Difference between revisions of "HOWTOs"

Revision as of 20:51, June 9, 2008

Send PDF attached invoices with the invoice notice email

1. Enable PDF invoices in the Extended System Configuration page of the AWBS Configuration area. Set 'allowpdf' to a value of 1 and save

This will enable pdf viewable invoices both in the admin area invoice manager and the member area invoice area.

2. To get the invoices attached with the invoice notice email, this will only work if you are set to use SMTP mail in AWBS. Configure SMTP mail on the System Options page of the AWBS Configuration. Note: test SMTP mail once configured by using the AWBS mailer and sending a test email to a test account where you can receive the email.

3. Create the directory /includes/pdf/temp with writable permissions.

4.Edit the New Invoice template and add this line after all other content:

<<<<<ATTACH:%%INVOICEID%%>>>>>

Option: Adding the Extended Config item 'pdfinvoicename' and entering a prefix will cause the invoice.pdf to be named yourprefix[invoicenumber]

- Example: AWBSInvoice- (NO PATH! NO EXTENSION!) 
- The above example will create an attached invoice named: AWBSInvoice-10342.pdf for invoice 10342

Merging user accounts

(coming)

Domain Registration Process

Once a customer has ordered a domain name on your AWBS site, a new order will appear in your job queue.

If you have configured 'Process all new domain orders immediately' to True in the system options, the order will be in the open area of the queue and process the next time the master_cron.php runs. No further action is required by you in this case, the job will run; registering the domain at the registrar, setting the domain record to a status of closed in the domain manager, emailing the client and a copy to the admin copy-to email, and set the queue job to closed.

If you have configured 'Process all new domain orders immediately' to False, the new order will be in the pending queue.

This means it requires your approval before it will process. Click the approve link if you wish to approve the order, it will then be placed in the open queue for auto processing via the master_cron.php. If you wish to process immediately, click the run link.

If you offer hosting packages (AWBS Hosting Edition only) and a domain was ordered during the hosting signup process, the domain order will follow the hosting settings. In this case if you have set Process all new hosting packages immediately to True in the System Options page, the domain and hosting order will be in the open queue together and run with the master_cron.php.

If you have the Process all new hosting packages immediately set to False in the System Options, the domain and hosting order will both be placed in the pending queue for approval. In this case, you only need to approve the hosting job. Once that is auto run from the open queue (after approval), the domain order will be processed without further action by you.

Note: Only jobs with paid invoices will process. Any orders that have unpaid invoices will remain in the queue until paid. If you wish to process an order prior to payment (not recommended!), click the edit link beside the job, check the box that says Bypass Invoice Check and save. Then click the run link beside the job.

Nameservers;

Domains are registered using nameservers in this priority;

Nameservers assigned to hosting server if ordered while ordering hosting.

Nameservers from user's domain profile.

Nameservers set in the registrar config area.

Errors

If any jobs fail, they will then be placed in the error queue. Click the edit link beside the domain and look in the 'return' field to see what the error was that was returned from the registrar. If nothing is there, check your curl (curl test in AWBS utilities page) and your registrar connection if your registrar has a connection test.

Deleting Domains from the registry

Occasionally, due to a fraudulent order, you need to ask your registrar to remove a domain and refund your money. If you use eNom or registerfly, you can do this:

Reopen the original registration queue job and change it to type Delete Domain. Run the job. This will place a request to delete the domain from your reseller account and refund your cost. Your reseller account will be charged a fee by your registrar, please check the registrar for fee amounts and limits on how soon after registration you need to place this request. Usually there is a 3 day limit.

Domain Transfers

Domain Transfer orders are processed through the queue the same way domain registration orders are.

Domain transfer orders initiate the transfer process at the registrar. Your clients should be instructed to unlock their domains at the current registrar and verify they have a valid admin contact email address prior to ordering their transfer. They also should disable any ID protect or hidden whois services at the current registrar prior to ordering the transfer. Many transfer approval emails are filtered as spam, so they should also be advised to disable any spam filtering on their email account until the transfer has completed.

If a transfer fails, you can click the icon to the right beside the failed transfer in the domain manager to see what the fail reason was. (most registrars support this). The transfer can also be restarted from that popup page.

The user can restart his/her transfer from their domain list for free if it fails.

NOTE: Domain transfers that are restarted require the job that is in the closed job queue to reorder the transfer at the registrar. It is recommended that you not 'clean out' transfer orders from the job queue for a timeframe so that your users can restart their transfers without problems.

NOTE: Some tlds require special attention and have different rules for transferring. If you offer .uk domains, it is your responsibility to know the nominet/.uk domain procedures. Consult with your domain provider for procedures on retagging .uk domains and other tlds that you offer for any special requirements.

Domain Renewals

Domain name renewals are ordered by the customer via their domain list. They can click the 'R' icon to order a domain renewal.

Domain renewal orders are processed via the job queue as are all other domain orders. The renewal is a two step process in the queue, first you will see the renwal order. When the renewal order processes it will place a new job in the queue to get the new expire date. Once that second job has run successfully, the customer will see their domain's new expire date in their domain list and their domain will be fully managable again.

AWBS sends clients a 60 day, 30 day, 7 day renewal notice as well as a notice that their domain has expired on the expire date. Clients can renew their domains up to 30 days after expire date.

Expire/renewal notice emails are sent to the email address listed on the AWBS user account.

Auto Renew:

If the auto renew checkbox is checked for a domain, AWBS will send them the normal 60 day renewal notice email. Then at 35 days prior to expire date, AWBS will send out the auto renewal notice instructing the client that their domain will be auto renewed in 5 days if they have an account balance or a credit card on file (credit card on file only applies to onsite supported gateways).

If the account has a balance or a credit card on file, the renewal order will be processed at 30 days prior to expire date. This process will be to start the order, generating an invoice, then take the account credit to pay the invoice or if no credit AWBS will charge the credit card on file. Once the invoice is paid, the order will process and the domain will be renewed.

As of AWBS Version 2.4.1, AWBS will attempt to renew the domain again at 7 days prior to expire, in case the auto renew setting was turned on after the 35 day mark.

Forced Auto Renew:

To set your AWBS system to invoice all domain renewals, in the Extended System Configuration, set the forcearinvandq setting to a value of 1 if you want invoices generated for ALL domain renewals regardless of cc on file status or account credits. If the forcearinvandq setting is not there, use the add record link at the top of the Extended System Configuration page to add it in.