Installation Guide

Complete installation instructions for Submittal & Spec Sheet Builder

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Quick Installation (Recommended) #

The fastest way to install the plugin is through the WordPress admin dashboard.

Step-by-Step #

1. Download the Plugin
   • Purchase and download the plugin ZIP file from your account
   • Keep the ZIP file – don’t extract it
2. Upload to WordPress
   • Go to WordPress Admin → Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
   • Click “Choose File” and select the plugin ZIP
   • Click “Install Now”
   • Wait for upload to complete
3. Activate
   • Click “Activate Plugin” when installation completes
   • You’ll see “Submittal Builder” appear in your admin menu
4. Verify Installation
   • Go to WordPress Admin → Submittal Builder → Dashboard
   • If you see the dashboard, installation was successful

Time Required: 2-3 minutes

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Manual Installation (FTP) #

If automatic installation doesn’t work, use manual FTP installation.

Prerequisites #

• FTP client (FileZilla, Cyberduck, or similar)
• FTP credentials for your WordPress site
• Plugin ZIP file

Step-by-Step #

1. Extract Plugin ZIP
   • Unzip the plugin file on your computer
   • You should see a folder named submittal-spec-sheet-builder
2. Connect via FTP
   • Open your FTP client
   • Connect to your WordPress site
   • Navigate to /wp-content/plugins/
3. Upload Plugin Folder
   • Upload the entire submittal-spec-sheet-builder folder
   • Ensure all files transfer successfully
   • Check that folder structure is intact
4. Activate in WordPress
   • Go to WordPress Admin → Plugins → Installed Plugins
   • Find “Submittal & Spec Sheet Builder”
   • Click “Activate”
5. Verify Installation
   • Check that “Submittal Builder” appears in admin menu
   • Visit Dashboard to confirm

Time Required: 5-10 minutes

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WP-CLI Installation (Advanced) #

For developers and system administrators who prefer command line.

Prerequisites #

• SSH access to your server
• WP-CLI installed
• Plugin ZIP file on server or URL

Commands #

Navigate to WordPress root and run commands to install from ZIP file or URL, then activate plugin and verify installation.

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Server Requirements #

Ensure your server meets these minimum requirements before installing.

Minimum Requirements #

Requirement	Minimum	Recommended
WordPress	6.1+	Latest version
PHP	7.4+	8.0+
MySQL	5.6+	5.7+ / MariaDB 10.3+
Memory	128 MB	256 MB+
Upload Size	10 MB	64 MB+
Execution Time	60 seconds	120 seconds+

PHP Extensions Required #

The following PHP extensions must be enabled:

• mbstring – Required for PDF generation
• gd or imagick – Required for image processing
• json – Required for API functionality
• dom – Required for HTML parsing
• libxml – Required for XML processing

How to Check Requirements #

Via WordPress:

Go to WordPress Admin → Tools → Site Health → Info → Server

Via WP-CLI:

Use WP-CLI commands to check WordPress updates and PHP version

Via PHP:

Create a file called phpinfo.php in your WordPress root with phpinfo() call. Visit yoursite.com/phpinfo.php to view server info. Important: Delete this file after checking!

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Compatibility #

WordPress Versions #

WordPress Version	Status
6.7+ (latest)	✅ Fully compatible
6.5 – 6.6	✅ Tested and compatible
6.1 – 6.4	✅ Compatible
6.0 and below	❌ Not supported

PHP Versions #

PHP Version	Status
8.3	✅ Recommended
8.2	✅ Recommended
8.1	✅ Fully compatible
8.0	✅ Compatible
7.4	⚠️ Works but end-of-life
7.3 and below	❌ Not supported

Page Builders #

The [submittal_builder] shortcode works with:

• ✅ Gutenberg (WordPress Block Editor)
• ✅ Classic Editor
• ✅ Elementor (Free & Pro)
• ✅ Beaver Builder
• ✅ Divi Builder
• ✅ WPBakery (Visual Composer)
• ✅ Oxygen Builder
• ✅ Bricks Builder

Themes #

Compatible with any properly coded WordPress theme, including:

• ✅ Default WordPress themes (Twenty Twenty-Five, etc.)
• ✅ Popular theme frameworks (Genesis, Avada, etc.)
• ✅ Custom themes
• ✅ Block themes (FSE)

Hosting Providers #

Tested and working on:

• ✅ Managed WordPress Hosts (WP Engine, Kinsta, Flywheel, Pressable)
• ✅ Shared Hosting (SiteGround, Bluehost, HostGator)
• ✅ VPS/Cloud (DigitalOcean, Linode, AWS, Google Cloud)
• ✅ Local Development (Local by Flywheel, XAMPP, MAMP, Docker)

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Post-Installation Setup #

After successful installation, complete these initial setup steps.

1. Configure Branding (5 minutes) #

Submittal Builder → Settings → Branding

Required Settings:

• Upload logo (PNG recommended, 300×100px)
• Set brand color (hex code or color picker)
• Add company name
• Add contact information

Optional Settings:

• Footer text
• Website URL
• Additional branding elements

2. Create Builder Page (2 minutes) #

Option A: Auto-Create (Easiest)

Submittal Builder → Settings → Frontend → Click "Auto-Create Builder Page"

Option B: Manual Creation

Pages → Add New → Title: "Spec Sheet Builder" (or your choice) → Add block → Shortcode → Enter: [submittal_builder] → Publish

3. Add Test Products (5 minutes) #

Submittal Builder → Catalog Builder

Follow the Product Management Guide to add your first products.

Quick Test Structure:

• Add 1 category
• Add 1 product
• Add 1 type
• Add 2-3 models with specifications

4. Generate Test PDF (2 minutes) #

1. Visit your builder page (frontend)
2. Select 2-3 test products
3. Click “Continue” or “VIEW →”
4. Add test project name
5. Click “Generate PDF”
6. Download and review PDF

Check For:

• Logo appears correctly
• Brand color applied
• All selected products included
• Specifications display properly

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Upgrading from Free to Pro #

If you’re upgrading from the free version to Pro or Agency license.

Step-by-Step #

1. Install Pro Version
   • Follow standard installation steps above
   • WordPress will recognize it as an update
2. Enter License Key
   • Go to Submittal Builder → Settings → License
   • Paste your license key
   • Click “Activate License”
   • Verify status shows “Active”
3. Pro Features Unlocked
   • Lead Capture
   • PDF Tracking
   • Auto Email
   • Server Drafts
   • White-Label Mode
   • Brand Themes
   • And more
4. Your Data Remains
   • All products preserved
   • Settings retained
   • Generated PDFs remain accessible

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Troubleshooting Installation #

“The plugin does not have a valid header” #

Cause: Plugin ZIP file corrupted or incorrect folder structure.

Solution:

1. Re-download plugin ZIP from your account
2. Don’t extract before uploading
3. Ensure ZIP contains plugin folder with correct structure

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“Upload: Failed to write file to disk” #

Cause: Server permissions issue or disk space full.

Solution:

1. Check disk space on server
2. Verify /wp-content/uploads/ folder permissions (755)
3. Contact hosting support if issue persists

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“Fatal error: Maximum execution time exceeded” #

Cause: PHP execution time too low for plugin installation.

Solution:

1. Increase max_execution_time in php.ini to 120 seconds
2. Or use manual FTP installation method
3. Contact hosting support for assistance

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“The plugin requires PHP 7.4 or higher” #

Cause: Server running outdated PHP version.

Solution:

1. Contact hosting provider to upgrade PHP
2. Or upgrade via hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk)
3. Test site after upgrade to ensure compatibility

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Plugin installs but doesn’t appear in menu #

Cause: Permissions issue or theme conflict.

Solution:

1. Ensure you’re logged in as Administrator
2. Try a different browser/clear cache
3. Temporarily switch to default WordPress theme
4. Deactivate other plugins to check for conflicts

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Multisite Installation #

Special instructions for WordPress Multisite networks.

Network Activation #

To enable plugin across all sites:

Network Admin → Plugins → Installed Plugins → Network Activate "Submittal & Spec Sheet Builder"

Per-Site Activation #

To enable plugin on specific sites only:

Site Admin → Plugins → Installed Plugins → Activate "Submittal & Spec Sheet Builder"

License Notes:

• Pro Single Site: Activates on 1 site only
• Pro Agency: Activates on up to 5 sites
• Each site requires separate license activation

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Security Considerations #

File Permissions #

After installation, verify permissions:

• Plugin folder: 755
• Plugin files: 644
• Uploads folder: 755
• Generated PDFs: 644 (temporary, auto-deleted)

Security Hardening #

Recommended:

• Keep WordPress, PHP, and plugin updated
• Use strong admin passwords
• Install security plugin (Wordfence, Sucuri, etc.)
• Enable HTTPS (SSL certificate)
• Regular backups

Plugin Security:

• All inputs sanitized and validated
• REST API endpoints use nonces and capabilities
• PDF files use temporary, non-guessable URLs
• No sensitive data stored in database

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Uninstallation #

If you need to remove the plugin completely.

Standard Removal #

Plugins → Installed Plugins → Deactivate "Submittal & Spec Sheet Builder" → Delete

What Gets Removed:

• Plugin files
• Generated PDFs (temporary files auto-cleaned)

What Remains:

• Product catalog data (database)
• Settings (database)
• Lead capture data (database)

Complete Removal (Including Data) #

To remove all plugin data from database:

1. Deactivate and delete plugin (as above)
2. Run SQL query in phpMyAdmin or WP-CLI to delete all options with plugin prefixes

Warning: This permanently deletes all products, settings, and leads.

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Next Steps #

Now that installation is complete:

1. ✅ Configure Branding
2. ✅ Add Products
3. ✅ Set Up Builder Page
4. ✅ Customize Settings

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Need Help? #

Support Channels:

• Documentation: You’re reading it!
• WordPress.org Forum: https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/submittal-builder/
• Email Support: support@webstuffguylabs.com (Pro users)

Before Requesting Support:

1. Check server requirements above
2. Review troubleshooting section
3. Test with default theme and no other plugins
4. Enable WordPress debug mode for error logs