WordPress Invitation Code - Use Case - How to Let Users Use Direct Access Links Instead of Invitation Codes

Use Case - How to Let Users Use Direct Access Links Instead of Invitation Codes

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Introduction

This WordPress Invitation Code plugin allows you to create and sell a series of personalized temporary access codes. Each code grants limited access to a selected page only. When creating codes, you assign them to a post, a page, a URL or a file. It will automatically be locked and, when accessing it, visitors will be prompted to input the code.

Use Case Front-End

Accessing locked content using direct access link instead of using invitation code:

Use Case Assumptions

In this example use case guide we will consider how to let users use direct access links instead of invitation codes to make the process of accessing the content much easier and smoother.

We consider that you have already bought the WordPress Invitation Code plugin, but not installed it yet. 

It follows:

• Installing the plugin
• General plugin settings
• Metabox with simple form for creating invitation codes
• Using direct links
• Managing invitation codes
• End result

Installing the Plugin

The process is the same for all CM plugins and add-ons.

• Download the plugin from your customer dashboard.
• Log in to WordPress and navigate to the WordPress Admin  → Plugins settings.
• Click on Add New.
• Activate it and add the license.

Learn more: Getting Started - Plugin Overview

General Plugin Settings

Creating direct links for accessing content can be done in the metabox on the pages for editing posts or pages. First we need to enable this functionality in general plugin settings. To do this, navigate to Admin Dashboard → Invitation Code Content Access → Settings → General tab.

Under the General section, we need to enable 2 following options:

• Show simple code creation form on post edit page - Enable this option to display a metabox with a simple form for creating codes on page/post editing pages.
• Allow apply code via URL - Enable this option to use URLs with invitation codes as parameters which allow users accessing restricted pages by direct link, without entering codes to the access boxes. The list of relevant links can be displayed in the metabox on each post/page if the option Show simple code creation form on post edit page is enabled.

Now click the button Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

Metabox With Simple Form For Creating Invitation Codes

Now we need to start editing some post, page or custom post type - the process is the same for any post type. For our use case, we will edit a post. To do this, navigate to Admin Dashboard → Posts → All Posts, then hover on the needed post and click Edit.

Scroll down and find the metabox Create access code. This form is very similar to the one that allows you to create single invitation codes, but this one is more simplified. It has the following options:

• Code - Type here an invitation code that you want or click the button Generate to generate a random code.
• Number of uses - Optionally, define how many times this code can be used.
• IP limit - Optionally, define how many IPs can use this invitation code.
• Valid from - Optionally, define the date and time from which the code can be activated. Leave empty to let users activate the code at any moment.
• Expires on - Optionally, define the date and time after which the code cannot be activated. Leave empty to never expire.
• Once activated, expires after some time - If you choose this option, you can define the expiration time of the code. In case of this option, the time will pass even if the user is now viewing the content. For example, the expiration time is set to 1 hour. The time starts counting since the moment that the user activated the code. The content will be closed for the user in 60 minutes.

  • How much time the code can be used for (time passes even if user is offline) - Here you can define the expiration time. You need to define the value and choose the period type: Minutes, Hours or Days.

    

• User can only access blocked content for some time - If you choose this option, you can define the expiration time of the code. In case of this option, the time will pass only when the user is viewing the content. For example, the expiration time is set to 1 hour. The user can view the content for some time, for example - 30 minutes, then close the tab, and continue viewing the content the next day for 30 minutes more. Only after that the content will be locked for the user.

  • Blocked content access time limit (time passes only if user is accessing content) - Here you can define the expiration time. You need to define the value and choose the period type: Minutes, Hours or Days.

    

• Create Code - Click this button to create the code according to the specified settings.

Let's create a code with the usage limit 10:

The same way we can create a few more codes. The codes created this way and direct links which contain the code as a parameter appear in the section Codes under the form:

Using Direct Links

Let's first check the post without the direct access link. Attempt to visit the post will just show the box that requires to enter the invitation code:

Now let's try to use the direct access link which contains the invitation code as a parameter - in this case the post is opened without need to enter the invitation code:

Managing Invitation Codes

All these codes can be managed as all other codes, by navigating to Admin Dashboard → Invitation Code Content Access → Invitation codes.

Here we can see all 3 codes that we created. Each code can be edited.

When the code is creating using a metabox with simple form for creating codes, the code automatically has the Blocked Content type URL/Page.

End Result

Following instructions found in the plugin and guides, you should be able to let users access the locked content using direct access links instead of using invitation codes.

Use Case Front-End

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