WHMCS cPanel Licensing Module Getting Started Guide

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Revision as of 12:57, 10 December 2020 by AlexN (talk | contribs) (→‎Autoscale In Practice)

This guide covers the basics of the cPanel Licensing Automation module; starting with installation and activating the module, importing existing configurable options, configuring the imported options further, and then what to do next.

This page aims to provide a brief overview and will signpost you to the relevant sections in our documentation for full details on everything covered.

Detailed information concerning all of the pages and options offered by the cPanel Licensing Automation module can be located on the WHMCS cPanel Licensing Module documentation page.

Installation

To install the cPanel Licensing Automation addon module, follow the steps below.

  1. Download the latest version of the addon module from https://marketplace.whmcs.com/product/4993
  2. Unzip the zip file download to a directory on your computer
  3. Upload the "cpanellicensing" directory to the ~/modules/addons/ directory within your WHMCS installation
Installation Documentation: Installation

Activation & Configuration

Addon Module Configuration

To activate and configure the module, perform the following steps within the WHMCS Admin Area.

  1. Navigate to Configuration () > System Settings > Addon Modules or, prior to WHMCS 8.0, Setup > Addon Modules.
  2. Click the Activate button next to the cPanel Licensing entry
  3. Click on the Configure button
  4. In the Master Admin Users section, select the Allow Access to Settings for Full Administrator users option
  5. In the Access Control section, select the Full Administrator option
  6. Click on the Save Changes button
Activation & Configuration Documentation: Activation & Module Permissions

Manage2 Authentication

Manage2 Login Prompt

Following the initial activation and configuration of the module, you will need to authenticate into Manage2. This can be done by taking the following actions within the WHMCS Admin Area.

  1. Navigate to Addons > cPanel Licensing
  2. Enter your Manage2 Username and Password into their respective fields
  3. Click on the Login button

After successful authentication, the Manage2 data will begin to be imported into WHMCS. This may take several minutes depending on the amount of licenses associated with the Manage2 account.

Once the import has completed, you will be redirected to the primary interface for the cPanel Licensing addon where you will immediately see a list of licenses associated with your Manage2 account. 

Authentication Documentation: Authenticating into Manage2

Autoscale and Other Options

The next steps will see you import existing configurable options into the cPanel Licensing module, create new options for use with the module, or both. You will likely be familiar with the majority of settings you encounter during these steps. For example, the Visibility setting toggles whether an option is hidden, and the Option Name is the display name used in the Client and Admin Area.

However, there are a few settings that are unique to the cPanel Licensing addon. The one most important of note is the Autoscale setting seen throughout the product.

The Autoscale option allows the cPanel Licensing addon module to dynamically adjust a service's configurable option based on the number of accounts associated with its cPanel license. This should option be used when you want WHMCS to automatically upgrade a license to the next tier based on usage. 

Option & Price Management Documentation: Option & Price Management

Autoscale In Practice

  • A server administrator provisions an extra cPanel account which in turn pushes the server into the next cPanel license tier
  • cPanel's Manage2 software detects this and changes the license tier for billing purposes in the cPanel Partner account
  • WHMCS performs a synchronisation with Manage2 at specific intervals that picks up this change
  • The Control Panel configurable option in WHMCS is then changed to match the new cPanel license tier and as a result of this, the service price is auto recalculated to include the additional cost of the new license tier
  • The next renewal invoice generated by the service (per the Next Due Date) will reflect the new cPanel license tier.

This ensures that the client is always billed appropriately for their current cPanel license tier without any manual intervention.

Import Existing cPanel License Offerings

Import Existing Option Modal

If you have an existing Configurable Option Group and Configurable Options that you would like to be used for the provisioning and billing of cPanel licenses, then these can be imported for use with the cPanel Licensing addon.

During this process you will be prevented with a list of configurable options, and be asked to associate them with a cPanel Package. If a configurable option is not related to a cPanel license, then leave the dropdown at the Not a cPanel License Option value. Options left at this value will not be used by the cPanel Licensing module, and will continue to function as a normal configurable option.

To begin this process perform the following steps from the cPanel Licensing page in the WHMCS Admin Area.

  1. Click on the Pricing tab
  2. Click on the Import button
  3. Select the existing Configurable Option to be used from the Option Name drop-down menu
  4. Click on the Continue button
  5. For each selectable option, select a cPanel Package that it relates to from its associated drop-down menu
  6. Click on the Import button

This will import the configurable options into the module, and make them available for further configuration via the Pricing tab.

If you have more than one set of configurable options to import, then feel free to repeat these steps as needed.

Only Configurable Options of the type Dropdown or Radio are supported for import. Other option types will not be available for import.
Import Documentation: Import Existing Option

Create a New cPanel License Offering

Create New Option Modal

If you do not have any existing Configurable Options that you would like to import, but would like to start offering cPanel Packages, then you can create a new cPanel Licensing offering. This can be done by taking the following actions from the cPanel Licensing page in the WHMCS Admin Area.

  1. Click on the Pricing tab
  2. Click on the New button
  3. Select an existing Option Group from the Parent Group drop-down menu
    • If there are no pre-existing Option Groups, then select the Create New Group option
    • In the Group Name field, input the desired name for the new Option Group
  4. Enter a name into the Option Name field
  5. Configure the Option Type, Auto-Populate, Hardware Type, and Default Visibility options as desired
  6. Click on the Create button

After the new Configuration has been created it can then be associated with a Product/Service via the Assigned Products setting seen when configuring the Configurable Option Group. More information concerning Configurable Options can found found within the Addons and Configurable Options documentation page. 

Import Documentation: Create New Option

Review Pricing Configuration

Option & Price Management Modal

After a configurable option has been either imported or created, the next step would be to review the pricing configuration. This can be done via the cPanel Licensing page in the WHMCS Admin Area.

  1. Click on the Pricing tab
  2. Locate the newly imported Configurable Option from the list
  3. Click the Manage button associated with the list entry
  4. Review the Type, Visibility, and Autoscale Option selections
  5. In the Options section, select each option and review the data displayed on the right
  6. Should any data be incorrect, then alter the data, and click the Save button
  7. Once completed, click on the Close button
Option & Price Management Documentation: Option & Price Management

Link Services to Existing Licenses

Link to Existing License Modal

After any existing options have been imported and reviewed, the next step is to manually associate existing services with their existing cPanel license.

This can be accomplished in two ways, either via the "Assign Service" button seen in the Licenses tab on the cPanel Licensing module page, or via the Link to Existing License button seen on the cPanel Licensing panel seen on the Services page.

Neither of these options will automatically select configurable option and autoscale settings for the service. These selections are required for automation to function. This guide recommends using the Link to Existing License button, because it it offers the ability to link the license, and select the options all without leaving the service's page.

With that said, you can perform the following actions from the WHMCS Admin Area to link a license to an existing service.

  1. Navigate to Clients > Products/Services
  2. Locate the service that you would like to associate with an existing cPanel license.
  3. Click on the Service ID to be taken to the Service Page
  4. Locate the imported Configurable Option, and select the option that you would like the customer to be charged for (Note: If you want the price of the service to be adjusted, also check the "Auto Recalculate on Save" checkbox)
  5. Enable the Auto Select cPanel License option if you would like the Configurable Option to dynamically adjust based on the license's user count
  6. Click Save Changes
  7. Locate the cPanel Licensing panel, and click on the Link to Existing License button
  8. From the Choose license to link with service drop-down, select the license that you would like to associate with the service
  9. Click on the Assign button

After successfully assigning the license to the service you will see the relevant licensing data displayed within the cPanel Licensing panel as well as buttons to manage that license as needed. 

Service Management Documentation: Assign License & Link to Existing License
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