12.21.2011

In zen cart How to restrict my employees to just maintaining products and processing orders, and stop them from changing configuration settings?

At the moment Zen Cart gives all Admin users access to all functions, though this will be subject to review for Zen Cart 1.6. Until then, there is a 3rd party add-on, Admin Profiles, available in the downloads section that can restrict user access to specfic functions on a user-by-user basis.

In zencart How to add a category, subcategory or product?

Creating a category

Login to your admin panel, point your cursor at Catalog in the top menu. Choose Categories/Products from the drop down menu.

On the next page click the new category button.

On the next page fill in:

enter the Category Name
categories description
upload an image if desired
enter the sort order
click the save button

Note: A category can hold sub-categories or products, but not both at the same level.

Creating a product

Login to your admin panel, point your cursor at Catalog in the top menu. Choose Categories/Products from the drop down menu.

Click the folder icon for the category you wish to add to.

On the next page click the new product button.

Fill in the information on this page and click the preview button

On the next screen click the insert button

You now have a category with a product

Creating a subcategory

Login to your admin panel, point your cursor at Catalog in the top menu. Choose Categories/Products from the drop down menu.

Click the folder icon for the category you wish to add to.

On the next page click the new category button.

On the next page fill in:

enter the Category Name
categories description
upload an image if desired
enter the sort order
click the save button

Note: Subcategories can hold sub-subcategories or products, but not both at the same level.

How to add a new category in zencart?

In zen cart How to add attributes to my products?

by Ajeh - Linda McGrath
There are 3 parts to attributes:

Option Name
Option Value
Attribute on the product

Admin -> Catalog -> Option Name Manager

Example:

Color

a) Order (This is the sort order the Option Name displays on the screen.)

b) Select an Option Type:

Dropdown (note when only 1 option value this will automatically be switched to a Radio Button and later when more than one value it will automatically switch to the dropdown)
Radio Button
Checkbox
TEXT (this does not get an Option Value)
FILE (This does not get an Option Value)
READONLY (this is for Display Purposes Only and is not part of a calculation nor does it appear in the Shopping Cart or the Order. It is more or less an Informational Attribute that can be used with 1 to many products and then, later, changed in one place to change on all products.)

On some Option Names, based on the Type ... there are more settings if you Edit the Option Name:

For Option Type TEXT:

Comments
Max Display Size (size of input box on screen)
Max Length (max number of characters/spaces)

For Option Type Radio buttons and checkboxes:

There are choices of image layout

Defining Option Values

Catalog ... Option Value Manager

a) Pick the Option Name
b) Give a Name like Red
c) Give a default Sort Order

The sort order is used if you want to globably sort your Option Values to match otherwise you can set these manually per product or later update a product, category or whole store.

Attributes Controller

Now ... you should have made several Option Names like ...

Color
Size
etc.

And then set the Option Values for these like:

Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Purple
Brown
Black
White

and

Small
Medium
Large
X-Large
X-Small

Using the Default Sort Order on these values will help you later in getting them into a nice display on the product pages.

Example, to create the Option Values for the Option Name Color:

Option Name Color
Option Value Red
Option Sort Order 10

Option Name Color
Option Value Orange
Option Sort Order 20

Option Name Color
Option Value Yellow
Option Sort Order 30

Option Name Color
Option Value Green
Option Sort Order 40

Option Name Color
Option Value Blue
Option Sort Order 50

Option Name Color
Option Value Purple
Option Sort Order 60

Option Name Color
Option Value Brown
Option Sort Order 70

Option Name Color
Option Value Black
Option Sort Order 80

Option Name Color
Option Value White
Option Sort Order 90

It is also a good idea to make a Default Option Value that the Customer cannot add to the cart to force the Customer to make a proper choice with:

Option Name Color
Option Value Pick a Color from Below (or something that suits your site best)
Option Sort Order 0
Default Attribute to be Marked Selected: YES
Use for Display Purposes Only: YES

Adding the Attributes to the Products
So now to add them to the products.
This is done via the Attributes Controller

a) Select a Product to add Attributes to
You can look up a product in a couple ways ...

- Either pick a Category or a Product
- When you pick a category, the ones with a * have products in them and this will display the first product Previous/Next
- When you pick a product, click display ... this sets the category to this product's master category id ... so you can now use the Previous/Next if you like.

b) Add the Attribute Option Name+Value Pairs
Once the Product is displayed that you want to add attributes to ... go to the Add Attributes box
- The Product Name should already be selected.

1. Now select the Option Name

2. Next select a matching Option Value, notice they say what kind of Option Type you have selected. ie: Blue [COLOR]
You will notice the Option Values say their names and next to them the Option Name that they match to.

3. Depending on what you want to do with attributes there are several methods to price, add weight, sort order, and mark the type of attribute this is.

Price can be entered with a prefix of + or - or blank.

+ and blank will add the attribute price
- will subtract the attribute price

Weight can be entered optionally if it effects the product weight with a prefix of + or - or blank.

+ and blank will add the attribute weight
- will subtract the attribute weight

There are other pricing options also available besides the standard prices.

One Time Charge
Price Factor
One Time Charge Price Factor
Attribute Qty Price
One Time Attribute Qty Price
For TEXT
Price per word and free words
Price per letter and free letters

4. Then there are the Attribute Flags in the colored boxes.
These are used to help distinguish other features of the attribute such as:

Use for display only (attribute cannot be selected and added to cart. Good for things like "Select from Below" to force the customer to make their own choice and not just hit Add to Cart and get a pink snail instead of a blue snail.
Attribute is Free when product is Free (Some products you may set to Free ... but the some attributes are free and some attributes cost money.)
Default Attribute (Should be used especially on Radio buttons, or if you have an attribute you prefer the customer selects.)
Apply Discounts used by Product Sale/Special (this will apply the same type of discount that the product is getting from the products_price vs the special or sale price.)
Include in Base Price (when products are priced by attributes mark the attributes include in base price then the lowest price in each Option Name group are added together to make up the product price. NOTE: when not the product is not marked priced by attribute this setting has no effect on the price.)
Attribute Required for TEXT (Some text is required text and cannot be left blank by the customer.)

5. If this attribute is a downloadable file, enter the filename.

6. Be sure to click Add to add the newly-defined Attribute.
You can always edit or delete them after adding.

When done ... you can update the sort orders for the product to the Option Value sort order by pressing the button at the top of the page.

Downloadable Products

Note: if you plan on using downloads, be sure you have configured your Attribute Settings for the files. See Admin -> Configuration -> Attribute Settings.

Follow this link: to an FAQ on configuring downloadable attributes.

Defining Option Names:

How to add multiple images to a product in zen cart?

by: Ajeh - Linda McGrath

A product owns 1 filename ...

Note: the base image name is the original image name loaded for the product.
The concept of multiple images is best explained using an example:

From the Admin, you edit a product and specify an image file called:
a_bugs_life.gif
and put it in the
/images/dvd directory via the drop down.

Now you use your FTP program to upload additional images to /images/dvd

a_bugs_life_01.gif
a_bugs_life_02.gif
a_bugs_life_03.gif
a_bugs_life_04.gif

I used the numbers so these would load in order, as the additional images are loaded alpha/numeric.

For the large image (used in popups) I use FTP and upload:

/images/large/dvd/a_bugs_life_01_LRG.gif
/images/large/dvd/a_bugs_life_02_LRG.gif
/images/large/dvd/a_bugs_life_03_LRG.gif
/images/large/dvd/a_bugs_life_04_LRG.gif

For the medium image (used as the main image on the product_info page) I upload via FTP:

/images/medium/dvd/a_bugs_life_MED.gif

NOTE: There is ONLY ONE ( 1 ) Medium Image used per Product on the Product Info page: (pages named product_info, product_music_info etc.) The naming is related directly to the original image.

Now you do not need to use subdirectories for loading your images.

All images can be loaded to:

/images
/images/large
/images/medium

Suffixes

You can also change the suffix for Large and Medium from _LRG and _MED to something else or to nothing at all.

I use the suffixes so when looking at 2000 images I can tell what size I am really looking at just from the name. (Very handy for troubleshooting whether the right image is being loaded.)

In a future release, this will be more automated with options for auto-generating the thumb and medium based on dpi, height, width and compression ratio
For now, it uses the same directories that the auto-generated would use, but you do the FTP manually for the different sizes and additional images.

Additional information

Note: the base image name is the original image name loaded for the product.

The suffix of _MED and _LRG is optionally defined but very handy for distinguishing image names from a visual standpoint.
The medium images are kept in the /images/medium directory and the large in the /images/large directory

Additional images can be the base name of the original image plus anything after that. For example:

Original Image: fred.jpg

All of these are considered additional images because they contain the base image name PROVIDED you are in the /images directory:

fredabc.jpg
fred_73b2.jpg
fred_01.jpg
fred_02.jpg
freddy.jpg
fredrick.jpg

The advantage of the numbering on the additional images like: _01 _02 _03 is that they will sort in this order when displayed.

These images are places in the same directory as the main image such as /images

The large image match would then go in /images/large or /images/large with the Admin defined suffix added to it of _LRG

fredabc_LRG.jpg
fred_73b2_LRG.jpg
fred_01_LRG.jpg
fred_02_LRG.jpg
freddy_LRG.jpg
fredrick_LRG.jpg

However ... if using SUBDIRECTORIES such as /images/mystuff then you need the underscore ( _ ):

Original Image: fred.jpg

All of these are considered additional images because they contain the base image name PROVIDED you are in the /images/mystuff subdirectory or /images/dvd or any other subdirectory of /images:

fred_abc.jpg
fred_73b2.jpg
fred_01.jpg
fred_02.jpg
fred_dy.jpg
fred_rick.jpg

The advantage of the numbering on the additional images like: _01 _02 _03 is that they will sort in this order when displayed.

These images are places in the same directory as the main image such as /images/mystuff or /images/dvd

The large image match would then go in /images/large/mystuff or /images/large/dvd with the Admin defined suffix added to it of _LRG

fred_abc_LRG.jpg
fred_73b2_LRG.jpg
fred_01_LRG.jpg
fred_02_LRG.jpg
fred_dy_LRG.jpg
fred_rick_LRG.jpg

While both methods are available with or without the underscore, it is recommended to utilize the underscore to avoid confusion. This also provides more flexibility on the image names. However, if you prefer to do without, both methods are available.

The use of subdirectories help on speed or directory limits, especially on slower servers or servers with limitations.

NOTE: not all files show via your FTP program when you get into the 1000s of filenames within a directory.

ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT ...

1) the thumbnail, which is the smaller image, in the /images/ folder.
2) the "medium" image, which is ONLY used on the Product Info page as the primary product image. And ONLY the first "medium" image is ever used.
3) the "large" images matching the name patterns of all your thumbnails, which if the thumbnail is clicked, will show the large image.

- /images/abcd.jpg -- the thumbnail shown in all the category pages and sideboxes
- /images/medium/abcd_MED.jpg -- the main product image shown on the product page itself
- /images/large/abcd_LRG.jpg -- the large version of the main product image, which is shown if the medium image is clicked

- /images/abcd_1.jpg - extra thumbnail shown only on the bottom of the product page
- /images/large/abcd_1_LRG.jpg - large version of the abcd_1 thumbnail

- /images/abcd_2.jpg - extra thumbnail shown only on the bottom of the product page
- /images/large/abcd_2_LRG.jpg - large version of the abcd_2 thumbnail

- /images/abcd_3.jpg - extra thumbnail shown only on the bottom of the product page
- /images/large/abcd_3_LRG.jpg - large version of the abcd_3 thumbnail

TIPS

It is wise to NOT use the following symbols in your image filenames: + [ ] $ ' " \ / ()

also you can use images handler addon ,it is quite simple for one don't know how to use ftp

How do I change or reset my Admin Password? (I lost it)

1. If you can log in to your Zen Cart admin using another account, please do so, and reset/modify the other admin password as needed via Admin->Tools->Admin Settings

2. If you can't remember your admin account or password, there's still hope.
The first thing you can try is to click the "Resend Password" button and enter the admin email address.
If for some reason that doesn't work for you, you can create a temporary admin account in order to log in.
Open your phpMyAdmin (supplied by your hosting company), select your store's database, then click the "SQL" tab and run this query:

DELETE FROM admin WHERE admin_name = 'Admin';
INSERT INTO admin (admin_name, admin_email, admin_pass, admin_level)
VALUES ('Admin', 'admin@localhost', '351683ea4e19efe34874b501fdbf9792:9b', 1);

If you are using a prefix for your database tables, you'll naturally need to add that prefix to the table name above.
ie. "... FROM/INTO prefix_admin ...".
You should now be able to login using the following details:
Username: Admin
Password: admin
Be sure to use proper case. ie. 'Admin' for username, not 'admin'.

After you log in, remember to delete this temporary admin account and create a new one from Admin->Tools->Admin Settings

How to add quantity discounts to my products in zencart?

Admin -> Catalog -> Products Price Manager

- Select the product
- Edit
- click the "add 5 blank discounts" button
- fill in the details
- Update

How to configure for Canadian Taxes in zencart?

Vendors operating in Canada need to accomodate numerous tax configurations to support proper tax collection on sales to customers in provinces where they are registered to sell. There's a Federal GST , HST, and provincial PST/RST.

Tax Zones / Rates configuration can be a little confusing at times, as the terms are easily and accidentally swapped ... by mistake... thus it's sometimes hard to follow the process through completely.

Hopefully this short article will help clarify.
Some contents originally written by Peter Mosier
Revised for clarity by drbyte (drbytezen AT yahoo DOT com)
=========================
Understanding Terminology
=========================
TAX CLASS = A setting assigned to PRODUCTS and to SHIPPING that's used to calculate final taxes.
TAX ZONE = A regional setting used to help determine tax rates by geography.
TAX RATE = A rate calculated by combining a product's tax class and shipping zone with the relevant tax percentage.

Zen Cart uses SHIPPING ADDRESS to determine appropriate taxes, i.e. which TAX ZONE you are shipping into. NOTE: this is the shipping address, and *NOT* the billing address.

A TAX RATE is determined by comparing SHIPPING ADDRESS to the Tax ZONE set up for the TAX RATE; and also by Tax Class assigned to each product.

You can only assign ONE TAX CLASS to a product.
In many stores, you will only have one TAX CLASS (GST/HST/PST) since all goods are either taxable or non-taxable.
When would you use different rates? One example would be if, say, CLOTHES were taxed at a different rate than BOOKS which are in turn different from DVDs. You could create a different TAX CLASS for each family ("class") of product in that case.

In the following examples, we will be dealing with only ONE tax CLASS for products.
You likely want the GST for SHIPPING to show up seperately, so we will make a separate "TAX CLASS" for "GST on Shipping".

========= PROBLEMS:
=========

The method below shows the GST and PST totalled together on the same line (see sample output below).

Having said that, the only problem is that the two taxes are summed together onto one line.
However, the GST number is displayed, and the percentages (rates) used are displayed, and nothing is hidden, so I believe that this will be acceptable according to Federal & Provincial Gov't requirements (but I AM NOT AN ACCOUNTANT!!!!).

**************************************************
Best part is: IT DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY CONTRIBUTIONS!!!!! Just a careful setup of the zones.
**************************************************
===================
Step-by-Step SETUP:
===================

STEP (1): Set the location for your store:

Configuration --> My Store

- Country: Canada
- Zone: Ontario

STEP (2): Create the "Tax Zones". The are geographical regions where a particular set of tax laws applies
Locations/Taxes --> Zones Definitions

Create the Zone for all of Canada
- Zone Name: Canada GST Zone
- Description: GST (except Eastern Canada: NS, NB, NL)

Now click on the newly created "Canada GST Zone" row to drill down one level to "Sub Zones"
Click INSERT to create 10 new sub-zones, one at a time:

- Country: Canada; Zone: Alberta
- Country: Canada; Zone: British Columbia
- Country: Canada; Zone: Manitoba
- Country: Canada; Zone: Northwest Territories
- Country: Canada; Zone: Nunavut
- Country: Canada; Zone: Ontario
- Country: Canada; Zone: Prince Edward Island
- Country: Canada; Zone: Quebec
- Country: Canada; Zone: Saskatchewan
- Country: Canada; Zone: Yukon Territory

Click on "BACK" to go up one level.
Now create the Ontario Provincial Tax Zone:
Click Insert

- Zone Name: Ontario PST Zone
- Description: PST (only when shipping to Ontario)

Now click on the newly created "Ontario PST Zone" row to drill down one level to "Sub Zones"
Click INSERT to create new sub-zone:

- Country: Canada
- Zone: Ontario

Click on "BACK" to go up one level.
Now create the HST Tax Zone:
Click Insert

- Zone Name: Eastern Canada - HST Zone
- Description: NS, NB, NL

Now click on the newly created "HST Zone" row to drill down one level to "Sub Zones"
Click INSERT to create new sub-zone:

- Country: Canada; Zone: Nova Scotia
- Country: Canada; Zone: New Brunswick
- Country: Canada; Zone: Newfoundland

Do NOT create a separate Tax ZONE for Shipping. You will simply use the "Canada" tax zone for the GST Shipping tax CLASS (below).

*** Important: this means that SHIPPING GST will only be charged to destinations within Canada,
*** but NOT charged on exports.
*** According to Canada Customs & Revenue Agency (1-800-959-5525), you do *NOT* charge GST
*** on the shipping fee for EXPORTS.

STEP (3): Create the "Tax Classes"

Note: You can only assign ONE Tax CLASS to a product.
But since we want shipping GST to show up separately, we will make a seperate Tax CLASS just for it.

Locations/Taxes --> Tax Classes

create TWO (2) tax classes:

- Tax Class Title: GST/HST/PST Class
- Description: All taxable goods

- Tax Class Title: GST on Shipping
- Description: GST on shipping within Canada

STEP (4): TAX RATES

Here is where it all comes together: Tax Rates.
Tax RATES associate Tax ZONES & Tax CLASSES to determine the correct Tax Rate.

HINT: The "DESCRIPTION" is what shows up on the invoice, so use it judiciously!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Locations/Taxes --> Tax Rates

create SIX (6) Tax Rates:

- Tax Class Title: GST/PST/HST Class
- Zone: Canada GST Zone
- Tax Rate (%): 6.0000
- Description: 6.0% GST#99999 99999 RT0001
- Priority: 1

/*HINT: Insert your GST# as part of DESCRIPTION and it will show up on invoice !!!
/*HINT: Leave PRIORITY at "1" for a non-cumulative tax (i.e. Ontario)
- Tax Class Title: GST/PST/HST Class /* HINT: Yes, this is the same one you just used
- Zone: Ontario PST Zone
- Tax Rate (%): 8.0000
- Description: 8.0% PST (Ontario)
- Priority: 1

/*HINT: Leave PRIORITY at "1" for a non-cumulative tax (i.e. Ontario)
but change to "2" for cumulative tax (i.e. You are a Quebec store)

- Tax Class Title: GST/PST/HST Class /* HINT: Yes, this is the same one you just used
- Zone: HST Zone
- Tax Rate (%): 14.0000
- Description: 14% HST#R99999 9999 RT0001
- Priority: 1

That takes care of taxes on products. And now, the Shipping taxes:

- Tax Class Title: GST Shipping Class
- Zone: Canada GST Zone
- Tax Rate (%): 6.0000
- Description: 6.0% GST on shipping
- Priority: 1

- Tax Class Title: GST Shipping Class
- Zone: Ontario PST Zone
- Tax Rate (%): 8.0000
- Description: 8.0% PST (shipping)
- Priority: 1

- Tax Class Title: GST Shipping Class
- Zone: HST Zone
- Tax Rate (%): 14.0000
- Description: 14% shipping HST#99999 9999 RT0001
- Priority: 1

/* HINT: The above will calculate PST on shipping. Although there might
/* be a tendenancy to think of shipping as a PST exempt service, in fact
/* the Ontario Ministry of Finance says that for calculating the PST,
/* "The total selling price includes delivery, mailing, transportation, or
/* handling charges, but does not include the GST". With the above set-up,
/* the PST for the shipping gets calculated (albeit separately).
/* If you wanted them calculated together, you could assign "GST/PST/HST Class"
/* as the Tax Class when setting up the shipping method.
/* Personally, I prefer to break it out separately.

STEP (5): Specify the appropriate Tax Class for SHIPPING MODULES

MODULES --> SHIPPING

Edit whichever shipping module(s) you are using.

Tax Class: GST Shipping Class

/* SEE PREVIOUS HINT

STEP (6): Specify the appropriate Tax for PRODUCTS

This may take some time....

CATALOG --> Categories/Products

Drill down to each product. Click EDIT

TAX CLASS: "GST/PST/HST CLASS"

==============
The following SQL statement would be helpful:

-------- UPDATE products SET products_tax_class_id = 1 WHERE products_model NOT LIKE 'GIFT%';
(you'd need to confirm that the desired products_tax_class_id = 1, first )

===============
Example Output:
===============

Shipping to Ontario:

Sub-Total: $69.00
Per Item (Best Way): $10.00
8.0% PST (Ontario) + 6.0% GST #99999 9999 RT0001: $9.66
6.0% GST (shipping) + 8.0% PST (shipping): $ 1.40
Total: $90.06

Shipping into the HST zone (NB, NS, or NL):

Sub-Total: $69.00
Per Item (Best Way): $10.00
14% HST#R86179 1655 RT0001: $9.66
14% shipping HST#99999 9999 RT0001: $ 1.40
Total: $90.06

Shipping to Canada, but non-HST, and non-Ontario:
Sub-Total: $69.00
Per Item (Best Way): $10.00
6.0% GST # 99999 9999 RT0001: $ 4.25
6.0% GST (shipping): $ 0.60
Total: $83.74

Shipping to non-Canada zone:
Sub-Total: $69.00
Per Item (Best Way): $10.00
Total: $79.00

How to configure the taxes in zencart? (US state sales tax - single rate)

FIRST, set your store's zone properly:
Admin > Configuration > My Store > Zone
Choose your country and zone from the lists provided by the edit button.

Here is an example, for setting up taxes for the state of Colorado:

Go to:
Admin > Locations/Taxes > Zones Definitions > Insert
Zone Name: Colorado
Description: Colorado State Sales Tax (or whatever you like)
click on 'insert'

Click on 'Details' after creating a zone
Click on 'Insert'
Country = United States
Zone = Colorado
Click on 'insert'

Go to:
Admin > Locations/Taxes > Tax Classes
Click on 'New Tax Class'
Title = Taxable Goods
Description = Whatever you like
Click on 'insert'

Go to:
Admin > Locations/Taxes > Tax Rates

Click on 'New Tax Rate'
Select your zone, 'Colorado'
Set your tax rate
give it a description, ex: Colorado State Sales Tax
Click on insert

Last, make sure you apply the new tax class that you created (Taxable Goods) to any and all products that you might be charging tax on.

To make this faster when adding new products, in the Admin area, you can select a default Tax Class to be applied to all new products you create, by selecting "Catalog -> Product Types -> (choose a product type) -> Edit Layout -> Default Tax Class

How to delete a category in zencart?

Open the Admin, point your cursor at Catalog in the top menu. Choose Categories/Products from the drop down menu. On the new page, click the "X" icon (red) on the right side of the page.

From the next page, choose Delete or Cancel.

NOTE: Deleting a top level category will remove the subcategories and products it contains.

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