How to update the development squad bookings section of the SMNE website

This post is for the SMNE webmaster. It contains instructions about how to update the development squads bookings section of the website. It is recommended that this work is done by someone familiar with WordPress, PayPal and Gravity Forms.

Context

The booking system uses an online form built on “Gravity Forms” linked to a PayPal payment gateway. Custom coding in the “SMNE Gravity Forms Bookings Scripts” plugin calculates the age. On the ‘Development Squad Applications’ restricted page, the GFChart plugin is used to display bookings statistics and graphs and the [Gravity View] plugin is used to display bookings.

Instructions

First take a backup copy of the entire site via the WP Engine interface. Then login.

Backup existing bookings

A backup copy will ensure that if all else fails, everything is not lost! The Treasurer will need a full copy of the bookings and payments for the accounts and audit.

1. Forms>Import/Export
2. Select ‘SMNE development squads application form’
3. Select fields ‘Select All’
4. Download export file (csv format)
5. Save somewhere safe

Edit the bookings page

1. delete the form from the bookings code, or ‘comment out’ the code in the square brackets. This will ensure that the form is not live whilst changes to it are being made.

Edit the booking form

1. Forms>Edit ‘SMNE development squads application form’
2. It is recommended that someone familiar with Gravity Forms does this. If not then proceed carefully.
3. Note that editing Squad names will require amendment to the ‘apply now’ links on the squad descriptions pages, amendment to the php code that calculates the age, and the settings on the ‘Development Squads Applications’ restricted page.
4. In addition to editing the form, edits to the Confirmations and Notifications may also be required.
5. Once edits are complete a full test using fake booking is recommended. Check especially the confirmation messages and emails to both parents and SMNE development convenor.

Edit the squad description pages

1. These pages can be edited just like any normal wordpress page
2. It is recommended against changing the page urls. If you do please ensure that links from all other pages and PayPal are aligned to match
3. Ensure that the ‘apply now’ button code is correctly set

Edit the ‘Development Squads Applications’ restricted page

This only requires editing if the squad names have been edited.

1. edit the code in the square brackets to exactly match the current squad names [gf_chart_data type=”bars” form_id=”1″ field_id=”14″ field_values=”A squad, B squad, C squad, Green squad” xlabel=”Squad” ylabel=”Bookings”]
2. When making changes to this page, ensure that the viewing permissions remain unchanged

“SMNE Gravity Forms Bookings Scripts” plugin

1. This MUST only be done by someone familiar with php, and after backing up the entire site. Errors made here will break the entire site.
2. The code contains comments. The editor will need to know for each squad, the ‘age at’ date.
3. If this capability is needed longer term, then a much more user friendly way of editing it via a user interface will be built.

Re-edit the bookings page

1. Re-insert the form bookings code, or remove the ‘comment out’ around the code in the square brackets. This will make the form live again.

Test thoroughly

1. Go through methodically and test each permutation and combination of booking
2. Make test bookings selecting ‘EFT’ payment method. These can be later deleted
3. Ideally make a real booking using credit card payment to confirm that is working fine.