Generator Training Manual

The Admin Settings area controls every global configuration parameter for the Generator platform. Changes made here affect all storefronts, users, and processes system-wide. Review each settings category carefully before making changes in a production environment.

General Settings controls site-wide defaults including date/time format, currency, and language settings.

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Site.
2. Set the Default Currency (e.g., USD, CAD, EUR) from the dropdown.
3. Choose the Date Format and Time Zone appropriate for your primary business location.
4. Set the Default Language for the storefront interface.
5. Configure the Items Per Page default for all browse/list screens.
6. Click Save General Settings to apply changes.

Store Information contains your business identity data — name, address, phone, and contact email — used throughout the platform for invoices, packing slips, and customer communications.

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Store Information.
2. Enter your Store Name as it should appear on all customer-facing documents.
3. Enter the complete Business Address: street, city, state/province, ZIP/postal code, and country.
4. Enter the Business Phone and Support Email.
5. Upload your Store Logo for use on invoices and order confirmations.
6. Click Save Store Information.

Email Settings controls outbound email delivery configuration, including SMTP server details, sender name, and the email address used for all system notifications and customer correspondence.

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Email Settings.
2. Choose the Mail Delivery Method: PHP Mail, SMTP, or Sendmail.
3. If using SMTP, enter the SMTP Host, Port, Username, and Password.
4. Set the From Name (appears as sender name in customer inboxes) and From Email.
5. Enter a Reply-To Email for customer replies.
6. Click Send Test Email to verify the configuration is working.
7. Click Save Email Settings.

Payment Settings manages which payment gateways are active, their API credentials, and global transaction options such as authorization-only versus capture-on-order.

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Payment Settings.
2. Enable or disable payment gateways using the Active toggle next to each gateway.
3. For each active gateway, click Configure and enter the required API Key, Secret, and Merchant ID.
4. Set the Transaction Mode: Test or Live. Always use Test mode during initial setup.
5. Choose Authorization Only or Authorize and Capture depending on your fulfillment workflow.
6. Enable Card Saving if your gateway supports tokenized card storage.
7. Click Save Payment Settings.

Shipping Settings configures the carriers, rate calculation methods, and shipping zones used when calculating freight for customer orders.

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Shipping Settings.
2. Enable or disable shipping carriers (UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc.) using the Active toggles.
3. For each active carrier, click Configure and enter the carrier Account Number and API credentials.
4. Define Shipping Zones: specify geographic regions and which carriers/rates apply to each zone.
5. Set Free Shipping Thresholds by zone if applicable.
6. Configure Handling Fees: flat fee or percentage added per shipment.
7. Click Save Shipping Settings.

Tax Settings manages tax rates, tax classes, and jurisdiction rules for all transactions processed through the platform.

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Tax Settings.
2. Enable or disable Automatic Tax Calculation; if enabled, choose your tax service provider.
3. If using manual rates, click Add Tax Rule and define the Region, Tax Class, and Rate (%).
4. Assign Tax Classes (Taxable, Tax-Exempt, Reduced Rate) to product categories in Inventory → Classes.
5. Set Tax Display: prices shown inclusive or exclusive of tax on the storefront.
6. Click Save Tax Settings.

SEO Settings controls global meta tags, URL structures, sitemap generation, and robots.txt configuration to help search engines index your storefront effectively.

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → SEO Settings.
2. Enter the default Meta Title and Meta Description used for pages that don't have their own SEO data.
3. Configure the URL Structure: clean URLs vs. query-string URLs.
4. Enable Canonical URLs to prevent duplicate content issues.
5. Click Regenerate Sitemap to rebuild your XML sitemap after adding products or pages.
6. Edit the robots.txt content to control crawler access to admin and private areas.
7. Click Save SEO Settings.

Social Media Settings stores your social network profile URLs and controls Open Graph meta tags used when products or pages are shared on social platforms.

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Social Media Settings.
2. Enter the full URLs for each social platform (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.).
3. Upload a Default Social Share Image used when pages without specific images are shared.
4. Configure Open Graph Settings: site name, default description, and image dimensions.
5. Enable or disable the Social Share Buttons that appear on product detail pages.
6. Click Save Social Media Settings.

Checkout Settings configures the customer checkout flow — guest checkout, required fields, terms acceptance, and order review steps.

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Checkout Settings.
2. Enable or disable Guest Checkout (allows orders without account creation).
3. Configure Required Fields at checkout: phone number, company name, PO number, etc.
4. Enable Terms and Conditions Acceptance checkbox if required by your legal team.
5. Enable or disable the Order Review Step before payment submission.
6. Configure Address Validation: use carrier address verification or allow unvalidated addresses.
7. Set the Minimum Order Amount if applicable.
8. Click Save Checkout Settings.

Inventory Settings controls how the platform manages stock levels, backorders, and low-stock notifications globally across all products.

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Inventory Settings.
2. Enable or disable Inventory Tracking globally (individual products can override this).
3. Set the Low Stock Threshold: the quantity level that triggers a low-stock notification.
4. Configure Backorder Behavior: prevent purchase, allow with notification, or allow silently.
5. Enable Stock Reservations to hold inventory during the checkout session.
6. Set the Reservation Duration in minutes.
7. Click Save Inventory Settings.

Customer Settings manages account creation rules, password policies, loyalty programs, and customer group defaults.

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Customer Settings.
2. Set Account Approval: automatic approval or manual admin review for new accounts.
3. Configure Password Policy: minimum length, complexity requirements, and expiration.
4. Enable or disable the Loyalty/Points Program and set the earn/redeem ratios.
5. Set the Default Customer Group assigned to new registrations.
6. Configure Customer Communication Preferences: default opt-in/opt-out for marketing emails.
7. Click Save Customer Settings.

Notification Settings configures which system events trigger email notifications, and to whom those notifications are sent (admin team, customers, or both).

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Notification Settings.
2. Review the list of Notification Events (New Order, Order Shipped, Low Stock, New Customer, etc.).
3. For each event, toggle whether the Admin team receives an email notification.
4. For customer-facing events (Order Confirmation, Shipping Notice), toggle Customer Notification on/off.
5. Enter the Admin Notification Email(s) — multiple addresses can be separated by commas.
6. Click Customize Template next to any event to edit the email subject and body.
7. Click Save Notification Settings.

API Settings manages API keys and access tokens used by third-party integrations, mobile apps, and external data feeds to communicate with the Generator platform.

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → API Settings.
2. Click Generate New API Key to create a key for a new integration.
3. Enter a Key Label to identify the integration (e.g., "ERP Connector", "Mobile App").
4. Set the Permission Scope: Read Only, Read/Write, or Full Access.
5. Set an optional Expiration Date for time-limited integrations.
6. Copy the generated key immediately — it will not be shown again after saving.
7. To revoke a key, click Revoke next to it in the key list.

Security Settings controls admin session policy, two-factor authentication, IP allowlisting, and brute-force login protection for the platform's admin panel.

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Security Settings.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for all admin users.
3. Set the Session Timeout: the number of idle minutes before an admin session expires.
4. Configure IP Allowlist: restrict admin panel access to specific IP addresses or CIDR ranges.
5. Set Maximum Login Attempts before an account is temporarily locked.
6. Enable Login Notifications to alert admin users of new sign-ins from unrecognized devices.
7. Click Save Security Settings.

Maintenance mode takes the storefront offline for customers while allowing admin access for updates, data imports, or configuration changes.

1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Maintenance.
2. Toggle Maintenance Mode to ON.
3. Enter a Maintenance Message displayed to customers on the storefront (e.g., "We'll be back shortly — thank you for your patience.").
4. Set an optional Expected Return Time to display on the maintenance page.
5. Perform your required updates or data changes.
6. Return to Maintenance settings and toggle Maintenance Mode back to OFF.
7. Click Save.

The Users page lists all admin panel accounts. From here you can add new staff members, edit existing user profiles, reset passwords, and deactivate accounts that are no longer needed.

1. Navigate to Admin → Administration → Users.
2. The user list displays Name, Email, Role, Last Login, and Status for each account.
3. Click Add User to create a new admin account: enter First Name, Last Name, Email, and assign a Role.
4. Set a temporary password and check Require Password Change on First Login.
5. To edit an existing user, click their name and update any fields as needed.
6. To deactivate an account, click Deactivate — the user will no longer be able to log in but their activity history is preserved.
7. Click Save after any changes.

Roles & Permissions defines what each type of admin user can view and do within the platform. Assign roles to users to enforce the principle of least privilege — staff should only have access to what their job requires.

1. Navigate to Admin → Administration → Roles & Permissions.
2. The roles list shows all defined roles and a summary of their permission sets.
3. Click Add Role to create a new role: enter a Role Name and optional Description.
4. In the permissions matrix, check or uncheck each module (Sales, Purchasing, Inventory, Marketing, Admin) and the specific actions allowed (View, Create, Edit, Delete).
5. Click Save Role to create the role.
6. To modify an existing role, click its name, adjust permissions, and click Save Changes.
7. Assign roles to users via the Users page.

The Activity Log records every action taken by admin users — logins, order edits, product changes, settings updates, and more. Use it to audit changes and investigate discrepancies.

1. Navigate to Admin → Administration → Activity Log.
2. Use the Date Range filter to narrow results to a specific time window.
3. Filter by User to see all actions taken by a specific staff member.
4. Filter by Action Type (Login, Edit, Delete, Create, Export, Settings Change) to focus on a category.
5. Each log entry shows: Date/Time, User, Action, Module, and Record ID affected.
6. Click any log entry to view the full detail, including before/after values for edits.
7. Click Export Log to download the filtered results as a CSV file.

The Backups page manages manual and scheduled database backups of the platform. Regular backups protect your business data from accidental deletion, corruption, or hosting failures.

1. Navigate to Admin → Administration → Backups.
2. The backup list shows all available backups with Date, Size, Type (Manual or Scheduled), and Status.
3. Click Create Backup Now to generate an immediate manual backup.
4. To configure Scheduled Backups, click Schedule Settings and set the frequency (daily, weekly) and retention count.
5. Click Download next to any backup to save it to your local machine.
6. To restore from a backup, click Restore — this will overwrite the current database. Only do this under guidance from your system administrator.
7. Delete old backups by clicking Delete to free storage space.

The Error Log captures system-level PHP errors, failed integrations, and unhandled exceptions. Review this log regularly to identify and resolve platform issues before they affect customers.

1. Navigate to Admin → Administration → Error Log.
2. The log displays entries sorted by most recent, showing Date/Time, Error Type, File, Line Number, and a brief Message.
3. Click any error entry to expand the full stack trace.
4. Use the Filter by Type dropdown to view only Fatal Errors, Warnings, or Notices.
5. Click Clear Log to remove all current entries after resolving outstanding issues.
6. Click Export Log to download a copy for your developer or hosting provider.

Cache Management controls the platform's caching layer. Clearing caches forces the system to rebuild stored data, ensuring customers and staff see the most current product, pricing, and page content.

1. Navigate to Admin → Administration → Cache Management.
2. Review the list of cache types: Page Cache, Product Cache, Category Cache, Session Cache, and Configuration Cache.
3. Click Clear next to a specific cache type to flush only that cache.
4. Click Clear All Caches to flush every cache simultaneously.
5. The status column shows each cache's Last Cleared timestamp and current Size.

Scheduled Tasks (cron jobs) automate recurring platform processes such as sending abandoned cart emails, generating reports, syncing inventory feeds, and purging expired sessions.

1. Navigate to Admin → Administration → Scheduled Tasks.
2. The task list shows each task's Name, Frequency, Last Run, Next Run, and Status.
3. Click Run Now next to any task to execute it immediately outside of its scheduled window.
4. Click Edit next to a task to change its frequency or enable/disable it.
5. Review the Last Run Result column — a red indicator means the last execution failed. Click it to see the error detail.
6. Contact Cutting-Edge Solutions support to add new scheduled tasks or modify core system tasks.

System Information displays technical details about the server environment, platform version, and installed components. This data is primarily used by developers and support staff when diagnosing issues.

1. Navigate to Admin → Administration → System Information.
2. Review the Platform Version and Build Date to confirm you are running the latest release.
3. Check PHP Version, Database Version, Server OS, and Web Server details.
4. Review PHP Configuration values (memory limit, max upload size, max execution time) relevant to import operations.
5. Click Copy System Report to copy a formatted summary to your clipboard for use when contacting support.

Network Stores is the hub for managing multiple storefronts within a single Generator installation. Each network store shares the same product catalog and back-end but can have its own branding, pricing, and domain.

1. Navigate to Admin → Network Stores.
2. The list displays all network stores with their Store Name, Domain, Status, and Last Modified date.
3. Click a store name to open its management dashboard.
4. Use the Status toggle to activate or deactivate a network store without deleting it.

New Network Store creates an additional storefront within the Generator network, inheriting the shared product catalog while allowing independent branding and configuration.

1. Navigate to Admin → Network Stores → New Network Store.
2. Enter the Store Name for internal identification.
3. Enter the Domain or subdomain this store will use (e.g., wholesale.yourdomain.com).
4. Select the Default Customer Group assigned to customers who register on this store.
5. Choose the Default Price List — the pricing tier displayed to this store's customers.
6. Upload a Store Logo and set the Store Color Theme for independent branding.
7. Configure the Default Language and Currency for this store.
8. Click Create Network Store to provision the new storefront.

Manage Network Store provides a consolidated dashboard for a specific network store — allowing you to view its orders, customers, settings, and performance metrics independently from the main store.

1. Navigate to Admin → Network Stores and click the name of the store you wish to manage.
2. The management dashboard displays the store's Recent Orders, Active Customers, and Revenue Summary.
3. Click Store Settings to access configuration options specific to this network store.
4. Click View Orders to see orders placed through this storefront only.
5. Click View Customers to see customers registered through this store.
6. Use Deactivate Store to take this storefront offline without deleting it.

Network Store Settings allows you to override global platform settings for a specific network store — customizing its email configuration, checkout options, SEO metadata, and more independently of the main store.

1. Navigate to Admin → Network Stores → [Store Name] → Store Settings.
2. Update the Store Name, Domain, Logo, and Color Theme as needed.
3. Override Email Settings for this store: configure a different From Name, From Email, and SMTP if this store uses a separate email identity.
4. Adjust Checkout Settings — guest checkout, required fields, and minimum order amount — independently for this store.
5. Override SEO Settings: set store-specific meta titles, descriptions, and sitemap configuration.
6. Set Payment Methods available on this store — you can restrict to a subset of the global gateways.
7. Click Save Network Store Settings.

Showcases are curated product display pages — landing pages that highlight a specific collection, brand, or promotion. They can be linked from your homepage, navigation menus, or marketing campaigns.

1. Navigate to Admin → Showcases.
2. The showcase list shows all existing showcases with their Name, URL Slug, Product Count, and Status.
3. Click a showcase name to edit it, or click New Showcase to create one.
4. Toggle the Status to activate or deactivate a showcase without deleting it.

New Showcase creates a branded product landing page featuring a curated selection of products, a custom banner, and descriptive copy for promotional or seasonal campaigns.

1. Navigate to Admin → Showcases → New Showcase.
2. Enter a Showcase Name for internal reference and as the page heading.
3. Enter a URL Slug (e.g., summer-sale-2026) — this becomes the showcase's web address.
4. Upload a Banner Image for the top of the showcase page.
5. Enter the Showcase Description displayed below the banner.
6. Click Add Products and search for items to include; add as many as needed.
7. Drag products to reorder their display sequence on the showcase page.
8. Set the Status to Active or Inactive.
9. Click Save Showcase.

Edit Showcase allows you to update an existing showcase's banner, product selection, description, and URL slug. Use this to refresh seasonal showcases for new campaigns.

1. Navigate to Admin → Showcases and click the showcase name to edit.
2. Update the Showcase Name, URL Slug, and Banner Image as needed.
3. Edit the Showcase Description to reflect the current promotion.
4. Click Manage Products to add or remove items from the showcase.
5. Reorder products by dragging rows into the desired sequence.
6. Toggle Status to activate or deactivate the showcase.
7. Click Save Changes.

The Imports & Updates section provides CSV-based tools for bulk loading and updating platform data. Use imports to onboard large product catalogs, migrate customer records, or apply mass price and inventory updates without editing records one at a time.

Import Products uploads a CSV file to create new product records or update existing ones in bulk. This is the primary tool for onboarding large catalogs or syncing products from a supplier feed.

1. Navigate to Admin → Imports & Updates → Import Products.
2. Click Download Template to get the required CSV column structure.
3. Populate the template with your product data: SKU, Product Name, Description, Price, Category, Brand, Weight, UPC, and Image URL (minimum required fields).
4. Save your completed file as a UTF-8 encoded CSV.
5. Click Choose File and select your CSV.
6. Select the Import Mode: Insert New Only, Update Existing Only, or Insert and Update.
7. Click Validate CSV — the system checks for format errors and reports any rows with missing required fields.
8. Review the validation report and fix any errors in your CSV before proceeding.
9. Click Run Import to execute. A progress bar shows completion status.
10. Review the Import Summary: records inserted, records updated, records skipped, and errors.

Update Prices imports a CSV containing SKU and price columns to mass-update retail, sale, or cost prices without affecting any other product data fields.

1. Navigate to Admin → Imports & Updates → Update Prices.
2. Click Download Template to get the price update CSV template (columns: SKU, Retail Price, Sale Price, Cost).
3. Populate with your updated pricing data. Leave a price column blank to leave that price unchanged.
4. Click Choose File and select the CSV.
5. Select which Price Fields to update: Retail Price, Sale Price, Cost, or all three.
6. Click Validate CSV and review any errors.
7. Click Run Price Update to apply changes.
8. Review the Update Summary for confirmation of records updated.

Update Inventory imports a CSV containing SKU and quantity columns to set or adjust on-hand stock levels for all products simultaneously — ideal for post-count adjustments or supplier feed syncs.

1. Navigate to Admin → Imports & Updates → Update Inventory.
2. Click Download Template for the inventory update CSV (columns: SKU, Quantity On Hand, Warehouse Location).
3. Populate with your physical count or feed data.
4. Choose the Update Method: Set Absolute Quantity (replaces current stock with the value in the CSV) or Adjust by Delta (adds/subtracts the value from current stock).
5. Click Choose File and select the CSV.
6. Click Validate CSV and resolve any errors.
7. Click Run Inventory Update.
8. Review the Update Summary.

Import Customers uploads a CSV of customer records to create or update customer accounts in bulk — useful for migrating from another platform or onboarding a wholesale account list.

1. Navigate to Admin → Imports & Updates → Import Customers.
2. Click Download Template for the customer CSV (columns: Email, First Name, Last Name, Company, Phone, Address, City, State, ZIP, Country, Customer Group).
3. Populate the CSV with your customer data. Email is the unique key used to match existing records.
4. Select the Import Mode: Insert New Only, Update Existing, or Insert and Update.
5. Click Choose File and select the CSV.
6. Click Validate CSV and review errors.
7. Click Run Import.
8. Review the Import Summary.

Import Orders loads historical order data from a CSV into the Generator platform — used when migrating from another e-commerce system and needing to preserve order history.

1. Navigate to Admin → Imports & Updates → Import Orders.
2. Click Download Template for the order CSV structure (columns: Order Number, Order Date, Customer Email, SKU, Quantity, Unit Price, Shipping, Tax, Order Status).
3. Populate with your historical order data.
4. Click Choose File and select the CSV.
5. Click Validate CSV. The system checks for valid SKUs, customer emails, and required fields.
6. Review and resolve all validation errors before proceeding.
7. Click Run Import.
8. Review the Import Summary to confirm records imported successfully.

Import Vendors uploads a CSV of vendor/supplier records to bulk-create or update vendor accounts used in the Purchasing module.

1. Navigate to Admin → Imports & Updates → Import Vendors.
2. Click Download Template for the vendor CSV (columns: Vendor Name, Contact Name, Email, Phone, Address, City, State, ZIP, Country, Account Number, Payment Terms).
3. Populate with your vendor data. Vendor Name is the primary matching key.
4. Select Import Mode: Insert New Only, Update Existing, or Insert and Update.
5. Click Choose File and select the CSV.
6. Click Validate CSV and resolve errors.
7. Click Run Import.
8. Review the Import Summary.