AWBS Configuration Guide

Where should I start?

I have just purchased AWBS, where should I start?

1. Install - Refer to the AWBS Installation Guide
2. Configure - Use this AWBS Manual
3. Customize - Refer to the AWBS Customization Guide
4. Test

Many tend to customize before configuring. This can make things difficult. If you configure and then customize, you will eliminate anything that can be setup as desired in the configuration area during your customization process.

You may be testing throughout the process, but final testing should be done when all customization is complete to make sure your site/system is ready for the public.

Configuration Getting Started

Installation is complete, now what?

Surf to your AWBS site and login using the super admin account you created during the installation process. You will be redirected to the administration area of AWBS and prompted for the admin directory secuirty login (if directory security was setup correctly).

You should see our 'getting started' page. Use that as a guide to get the basics configured. Then click the link at the top 'do not show this page again' to use the normal admin home page.

First, go to the configuration area and click the Module Setup link. Enable all modules you will be using and disable any you won't be using. Save.

Click the Website/Company Info link and enter all information as per your preferences. Most information on this page will be used in invoices to your customers, etc. The fields with a * are required, do not leave those empty. Save.

Click the System Options link. Read through all system options setting your company preferences. If you are not sure about some things you can come back later and set them up as desired, but you should go through it all to see what settings are available and to get the basics setup as per your preferences.

Now setup your payment type(s), registrar, hosting and other items you want to offer. Locate the sections of the manual applicable to your enabled modules and what you want to offer for assistance configuring and testing.

[Affiliate_Program_Configuration]

AWBS_Internal_Affiliate_System

Go to System Setup >> Module Setup >> Affiliate Modules section. Set to Internal Affiliate module.

Go to System Setup >> System Options >> Misc section, make sure 'Enable Affiliate System' is set to 'True'.

Go to System Setup >> Affiliate Defaults page. Set your affiliate default settings here.

You can configure to pay by percentage or a fixed amount. Select the correct radial selection.

Max Payout (or fixed amount): enter a max payout per transaction or if using fixed amount above, enter the amount to pay affiliates for their referrals. The max payout is a cap and will be the maximum amount an affiliate can earn on one sale.

Percentage (not for fixed amount): enter the percentage your affiliates will earn on each sale if you have selected percentage above.

Hold days: enter the number of days after the affiliate sale to hold the payment. Most companies use 90 days, as that is the limit for a chargeback on a credit card.

Pay on recurring: check this box if you want affiliates to earn credit for each recurring bill the referred customer pays. This applies to all recurring hosting and other items offered on your site.

Affiliates will be paid by live credits being put in their account when the Hold days are up.

Any user in your system can signup to be an affiliate by clicking on the 'Affiliate Info' link on the member home page drawdown menu.

They will be asked to agree to the affiliate terms of service before they can become an affiliate. Make sure the default terms page for affiliates has the information you want.

Here are the templates you may want to edit: ( template files are found in templates/[your_theme_directory] )

affilfaq.php - this page contains a set of Frequently Asked Questions for affiliates. Edit the template to edit/add/remove faqs.

affiltos.php - this page contains a copy of the terms of service that is viewable after an affiliate has signed up.

afiltos.php - this page contains the affiliate terms of service that needs to be agreed to when signing up to be an affiliate. The terms on this page should match the terms on the affiltos.php page

affiliate.php - this is the affiliate home/info page where the affiliates will see their stats, their affiliate link and banners you want to provide them with.

The page is setup with 6 banner images by default; banner1.gif - banner4.gif are 110x60 banners. banner5.gif and banner6.gif are 468x60 banners.

The easiest thing for you to do to get started is make banners in the above dimensions then save them as the above image names in your template theme images directory.

If you have other banner sizes or want to change the positioning of the banners, etc, edit the affiliate.php template as desired.

After an affiliate has signed up, they will be pending approval. When an affiliate is pending, you will see the 'Pending Affil's' in the Quick Alerts box of the admin home page turn red. Click the link to enter the Affiliate Manager. Click the icon to the right of any affiliate to change the affiliates status to active.

Each affiliate can be setup with their own percentage or amount on a per user basis here as well.

View affiliate sales by clicking on the Affiliate Sales link.