ReCurr – Installation Guide

A comprehensive guide to installing and configuring ReCurr for your WooCommerce store

Current version: 2.8.8 (October 2026)

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Table of Contents

1. System Requirements
2. Before You Begin
3. Installation Steps
4. Activating Your Licence
5. PayFast Gateway Setup
6. ReCurr Settings Configuration
7. Creating Your First Subscription Product
8. Understanding Billing Cycles
9. Trial Periods
10. Plus-Tier Features
11. Manual EFT Subscriptions
12. Auto-Updates
13. Testing Your Setup
14. Upgrading to ReCurr Pro
15. Where to Next – Tutorials
16. Troubleshooting
17. Support

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System Requirements

Before installing ReCurr, ensure your WordPress site meets these minimum requirements:

Server Requirements

Requirement	Minimum Version	Recommended
WordPress	5.8	6.0 or higher
WooCommerce	5.0	8.0 or higher
PHP	8.1	8.1 or higher
MySQL	5.7	8.0 or higher
MariaDB	10.3	10.6 or higher

PHP 8.1 or newer from ReCurr 2.8.8. On older PHP, WordPress does not offer the 2.8.8 update and your site stays on 2.8.7 until PHP is upgraded — ask your host. If 2.8.8 is installed on older PHP some other way, ReCurr does not start, and administrators see a notice saying why instead of an error. Check your version under Tools → Site Health → Info → Server.

 

Required Components

• SSL Certificate – HTTPS is mandatory for payment processing
• WooCommerce – Must be installed and activated
• PayFast Account – Merchant account with tokenization enabled (for automated payments)
• Email Service – Working email configuration (SMTP recommended)

Optional Components

• WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips – For PDF invoice generation (recommended for Manual EFT subscriptions)
• Software License Manager – For automated license key generation (if using license-based products)

Before You Begin

1. PayFast Account Setup

ReCurr uses PayFast for payment processing. You’ll need:

For Automated (PayFast) Subscriptions:

• A PayFast Merchant Account (not a buyer account)
• Tokenization enabled (contact PayFast support to enable)
• Your Merchant ID and Merchant Key
• A Passphrase configured in your PayFast dashboard (required for security)

For Manual EFT Subscriptions:

• Your business banking details (for invoices)
• No PayFast account required (but recommended for flexibility)

2. Download ReCurr

1. Log into your account at https://cyberdummies.co.za/my-account
2. Navigate to My Account → Downloads
3. Download the latest ReCurr plugin file (e.g., recurr-v2.8.8.zip — or whichever is the current version)

Already running ReCurr? From v2.4.1 onwards, updates arrive automatically via WordPress Dashboard → Updates as long as your licence is active. You only need to download the zip manually for first install or if your licence has lapsed. See Auto-Updates below.

3. Backup Your Site

Before installing any plugin, create a complete backup:

• Database backup
• Files backup
• Or use a backup plugin like UpdraftPlus

Installation Steps

Step 1: Upload the Plugin

1. Log into your WordPress Admin Dashboard
2. Go to Plugins → Add New
3. Click Upload Plugin button at the top
4. Click Choose File and select the recurr-v2.8.8.zip file (or whichever current version you downloaded)
5. Click Install Now

Step 2: Activate the Plugin

1. After installation completes, click Activate Plugin
2. You should see a success message

Step 3: Verify Installation

After activation, verify ReCurr is installed correctly:

1. Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Payments
2. You should see PayFast Subscriptions listed as a payment method
3. Check your WordPress admin sidebar – you should see a new Subscriptions menu item
4. Go to Products → Add New and check the Product Data section – you should see subscription options

Success! ReCurr is now installed. Next, activate your licence so you can receive automatic updates and unlock features matching the tier you purchased.

Activating Your Licence

ReCurr uses a single licence key to authorise the plugin and unlock the features that match your subscription tier (Standard, Plus, or Pro).

Licence Key Formats

Your licence key was emailed to you on purchase. The prefix tells you (and the plugin) which tier you’re on:

Prefix	Tier	What it unlocks
RECURR-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX	Standard	All core billing features (every billing period, 7-day trial, pro-rata, manual EFT, dashboard)
RECPLUS-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX	Plus	Standard + cycle toggle, flexible trials (7/14/21/28 days), quarterly discounts, plan switching and variable subscriptions
RECPRO-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX	Pro	Plus + the entire ReCurr Pro plugin (CRM + Affiliate). The Pro key satisfies both the base ReCurr licence page and the ReCurr Pro licence page

If you can’t find your key, log into your account at cyberdummies.co.za → My Account → Licences.

Step 1: Open the Licence Page

1. In WordPress admin, go to Subscriptions → Licence
2. You’ll see the current status (initially INACTIVE) and a single field for your licence key

Step 2: Activate

1. Paste your licence key into the Licence Key field
2. Click Activate Licence
3. Within a few seconds the status should change to ACTIVE and show your expiry date and detected tier

Step 3: Confirm the Detected Tier

Once active, the licence page should display the tier matching your key prefix. If you bought a Plus key but the page shows Standard, contact support — the licence-server registration may be incorrect.

Common Activation Errors

Error message	Cause	Fix
“Invalid license key”	Typo, or key belongs to a different product	Check email for the exact key string
“License is already active on another domain”	Key was activated on a different site	Go to My Account → Licences on cyberdummies.co.za and deactivate the old domain, then retry
“License has expired”	Subscription lapsed	Renew at cyberdummies.co.za/recurr
“Could not connect to license server”	Firewall or temporary network issue	Wait a minute and retry; check your hosting can reach cyberdummies.co.za outbound

No licence key yet? ReCurr will still install and run without one — but you won’t receive auto-updates and Plus / Pro features will stay locked. Purchase a key at cyberdummies.co.za/recurr.

PayFast Gateway Setup

If you plan to accept automated recurring payments via credit/debit cards, configure PayFast:

Step 1: Enable PayFast Subscriptions

1. Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Payments
2. Find PayFast Subscriptions in the payment methods list
3. Click the toggle to Enable it
4. Click Manage to configure settings

Step 2: Enter PayFast Credentials

In the PayFast settings page, configure:

Setting	Description	Example
Enable/Disable	Check to enable PayFast	✓ Enabled
Title	What customers see at checkout	“Credit/Debit Card (Recurring)”
Description	Payment method description	“Secure recurring billing via PayFast”
Merchant ID	Your PayFast Merchant ID	10000100
Merchant Key	Your PayFast Merchant Key	46f0cd694581a
Passphrase	Security passphrase (required)	YourSecurePassphrase123
Enable Sandbox Mode	For testing only	☐ Unchecked (for live)

Important Notes:

• The Passphrase must match what you set in your PayFast dashboard
• Keep Sandbox Mode disabled for live transactions
• Enable Sandbox Mode only during testing

Step 3: Configure PayFast ITN (Instant Transaction Notification)

PayFast needs to notify your site about payment events:

1. Log into your PayFast Merchant Dashboard at https://www.payfast.co.za
2. Go to Settings → Integration
3. Set the Notify URL (ITN URL) to:

   https://yourdomain.com/?wc-api=crb_payfast
   

   Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain

4. Click Update to save

Step 4: Test PayFast Connection (Optional but Recommended)

1. In WooCommerce PayFast settings, enable Sandbox Mode
2. Use PayFast sandbox credentials (acquired from PayFast Sandbox)
   • Register with your Email at https://sandbox.payfast.co.za/
   • Set your Passphrase
   • Copy Merchant ID, Merchant Key and Passphrase
   • Enter into respective fields under Payments → Payfast Subscriptions in WordPress dashboard
3. Create a test subscription product (see next section)
4. Complete a test purchase
5. Verify subscription appears in Subscriptions menu
6. Remember to disable Sandbox Mode when going live!

Step 5: Save Settings

Click Save changes at the bottom of the PayFast settings page.

ReCurr Settings Configuration

Configure ReCurr-specific settings for optimal operation:

Step 1: Access ReCurr Settings

1. Go to Subscriptions → Settings in your WordPress admin
2. You’ll see two tabs: General and Manual EFT

Step 2: General Settings

Failed Payment Retry Count:

• Set how many times to retry failed payments before putting subscription on hold
• Not required for Manual (EFT) subscriptions
• Recommended: 3 attempts
• Range: 1-10

Pro-rata billing (monthly) (v2.4.30):

• On (default): monthly subscriptions are pro-rated for the rest of the month at signup and renew on the 1st (South African style)
• Off: monthly subscriptions are charged the full price on signup and renew on the same calendar day each month (anniversary billing)
• Affects new monthly sign-ups and trial conversions only — existing subscriptions keep their renewal dates, and other cycles (weekly/quarterly/annual) are unaffected
• See Understanding Billing Cycles for worked examples

Click Save Changes.

Step 3: Manual (EFT) Subscriptions Settings (For Corporate Clients)

If you plan to accept manual EFT payments from corporate clients:

Invoice Schedule:

Setting	Description	Recommended
Invoice Day	Day of month invoices are generated	25th

Why the 25th? This aligns with South African business billing practices, where invoices are sent on the 25th and payment is due on the 1st of the following month.

Bank Details:

Enter your business banking details (shown on invoices):

Field	Example
Bank Name	FNB
Account Name	Your Business (Pty) Ltd
Account Number	62XXXXXXXXX
Branch Code	250655
Account Type	Cheque / Savings

These details will appear on all manual EFT invoices sent to customers.

Click Save Changes.

Creating Your First Subscription Product

Now that ReCurr is configured, let’s create a subscription product:

Step 1: Create a New Product

1. Go to Products → Add New
2. Enter a Product Name (e.g., “Premium Membership”)
3. Add a Description explaining the subscription benefits

Step 2: Enable Subscription Billing

In the Product Data section:

1. Locate Enable Subscription Billing checkbox
2. Check it ✓
3. A new Subscription tab will appear in the Product Data tabs

Step 3: Configure Subscription Settings

Click the Subscription tab and configure:

Billing Period:

Field	Options	Example
Billing Interval	1, 2, 3, etc.	1
Billing Period	Month, Quarter, Week, Year	Month

Common Configurations:

Type	Interval	Period
Weekly	1	Week
Monthly	1	Month
Quarterly	1	Quarter
Annual	1	Year

Step 4: Set Pricing

In the General tab of Product Data:

1. Enter the Regular Price (e.g., R99 for monthly subscription)
2. For annual subscriptions with discounts, enter the monthly equivalent price

Step 5: Configure Discounts (Optional)

ReCurr supports product-level discounts for annual subscriptions:

For Annual Discounts:

1. Set Billing Period to “Year”
2. Check Enable Annual Discount
3. Select discount type: Percentage or Fixed Amount
4. Enter discount value (e.g., 20% or R200)
5. Preview shows calculated savings

Example Annual Discount:

Base price: R99/month
Annual base: R1,188/year (R99 × 12)
Discount: 20%
Final price: R950.40/year
Customer saves: R237.60

Step 6: Add Product Details

1. Upload a Product Image
2. Set Product Categories (optional)
3. Add Tags (optional)

Step 7: Publish

Click Publish to make your subscription product live!

Your customers can now purchase this subscription from your store.

Understanding Billing Cycles

ReCurr supports multiple billing cycles with different behaviors:

Monthly Billing (Pro-rata or Anniversary — your choice)

From v2.4.30 a store-wide Pro-rata billing (monthly) toggle lets you choose how monthly subscriptions bill. Find it under Subscriptions → Settings → General. It defaults to On, so existing stores keep the South African pro-rata behaviour with no change.

Pro-rata mode (toggle ON — default)

Monthly subscriptions follow the South African billing cycle:

Billing Schedule:

• Payment Date: 1st of each month
• Pro-rata: YES – customers pay only for the remaining days when signing up mid-month

Example: Customer signs up January 15th (R99/month subscription)

Jan 15: Pro-rata charged (R54.87 for Jan 15-31 = 17 days)
Feb 1:  Full month charged (R99)
Mar 1:  Full month charged (R99)
... continues on the 1st of each month

Pro-rata Extension: If signup occurs within 7 days of month-end OR the pro-rata amount is less than R5.00 (PayFast minimum), ReCurr automatically charges for the current partial month + the full next month, and sets the next payment to the 1st two months out.

Anniversary mode (toggle OFF)

Monthly subscriptions are charged the full price on signup and renew on the same calendar day each month — no pro-rata, no 1st-of-month alignment.

Example: Customer signs up January 15th (R99/month subscription)

Jan 15: Full month charged (R99)
Feb 15: Full month charged (R99)
Mar 15: Full month charged (R99)
... continues on the 15th of each month

The toggle affects new monthly sign-ups and trial conversions only. Existing subscriptions keep their current renewal dates, and weekly/quarterly/annual cycles are unaffected either way. Renewal dates that land on the 29th/30th/31st (or 29 Feb) clamp to the last day of shorter months rather than drifting forward.

Quarterly Billing (Anniversary-based)

Quarterly subscriptions renew every 3 months from the signup date:

Billing Schedule:

• Renewal: Every 3 months from signup date
• Pro-rata: NO – full amount charged each quarter

Example: Customer signs up January 10th (R249/quarter subscription)

Jan 10, 2025: R249 charged (First payment)
Apr 10, 2025: R249 charged
Jul 10, 2025: R249 charged
Oct 10, 2025: R249 charged
Jan 10, 2026: R249 charged
... continues every 3 months on the 10th

Annual Billing (Anniversary-based)

Annual subscriptions renew once per year on the anniversary date:

Billing Schedule:

• Renewal: Same date each year
• Pro-rata: NO – full amount charged annually

Example: Customer signs up January 10th (R950/year subscription)

Jan 10, 2025: R950 charged (First payment)
Jan 10, 2026: R950 charged
Jan 10, 2027: R950 charged
... continues annually on January 10th

Weekly Billing (Anniversary-based)

Weekly subscriptions renew every 7 days from signup:

Billing Schedule:

• Renewal: Every 7 days from signup
• Pro-rata: NO – full amount charged each week

Example: Customer signs up January 10th (R25/week subscription)

Jan 10: R25 charged (First payment)
Jan 17: R25 charged
Jan 24: R25 charged
Jan 31: R25 charged
... continues every 7 days

Trial Periods

ReCurr supports free trials with automatic conversion to paid billing. This works on all licence tiers — Plus and Pro just unlock more configuration options.

No card required to start a trial

Important: From v2.4.13 ReCurr uses no-card trials. Customers do not enter card details to start a trial, and no card is tokenised at signup. PayFast is only involved when the customer chooses to add a card and convert to paid. 

How Trials Work

1. Customer adds a trial-enabled product to cart and checks out — no card, no payment (R0.00 total). An account is created so they can manage the subscription.
2. The trial starts immediately. A “trial started” email is sent and, if you use the Software License Manager, the licence key is issued straight away.
3. During the trial, ReCurr sends reminder emails (72h / 48h / 24h before the end). Each one contains a secure magic link that logs the customer in with one click and opens an “add your card” page.
4. When the customer adds their card via the magic link, they’re taken to PayFast to securely tokenise the card and pay the first amount — pro-rata for monthly products in pro-rata mode, otherwise the full price. The subscription becomes Active.
5. If the trial ends with no card added, the subscription goes on-hold, the licence is paused, and a 7-day grace period begins during which the magic link still works to reactivate. If the grace period lapses with no card, the subscription is auto-cancelled — the customer is never charged.

Because no card is taken at signup, there are no “phantom trials” to clean up and no tokenisation step that can fail before the trial starts. A customer either has a running trial or they don’t.

Enabling a Trial on a Product

1. Edit any subscription product
2. In the Product Data → General tab, find the Free Trial section
3. Check Enable Trial
4. Set the Trial Duration dropdown:
   • Standard tier: Locked to 7 days
   • Plus / Pro tiers: Choose 7, 14, 21, or 28 days
5. Update the product

What the Customer Sees

• Product page: “Try free for X days — no card required” notice
• Cart: R0.00 total with trial info; the checkout asks only for the essentials (name, email) since no card is collected
• Checkout button: reads “Activate Trial” instead of “Proceed to PayFast”
• After checkout: the trial subscription appears in My Account → Subscriptions with the trial end date, and the reminder emails carry the magic-link “add your card” call to action

Plus-Tier Features

These features become available when you activate a RECPLUS- or RECPRO- licence key. With a Standard key they remain visible in the admin but the configuration controls are disabled with a “Plus required” notice.

Billing Cycle Toggle

Customers choose their billing cycle on the product page (e.g., monthly vs. annual) instead of you having to publish separate products.

To enable on a product:

1. Edit the product
2. In Product Data → General find the Billing Cycle Toggle section
3. Check Enable Cycle Toggle
4. Tick the cycles you want to offer (e.g., Monthly + Annual)
5. The product page now renders a toggle showing each cycle’s price live (and any discounts you’ve configured)

Variable Subscriptions

A variable product is WooCommerce’s way of selling one product in several options — a hoodie in sizes S, M and L, a plan as Monthly or Annual, a box as “Buy once” or “Subscribe”. From version 2.8.0, ReCurr can sell each of those options as a subscription, and every option can have its own price, billing period, trial and discount.

(Plus and Pro, from ReCurr 2.8.0) —  Switch it on under Subscriptions → Settings → General → Variable subscription products; it is off until you do.

Quarterly & Annual Discounts

Independent discount controls for the quarterly and annual cycles. Both support either percentage or fixed-rand types and show a live preview of customer savings while you edit the product.

To configure:

1. Edit a subscription product (Plus key required for quarterly discounts; annual discounts work in Standard too)
2. In the Subscription or General tab find Quarterly Discount / Annual Discount sections
3. Enable, choose type, enter value
4. Preview box shows: base price → discounted price → savings amount

Flexible Trial Durations

See Trial Periods above. With a Plus / Pro key the Trial Duration dropdown unlocks 14, 21, and 28 days in addition to 7.

Plan Switching (Upgrade / Downgrade)

Customers can request a plan change from My Account → Subscription detail → Change Plan. The change is queued and applied at the next renewal date — no disruption to the current billing period.

Requirements:

• Both products must share the same _crb_plan_group slug (set in the product editor)
• Customer must hold an active subscription on one of the grouped products
• Plus key required to expose the Change Plan button

Cancelling a queued change: Customers can cancel a queued change before it takes effect from the same Subscription detail page.

For more details on the Plus-tier features, please navigate to the Plus Tutorials.

Manual EFT Subscriptions

ReCurr allows you to create manual subscriptions for corporate clients who pay via EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer):

When to Use Manual EFT Subscriptions

• Corporate clients who prefer invoice + EFT payment
• Clients who cannot use credit/debit cards
• Enterprise accounts with accounting departments
• Government or institutional clients

Creating a Manual EFT Subscription

1. Go to Subscriptions → Add Subscription
2. Select Customer:
   • Search for existing customer by name or email
   • Or click Add New Customer to create one
3. Select Product:
   • Choose a subscription product from the dropdown
   • View product details (price, billing period)
4. Configure Billing:
   • Select Billing Period (Monthly, Quarterly, Annual)
   • View calculated amounts based on product price and discounts
   • Ability to select a Monhtly subscription and bill it either
     Quarterly or Annually
   • Same applies to a Quarterly cycle, which can also be billed annually
5. Payment Method:
   • Shows as “Manual EFT”
   • Displays your configured bank details
6. Review:
   • Check customer details
   • Verify product and amount
   • Confirm next invoice date
7. Click Create Subscription

What Happens Next

1. Subscription Created:

   • Status: Active
   • Next Invoice Date: Automatically calculated
   • Unique EFT Reference: Generated (e.g., SUB-12345)

2. Customer Receives Email:

   • Invoice with subscription details
   • Your bank details
   • Unique EFT reference for payment
   • PDF invoice attached (if WooCommerce PDF Invoices plugin installed)

3. Monthly Invoice Generation:

   • On the configured invoice day (default: 25th)
   • Automatic email with updated invoice
   • PDF attachment included

Managing Manual EFT Payments

1. Go to Subscriptions menu
2. Click on subscription ID
3. Confirm Payment:
   • When customer pays via EFT
   • Click Add Payment or change status to Active
   • Add payment note with transaction reference
4. View History:
   • All invoices sent
   • Payment confirmations
   • Status changes

Auto-Updates

From v2.4.1 onwards, ReCurr supports automatic updates via the WordPress dashboard — you no longer need to download and reinstall zips manually.

How It Works

1. When CyberDummies releases a new version, the WordPress update system is notified via a public update endpoint
2. Within 6 hours (or sooner if you click Dashboard → Updates → Check Again), the new version appears in your WordPress dashboard
3. Click Update Now on the ReCurr row in Plugins → Installed Plugins — the new version downloads, installs, and activates automatically
4. The standard View version X.Y.Z details link opens a modal showing the changelog before you commit

Licence-Gated Downloads

Auto-updates require an active licence:

• Active licence: auto-updates work end-to-end, one click
• Lapsed licence: ReCurr keeps running on the version you have, but Update Now clicks return a clear error message
• Renewed licence: updates re-enable immediately, no plugin reinstall needed

Manually Forcing an Update Check

If a new release is announced but doesn’t appear in Dashboard → Updates:

1. Go to Dashboard → Updates
2. Click Check Again at the top
3. If still missing, deactivate + reactivate ReCurr from the Plugins page to bust the cache

Disabling Auto-Updates

Auto-updates are opt-out per-plugin via WordPress’s standard auto-update controls (the toggle on the Plugins → Installed Plugins row). ReCurr respects whatever you set there.

Testing Your Setup

Before accepting live payments, test your ReCurr installation:

Pre-Launch Checklist

• [  ] PayFast credentials entered correctly
• [  ] PayFast Sandbox Mode enabled (for testing)
• [  ] PayFast ITN URL configured in PayFast dashboard
• [  ] SSL certificate installed and active (HTTPS working)
• [  ] At least one subscription product created
• [  ] ReCurr settings configured (retry count, invoice day, bank details)
• [  ] Email sending working (test with WooCommerce test email)

Test Automated Subscription

1. Enable Sandbox Mode:

   • WooCommerce → Settings → Payments → PayFast → Sandbox Mode ✓

2. Create Test Product:

   • Use a low price (e.g., R10)
   • Set to Monthly billing

3. Complete Test Purchase:

   • Add product to cart as a logged-in customer
   • Proceed to checkout
   • Select PayFast payment method
   • Complete payment using PayFast sandbox credentials

4. Verify Subscription Created:

   • Check Subscriptions menu
   • Verify status is “Active”
   • Confirm next payment date is correct
   • Check customer received confirmation email

5. Disable Sandbox Mode:

   • Once testing successful, disable Sandbox Mode
   • Switch to live PayFast credentials

Test Manual EFT Subscription

1. Create Test Customer:

   • WooCommerce → Customers → Add New
   • Use a test email address you control

2. Create Manual Subscription:

   • Subscriptions → Add Subscription
   • Select test customer
   • Choose subscription product
   • Create subscription

3. Verify Email Sent:

   • Check test email inbox
   • Verify invoice received with bank details
   • Confirm PDF attachment (if plugin installed)

4. Test Payment Recording:

   • View subscription details
   • Add a test payment note
   • Verify subscription remains Active

Upgrading to ReCurr Pro

ReCurr Pro is a separate plugin that extends base ReCurr with a full CRM (contacts, lifecycle stages, email campaigns, marketing automation) and a complete affiliate / referral platform.

When to Consider Pro

You’ll benefit from Pro if you want to:

• Track customer relationships beyond just subscription state — tags, segments, custom fields, notes, tasks
• Send segmented email campaigns directly from WordPress (no third-party tool needed)
• Run an affiliate or referral programme paying commissions on sales and renewals
• Get MRR / churn / LTV reporting in a dedicated dashboard

How Pro Works Alongside Base ReCurr

• Pro is a separate plugin — install both, keep both active. Pro extends base; it does not replace it.
• A RECPRO- licence key unlocks both plugins simultaneously. You enter the same key on the base ReCurr Licence page and the ReCurr Pro Licence page.
• Always update base ReCurr first when both have updates available, then Pro.

Install Order

1. Make sure base ReCurr is on the latest version (2.8.8; 2.8.7 on PHP 7.4 / 8.0) and licensed
2. Download recurr-pro-vX.Y.Z.zip from My Account → Downloads
3. Upload via Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
4. Activate — Pro will refuse to activate (with an admin notice) if base ReCurr isn’t present or is too old
5. Open Subscriptions → ReCurr Pro Licence and paste your RECPRO- key
6. The base ReCurr Licence page will now also show as ACTIVE under the Pro key

Full Pro setup walkthrough lives in ReCurr Pro/INSTALLATION.md (shipped alongside the Pro plugin).

Where to Next — Tutorials

This guide stops at “ready to use.” For step-by-step walkthroughs of specific features, see the ReCurr Tutorials series shipped alongside this guide:

Tutorial	Topic	Approx. time
Tutorial 1	Getting Started — first product, first subscription	15 min
Tutorial 2	Creating Subscription Products — pricing, periods, discounts	20 min
Tutorial 3	Configuring PayFast — credentials, ITN, sandbox testing	20 min
Tutorial 4	Managing Subscriptions — admin dashboard, status changes, search	15 min
Tutorial 5	Manual EFT Subscriptions — corporate clients, invoice flow	25 min
Tutorial 6	Customer Experience — what your customers see end-to-end	20 min
Tutorial 7	Invoicing — PDF invoices, email templates, payment receipts	20 min
Tutorial 8	Settings Reference — every option explained	15 min

Plus-tier tutorials (Plus / Pro licence required to follow along):

• Plus Tutorial 1: Billing Cycle Toggle
• Plus Tutorial 2: Flexible Trials
• Plus Tutorial 3: Quarterly Discounts
• Plus Tutorial 4: Plan Switching

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue: PayFast Payments Not Processing

Symptoms:

• Payment completes on PayFast but subscription not created
• Customer charged but no confirmation email

Checks:

1. Verify PayFast credentials are correct (Merchant ID, Key, Passphrase)
2. Ensure Passphrase matches in both PayFast dashboard AND WooCommerce settings
3. Check ITN URL is correctly set in PayFast dashboard: https://yourdomain.com/?wc-api=crb_payfast
4. Verify SSL certificate is valid and HTTPS is working
5. Check WooCommerce → Status → Logs for errors

Solution:

• Most PayFast issues are due to incorrect Passphrase or ITN URL
• Re-enter Passphrase carefully (case-sensitive)
• Test with Sandbox Mode first

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Issue: Subscription Not Created After Checkout

Symptoms:

• Customer completes checkout
• Order created but no subscription

Checks:

1. Verify product has “Enable Subscription Billing” checked
2. Check billing period is configured in product settings
3. Confirm PayFast payment gateway is enabled
4. Review WooCommerce → Status → Logs for error messages

Solution:

• Edit product
• Re-check “Enable Subscription Billing”
• Re-save product
• Test purchase again

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Issue: Pro-rata Amount Incorrect

Symptoms:

• Pro-rata calculation seems wrong
• Customer charged unexpected amount

Explanation:

• Pro-rata ONLY applies to monthly subscriptions
  • If signup is within 7 days of month-end, pro-rata extension applies (charges current + next month)
• Quarterly, Annual, Weekly use full upfront payment
  • Anniversay payment applies, e.g. 7 days from sign-up for weekly billing cycle, exactly 3 months from sign-up for Quarterly, or 12 months for Annual billing cycle

Checks:

1. Verify product billing period is “Month(ly)”
2. Check if pro-rata extension was applied (check subscription meta)
3. Confirm calculation: (Monthly price ÷ Days in month) × Remaining days

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Issue: Customer Can’t See Subscriptions in My Account

Symptoms:

• Customer logged in but no subscriptions shown
• “Subscriptions” tab missing

Checks:

1. Verify customer is logged into correct account
2. Check subscription status (must be Active, not Cancelled or Expired)
3. Clear browser cache and site cache (if using caching plugin)
4. Verify ReCurr plugin is activated

Solution:

• Flush permalinks: Settings → Permalinks → Save Changes
• Clear all caches
• Test in incognito/private browsing mode

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Issue: Emails Not Sending

Symptoms:

• No subscription confirmation emails
• No invoice emails for manual EFT subscriptions

Checks:

1. Test WooCommerce email: WooCommerce → Settings → Emails → Send Test Email
2. Check email logs if using SMTP plugin
3. Verify emails not going to spam/junk folder
4. Check email sending service is working
   • Confirm with Hosting Provider if blocked

Solution:

• Install and configure SMTP plugin (recommended: MailerSend), or
• Use reputable email service (SendGrid, Mailgun, etc.)
• Check spam folder and whitelist sender email

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Issue: Manual EFT Invoice PDF Not Attached

Symptoms:

• Invoice email sent but no PDF attachment
• Customer receives plain text invoice only

Requirements:

• WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips plugin must be installed
• Plugin must be activated and configured

Solution:

1. Install WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips plugin
2. Activate plugin
3. Go to WooCommerce → Settings → PDF Invoices
4. Configure settings
5. Test by creating new manual subscription

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Issue: Next Payment Date Incorrect

Symptoms:

• Subscription shows wrong next payment date
• Annual subscription shows next payment in 1 month instead of 12 months

Checks:

1. Verify you’re running the current version (v2.4.30 or later) via Plugins → Installed Plugins. Date-calculation issues from the v1.2.x era have long been fixed, and v2.4.30 added month-end clamping so dates on the 29th/30th/31st (or 29 Feb) no longer drift.
2. Check subscription billing period matches expectations (monthly vs. quarterly vs. annual)
3. For trial subscriptions, the “next payment” date is the trial end date until the first real charge fires

Solution:

• If on an old version, update via Dashboard → Updates (auto-updates available since v2.4.1)
• If next payment date still looks wrong on a current version, view the subscription’s activity log to see how the date was calculated
• Contact support with the subscription ID if it’s clearly incorrect

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Issue: Customer’s Trial Isn’t Converting to Paid

Background (v2.4.13+ no-card trials):

• Trials start with no card. To convert, the customer must add a card via the magic link in their reminder emails (72h / 48h / 24h before the trial ends).
• If they don’t add a card by the trial end, the subscription goes on-hold with a 7-day grace period, during which the magic link still works. After grace, it auto-cancels with no charge.

Checks:

1. Confirm the customer received the reminder emails — check your email deliverability (SMTP, spam folder). Trial reminders are the only prompt to add a card, so email must be working.
2. Ask the customer to click the magic link in the most recent reminder (or the on-hold notice) — it logs them in and opens the “add your card” page.
3. If the magic link reports as expired, the grace period may have lapsed — the subscription will show Cancelled. The customer can simply sign up again.
4. Check WooCommerce → Status → Logs and the subscription’s activity log for the conversion attempt.

Note: There is no card tokenisation at trial signup anymore, so the old “phantom trial / trial created without tokenisation” problem (v2.4.7 and earlier) no longer exists.

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Getting Debug Information

If you need to contact support, gather this information:

1. WordPress Environment:

   • WordPress version: Dashboard → Updates
   • WooCommerce version: Plugins page
   • ReCurr version: Plugins page
   • WP_DEBUG:  Switch it on in wp-config.php, so ReCurr writes its detailed log lines
   • WooCommerce Error logs:  ReCurr’s log lines are here (WooCommerce >> Status >> Logs), no longer in wp-content/debug.log
   • PHP version: WooCommerce → Status → Server Environment
     • This can be obtained from your hosting provider

2. Error Logs:

   • WooCommerce → Status → Logs
   • Select the most recent log file whose source is “recurr”
   • Copy relevant error messages

3. Subscription Details:

   • Subscription ID
   • Customer email
   • Product name
   • Billing period
   • Status

4. PayFast Information (if payment issue):

   • Sandbox or Live mode?
   • ITN URL configured?
   • Passphrase set?

Support

Self-Help Resources

• Documentation: https://cyberdummies.co.za/recurr/
• Installation Guide: This document
• Changelog: Review recent updates and bug fixes
• WooCommerce Documentation: https://woocommerce.com/documentation/
• PayFast Support: https://www.payfast.co.za/support

Contact Support

If you need assistance:

Email Support:

• Email: [email protected]
• Response time: Within 24 business hours (usually much sooner)
• Hours: Monday – Thursday, 09:00 – 16:00 SAST
  Friday:  09:00 – 12:00 (SAST)

Before Contacting Support:

Please have ready:

• Your license key
• WordPress and WooCommerce versions
• ReCurr version
• Debug logs (See Getting debug info above)
• Steps to reproduce the issue
• Screenshots (if applicable)

Support Scope:

✅ Covered:

• Installation assistance
• Configuration guidance
• Bug reports
• Feature clarification
• Integration with PayFast

❌ Not Covered:

• Custom development
• Theme conflicts (not caused by ReCurr)
• Third-party plugin conflicts
• Server configuration
• General WordPress support

Update Policy

Free Updates:

• All minor updates (e.g., 1.2.x → 1.2.y)
• All bug fixes
• Security patches

Major Updates:

• Included with active license
• New features and enhancements

Quick Reference

Installation Checklist

• [  ] WordPress 5.8+ installed
• [  ] WooCommerce 5.0+ installed and activated
• [  ] PHP 8.1+ on server (PHP 7.4 / 8.0: ReCurr stays on 2.8.7)
• [  ] SSL certificate installed (HTTPS)
• [  ] Site backed up
• [  ] ReCurr plugin uploaded (recurr-vX.Y.Z.zip)
• [  ] ReCurr plugin activated
• [  ] Licence key activated on Subscriptions → Licence (status shows ACTIVE with detected tier)
• [  ] PayFast credentials entered (if using automated billing)
• [  ] PayFast ITN URL configured (if using automated billing)
• [  ] ReCurr settings configured
• [  ] Bank details entered (if using manual EFT)
• [  ] Test subscription product created
• [  ] Test purchase completed
• [  ] Subscription dashboard verified
• [  ] (Optional) ReCurr Pro installed if using CRM / Affiliate features

PayFast Configuration Checklist

• [  ] PayFast Merchant account created
• [  ] Tokenization enabled on account
• [  ] Merchant ID copied
• [  ] Merchant Key copied
• [  ] Passphrase created in PayFast dashboard
• [  ] Passphrase entered in WooCommerce settings
• [  ] ITN URL set: https://yourdomain.com/?wc-api=crb_payfast
• [  ] Sandbox mode enabled for testing
• [  ] Test transaction completed successfully
• [  ] Sandbox mode disabled for live transactions

Product Setup Checklist

• [  ] Product created
• [  ] Product name and description added
• [  ] “Enable Subscription Billing” checked
• [  ] Billing interval set (e.g., 1)
• [  ] Billing period selected (Month/Quarter/Year/Week)
• [  ] Price entered
• [  ] Discount configured (if applicable)
• [  ] Product image uploaded
• [  ] Product published
• [  ] Test purchase completed

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Next Steps

Now that ReCurr is installed and configured:

1. Create Your Subscription Products

   • Plan your subscription offerings
   • Set competitive pricing
   • Consider discounts for annual commitments

2. Review Customer Tutorial

   • Understand the customer experience
   • Know how customers manage subscriptions
   • Familiarize yourself with the My Account area

3. Set Up Email Templates

   • Customize WooCommerce email templates
   • Add your branding
   • Test all email notifications

4. Configure Additional Plugins

   • Install WooCommerce PDF Invoices (for manual EFT)
   • Set up SMTP for reliable email delivery
   • Consider Software License Manager (for license products)

5. Plan Your Launch

   • Start with a beta/early adopter program
   • Offer launch discounts
   • Collect customer feedback
   • Monitor subscriptions closely in first month

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Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed and configured ReCurr. You’re ready to start accepting recurring payments on your WooCommerce store.

For ongoing support and updates, visit https://cyberdummies.co.za/recurr/

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ReCurr v2.8.8 — Built for South African Businesses Powered by CyberDummies | Integrated with PayFast