Documentation /

Getting Started

Installation

System Requirements

VetCarePress is compatible with the following environment:

  • PHP 8.1 or higher — the plugin is tested and compatible with PHP 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3.
  • WordPress 6.4 or higher — compatible with WordPress 6.4 and all subsequent releases.
  • MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.3+ — required for database table creation during activation.

No external service dependencies are required for core functionality. Third-party integrations such as Twilio, Vonage (for SMS), and reCAPTCHA (for form protection) are entirely optional and can be configured later under Settings.

Installation Methods

Upload via WP-Admin

  1. Download the vetcarepress.zip plugin archive.
  2. In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Plugins > Add New.
  3. Click Upload Plugin at the top of the page.
  4. Choose the vetcarepress.zip file and click Install Now.
  5. Once the upload completes, click Activate Plugin.

Manual Upload via FTP / SFTP

  1. Extract the vetcarepress.zip archive on your local machine.
  2. Connect to your server using an FTP or SFTP client.
  3. Upload the extracted vetcarepress folder to wp-content/plugins/.
  4. In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Plugins, locate VetCarePress in the list, and click Activate.

What Happens on Activation

When VetCarePress is activated for the first time, the plugin performs several setup tasks automatically:

  • Database tables — creates 7 custom database tables: customer records, OTP tokens, customer sessions, notification log, patient share tokens, record share tokens, and messages.
  • Uploads directory — creates wp-content/uploads/vetcarepress/ for storing uploaded files such as patient photos and documents.
  • Staff role — registers a custom WordPress user role called "Staff" with the capabilities needed to manage clinic data.
  • Customer Profile page — creates a new WordPress page containing the [vetcarepress_customer_profile] shortcode, which serves as the public-facing portal for pet owners.
  • Staff Dashboard page — creates a new WordPress page containing the [vetcarepress_staff_dashboard] shortcode, which serves as the internal management interface for clinic staff.
  • Default species and lab markers — seeds a set of default species (Canine, Feline, Equine, Avian, Rabbit, Reptile, Rodent) and standard lab panels with reference markers for each.
  • Daily cleanup cron — schedules a WordPress cron event (vcp_cleanup_expired) that runs daily to remove expired OTP tokens and expired customer sessions from custom database tables.
  • Rewrite rules — registers custom URL rewrite rules and flushes permalinks.
  • License redirect — redirects to the Settings > License tab so you can enter your license key immediately. See License Activation for details.

Composer Autoload

VetCarePress uses Composer for dependency management. If you see a "Composer autoload not found" error after activation, open a terminal in the plugin directory and run:

composer install

This generates the vendor/autoload.php file required by the plugin. Pre-built release packages already include the vendor directory, so this step is only necessary if you are working from the source repository.

Next Steps

Once the plugin is activated, proceed to License Activation to enter your license key and unlock all features.

License Activation

Activating Your License

After installing and activating VetCarePress, you are automatically redirected to the Settings > License tab. If you navigate away, you can return at any time via VetCarePress > Settings > License in the WordPress admin menu.

To activate your license:

  1. Enter your license key in the License Key field.
  2. Click Save Changes.
  3. The plugin sends the key to the VetCarePress licensing server. The server’s response is HMAC-signed and verified by the plugin before the result is accepted.
  4. On success, the license status updates to Active and all plugin features become available.

License Status Indicators

Your license can be in one of three states:

  • Active — the license is valid and all features are enabled.
  • Inactive — no license key has been entered or the key has been deactivated. Most plugin features are disabled.
  • Expired — the license term has ended. Renew your license to restore full functionality.

The Settings page is always accessible regardless of license status, so you can update or re-enter your key at any time.

Grace Period

If the licensing server is temporarily unreachable during a routine validation check, VetCarePress provides a 7-day grace period. During this window, the plugin continues to operate normally. If validation remains unsuccessful after 7 days, features are disabled until a successful validation occurs.

Moving to a New Site

Each license key is tied to a single site. To move VetCarePress to a different WordPress installation:

  1. On the old site, deactivate the VetCarePress plugin via Plugins > Installed Plugins. The deactivation hook automatically releases the license from that domain.
  2. On the new site, install and activate VetCarePress.
  3. Enter the same license key on the new site’s Settings > License tab and save.

If you deactivated the plugin but the license still appears bound to the old domain, contact support at tamas@webdevelop.hu.

Troubleshooting

If license activation fails, check the following:

  • Firewall or security plugin blocking outbound requests — the plugin must be able to reach the VetCarePress licensing server over HTTPS. Confirm that outbound HTTP requests from your server are not blocked by a firewall, hosting provider restriction, or security plugin.
  • DNS resolution issues — ensure your server can resolve external domain names. You can test this by running nslookup vetcarepress.com from your server’s command line.
  • Incorrect key — double-check that the license key is entered exactly as provided, with no leading or trailing spaces.
  • Expired license — if your license has expired, you will need to renew it before activation succeeds.

Feature Availability Without a License

Until a valid license is activated, most VetCarePress features are disabled. The following remains accessible:

  • The Settings page, including the License tab, so you can enter or update your key.

All other admin pages, shortcodes, and REST API endpoints require an active license.

Next Steps

With your license activated, proceed to First Steps to configure your clinic and start using VetCarePress.

First Steps

1. Activate Your License

Before proceeding, make sure your license key is active. If you have not done this yet, follow the License Activation guide.

2. Configure Clinic Information

Navigate to VetCarePress > Settings > General and fill in your clinic details:

  • Clinic Name — the full name of your veterinary clinic, displayed in headers and communications.
  • Short Name — an abbreviated name used where space is limited.
  • Phone — your clinic’s primary phone number.
  • Email — the contact email address for your clinic.
  • Logo — upload your clinic logo using the WordPress media library.
  • Primary Color / Secondary Color — brand colors applied across the Staff Dashboard and Customer Profile interfaces.
  • Default Country — sets the default country for address fields.
  • Weight Unit — choose between kg (kilograms) or lbs (pounds) for patient weight records.
  • Temperature Unit — choose between C (Celsius) or F (Fahrenheit) for temperature readings.
  • Patient Layout — select how patient information is presented on the Staff Dashboard: Tabs, Sidebar, or Card layout.

Click Save Changes when done.

3. Review Default Species

VetCarePress ships with a set of default species, seeded during activation. To review or modify them, navigate to WP-Admin > VetCarePress > Species (/wp-admin/edit-tags.php?taxonomy=vcp_species).

The default species are:

  • Canine
  • Feline
  • Equine
  • Avian
  • Rabbit
  • Reptile
  • Rodent

You can add new species, rename existing ones, or remove any that do not apply to your practice.

4. Review Default Lab Panels and Markers

VetCarePress automatically seeds standard lab panels and reference markers for each species. These cover common panel types:

  • Blood panels — CBC, chemistry, and related markers.
  • Urine panels — urinalysis markers.
  • Stool panels — fecal analysis markers.

Each marker includes species-specific reference ranges. Navigate to VetCarePress > Lab Results to review and adjust the panels and their reference values to match your clinic’s laboratory standards.

5. Create Your First Customer

Customers represent the pet owners in your system. You can create a customer in two ways:

  • Via WP-Admin — navigate to the VetCarePress > Customers page and click Add New. Fill in the customer’s name, email, phone number, and address.
  • Via Staff Dashboard — open the Staff Dashboard page on the front end and click the Add Customer button.

Once saved, the customer can log in to the Customer Profile page using OTP (one-time password) authentication — customers do not receive WordPress user accounts.

6. Create Your First Patient

With a customer in place, create a patient (the animal):

  1. Open the customer’s record.
  2. Click Add Patient.
  3. Select the Species from the dropdown (populated from step 3).
  4. Fill in the patient details: name, breed, date of birth, sex, weight, color/markings, and microchip number if applicable.
  5. Save the patient record.

The patient is now linked to the customer and visible on both the Staff Dashboard and the Customer Profile.

7. Add a Medical Record

With a patient created, you can add the first medical record:

  1. Open the patient’s profile.
  2. Click Add Medical Record.
  3. Enter the visit details: date, reason for visit, examination notes, diagnosis, treatment, and any prescribed medications.
  4. Attach files if needed (lab reports, images, documents).
  5. Save the record.

Medical records are displayed chronologically on the patient’s profile and are visible to both staff and the pet owner through their respective interfaces.

8. Optional Configuration

Once the basics are in place, consider configuring these additional features:

  • SMS Notifications — navigate to Settings > SMS to connect a Twilio or Vonage account for appointment reminders and customer notifications.
  • Feature Toggles — navigate to Settings > Features to enable or disable specific medical record types (clinical notes, diagnoses, lab results, imaging, treatments) and configure customer portal permissions.
  • Vaccination Reminders — navigate to Settings > Vaccination to configure automated vaccination reminder schedules and notification templates.

9. Share Access with Staff and Customers

VetCarePress provides two front-end pages created during activation:

  • Customer Profile page — share this URL with pet owners so they can log in and view their pets, medical history, vaccination records, and upcoming appointments.
  • Staff Dashboard page — share this URL with your clinic staff. Users with the Staff role (created during activation) can manage customers, patients, and records through this interface.

Both pages are standard WordPress pages and can be found under Pages in WP-Admin. You can customize their URLs via WordPress permalink settings.

Next Steps

Your clinic is now set up and ready for daily use. As your team becomes familiar with VetCarePress, explore the additional settings and features available under the VetCarePress admin menu to tailor the plugin to your workflow.

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