Admin Settings

Complete guide to configuring Submittal & Spec Sheet Builder

Overview

The Settings page allows administrators to configure all aspects of the plugin including branding, PDF generation, frontend behavior, and Pro features.

Access Settings:

WordPress Admin → Submittal Builder → Settings

Required Capability: manage_options (Administrator role)

Settings Navigation

Settings are organized into tabs for easy navigation:

Tab	Purpose
General	Core plugin settings
Branding	Logo, colors, company info
Frontend	Builder page and user interface
PDF	PDF generation and formatting
Pro	License and Pro feature configuration
Advanced	Developer options and debugging

General Settings

Core configuration options that affect overall plugin behavior.

Plugin Status

Enable/Disable Plugin

Temporarily disable the plugin without deactivating it.

Enabled (default): Plugin fully functional
Disabled: Builder page shows maintenance message

Use Case:

Maintenance periods
Catalog updates
Temporary downtime

Catalog Settings

Default View Mode

Choose how products display by default on the frontend builder.

Options:

Gallery View (default) – Cards with thumbnails
List View – Compact table format

Tip: Users can still toggle between views; this just sets the default.

Products Per Page

Number of products to display before pagination.

Default: 50
Range: 10-200
Recommended: 50-100 for best performance

Considerations:

Lower numbers: Faster page load, more pagination
Higher numbers: Fewer page loads, slower initial render
Large catalogs (500+ products): Use 50-75

Enable Search

Allow users to search products on frontend builder.

Enabled by default (recommended)

When to Disable:

Small catalogs (< 20 products)
Custom search implementation
Performance issues on very large catalogs

Enable Category Filters

Allow users to filter products by category.

Enabled by default (recommended)

When to Disable:

Single-category catalogs
Custom filtering implementation

PDF Storage

PDF Retention Period

How long generated PDFs are stored before automatic cleanup.

Default: 24 hours
Range: 1 hour – 7 days

Considerations:

Shorter periods: Less disk space used, users must download quickly
Longer periods: More user-friendly, more disk space used
Recommended: 24-48 hours

Note: PDFs are stored in /wp-content/uploads/submittal-builder/ and cleaned up automatically via cron job.

Branding Settings

Customize the appearance of generated PDFs to match your brand.

Logo

Upload Company Logo

Your logo appears on the PDF cover page.

Recommendations:

Format: PNG with transparent background (preferred) or JPG
Size: 300×100 pixels (optimal)
Max file size: 2 MB
Aspect ratio: ~3:1 (horizontal)

Upload Steps:

Click “Upload Logo” button
Select image from media library or upload new
Crop if needed
Click “Select”
Save settings

Preview:
Logo preview appears below upload button showing how it will look in PDFs.

To Remove Logo:
Click “Remove Logo” button below preview.

Brand Colors

Primary Brand Color

Main color used throughout PDFs (cover page, headings, accents).

Input Methods:

Color picker (visual selection)
Hex code (e.g., #0066CC)
RGB values

Recommendations:

Use your company’s primary brand color
Ensure good contrast with white text
Avoid very light colors (hard to read)

Default: #0073aa (WordPress blue)

Preview:
Color preview box shows selected color immediately.

Secondary Color (Pro)

Accent color for tables, borders, and secondary elements.

Default: Darker shade of primary color
Available in: Pro and Agency licenses

Frontend Settings

Configure the builder page and user-facing interface.

Builder Page

Builder Page

Select which page contains the [submittal_builder] shortcode.

Options:

Dropdown showing all published pages
“Auto-Create Page” button

Auto-Create Page:

Click “Auto-Create Builder Page” button
Plugin creates new page titled “Spec Sheet Builder”
Adds shortcode automatically
Publishes page
Sets as builder page in settings

Manual Setup:

Create page yourself
Add [submittal_builder] shortcode
Publish page
Select from dropdown in settings

User Interface

Show Product Thumbnails

Display product images/thumbnails in cards (if available).

Enabled by default

Requirements:

Products must have featured images set
Thumbnails generated automatically

When to Disable:

No product images available
Faster page load desired
Bandwidth concerns

Enable View Toggle

Allow users to switch between gallery and list views.

Enabled by default (recommended)

When to Disable:

Force specific view mode
Simplified interface desired

Show Specifications in Cards

Display key specs directly on product cards in gallery view.

Enabled by default (recommended)

Specs Shown: First 4-5 key specifications (Size, Thickness, KSI, etc.)

When to Disable:

Cleaner card appearance desired
Specs not critical for selection

Lead Capture (Pro)

Enable Lead Capture

Show form before PDF download to collect user information.

Available in: Pro and Agency licenses

Fields Collected:

Name
Email (required)
Company
Phone
Project name

Use Cases:

Lead generation
Customer tracking
Email marketing list building
Project documentation

Privacy:

Complies with GDPR/CCPA (users opt-in)
Data stored locally in WordPress
Exportable as CSV

To Configure:

Enable checkbox
Choose required vs optional fields
Set custom success message

PDF Settings

Configure PDF generation, formatting, and appearance.

PDF Generation

PDF Engine

Choose which library generates PDFs.

Options:

DomPDF (default) – Faster, good compatibility
TCPDF – More features, slower

Recommendation: Use DomPDF unless you need specific TCPDF features.

Page Size

Paper size for generated PDFs.

Options:

Letter (8.5″ × 11″) – US standard, default
A4 (210mm × 297mm) – International standard
Legal (8.5″ × 14″) – US legal documents

Choose based on:

Geographic region
Industry standards
Client requirements

Page Orientation

Layout orientation for PDF pages.

Options:

Portrait (default) – Vertical, standard for most documents
Landscape – Horizontal, better for wide tables

Recommendation: Portrait for most use cases.

PDF Content

Include Cover Page

Generate branded cover page with logo, project name, and date.

Enabled by default (recommended)

Cover Page Includes:

Logo
Project name
Date generated
Company information
Brand colors

When to Disable:

Minimal PDFs desired
Cover page created separately

Include Table of Contents

Generate clickable table of contents with page numbers.

Enabled by default (recommended)

TOC Features:

Lists all products
Page numbers
Clickable navigation (in PDF viewers)

When to Disable:

Small packets (< 5 products)
Minimal formatting desired

Include Summary Table

Generate overview table with all products and key specs.

Enabled by default (recommended)

Summary Table Shows:

Product model numbers
Categories and types
Key specifications (Size, Thickness, KSI)
Compact reference on single page

Use Case:

Quick reference for architects
Bid comparison
Project planning

Spec Sheet Format

How individual product spec sheets are formatted.

Options:

Full Page (default) – One product per page, all specs visible
Compact – Multiple products per page, condensed format

Recommendation: Full page for compliance submittals.

PDF Themes (Pro)

Select PDF Theme

Choose from three professionally designed color themes that apply across your entire PDF.

Available in: Pro and Agency licenses

Themes Available:

Theme	Color	Best For
Engineering (Default)	Dark Gray (#111827)	Technical submittals, construction
Architectural	Sky Blue (#0ea5e9)	Architecture, design, modern aesthetic
Corporate	Emerald Green (#10b981)	Corporate, sustainability, healthcare

What Changes:

Cover page accent colors
Section header colors
Table header backgrounds
Border colors
Overall color scheme

To Apply:

Navigate to Settings → Branding
Find “PDF Theme” dropdown (Pro only)
Select: Engineering, Architectural, or Corporate
Click “Save Changes”
Generate a new PDF to see theme applied

Note: Your logo and brand colors are preserved; only accent colors change.

PDF Watermark (Pro)

Add Custom Watermark

Add a custom text watermark that appears diagonally across all pages.

Available in: Pro and Agency licenses

Visual Style:

Diagonal orientation (-20° rotation)
Semi-transparent (6% opacity)
Large, prominent text (64px)
Appears on ALL pages

How to Enable:

Navigate to Settings → Branding
Find “PDF Watermark” field (Pro only)
Enter custom text (e.g., “DRAFT”, “CONFIDENTIAL”)
Leave blank to disable watermark
Click “Save Changes”

Common Uses:

DRAFT – Work in progress
CONFIDENTIAL – Sensitive information
FOR REVIEW ONLY – Review copies
PRELIMINARY – Not finalized
SAMPLE – Demo materials

Best Practices:

Keep text short (under 20 characters)
Use all caps for visibility
Test opacity on printed pages

Approval Signature Block (Pro)

Include Signature Block

Add a professional 3-column approval table at the end of each product sheet.

Available in: Pro and Agency licenses

Note: This option is configured during PDF generation on the Frontend Builder review page, not in Settings.

Visual Layout:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ APPROVED BY       │ TITLE              │ DATE           │
│ ───────────────   │ ─────────────────  │ ──────────     │
│ [Name]            │ [Job Title]        │ [Date]         │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

How to Enable:

Navigate to Frontend Builder or Review page
Check “Include Approval Signature Block” (Pro only)
Fill in fields:
- Approved By: Name of approver
- Title: Job title or role
- Date: Approval date
Generate PDF

Features:

Appears on EACH product page
Professional table layout
Print-friendly signature lines
Page-break protection

Use Cases:

Construction submittals requiring approval
Compliance documentation
Quality assurance sign-offs
Project manager approvals
AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) approval

White-Label Mode (Agency)

Enable White-Label

Remove all plugin branding from PDFs and admin interface.

Available in: Agency license only

Removes:

“Generated by Submittal Builder” footer text
Plugin branding in admin pages
Plugin name in PDF metadata

Use Case:

Agencies reselling to clients
White-label solutions
Complete brand control

Pro Settings

Configure license and Pro features.

License Activation

License Key

Enter your license key to unlock Pro features.

Steps:

Copy license key from purchase email or account
Paste into “License Key” field
Click “Activate License” button
Wait for verification (2-5 seconds)
Status updates to “Active”

License Status:

🟢 Active – License valid, Pro features enabled
🟡 Expired – License expired, renew to restore features
🔴 Invalid – License key incorrect or revoked

Troubleshooting:

Verify key is correct (copy/paste carefully)
Check site URL matches activated domain
Contact support if issues persist

License Type

Displays your current license tier:

Free – Core features only
Pro Single Site – Pro features on 1 site
Pro Agency – Pro features on up to 5 sites

Activated On:
Shows site URL where license is activated.

Deactivate License:
Click “Deactivate” to free up activation for use on different site.

Pro Features

In-Browser Autosave

Remembers a visitor’s product selection in their own browser, so a refresh or a mistaken click does not lose it.

Enabled by default.

What it does not do:

Nothing is stored on your server
Selections cannot be resumed on another device or browser
Selections cannot be shared by URL or handed to a colleague

PDF Tracking Coming soon

Will track when recipients view generated PDFs. This feature is in development and is not in the current release.

Enabled by default when Pro license active

Features:

View count per PDF
Timestamps
Recipient information
Analytics dashboard (coming soon)

See PDF Tracking Guide for details.

Lead Routing (Agency) Coming soon

In development and not in the current release. When it ships it will automatically forward leads to an external CRM or email.

Available in: Agency license only

Options:

Email Forwarding – Send to specific email addresses
Webhook – POST to external URL (Zapier, Make, custom API)

Webhook Configuration:

URL endpoint
Authentication header (optional)
Custom payload format

Advanced Settings

Developer and debugging options.

Debug Mode

Enable Debug Logging

Log detailed plugin activity for troubleshooting.

Disabled by default

When Enabled:

Logs stored in /wp-content/debug.log
Includes PDF generation details
REST API requests/responses
AJAX handler activity

When to Enable:

Troubleshooting errors
Support requests
Development/testing

Important: Disable after debugging (log files can grow large).

Performance

Enable Caching

Cache product data for faster frontend loading.

Enabled by default (recommended)

Cache Duration: 1 hour (adjustable)

When to Disable:

Frequent product updates
Real-time data requirements
Cache conflicts with other plugins

Optimize Images

Automatically compress/resize product images.

Enabled by default (recommended)

Optimizations:

Resize large images to max 800px width
Compress to reduce file size
Faster page loads

When to Disable:

Images already optimized
High-quality images required

REST API

Enable REST API

Allow external applications to interact with plugin via REST API.

Enabled by default

When to Disable:

Security concerns
No external integrations needed

Documentation: See API Reference for endpoints and usage.

Cleanup

Automatic Cleanup

Automatically delete old PDFs and temporary files.

Enabled by default (recommended)

Runs: Daily via WordPress cron

Cleans Up:

PDFs older than retention period
Temporary files
Expired draft data (Pro)

Manual Cleanup:
Click “Run Cleanup Now” button to immediately clean files.

Saving Settings

Important: Always click “Save Changes” button at bottom of settings page after making changes.

Save Indicators:

Success message appears
Settings saved to database
Changes take effect immediately

If Changes Don’t Appear:

Refresh browser page
Clear browser cache
Check for JavaScript errors in console
Verify user has manage_options capability

Importing/Exporting Settings

Export Settings (Agency)

Export all plugin settings to JSON file for backup or transfer.

Use Case:

Backup before changes
Transfer settings to another site
Share configuration with team

Steps:

Click “Export Settings” button
JSON file downloads
Save securely

Import Settings (Agency)

Import previously exported settings.

Steps:

Click “Import Settings” button
Select JSON file
Confirm import
Settings applied

Warning: Importing overwrites current settings. Export first as backup.

Troubleshooting Settings

Changes not saving

Cause: Browser cache or plugin conflict.

Solution:

Clear browser cache
Try different browser
Deactivate other plugins temporarily
Check browser console for JavaScript errors

Settings page blank

Cause: PHP error or theme conflict.

Solution:

Enable WordPress debug mode
Check error logs
Switch to default theme temporarily
Contact support with error details

License key won’t activate

Cause: Key invalid, site URL mismatch, or connection issue.

Solution:

Copy key carefully (no extra spaces)
Verify site URL matches purchase
Check internet connection
Contact support if issue persists

Overview

Settings Navigation

General Settings

Plugin Status

Catalog Settings

PDF Storage

Branding Settings

Logo

Brand Colors

Company Information

Frontend Settings

Builder Page

User Interface

Lead Capture (Pro)

PDF Settings

PDF Generation

PDF Content

PDF Themes (Pro)

PDF Watermark (Pro)

Approval Signature Block (Pro)

White-Label Mode (Agency)

Pro Settings

License Activation

Pro Features

Advanced Settings

Debug Mode

Performance

REST API

Cleanup

Saving Settings

Importing/Exporting Settings

Troubleshooting Settings

Changes not saving

Settings page blank

License key won’t activate

Still stuck?