Set up your directory with the setup wizard

The setup wizard asks a handful of questions, then creates your directory pages, main menu and settings in one go. It is for anyone who has just installed Smart Directory Pro and wants a working directory without hunting through Settings.

The full wizard, from naming the directory to the Done screen and the new menu on the live site.

Before you start

You need an administrator account (the wizard requires the manage options capability).
Nothing else is required. OpenStreetMap needs no API key and the AI step can be skipped.

How to use it

After you activate the plugin for the first time, WordPress sends you to the wizard automatically. To open it later, go to Plugins and click Setup Wizard under Smart Directory Pro.
On the Welcome step, read the overview and click Continue.
On The basics, type your Directory name.
Choose the Default listing view: Grid, List or Map.
Set the four switches: Allow guest submissions, Approve new listings before they go live, Use the directory as my homepage and Enable advertising. Then click Continue.
On Location and maps, pick a Map provider. OpenStreetMap is free and needs no key. Other providers ask for an API key and show a link to get one.
Enter the Latitude and Longitude of your town or region, and a Zoom from 1 to 20. Click Continue.
On AI features (optional), leave Enable AI features off and click Skip. You can add a key later in Settings.
On Import existing listings, read the note about the CSV importer. You do not import anything here.
Click Finish setup. The wizard saves everything and shows the Done screen.
Read the Done screen. It lists what was saved, which pages were created or already existed, and what happened to the homepage, advertising and menu.
Click Go to dashboard to start adding listings.

The Basics step with the defaults the code sets (guest submissions off, the other three switches on, Grid selected). The video types MK Directory as the name.

The Location step with OpenStreetMap chosen and Milton Keynes coordinates typed in. Picking any other provider adds an API key field and a link to get a key.

With the switch off, the provider, key and model fields stay hidden. Skip moves straight on to the Import step and leaves AI off.

The Done screen after a first run with the video’s choices. The lines change to match what actually happened on your site.

What the wizard creates

Three pages, only if they do not already exist: Business Directory, Submit a Listing and My Dashboard.
If Enable advertising is on: advertising is switched on, and an Advertise With Us page is created if you do not have one.
If Use the directory as my homepage is on: your directory page becomes the front page, unless you already have a different static homepage. In that case it is kept and the Done screen says so.
A menu called Smart Directory with links to Directory, Submit a Listing, My Dashboard and Advertise. It is assigned to the theme’s primary menu location only if that location is empty.
Your saved settings: directory name, guest submissions, approval, default view, map provider, centre and zoom, and the AI switch.

Good to know

Nothing is saved until you click Finish setup. Back and Continue only move between steps on the page.
Skip appears on the Basics, Location and AI steps. Skipping leaves that step’s values as they were: the defaults on a fresh site, or your saved settings if you are re-running the wizard.
Defaults on a fresh install: guest submissions off, approval on, homepage on, advertising on, Grid view, OpenStreetMap, latitude 51.5074, longitude -0.1278, zoom 11, AI off. You can change all of them.
Re-running the wizard starts from your saved settings, does not duplicate pages or menu items, and does not replace a custom homepage.
The Import step is an information screen. To bring in a spreadsheet, use Import / Export from the menu afterwards.
If you turn AI on and enter a key, Test key checks it with your provider before you continue.

FAQ

Can I skip the AI step?

Yes. Click Skip and AI features stay off. You can add a provider key and switch AI on later in Settings.

Do I have to use OpenStreetMap?

No. Mapbox, MapTiler, Stadia Maps, HERE Maps and Google Maps are also listed. They need an API key, and Google Maps is marked paid.

Will the wizard overwrite my existing homepage or pages?

No. Existing directory pages are reused and a different static homepage is kept. The Done screen tells you which case applied.

Can I run it again?

Yes, from Plugins, using the Setup Wizard link under Smart Directory Pro. It starts with your saved settings.

Does the wizard add sample listings?

No. You add listings by hand or with the CSV importer afterwards.