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SWAM Documentation

First SWAM Configuration — Step by Step.

You will create your first premium access section, connect it with a WooCommerce product, and test the full purchase process as a customer. The entire setup takes 15–20 minutes. Once completed, your store will be ready to sell memberships.

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Before You Start

Prerequisites.

Before the first configuration, make sure SWAM is installed correctly and the license is active. If you have not done this yet, start with the installation guide.

Required

What you need to have ready

  • SWAM Premium installed and active
  • SWAM License activated
  • WooCommerce configured (currency, taxes, payment methods)
  • Classic WooCommerce cart and checkout
  • At least one product in WooCommerce (or ready to create one)
Optional

Useful but not required

  • SWAM Extensions (for advanced panel appearance)
  • Content to share (pages, posts, materials)
  • Test client account (different from admin)
  • Staging environment for secure testing
  • Payment gateway sandbox mode (Stripe Test, PayPal Sandbox)
SWAM not installed yet?

Start with the guide SWAM installation step by step — come back here after you finish it.

Configuration

6 steps for the first configuration.

Follow the steps in order. After the final step, your store will be ready to accept its first premium access order.

Open the SWAM panel and check the license

Make sure the plugin is working correctly and the license is active before you start the configuration.

  1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to SWAM in the left menu
  2. Check SWAM → License — status should be Active
  3. Check WooCommerce → Status → Plugins — SWAM Premium should be listed without warnings
  4. If you see a message about restricted mode or a license problem, please resolve it first in installation guide

Create a WooCommerce product

Each access section in SWAM is associated with a WooCommerce product. The customer purchases the product, and SWAM grants access based on the order.

  1. Go to Products → Add new
  2. Enter a name, e.g. Access to the premium zone
  3. In section Product data select type:
    • Simple product — one-time payment for access
    • Subscription — recurring payment (requires WooCommerce Subscriptions)
    • Virtual product — check the box if it is digital access without shipping
  4. Set regular price (e.g. 50 for 50 PLN / 50 EUR)
  5. Add a short description and a featured image
  6. Click Publish
Tip:

For initial setup testing, set the price to 1 PLN/1 EUR. Once you've verified that everything works, you'll increase the price.

Create your first access section in SWAM

An access section is a group of content to which a customer will have access after purchase. It may include pages, posts, courses, downloads, or restricted areas.

  1. Go to SWAM → Access Sections
  2. Click Add a new section
  3. Complete the basic fields:
    • Name — e.g. "Premium Zone"
    • Slug — e.g. premium zone (auto-generated)
    • Brief description — what the customer will see in the panel
  4. In section WooCommerce Connection:
    • Select the product you created in step 2
    • Select the order status that activates access (recommended: Completed or In progress)
  5. Set section status to Active
  6. Click Save the section

Add content to the section

Now assign specific pages or posts that will only be visible to customers with active access.

  1. Create a new page: Pages → Add new
  2. Enter a title and content (e.g. "Premium Content")
  3. In the sidebar, find the section SWAM - Access Control
  4. Check the box Requires access
  5. From the drop-down list, select the access section you created (from step 3)
  6. Optional: Set a message for those without access (e.g., "To see this content, purchase access to the premium area")
  7. Click Publish
Remember to link to the site.

The page with protected content must be linked somewhere (menu, post, customer panel) so that the customer knows where to go after purchasing.

Test your purchase as a customer

The best way to make sure your setup works is to go through the entire purchase process as a real customer.

  1. Log out of your administrator account (or open your browser in private mode)
  2. Open the product page you created in step 2
  3. Try opening a protected page - you should see an access denied message
  4. Return to the product, add to cart and proceed to checkout
  5. Fill in your details and pay for your order (use a test payment gateway)
  6. After completing your purchase, log in to your customer account and check that:
    • Side /my-account/ shows active access to the section
    • The protected page from step 4 is now available
Does it work? Congratulations!

Your first access section is ready. You can now repeat the process for additional products or move on to customizing your customer dashboard.

Check the customer panel

The default SWAM customer panel extends the standard WooCommerce "My Account." Check that it looks the way you want.

  1. Log in to your customer account (from step 5)
  2. Open /my-account/
  3. You should see:
    • Active accesses — section from step 3 with status "Active"
    • Access details — activation and expiration dates (if applicable)
    • Content links — direct access to protected sites
  4. If you have the package Premium + Extensions, you can now customize the appearance in SWAM → Account Appearance — templates, colors, tile layout
Tips and Best Practices

After the first configuration — what is worth doing.

These steps are not required, but they will make working with SWAM much easier in the long run.

Tip 1

Create a Test Account

Create a separate customer account (e.g. test@twoja-strona.pland use it to test configuration changes without risking issues for real customers.

Tip 2

Plan the Section Structure

Before creating 10 sections, plan on paper what access options you offer, how they differ, and whether customers buy individual sections or packages.

Tip 3

Enable the Post-Purchase Email

In WooCommerce → Settings → Emails, customize the completed order email — add a link to the customer dashboard and instructions on how to start using the access.

Tip 4

Prepare Customer Messages

With the Customer Messages Extensions, you can show customers dynamic messages, such as a welcome note, information about new materials, or a warning about access expiration.

Tip 5

Customize the Customer Dashboard

With the Account Appearance (Extensions) select an Editorial Standard, Compact, or Spotlight template, customize your brand colors, and publish your changes.

Tip 6

Create a Configuration Snapshot

Before making major changes, create a configuration snapshot in SWAM. It will let you return to a working state if something goes wrong.

First Configuration FAQ

Most Common Questions at the Start.

Short answers to the questions that most often come up during the first SWAM configuration.

Can I assign one page to multiple access sections?
Yes. The page will be visible to any customer who has active access to any of the assigned sections. This is useful, for example, for content you want to make available in both the basic and premium packages.
What happens when a customer returns an order?
SWAM monitors the order status in WooCommerce. If the order is marked as Returned or Canceled, customer access automatically expires.
How long does access last after purchasing a simple product?
By default, access is life (until the order is returned or canceled). If you want to limit the time, set the access section settings Duration e.g. 30 days from the order date.
Can I grant access manually without requesting it?
Yes. IN SWAM → Access Sections → [your section] → Users You can add a user manually with a specific status and expiration date. Useful for testers, partners, or premium customers.
Does SWAM work with WooCommerce Subscriptions?
Yes. If the product is a subscription, access is automatically active as long as the subscription is paid. Upon expiration or cancellation, access expires. Configuration is the same as for a simple product.
What happens when I change the product associated with a section?
Customers who have already purchased access through the old product will retain it. New orders will be fulfilled through the new product. To change the association globally, select a different product in the settings section—SWAM will display a warning and ask for confirmation.
How to limit access to a specific product category?
SWAM doesn't restrict product visibility in your store—WooCommerce does. However, you can hide products for customers without active access using advanced configuration in SWAM → Sections → Visibility Rules.
Can I test without actual payment?
Yes. Enable test mode in your payment gateway (Stripe Test Mode, PayPal Sandbox) or temporarily set the product price to PLN 0 and the payment method to "Cash on Delivery". After the test, restore the normal price and payment methods.
What’s Next?

After the First Configuration — Next Steps.

Configure integrations, customize the customer dashboard appearance, or learn how to solve common issues.

WooCommerce Integration

Advanced scenarios: multiple products at once, order statuses, subscriptions, HPOS, and compatibility with WC 10.5.

View Integrations

Customer Dashboard Appearance

Account Appearance: Editorial templates, presets, configuration snapshots, comparison, and safe change publishing.

View Account Appearance

License Activation

A detailed guide to license management: activation, deactivation, transfer, limited mode, and renewals.

View License Guide

Troubleshooting

The most common configuration errors, conflicts with other plugins, debugging, and contacting support.

View Solutions
Need help?

Configuration not working? Contact us.

If the first configuration was not successful, technical support responds within 24 hours on business days.

Contact support Check FAQ All Documents

A membership plugin for WordPress and WooCommerce. Sell premium access, subscriptions, online courses, and a customer dashboard — all in one well-structured system.

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