client.

Only displaying files that are in a specific category

Example: [wpc_client_filesla category="7"][/wpc_client_filesla]

• Category: Set the value between the " marks to the category ID# of the file category you want to show

Displaying an upload form that only uploads to a specific category

Example: [wpc_client_uploadf category="ID"]

• You can only use the category ID# ( not the category slug )

Displaying files without File Size, Last Downloaded info

• These changes are made in the Shortcode Template editor located in the Template menu of the plugin's navigation
• Remove these lines to prevent File Description from being displayed - http://screencast.com/t/wIkEGw5rFQb
• Remove these lines to prevent File Size from being displayed - http://screencast.com/t/ReS6ZXF3
• Remove these lines to prevent Date/Time Posted from being displayed - http://screencast.com/t/ygJoME2TpcF
• Remove these lines to prevent Last Downloaded Date/Time from being displayed - http://screencast.com/t/8AjbYtqaX8

Displaying Private info for just one Client

[wpc_client_private for="user_id"][/wpc_client_private]

• Set 'user_id' to the user ID# for the client (plain numerical number, found in WP-Client-->Clients table), and place the private information in between the shortcodes.

Displaying Private info for just one Circle

[wpc_client_private for_circle="circle_id"][/wpc_client_private]

• Set 'circle_id' to the ID# for the Circle (plain numerical number, found in WP-Client-->Circles table), and place the private information in between the shortcodes

Portal Pages Menu

What is a Portal Page?

A Portal Page is a page that can be given permissions to one, several, or all of your clients. One client can have permissions to many Portal Pages and many clients can have permissions to a single Portal Page. This versatility means that no matter how you intend to use WP-Client, you will be able to customize it to fit your needs.

Editing Portal Pages | Top Menu: Portal Pages > Client Title > Edit

A Portal Page is automatically created when you create a new Client, but you can add as many as you need to for each client or for a Circle of clients. To manage Portal Pages, hover your cursor over the Portal Page Title. You will see a menu appear that allows you to Edit, Quick Edit, Trash, or View that Portal Page. To edit existing Portal Pages, click on Edit and you be directed to the Edit Portal Page Item page that looks very similar to the post editor built in to WordPress.

From the editor, you can fully customize how Hub Pages appears to your clients. WP-Client comes with an extensive set of shortcodes to help you do this.

Setting Permissions for Portal Pages | Top Menu: Hub Pages > Client Title > Edit

As mentioned before, Portal Pages can be used across multiple clients or Circles. If you need to set or edit the permissions on a Portal Page, click on Edit from the menu beneath the Client Title.

At the bottom of the Portal Page editor you will find a set of controls that that will allow you to allow existing clients to view a particular Portal Page.

If you do not see the Client listed, you will first need to create the client in the Add Client section.

Sending Email Updates to Portal Pages | Top

Menu: Hub Pages > Client Title > Edit

To send an email update to the clients who have permission to view a page that has been changed, check the box under the 'Send Update to Client(s)' control.

Portal Page Settings Add Portal Page Menu

How to Create a New Portal Page | Top Menu: Add Portal Page

To create a new Portal Page, go to the Add Portal Page menu and enter a title for your page in the Portal Page Title field.

Selecting Client/Circle Permissions | Top

From the available list of Clients and Circles, you can select which ones you want to have access to a new page by checking the box beside them. If you don't see a Client or Circle listed, you'll need to first create one. Any permission settings made here can later be changed using the editing interface for the appropriate Portal Page.

Selecting Page Template | Top

Beneath the Portal Page Title field is a drop-down field for selecting a Page Template. You create highly customized Portal Pages using templates, which will be discussed in the next chapter. It's important to note that once a template is assigned to a Portal Page, making changes to the master template will not affect the Portal Page's template.

Templates Menu

How Templates Work

Templates allow you to modify the look of your pages using predefined layouts. These layouts can be customized using HTML and shortcodes and give you the option to make your WP-Portal Pages match the design of your website.

Do template changes affect Hub/Portal Pages that are already created?

No. Once a Hub or Portal Page has been created using the template, the HTML of that component can only be modified with the Hub or Portal Page editor.

Using Placeholders in Email Templates | Top Menu: Templates > Email Templates Tab

A list of Placeholders has been defined by WP-Client to make setting up Email Templates consistent and easy. Placeholders function similarly to shortcodes and can be used to create very customized email messages to one or more recipients. You can find a list of placeholders in the WYSIWYG editor add-on for WP-Client :: SCREENSHOT

An example email template using Placeholders will look like this:

Hello {contact_name},

Your Username is : {user_name} and Password is : {user_password}

Your private and secure Client Portal has been created. You can login by clicking HERE

Thanks, and please contact us if you experience any difficulties,

YOUR COMPANY NAME HERE Shortcode Templates | Top

Shortcode Templates allow advanced users to modify the actual output of shortcodes. Advanced users only should attempt changes here. Please only edit html, and don't change anything inside curly brackets {} If you run into a problem, then please click "Reset to default" button at bottom right

Common Uses Displaying files without File Size, Last Downloaded info

• These changes are made in the Shortcode Template editor located in the Template menu of the plugin's navigation
• Remove these lines to prevent File Description from being displayed - http://screencast.com/t/wIkEGw5rFQb
• Remove these lines to prevent File Size from being displayed - http://screencast.com/t/ReS6ZXF3
• Remove these lines to prevent Date/Time Posted from being displayed - http://screencast.com/t/ygJoME2TpcF
• Remove these lines to prevent Last Downloaded Date/Time from being displayed - http://screencast.com/t/8AjbYtqaX8

File Sharing Menu Adding Files | Top Menu: File Sharing > Files Tab > Upload New File

WP-Client makes it easy to add files for your clients and assign them in one easy operation.

Upload new file interface: http://screencast.com/t/ih7kkTv1k9Ho

Adding Files via FTP | Top Menu: File Sharing > Files Tab > Assign File from FTP

For very large files that can't be uploaded because of PHP limitations, you can use FTP to upload files into the indicated directory, and then use the Assign Files from FTP to assign them to Client(s) or Circle(s). WP-Client protects the files in this directory.

Adding Files via FTP interface: http://screencast.com/t/ferQ5truQ

Adding Files from an External Location | Top Menu: File Sharing > Files Tab > Add External File

This feature gives you the power to assign files from external locations to your Client(s) or Circle(s). Using the public download links from Dropbox, Amazon S3, iCloud or similar services, you would enter that URL in the File URL field. Then, after you assign the file to a category and Client(s) or Circle(s), a link to that file will dynamically appear in the HUB and/or Portal Pages of the assigned users.

Add External File interface: http://screencast.com/t/pIsyOzcScxnB

Adding Categories | Top Menu: File Sharing > File Categories Tab

You can add a new category at the time you add or upload a file, but you can also create categories from the Files > Files Categories Tab.

Editing Categories | Top Menu: File Sharing > File Categories Tab

Next to each category is an Actions Menu. This allows you to either edit or delete a category. In edit mode, you can change the name of a category. Press Save after making changes to commit them or press Close to cancel any changes.

Assigning Categories | Top Menu: File Sharing > File Categories Tab

If you ever need to reassign all of the items from one category to another category, use the 'Reassign Files Category' form at the bottom of the Files > Files Categories Tab window. In the first field, select the category you want to reassign the files from and in the second field select the category you want to reassign the files to. Use caution when performing this task.

Re-arranging Categories | Top Menu: File Sharing > File Categories Tab

To change the order in which categories appear, hover the cursor over the order number of the item you want to reposition. You will see an image appear indicating you can Drag & Drop this item into a new position. To do so, simply left-click your mouse button and hold, dragging the item up or down to reposition it, then release the mouse button to change the position.

Messages

Private Messaging Menu: Messages

Think of the Private Messaging feature as a secure email system built right into WP-Client. This feature allows you to read and reply to messages sent from your clients from their secure Hub and Portal Pages.

Messages are sorted by date/time stamp and can be kept for later reference or manually deleted if no longer needed.

Settings Menu General Settings | Top

Menu: Settings > General Tab

In the General Tab window, you will find various settings that control the functionality of WP-Client. Below is a table that describes each setting and options available. Notification Settings | Top

Create Client/Staff Settings | Top

File Display Settings | Top

  Custom Navigation Settings | Top

Business Info | Top

This section is where you will add information about the business which WP-Client represents. The logo from here will be used in the Estimates/Invoicing component as well as the business information. Placeholders to represent each of the fields are noted. Pages | Top

Here is where you will assign pages for WP-Client to use for its' components. The core WP-Client pages need selecting so that the plugin knows where they are. These pages should have been created upon installation of the plugin. If not, you will need to create & assign them. If you have successfully chosen a page, and WP-Client sees the proper shortcode on that page, you will end up with a green check beside that selection :: SCREENSHOT Capabilities | Top

An admin can use this section to grant or deny certain permissions to specific roles ( ex. wpc_manager) We plan in the future to use this tab to expand the ability to grant or deny specific permissions to specific roles. Custom Login | Top Menu: Settings > Custom Login Tab

WP-Client furthers it's highly customizable platform by allowing you to modify the Login Screen your clients will see when they login to their Hub and Portal Pages. This gives your site a more professional appearance. You can choose whether or not you want to use this feature, but WP-Client has it enabled by default.

The first and most important of modifying the appearance of the Login Screen is a custom image. This can be your logo or a specific image related to the client experience. We recommend the image be 312px wide and around 600px tall in order to extend the frame of the login box past the fieldset. You can create your image using Photoshop, Gimp, or whatever image editor you are familiar with. Save it in either PNG or GIF format to preserve transparency. Once you have an image, upload the file using the Media Uploader in WordPress (Media Menu > Add New). After uploading the image, copy the URL path that it saves the file to and paste it into the Background Image URL field of the Custom Login Tab window.

The next three fields define the colors used in the login screen, namely the background color, text color, and link color. Use the 6-digit hexadecimal color code (without the #) to set the colors for each.

Login/Logout Redirection | Top Menu: Settings > Login/Logout Redirects Tab

This setting allows you to define custom URLs to which different users will be redirected upon successful login and logout. By default, a client is setup with a definition to redirect them to their Hub Page upon successful login. You can change that redirect here.

If you would like to apply login/logout redirects to all of your users, instead of a user-by-user basis, you can do so with the login/logout redirects option. Can be found by navigating to WP-Client-->Settings-->Login/Logout Redirects tab. SCREENSHOT Skins | Top Menu: Settings > Skins Tab

WP-Client comes with two skins, Light and Dark, to integrate the product cleanly into your website. Select the option you prefer from the drop-down box and save. Login Alerts | Top Menu: Settings > Login Alerts Tab

If you're in need of login auditing for your website, you can setup email alerts in this section. Enter your email address and turn Successful or Failed Logins on or off to begin receiving these alerts.

Extensions | Top Menu: Extensions Tab

The Extensions Tab lets you install/activate/deactivate components of WP-Client according to your needs. About | Top Menu: Settings > About Tab

The About Tab will show you what version of WP-Client you have installed, as well as all of the legal policies, terms, and disclaimers of the product.

Feedback Wizard Menu General Concept | Top

The Project Feedback Wizard (PFW) is essentially a unique, professional, secure & efficient method whereby the administrator of the site can bundle together a specific set of images, documents, files or links - and effectively present to a client a simple and easy to follow process that allows them to provide formalized and focused feedback.

Imagine if you were trying to accomplish the same thing using traditional postal mail delivered by UPS or FedEx. Each Wizard would represent the entire envelope, and all its' contents. Each page in the Wizard represents a drawing, image, concept, document or PDF that you're seeking the client's opinion on. At the bottom of each page would be a set of options for your client to mark that would let him/her indicate their thoughts on that particular page's content. There would also be an area for the client to provide more detailed written comments in order to expound on their feedback selection. All the pages together represent the Wizard as a whole.

To create a Project Feedback Wizard (PFW), you will first start by defining which items it will contain, and what type of feedback you would like to see from your client. You can even define the number and content of the feedback choices. When you have made these choices and configured them, you would then proceed to upload each item that will be contained in the wizard for feedback.

If, for example, you are a Landscape Architect firm, you may want to upload 3-5 sketches of the proposed project with this client. First, you may upload the zoomed out birds-eye view of the landscaping, giving the choices of APPROVE, DISAPPROVE and LET'S DISCUSS FURTHER ( these choices can be customized by using the Feedback Type interface ). The next item may be a profile view of the front lawn, the next a transverse profile of the pool and deck, and so on. Each item would require the client to make a feedback choice, and offer them the option of leaving comments about each individual item.

After they work their way through the slides, they are then able to leave summary feedback about the project as a whole, and then finalize and submit.

Upon final submission, the results are stored in the database, and are emailed to both the admin/manager and the client. The results can be viewed at any time in the admin console of WP-Client.

Activating the Project Feedback Wizard ( PFW ) | Top Menu: Settings > Extensions

If you don't see the menu choice for Feedback Wizard in your dashboard's WP-Client menu, then you will need to follow these instructions to install/activate it.

1. Navigate to the Settings menu and find the Tab that says Extensions

2. Under Feedback Wizard, find and click Activate SCREENSHOT Creating your first Wizard | Top Feedback Type Menu: Feedback Wizard > Feedback Type

The first step in customizing and creating your first PFW is to select what type of feedback you'd like to get from your clients, and this is controlled from the Feedback Type Tab within the PFW main menu.

Click the Feedback Type Tab, and then select Add New Feedback Type to begin creating your first Feedback Type template.

1. FEEDBACK TYPE NAME | Enter the Name by which you will remember this particular template

2. FEEDBACK TYPE TITLE | Enter the text which will show to the client and instruct him/her to make a selection from the feedback options

3. FEEDBACK TYPE | You can select what type of input method you'd like to present to your clients

• Buttons

• Radio Buttons

• Checkboxes

• Select Box

4. FEEDBACK TYPE OPTIONS | You can further customize the presentation by choosing what the client sees Order by:

• Order entered

• Name - Ascending

• Name - Descending

Align:

• Horizontally

• Vertically

5. FEEDBACK TYPE NUMBER & CONTENT - You can customize both the number and content of the feedback selections You could have 3 selections:

• Approve

• Disapprove

• Maybe

Or, you could customize to be :

• Love it

• Hate it

• Meh

Or...

• Order 100

• Order 10

• Order 1

• Don't order any

Add Item(s) to Wizard | Top Menu: Feedback Wizard > Add Item

A PFW is a collection items, so the next step in creating a PFW is to add your items. Click the Add Item Tab, and then select from the choices:

• Image | Can be any JPG, PNG OR GIF

• PDF | PDF format only

• Attachment | Can be any attachment ( Client will have to download and open/view from the link provided, and then give feedback

You can the Name the item, and provide a description for your client to read. Create Wizard | Top Menu: Feedback Wizard > Create Wizard

After the Items have been added, you can the create your first PFW by clicking the Create Wizard Tab. SCREENSHOT

On the right hand column, you can give the Wizard a unique name, specify the Feedback Type, and then set the version number.

Then, simply find the items you want to add in the Available Items window and drag/drop them into the right hand sidebar. You can drag/drop the items into the order that you'd like them to appear. When the items have been dragged and sorted, and the name/version/feedback type are correct, simply click Create Wizard.

Assigning the Wizard to your client(s) | Top Menu: Feedback Wizard > Feedback Wizards > Assign

After the PFW is created, you will be taken to the list of Wizards, and for each PFW, you are given the option to assign to Client(s) and/or Circle(s) SCREENSHOT Emailing the Wizard to your Client(s) | Top Menu: Feedback Wizard > Feedback Wizards > Email to Client(s)

SCREENSHOT Estimates & Invoicing General Concept | Top

Easily create estimates and invoices that your clients can pay online using the provided payment gateways. You can display invoices on your website, send in PDF format via email, or print out and send in traditional snail mail.

Quick Start Guide | Top

1) Make sure the extension is installed/activated by navigating to WP-Client-->Settings-->Extensions SCREENSHOT

2) Adjust the various Settings, including choosing your Payment Gateway, your currency symbols, etc. SCREENSHOT

3) Set up your Items that you are going to sell. This may be labor hours, or prices for actual items, whether physical or digital. SCREENSHOT

4) When you create a new Invoice, you are given multiple options. You can assign to specific Clients or Circles. Additionally, you can choose to drag-and-drop your previously created Items into the Invoice, or add new Items. You can also set a due date, and type a unique message for the client. SCREENSHOT

5) After creating and filling out the Invoice to your satisfaction, just click "Save and Send Invoice" and a PDF will be emailed to the client(s). Make sure you have your Payment Gateways set up and selected before sending, otherwise a payment link will not appear on the Invoice.

Items | Top

The building blocks for Estimates and Invoices are what is known as Items. Items can be thought of as a line item title and description that quantifies a billable service or particular product or sku.

Businesses can use this in many different ways including describing and quantifying the scope and price for one hours work, and then when adding the item to the estimate/invoice, set the quantity to reflect the number of hours.

Of course, it can also be used in the more traditional sense of adding a number of various items to the estimate/invoice to be paid.

Estimates | Top

Estimates can be thought of in a very similar manner as Invoices, and almost as "pre-Invoices". An estimate consists of one or more items with their associated title, description and price point. You can set a date for the estimate is good until, add tax to the estimate, at a discount to the estimate, set your terms and conditions and add a special note to the customer is needed.

When complete, you can save the estimate, and printed out as a PDF, or you can save and send the estimate, which will then email the estimate in PDF format to the assigned client or clients.

It's important to note, that if you create an estimate, and assign that estimate to multiple clients, or to a client circle, when you save the estimate, WP-Client will then create multiple estimates, one for each selected client. After that point, each estimate is its' own individual entity, and each will have to be edited directly if changes are to be made.

If after you create the estimate, you get approval from your client or customer, you can then easily choose to "Convert to Invoice". This basically takes the information and data from the estimate and creates a new invoice with that information. You can then send the invoice to your client by email, and it will be available to them inside their client portal.

Invoices | Top

An invoice consists of one or more items with their associated title, description and price point. You can set a date for when the invoice is due, add tax to the invoice, at a discount to the invoice, set your terms and conditions and add a special note to the customer is needed.

When complete, you can save the invoice, and printed out as a PDF, or you can save and send the invoice, which will then email the invoice in PDF format to the assigned client or clients. The invoice will also be available to the client inside their Portal if it is setup correctly for this to happen.

It's important to note, that if you create an invoice, and assign that invoice to multiple clients, or to a client circle, when you save the invoice, WP-Client will then create multiple invoices, one for each selected client. After that point, each invoice is its' own individual entity, and each will have to be edited directly if changes are to be made.

The invoice can be paid online by viewing the invoice online inside the client portal, and clicking the payment link, which will take the client to their choice of payment gateways. When the payment is processed, WP-Client will mark the invoice as paid, send the admin notification, and send the client a thank you email if that option is enabled.

If the client chooses to pay by check or some other method, you can manually set the invoice has paid by using the "Add Payment" option.

Templates | Top

Templates allow you to customize the email notifications that are sent in relation to Estimates and Invoicing. You can also set the default values for Terms and Conditions, Notes to Customers and the templates that are used to create the Estimates and Invoicing.

Payments | Top

The payments tab is simply a payment history where you can see which invoices have been paid, by what method, and the associated payment information for each.

Settings | Top

From the settings tab you can customize various settings and notification items as well as set up the tax rates that may apply to your industry in your location.

Gateways | Top

Gateways can be configured from the Payments menu item in the sidebar navigation. Initially, PayPal is the only gateways supported, but we do have plans to add additional gateways over the coming months.

Paid Registration Configure the self registration system to only give clients access after they have paid using one of the provided payment gateways.

1) Install/Activate Paid Registration Extension WP-Client-->Settings-->Extensions tab SCREENSHOT

2) Adjust Settings for Paid Registration WP-Client-->Payments-->Registration Settings tab SCREENSHOT

3) Setup Payment Gateway WP-Client-->Payments-->Payment Settings tab SCREENSHOT SCREENSHOT Time Limited Clients

You can limit access to your Client Portal based on the expiration date for each individual Client.

Firstly, you will need to install/activate this extension in the Extensions menu. SCREENSHOT

After this is done, as you create each client, and in each client's edit page, you will find a field for expiration date. The client's username and password are never deleted, but on that expiration date, they will receive an error instead of being able to login. The content of this error message can be customized in the Settings menu.

Frequently Addressed Questions

How do I allow Clients to register themselves?

First, be sure that you have Client Registration set to Yes - http://screencast.com/t/QofemmgE

Second, be sure that you're logged out of the site

Third, use this link: http://yourdomain.com/client-registration (Replace yourdomain.com with your URL) You can also use this link in any navigation item to allow clients to register themselves

I get an error when trying to activate | "Plugin could not be activated because it triggered a fatal error. Sorry cURL is not installed!"

If you're on local, then you'll want to remove the ; before php_curl, and then restart apache. If you're on live hosting, then you'll want to ask your hosting to install cURL... this is typically installed on 98% of hosting servers.

Why isn't private messaging working in my HUB Pages and/or Portal Pages?

Be sure you have the private messaging shortcode in your template.

Also, any HUBs/Portal Pages that have already been created, you'll need to manually add the shortcode to them. See the Help file in the plugin navigation for a shortcode key. And, attached are the latest templates that ship with WP-Client ( if you installed earlier versions, the newer releases do NOT overwrite your templates so that any customizations are preserved. This is why you are not seeing the private messaging, because the shortcode is not in your template )

How do I change text that isn't part of a Template?

This can be accomplished by editing the translation files of WP-Client.

You will need:

A program to edit the ".po" translation file. We recommend POEdit http://www.poedit.net/download.php

A program to access your files on your FTP server. We recommend FileZilla https://filezilla-project.org/

All of your login information for your FTP server.

A ZIP File of your current version of WP-Client

1. You will need to locate your WP-Client files. This will involve doing one of two things, depending on your situation:

A. If you wish to edit directly on your FTP server without saving anything locally, you can do so by using Filezilla to navigate to the "languages" folder in your WP-Client files, and locate the file named "wp-client.pot". From within Filezilla you can open this file with POEdit, and skip to Step 4.
B. If you want to edit the file locally then upload it to your server later, you first need to unzip the WP-Client file to your local folder.

SCREENSHOT -- UnZIP file

2. Open POEdit and navigate to the settings. Make sure the box for "Automatically compile .mo file on save" is checked.

SCREENSHOT -- POEdit Settings

3. In POEdit, open the directory containing your WP-Client files. Navigate to "languages", and locate the file named "wp-client.pot". Make sure the "All files" option is selected in the drop box, otherwise the file you need will not appear in the list.

SCREENSHOT -- Open File

4. Find the text you want to change from the list. You can use Ctrl+F to search for it if necessary.

5. Type your desired new text in the "Translation" box

SCREENSHOT -- Edit Screen

SCREENSHOT -- New Text

6. After changing the desired text, save the file as "wp-client-en_EN.po" in the same directory as the original file. The "en_EN" suffix is only for the English translation. You will want to change this if you are using a WordPress installation that is not English. You can visit this site to find the appropriate language suffix for your language:

http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_in_Your_Language

SCREENSHOT -- Save New Filename

7. Using Filezilla, connect to your FTP. On the server side, navigate to wp-content-->plugins-->WPClient-->languages. On the local side, navigate to where you saved the ".po" file from the last step.

SCREENSHOT -- FileZilla Main Screen

8. Select and upload "wp-client-en_EN.po" and "wp-client-en_EN.mo" to FTP.

SCREENSHOT -- About to upload files

SCREENSHOT -- Right Click to Upload

9. While still in Filezilla, navigate to the file "wp_config.php" and open it with your preferred text editor.

SCREENSHOT -- Find WP-Config

10. Using Ctrl+F or by scrolling down, locate the line that says "define ('WPLANG', '');" (roughly line 72) Change that line so that it says "define ('WPLANG', 'en_EN');"

SCREENSHOT -- WPLang Before

SCREENSHOT -- WPLang After

11. Save the newly changed file, overwriting the original if prompted. Then, using Filezilla, upload the new file to it's original directory on the server.

SCREENSHOT -- Upload WP-Config

12. After saving, before testing your changes, make sure to clear all caches and deactivate any caching that is currently active. This will ensure that the changes you just made will take effect.

SCREENSHOT -- Success!

I'm moving websites. How do I make WP-Client work on the new domain?

Before you move domains, just navigate to your Control Panel and add your new domain to your authorized domain list.