Installation Guide

This guide covers the complete installation process for Smart Cycle Discounts, including system requirements, installation methods, initial configuration, and troubleshooting common issues.

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System Requirements #

Before installing, verify your hosting environment meets these requirements:

Component	Minimum Version	Recommended	Notes
WordPress	6.4	6.8+	Tested up to WordPress 6.8
WooCommerce	8.0	9.5+	Required dependency; tested up to 9.5
PHP	7.4	8.3+	PHP 8.x provides better performance
MySQL	5.6	8.0+	Or MariaDB 10.1+ (10.6+ recommended)
PHP Memory Limit	128 MB	256 MB+	Higher recommended for large catalogs

Checking Your Environment #

To verify your current versions:

1. Go to Tools → Site Health in your WordPress admin
2. Click the Info tab
3. Check the Server section for PHP and MySQL versions
4. Check WordPress and Active Plugins sections for WordPress and WooCommerce versions

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Installation Methods #

Method 1: Install from WordPress.org (Recommended) #

The simplest installation method for most users:

1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard
2. Navigate to Plugins → Add New
3. In the search box, type “Smart Cycle Discounts”
4. Locate the plugin by Webstepper and click Install Now
5. Wait for installation to complete
6. Click Activate

The plugin is now active and ready to configure.

Method 2: Upload via WordPress Admin #

Use this method if you downloaded the plugin as a ZIP file:

1. Download the plugin ZIP file from WordPress.org or your purchase receipt
2. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard
3. Navigate to Plugins → Add New
4. Click the Upload Plugin button at the top of the page
5. Click Choose File and select the downloaded ZIP file
6. Click Install Now
7. After installation completes, click Activate Plugin

Method 3: Manual FTP/SFTP Upload #

For advanced users or when other methods fail:

1. Download the plugin ZIP file and extract it on your computer
2. Connect to your server using an FTP client (FileZilla, Cyberduck, etc.)
3. Navigate to your WordPress installation’s /wp-content/plugins/ directory
4. Upload the entire smart-cycle-discounts folder
5. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard
6. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins
7. Find “Smart Cycle Discounts” in the list and click Activate

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Post-Installation Setup #

Verify Installation #

After activation, confirm the plugin is working correctly:

1. Look for the new SC Discounts menu item in your WordPress admin sidebar
2. Click SC Discounts → Dashboard
3. You should see the main dashboard with:
   • Campaign Health widget
   • Campaign Planner section
   • Quick Actions buttons

Admin Menu Structure #

The SC Discounts menu provides access to all plugin features:

Menu Item	Description	Availability
Dashboard	Campaign overview, health status, and quick actions	All users
Campaigns	List, create, edit, and manage all campaigns	All users
Analytics	Performance metrics, revenue tracking, reports	Pro only
Notifications	Email notification settings and queue management	All users
Settings	Plugin configuration and defaults	All users
Tools	Cache management, diagnostics, import/export	All users

Initial Configuration #

Before creating your first campaign, review these settings:

1. Navigate to SC Discounts → Settings
2. General Tab:
   • Set default discount display preferences
   • Configure badge appearance defaults
   • Choose admin theme (Classic or Enhanced)
3. Advanced Tab:
   • Debug mode (disable for production)
   • Performance optimization settings
   • Data retention preferences

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Creating Your First Campaign #

Test your installation by creating a simple campaign:

1. Go to SC Discounts → Campaigns
2. Click Add New Campaign
3. Enter a test name (e.g., “Test Campaign”)
4. Select All Products for product selection
5. Choose Percentage Discount and enter 10
6. Leave schedule as Start Immediately with no end date
7. Click Save as Draft (to test without affecting your store)

If the campaign saves successfully, your installation is complete.

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Troubleshooting Installation Issues #

Plugin Not Appearing in Admin Menu #

Possible Causes & Solutions:

• WooCommerce not active: Smart Cycle Discounts requires WooCommerce. Verify WooCommerce is installed and activated.
• Insufficient permissions: Ensure your user account has Administrator privileges.
• Plugin not activated: Check Plugins → Installed Plugins to confirm activation status.
• Cache issues: Clear any caching plugins and try a hard browser refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R).

White Screen After Activation #

Possible Causes & Solutions:

• PHP version too low: Verify PHP 7.4+ is running. Update through your hosting control panel.
• Memory limit exhausted: Add to wp-config.php: define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
• PHP fatal error: Enable WP_DEBUG in wp-config.php to see the specific error:

  define('WP_DEBUG', true);
  define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);

  Check /wp-content/debug.log for error details.

Plugin Conflict #

Diagnosis Steps:

1. Deactivate all other discount/pricing plugins temporarily
2. Switch to a default theme (Twenty Twenty-Four)
3. Test if the issue persists
4. Reactivate plugins one by one to identify the conflict
5. Report conflicts to support with specific plugin names

JavaScript Errors in Admin #

Possible Causes & Solutions:

• Browser cache: Clear browser cache and cookies
• Script conflicts: Check browser console (F12) for specific errors
• Minification issues: Temporarily disable any JS minification plugins

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Upgrading to Pro #

Unlock advanced features without reinstalling:

1. Navigate to SC Discounts → Pricing in your WordPress admin
2. Or visit webstepper.io/wordpress-plugins/smart-cycle-discounts/pricing
3. Select your preferred license plan
4. Complete the purchase process
5. Your license activates automatically via Freemius
6. Pro features unlock immediately—no additional installation required

14-Day Free Trial: Try all Pro features free for 14 days before purchasing. Start your trial from the Pricing page.

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Uninstalling the Plugin #

Deactivation (Preserves Data) #

1. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins
2. Find “Smart Cycle Discounts”
3. Click Deactivate

Your campaigns, settings, and data remain in the database. Reactivating restores everything.

Complete Removal (Deletes Data) #

To remove all plugin data:

1. Navigate to SC Discounts → Settings → Advanced
2. Enable “Delete all data on uninstall”
3. Save settings
4. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins
5. Deactivate the plugin
6. Click Delete

Warning: This permanently removes all campaigns, analytics data, and settings. This action cannot be undone.