WordPress Questions and Answers (CMA) - Getting Started - Free Version to Pro Guide

Getting Started - Upgrading from Free to Pro

You can safely update the WordPress Questions and Answers or upgrade to the Pro version without losing any of your existing data! CreativeMinds saves all of the questions, answers, votes, comments, settings, and metadata associated with your Q&A forum. It will appear automatically when you install the new plugin!

Upgrading from Free version to Pro version

When upgrading from the Free to Pro version, please remember to first deactivate the free version and delete it before activating the Pro version. The two versions cannot function simultaneously.

Please follow the following steps to upgrade the WordPress Questions and Answers plugin:

1) Deactivate the existing plugin (free version or existing pro version).

First, select the Plugins menu from your admin dashboard.

Navigation to the plugins dashboard - WordPress Discussion Forum — Navigation to the plugins dashboard

Then navigate to the version of the plugin that you want to deactivate and press "Deactivate":

Deactivating the free version of the plugin - WordPress Q and A Plugin — Deactivating the free version of the plugin

Deactivating the Pro version of the plugin - Discussion Forum Plugin for WordPress — Deactivating the Pro version of the plugin

Message about the plugin deactivation - WordPress Question and Answer Plugin — Message about the plugin deactivation

2) Delete the existing plugin (ignore the warning message about data loss).

After deactivating the existing plugin, you then need to delete the plugin. Important: This will not result in the loss of any of your data or records, despite the warning message from WordPress. CreativeMinds secures and backs up all of your data so it is readily available when you update or upgrade!

First, navigate to the Plugins menu from your admin dashboard:

Navigation to the plugins dashboard - WordPress Forum Plugin — Navigation to the plugins dashboard

Next, find the version of the plugin that you would like to upgrade and press "Delete":

Deleting the existing version of the plugin - WordPress Discussion Forum — Deleting the existing version of the plugin

After pressing "Delete," you will see a warning about data loss. Please disregard this message. Press the button that says "Yes, Delete these files". All of your data and records are secured and will automatically appear when you install the new version of the plugin.

Message about deleting files - WordPress Q and A Plugin — Message about deleting files

3) Install the new version of the plugin.

First, navigate to the Plugins menu on your admin dashboard:

Navigation to the plugins dashboard - Discussion Forum Plugin for WordPress — Navigation to the plugins dashboard

Next, click on "Add New".

Installing new plugin - WordPress Question and Answer Plugin — Installing new plugin

Click on "Upload Plugin".

Uploading the plugin file - WordPress Forum Plugin — Uploading the plugin file

On the next page, you will be prompted to upload the plugin zip file you received after purchasing the Pro version of the Plugin. Then click "Install Now":

Choosing the plugin file and installing it - WordPress Discussion Forum — Choosing the plugin file and installing it

Congratulations! You have successfully installed the Pro version of the WordPress Questions and Answers.

Upgrading your Pro Plugin to a Newer Version from CreativeMinds Dashboard

If you want to upgrade your Pro plugin to a new version, you can log into CreativeMinds customer dashboard to find the most up-to-date Pro plugin zip file. Before logging into the dashboard, you will need to register for a customer account. Be sure to use the same email you used to purchase the plugin when you register for an account. If need be, you can watch the following video to learn how to register for a Customer Dashboard account.

After you log into CreativeMinds customer dashboard, you will find the file to download under the "Downloads" tab. Click on the file name link to download the plugin zip file to your computer.

Differences Between Free and Pro

Free Edition	Pro Edition
Create a forum for your users	Use categories, tags, and more to organize all forums
Moderate question & answers and receive email notifications	Moderate question & answers and receive email notifications
Users can receive notifications when answering a question pending follow-up	Users can receive notifications when answering a question pending follow-up
Single page with forum	Add forums anywhere with shortcodes
-	Mobile responsive
Anyone can post	Define who can ask questions and who can answer based on the user role
-	User Dashboard to follow questions
-	Social Media login with Facebook and LinkedIn
-	Sticky questions
-	Users can attach files to every thread
Interface in English	Translate the plugin with customizable labels
-	Plugin can be used forever; one year support and updates

Learn how to upgrade from Free to Pro.

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