Administration Guide
This is the beginning of how to understand the Catalyst Cart administration. This will be a work in progress.
After you have logged into your store admin you will see a box of heading links on the left for each section that needs to be modified. The information for each link is listed in the center to the right.
We will go through each link in each section. The section headings are the pages of the admin help documents and each page under the section heading is the linked page with the information for that link only.
The Configuration section will setup all the basic store configuration.
Click on "Configuration" and a drop down of text links will appear.
Click on one of the drop downs and to the right you will see the listings. To edit any of these listings click in the space of each listing and when that listing is highlighted, click on the "edit" button on the right.
My Store Store Name
Name of your store Store Owner
Can be your name or the name of your store. This will show up in the email in the "from" when the customer receives their purchase email.
E-Mail Address
The "from" email address in the customer's purchase email.
E-Mail From
Your store general email.
Country
Country you are from.
Zone
The state or zone your store is located in. This is necessary to setup for taxes later on.
Expected Sort Order
The sort order used in the expected products box.
Expected Sort Field
The column to sort by in the expected products box
Switch To Default Language Currency
If you have several currencies it will automatically switch currencies when the language is changed.
Send Extra Order Emails To
Your email address where you will receive orders.
Use Search-Engine Safe URLs
Display Cart After Adding Product
If set to "true" will show the shopping cart page when a product is put in the cart and then the customer has to click on "continue" to go back to their product page to continue shopping. They will also see their items in the shopping cart box. If this is set to "false" then the customer will stay on the same page of the item they are putting in the cart and will be able to see their items in the shopping cart box on the top
right column (if you move this, then wherever this box is).
Allow Guest To Tell A Friend
Allows the customer, when shopping, to tell a friend about your site through the tell-a-friend box.
Default Search Operator
Gives you "and' or "or" to use to search with.
Store Address and Phone
The name of your store, phone, and other information that will be seen if the customer is using check/money order to checkout with.
Show Category Counts
Set to "true" to show the counts of products in each category.
Set to "false" if you do not want to show the number of products in each category.
Tax Decimal Places
Pads the tax value with decimal places.
Display Prices with Tax
Set to "false" and prices will not display with tax.
Set to "true" and prices will display with tax.
Minimum Values
These are the minimum values of any field filled out by the customer. Usually these are left as is.
Maximum Values
These are the maximum values of fields of different modules in your store.
Most of these are self-explanatory. These are just a couple that sometimes confuse people.
Page Links is how many page numbers you see at the bottom of your product listing.
The "Search Results" listing is how many products will be listed in your store on one page.
Images
These are the settings for all your images in the store. You can edit them to whatever you need.
The "Small Image Width & Height" are the image sizes of your products in the product listing page.
The "Heading Image Width & Height" are the image sizes that are uploaded for each category.
The "Subcategory Image Width & Height" are all the sub-category image sizes.
Customer Details
These are the values that a customer fills out when they register at your store.
Enable or Disable these as you see fit.
Shipping/Packaging
Country Of Origin - set your country
Postal Code - set your postal code
Enter the Max Package Weight - Put your maximum weight here (this will be used if you choose "ship by weight" in the Modules/Shipping Table Rate line.
Product Listing
This displays the order of your products listed in your store. Change the values for whatever product order you want.
Location of Prev/Next Navigation Bar sets the locatin of the Prev?Next Navigation Bar, either top, bottom, or both.
Stock
This is an inventory control.
Set Stock level, Subtract Stock to true and osc will check your stock and substract stock from items purchased.
Allow checkout allows customer to checkout even though your stock level is too low.
Mark product out of stock is a symbol you can use to mark a product that is out of stock.
Stock Re-order level is the set level that your stock gets down to before re-ordering.
Cache
Whenever your cache directory is not setup for your store you will get a pink error message at the top of the store screen like this:
Error: Cache directory does not exist. Please set this Configuration->Cache.
In the admin under Tools/Cache Control the listings are as follows:
Categories Box File does not exist
Manufacturers Box File does not exist
Also Purchased Module File does not exist
Cache Directory: /tmp/
Through an FTP program, create a subfolder named "cache" in the "catalog" folder and set the chmod permissions to 777. Then go to Configuration/Cache. Click on "Use Cache" and set to "true". Click on Cache Directory and set the absolute directory path to the "cache" folder.
If there is any question or problem establishing the absolute path, it may be because of server redirects. Go to Tools/Database Backup and see what path is listed by the Admin for the database 'backups' folder. Use that path and append 'catalog/cache/' to the end of it so that your path might appear as:
/home/username/www/catalog/cache/
Pay close attention to case sensitivity so that the directory path exactly matches the "cache" folder created in FTP. Go back to Tools/Cache Control, refresh if necessary, and the error message should be gone.
If the "file does not exist" messages still exist, upload via FTP, three blank files into your cache directory called:
categories_box-english.cache
manufacturers_box-english.cache
also_purchased-english.cache
If there are more languages, create more files replacing engish with language name and upload.
Now, go back to Tools/Cache Control, refresh if necessary, and the files should be established, listing the date and time they were created.
Email Options
To be done.
Download
You need to enable this if you are going to allow people to download products at checkout from your store.
First, put the product to be downloaded in the download folder on the Internet:
catalog/download
It will be read from the "pub" folder.
Make sure /catalog/pub is 777 and /catalog/download is 755 and these files in catalog/includes/configure.php have the forward slash:
define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'download/');
define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD_PUBLIC', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'pub/');
Under configuration in the admin set up the download info, true, true, expiry date, max number of downloads.
Add the product in the admin under "catalog", "categories/products.
After you have added the product go to "Product Attributes" under the "Catalog" heading in admin.
Choose the product in the bottom "Product Attributes" box.
When you choose a product and have download enabled in the configuration section you will see a box below the "Product Attributes" section where you can add the product as a download.
GZIP
This helps in your download of your store. Normal setting is 5 but if you have a lot of traffic set to 9.
Sessions
You can set your configure.php file to store sessions in the database or you can set a "sessions directory" if you are storing files in files.
Customers on AOL cannot use your store with these all set to "True". The only two that can be set to "True" for aol users are "Force Cookie Use" and "Prevent Spider Sessions".
The Catalog section will input all your products and category folders including setting up your products as an expected date, setup product attributes, manufacturers, check your reviews, & put products on special.
Categories/Products
Clicking on the "new category" button in the center section will make a new folder.
Clicking on the "new product" button will make a new product.
When you are making a new product you have the ability to:
show the product in or out of stock
set the date the product will be availabe which corresponds with the "Products Expected" module set the product's manufacturer
set the product's name and description set the product's quantity in stock (this corresponds with the "Configuration" "Stock" section, product's model number upload the products's image set a product's url if you need to link out to another site set the product's price set the tax class which is used to charge tax on each product (this class must be setup first
in the tax section) set products weight which, if you are using "weight" for your shipping schedule, each product will need to have a weight listed
Top
After you have made a new folder or product it will show up on this main screen which is called **"Top"** which is the name in the drop-down box at the upper right. This drop-down box will eventually list all the folders and products in your store.
Move a Category Folder
To move a category folder, click to highlight that folder and choose the **"move"** button on the right. You can move folders to other folders or to the **"Top"** directory.
Move a New Product
To move a new product, click to highlight the product you want to move and click the **"move"** button on the right. When you click the **"move"** button you will see this message: "Move (name of product) to:".
Choose a place to move it and click the **"move"** button.
Copy a New Product
To copy a new product, click to highlight the product you want to copy and click the **"copy to"** button on the right. When you click the **"copy to"** button you will see this message: Copy Method:
-Link product
-Duplicate product
Choose "Link product" if you just want to link it and "Duplicate product" if you want to add another product.
Product Attributes
This section deals with the attributes of your products. For example, you sell shirts of different sizes and different colors.
First, you would seup the "Option Name" (under "Product Options" at the top left). Using shirts as an example you would have at least 2 "Option Names", color and size.
Next, you will setup your "Option Values" (under "Option Values" at the top right).
In this section you will see a box that shows the "Option Names" that you have already setup. You have color setup as an "Option Name" so make sure color is in this box. Then,to the right of that box is a blank box where you type in one of your colors. Do this for each color and then do this again for each size. Make sure you associate and "Option Value" (red, white, blue) with an "Option Name" (color, size, etc.).
Now, you are ready to start adding options to your products.
Under the "Products Attributes" section at the bottom you will see a drop down box listing all of your products that you have already put into your store. Choose one and follow across the drop downs to the right. The next box is the "Option Names", then the "Option Values", and then the price box. If the price stays the same on each attribute then leave this box blank. If the price goes up or down on each attribute then put an amount from the "base price" and put a "plus" or "minus" sign in the next box.
For Example:
size = medium = 10.00 (this is the regular price so no need to put a price in the "price box".
size = small = 8.00 (put 2.00 - (this is $2 with a "minus" sign from the base price of
$10.00)
size = large = 12.00 (put 2.00 + (this is $2 with a "plus" sign from the base price of
$10.00)
Manufacturers
Add a manufacturer with their own image by clicking the "insert" button link. A
Manufacturers' URL can also be listing to direct link to the manufacturer.
Reviews
A listing of reviews that customers have put in is in this section. These reviews can be edited or deleted by the store administrator.
Specials
Products can be listed as a special discount by a percentage or by an amount.
Click the "new product" graphic.
On the next screen choose your product from the drop-down box, put a special price. This can be a percentage (10%) off or it can be a reduced set dollar amount like 10.00, and the expiration date if any.
You can enter a percentage to deduct in the Specials Price field, for example:
20%
If you enter a new price, the decimal separator must be a '.' (decimal-point), example:
49.99
Leave the expiry date empty for no expiration
Products Expected
This is the list of products that will be expected to be in your store on a certain date. This is setup when you input a product into the "Categories/Products" section.
The modules section is where you will setup your payment, shipping, and order total ordering.
Payment
You will see several different payment modules. To turn one on click the "green dot" to the right of the name. The "red dot" turns them off. You will have to enable one before you can edit it.
After one is enabled by clicking the "green dot" that line will be highlighted. To edit, click the edit button to the right of the highlighted line and edit.
Shipping
In shipping you have several different ways to charge shipping. To turn one on click the "green dot" to the right of the name. The "red dot" turns them off. You will have to enable one before you can edit it.
After one is enabled by clicking the "green dot" that line will be highlighted. To edit, click the edit button to the right of the highlighted line and edit.
Order Total
The "Order Total" module puts the items in the order they will appear in the checkout process. If you have inadvertantly put the same "sort order" on 2 items only one will show up.
Customers
This is a list of all your customers that you can edit all but the password field and/or
delete customers. The password field does not show up.
Each individual customer can be emailed from this section.
Orders
These are your "pending" orders. Click the "edit" button to see the order and you can
change the status of the order, put comments in the comments box, and notify the
customer of the progress of their order.
You also have an invoice and packing slip capability. You can change the
oscommerce.gif graphic on the invoice and packing slip by changing it in
admin/images/oscommerce.gif to show your store image.
This section sets up your taxes and zone for your store.
Countries
A listing of all countries in your store.
Zones
A listing of all zones in your store.
Tax Zones
The state and tax description of your store.
Tax Classes
The title of your tax class title like "taxable goods" and the description of that title.
Tax Rates
The tax rate of the state your store is in.
How to Setup Your Taxes
In admin, under Locations/Taxes, click on "Tax Zones"
Click on the "new zone" button. In the Zone Name: input field I enter "CA"
For Description I enter "California". Click on "insert"
After you click insert, you will see CA show up in the list. You think you're done, but not
quite!
Click on the "CA" (or whatever name you have!) in the list and you will see the heading
say "Geographical Zones / CA"
Here you see a "new zone" button again. Click on it!
Now you get to select a geographical zone. From Country, I Select United States
From Region, Select California. Click "update"
A few more steps to go! Now under "Locations/Taxes" click on "Tax Rates"
Click on "new tax rate" button
Select "Taxable Goods" from the Tax Class Title drop down menu
From the Zone menu, select CA (or whatever zone you created)
In the Tax Rate field enter the tax percentage
In the Description, enter the description, e.g. "California Sales Tax"
Now you're done!
This sets up your default currency, language, and order status to notify your customers.
The Orders Status can added to or the name changed by clicking the "edit" button after
that line has been clicked and is highlighted.
This section shows how many products have been viewed, purchased, and the total of
customers orders.
The Tools section is used to backup your database, manage a banner, file manager, send
your customers an email, send your customers a newsletter, give you your server
information, and see who's online.
Banner Manager
The banner manager allows you to put a banner at the bottom of your pages and to have
banner stats. When the banner is turned on you will have the stats.
Database Backup
Click on the "backup" button.
Choose GZIP, ZIP, or pure sql.
Click "Download only" to download to your harddrive. A box will pop up for you to pick
the folder to put it in.
If you do not choose backup only then the backup manager will back it up to the backups
folder you have setup under the admin folder. The permissions on this backups folder
must be 777 to allow backups to be stored here. The backups folder will be secured by
the admin login as long as it is under the admin folder and the admin is password
protected by your server.
Send Email
You can send an email to one customer, to all customers, or to all newsletter subscribers.
Select the customer or customers in the drop down box.
Type a subject for your email.
Type a message for your email.
Click "send mail" button.
The next screen comes up showing your message and allows you to make changes before
really submitting. If all is good click the "send mail" button and your email will be sent.
Newsletter Manager
Click on "new newsletter" to make a new newsletter.
Choose Newsletter in the drop down box to send a regular newsletter.
Choose product_notification in the drop down box to notify customers of products.
Choose a title and type your message in the content box.
Click save.
This will take you back to the original page with your newsletter listed.
Click the "lock" button on the right.
Now, you can edit, delete, preview, send, or unlock your new newsletter.
For the product_notification newsletter click send.
On the next page choose the products on the left and transfer them to the right box.
Click submit.
Any customer who has asked to be notified on all products or certain products will be
sent an email.
Server Info
Information about your server you are hosting on. This is useful if you need to know
exactly what programs are on your server.
Who's Online
A traffic reporting tool useful to see who is accessing your site. If a customer is logged
into your store and looking around you can click on their link and see what page they are
on and what products they are looking at.
Catalog
The catalog section is divided into categories and sub-categories to make it easier to find
different areas.
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