(Applies to: version 2.0 of FusionBB)
How to setup MyPaymentPal.
- First make sure you have the correct permissions. These settings can be found at:
Admin >> Permissions >> Control Panel
- Be sure you have permission for "Can manage subscriptions".
- Configure MyPaymentPal:
Admin >> Subscriptions >> Settings >> All Settings
- Most of these settings will be pretty self-explanatory via the help popup. What's very important here is the PayPal settings. Where it says "Email" put the email address of your PayPal account. For example ours is payments@fusionbb.com. You also need to make sure that Use Payment Method is checked in the PayPal section.
- Next you will see the setting for IPN Location and the default URL listed below it. Copy this URL (which should begin with http and end with .php). Paste it into the IPN Location box and Update your settings.
Configuring PayPal to Use IPN (Instant Payment Notification)
This step is critical to make things work. You must configure your PayPal account to send an IPN (Instant Payment Notification) to FusionBB. This is important because PayPal triggers all MyPaymentPal action.
- Go to your PayPal account and login.
- Click on ''My Account/Profile'' at the top.
- Click on Instant Payment Notification settings.
- Click Edit and then check the Checkbox to activate IPN, then paste the URL you copied from the step above into the Notification URL field and then click Save.
Add a Custom Group to FusionBB
If you haven't created a group yet, you need to do so now. This is a group that a paying user will be added into. You may wish to edit site permissions and forum permissions so that this group gets better access than the "user" group alone. This way paying members can get additional functionality. For instance, you might allow this custom group to have access to avatars, or post without limitation, or have access to special or private forums.
To create a group:
Admin >> Groups >> Create
Set this group up and configure all your permissions appropriately.
Create the Subscription
- Now you are ready to setup the Subscription. Go to:
Admin >> Subscriptions >> Create
- Give this subscription a name, and in the pull-down menu, choose the usergroup that you'd like them to be added to when they pay. Most likely this is the group you just created. This allows you to define costs based on periods.
Since this is quite complex, here are some examples:
- If you want to allow a 5 day free trial followed by a $10 per month subscription, you would check the Offer Free Trial box, then down next to regular rate, put $10 and under Regular Billing Cycle choose 1 Month. Then set Recurring Basis to Yes. The user will gain access to the group for free for 5 days. If they cancel during that time, their access is removed. After the free trial, their PayPal account is charged $10. It's a recurring subscription which means that it will charge them $10 every month until they cancel the subscription through PayPal. When they do, PayPal will send an IPN signal to remove their access.
- If you want a one-time $20 for one year, you would put $20 next to Regular Rate, then set the Regular Billing Cycle to 1 Year. Leave Recurring set to No. The user will be charged $20 immediately and at the end of the year, their access will be removed.
- If you want to charge someone $10 per month for four-months, you would put $10 next to regular rate, set the Regular Billing Cycle for 1 Month, set Recurring to Yes and set the Recurring Times option to 4. They will be charged $10 per month for four months. At the end of that period, their access is removed.
- If you want to charge $2.00 for a five day trial, then $14.99 for the first month, then $9.99 each month after that recurring, you would put $2.00 next to Trial Amount 1, and set Trial Period 1 for 5 days. Then put $14.99 next to Trial Amount 2, and set Trial Period 2 for 1 Month, then put $9.99 next to Regular Rate and set Regular Billing Cycle for 1 Month and change Recurring Basis to yes.
When you are finished configuring all options, click Create.
Setup the teaser forum
Now we recommend at this point that you configure private forums which require payment to access be configured so that your user group Can See forum in forum list but not read posts. This will allow them to see it on the main index, but when they click to try and view it, they will be presented with the subscription options and will be able to purchase form here. Once they make payment on the PayPal website, they will be returned to your site and their usergroup will be updated giving them access.
Manually Add a User
- Should you wish to manually add a user, or you receive a payment via snail mail or some other method, you can manually add a subscription.
If you simply want to give a user access - for example, you want to grant Joe, free access for one month, go to:
Admin >> Subscriptions >> Add User
Enter their ID number and time period as well as group name, then click Submit.
- If you receive a snail mail payment, that subscription is already stored in the database, and it simply needs to be activated. When they arrange to pay via snail mail, it presents them with an invoice that they can print and include with their payment.
To activate them, go to:
Admin >> Subscriptions >> Activate User
and enter the invoice number.
Users may review their active subscription groups and invoices from their Control Panel.
(Thanks to FBB Co-Creator & Admin Joshua Pettit for these instructions!)
