VirtueMart

h1. VM2 Products Menu

Note: the user manual has been moved here http://docs.virtuemart.net/

h2. PRODUCT CATEGORIES MENU

Before you add your products, first create a Product Category for it. This is like a department in a store, so it is easier for customers to find the product.

h3. Product Categories Menu - Product Category Form Tab

h4. Category Name Box 

The name you want to display in the Categories box in your store. 

h4.   Published Radio Button.

Select NO to hide or YES to be visible to customers. Be aware that you can still use unpublished categories in the backend, for example for calculation rules.

h4.   Sef Alias Box 

Search engine friendly or human readable addresses, i.e. real words instead of numbers and a jumble of code. 

EXAMPLE: yourstore.com/fruits for a fruits category. 

h4.   Description Box 

Describe exactly what kinds of products are in this category so the customer can understand quickly. It's easy to get writer's block here, so use stores you have already purchased from as an example of what to write. 

h4.   Article Button 

To link to a Joomla article you have written, select the article here. It will insert a small snippet of code into the Description box and be visible to all customers OR the customer group you select.

h4.   Image Button 

To insert a category image or other image, click the Image Button. Select the photo from the existing images on your site, or click the BROWSE Button to select and upload the image from your computer. You may also optionally designate an image URL, alignment, title and caption. These are good for search engines and for readers for the handicapped. 

h4.   Toggle Editor Button 

Switches between Code View and Design View. Can be used to check if extra codes have accidentally gotten mixed in with your text. 

h4.   Details Section 

Specify the category and sub-category where you want this product to display. Optionally specify how many products per row. 

h3.  Product Categories Menu - Images Tab 

h4. Images	

To select an image already uploaded to your website, type a space to see all images, and click one image to select it. Or if you know the image file name, begin typing and it will appear. 	

h4. Image Information	

h5. File Published

check the box to publish or uncheck the box to hide the image. 

h5. Unique Filename

A unique "alias" or name for the image.

h5. Displayed Image Title  

What words do you want to appear when visitors put their cursor over the image? 

h5. Image Alt-Text 

What words do you want a sight-impaired reader to hear to describe this image? 

h5. Used URL  

Leave blank for VirtueMart to assign a URL to this image.

h5. Used Thumb URL 

Leave blank for VirtueMart to assign a URL to this image.ROLE: Choose "displayable" to allow customers to view the image only, or "downloadable" if you want them to be able to download the image.

h5. Storing Location/Type 

Category is filled in for you.	

h5. Upload File	

To upload an image from your computer, click the BROWSE Button and select it from your personal computer. Then choose whether to upload, replace existing image or replace the existing thumbnail image. Click the top right SAVE Button to upload. IMPORTANT: Image will not upload if you do not click the UPLOAD radio button.

h2.  PRODUCTS MENU

h3.  Products - Product Information Tab 

h4. Product Information Section	

Must select YES for Published or the product will NOT appear in your store, and must enter a Product Name. All other items are optional or will be filled in for you by VirtueMart.	

h4. Product Pricing Section	

Enter the Cost Price (price the customer will pay) and optionally select the currency. The other two items (Base price and final price) are calculated by VirtueMart. 	

Pricing Rules Overrides	Leave blank if the item is non-taxable. If the item is taxable, select "Apply default rules" or select a tax rule you have created in PRODUCTS - Taxes & Calculation Rules.	

h4. Parent & Child Products Section 

Coming soon. See http://virtuemart.net/documentation/User_Manual/Product_Attributes.html	

h4. Internal Note Section	

Write a note to other administrators or yourself which will not be seen by customers.

h3.  Products - Product Description Tab 

h4. Short Description	

A short blurb to be used on category pages or in other boxes to help the customer decide if they want to click to see the long description.	

h4. Product Description	

Describe how the product looks, feels, tastes, weight, size, etc. so the customer can understand exactly what the product is. It's easy to get writer's block here, so use stores you have already purchased from as an example of what to write.	

h4. Article Button	

If you want to link to a Joomla article you have written, select the article here. It will insert a small snippet of code into the Description box and be visible to all customers OR the customer group you select.	

h4. Image Button	

To insert a product image or other image, click the Image Button. Select the photo from the existing images on your site, or click the BROWSE Button to select and upload the image from your computer. You may also optionally designate an image URL, alignment, title and caption. These are good for search engines and for readers for the handicapped.

h4.  Toggle Editor Button	

Switches between Code View and Design View. Can be used to check if extra codes have accidentally gotten mixed in with your text.	

h4. Meta Information Section

Custom Page Title, Meta Description, Meta Keywords, Meta Robots and Author are all hidden codes that can be used by search engines to understand and find this product better. 

h3.  Products - Product Status Tab 

h4. In Stock	

You can use this box if you wish to keep track of your inventory.  Count how many pieces of product you have in stock.	

h4. Booked, ordered products	

These are items that have been purchased (booked) by customers but have not been marked shipped. Leave blank for VirtueMart to calculate this for you. 	

h4. Low Stock Notification	

This box is used to send a reminder mail to you when your product is about to run out of stock, so that you can stock up your inventory.  If you type the Low Stock Notification value as 3, you will get a reminder mail when the number of products in your inventory reaches 3.  For very high-demand products or items that take a long time to arrive, use a higher value to help avoid running out-of-stock.	

h4. Minimum Purchase Quantity	

Optional: set a minimum number of products that can be bought by a shopper.  The shopper will see this information in a box only when he has not placed an order equal to the Minimum Purchase Quantity. 

h4. Maximum Purchase Quantity	

Optional: set a maximum number of products that can be bought by a shopper.  The shopper will see this information in a box only when he has placed an order above the Maximum Purchase Quantity.  	

h4. Availability Date	

If the product is not yet in stock, specify the date you expect it to arrive.	

h4. Availability Box	

Optional: You can use this box if you want to mention when your product will be available for pickup after placing an order.  For example, you can mention "48 hours", "Now in Stock!", etc.  The shopper will see this information along with the product details.	

h4. Availability Image	

Optional: Select an image to be displayed such as "Now in Stock!"

h3.  Products - Product Dimensions and Weight Tab 

h4. Product Length	

Select the unit of length from the drop-down menu to the right side of Product Length box.  For units, you may choose Centimeters, Millimeters, Yards, Foot, and Inches from the drop-down box. 	

h4. Product Width	

Type the width of the product in this box. 

h4. Product Height	

Type the height of the product in this box 

h4. Product Weight	

Type the weight of the product in this box.  You can select the unit of weight from the drop-down menu to the right side of Product Weight box.  You may choose Grams, Milligrams, Pounds, and Ounce. 

h4. Product Unit	

The product information page says: "Number (blank) in packaging: " Insert a word into the (blank) here,  i.e. "items" "garments" "shirts" "each" "pair" "unit" "piece" "dozen" "pack" etc.	

h4. Product Packaging	

The product information page says: "Number (blank)  in packaging: ###" Enter the number ### here. If one item is in the package, type a 1 here.	Units in Box	Number of items in box, i.e. Eggs sold in a carton - 12. Skip if not needed.

h3.  Products - Product Images Tab 

h4. Search Images	

To find any image, just type a space in Search Images and this will pull up a list of all your product images.  You can also type the first letter of an image title to find an image.	

h4. File Published	

Check the box to publish or uncheck the box to hide the image. 	

h4. Displayed image title	

What words do you want to appear when visitors put their cursor over the image? 	

h4. Image Alt-Text	

What words do you want a sight-impaired reader to hear to describe this image? 	

h4. Used URL and Used thumb URL	

Leave blank for VirtueMart to assign a URL to this image.	

h4. Role	

Choose "displayable" to allow customers to view the image only, or "downloadable" if you want them to be able to download the image.	Storing location/type	Product is filled in for you.	

h4. Upload File	

To upload an image from your computer, click the BROWSE Button and select it from your personal computer. Then choose whether to upload, replace existing image or replace the existing thumbnail image. Click the top right SAVE Button to upload. 

h3.  Products - Custom Fields Tab 

Coming soon. SEE See http://forum.virtuemart.net/index.php?topic=90833.0

h4. Related Categories		

h4. Related Products		

h4. Custom Field Type		

h4. Plug-ins

h2.  CUSTOM FIELDS MENU

Coming soon. See http://forum.virtuemart.net/index.php?topic=90833.0

h2.  INVENTORY MENU

A handy list of all product with inventory levels shown. Sort by clicking any of the headers. Unpublish so customers cannot see this item by clicking the green checkmark in the PUBLISHED Column.

h2.  TAXES AND CALCULATION RULES MENU

You will create a tax for rule for each tax that you are required to collect, then as you create each product the tax will appear as an option for you to select.

You can also use this to create discounts for groups such as employees or wholesale customers.

h4. Calculation Rule Name	

Enter a descriptive name for the tax, so you and customers can understand it.	

h4. Published and Ordering	

Select NO to hide the tax or YES to show it. If you have multiple taxes, enter a 1 for this tax to appear first, 2 to appear second, etc.	

h4. Description	

A longer description of the tax or discount to appear in your Admin.	

h4. Type of Arithmetic Operation 	

Select the type of tax you are required to collect OR discount you will give. Choices are: tax per product, price modifier before or after tax, tax per bill, price modifier before or after tax per bill. Consult your accountant or lawyer or taxing authority if you are unsure. Otherwise, select tax per product.	

h4. Value	

The amount of the tax, expressed as a percentage. Example, 6.25 means 6.25%.	

h4. Product Category and Shopper Groups	

If you will only charge this tax OR give this discount to certain product categories or shopper groups, select them here.	

h4. Country and State/Province/Region	

First begin typing your country name to select your country, then repeat for state/province and/or region.	

h4. Visible for shopper and visible for vendor	

Select NO to hide or YES to be visible.	

h4. Start Date and End Date 

The system will fill in today's date and "Never" unless you change it.

h2.  REVIEWS AND RATINGS MENU

Check the reviews and ratings  left by shoppers. Click on the date of any review to check it and edit if  necessary.