Overview

eStoreware Core is installed before other eStoreware plugins. It provides one central administration area for opening installed tools, reviewing license status, and controlling access.

Central dashboard

Open management and configuration pages for the eStoreware plugins installed on the current site.

Shared licensing

Activate and validate each installed plugin from one licensing screen.

Permission controls

Limit administrative and customer-facing functionality by nopCommerce customer role.

Customer portal

Connect administrators with package downloads, activated domains, and license details.

Important: Core should remain installed and enabled while any dependent eStoreware plugin is in use.

Requirements

A supported nopCommerce installation and the matching plugin package version.
Administrator access to upload and install local plugins.
Write access to the nopCommerce plugin directory and application data folders.
Outbound HTTPS access for online activation and validation.
A valid license key for each paid eStoreware plugin being activated.

Match the package to nopCommerce. Do not install a package built for a different nopCommerce release. Confirm the supported version before uploading or replacing plugin files.

Install eStoreware Core

Back up the website files and database before installing or updating plugins.
Sign in to nopCommerce administration and open Configuration → Local plugins.
Use the upload option to upload the eStoreware package, or copy the extracted plugin folders into the website’s Plugins directory.
Reload the plugin list so nopCommerce detects the new folders.
Locate eStoreware Core and select Install.
Restart the application when prompted. If the package includes another eStoreware plugin, install it after Core.
Open the new eStoreware administration menu and confirm that the Dashboard and Licensing pages load.

nopCommerce Local plugins page showing the eStoreware Core Dashboard plugin ready to install — **Install Core first.** Upload the package or copy it into the Plugins folder, reload the plugin list, locate eStoreware Core Dashboard, and select Install.

Package containing Core and another plugin

Supported eStoreware packages may include both the free Core plugin and the purchased plugin. Install Core first, restart or reload when required, and then install the dependent plugin.

Confirm the installation

The eStoreware menu appears in administration.
The dashboard loads without an application error.
The Licensing page lists only the eStoreware plugins installed on this website.
The dependent plugin’s Manage or Configure action is available.

Use the Core Dashboard

Open Administration → eStoreware → Dashboard. The page is designed to show the eStoreware tools available in the current installation rather than every plugin in the catalog.

eStoreware Dashboard showing installed plugin cards, versions, Manage, Configure, recurring payment, and ACL actions — **One administration hub.** The dashboard shows installed tools, current versions, Manage and Configure actions, Stripe controls, recurring-payment tools, and ACL access.

Dashboard action	Purpose
Manage	Opens the plugin’s operational screen, such as quick order forms, recurring payments, quotes, or sync profiles.
Configure	Opens the plugin’s store settings or nopCommerce configuration page.
Licensing	Opens activation, validation, status, and local license controls.
Manage ACL	Opens permission controls for administrative and customer-role access.
Customer Portal	Opens the eStoreware customer area for licenses, downloads, and activated domains.

Activate and validate plugin licenses

Open Administration → eStoreware → Licensing.
Select the installed plugin from the plugin dropdown.
Enter the license key issued through the eStoreware customer account or order.
Select Activate Online to apply the license to the installation and current domain.
Select Validate License to refresh the current status, licensed domain, usage, expiration information, and warning message.
Confirm the status shows Active for the current domain.

eStoreware Licensing page showing active license status, plugin selection, activation, validation, grace days, and customer portal controls — **Central license management.** Review current-domain status, choose an installed plugin, activate or validate its key, configure grace days, allow development domains, or open the customer portal.

Control or status	Meaning
Activate Online	Applies a key to the installation or activates the selected plugin for the first time.
Validate License	Checks the current license and refreshes the locally stored result without creating a new license.
Clear Local License	Removes only the cached license data from this nopCommerce installation so it can be activated again cleanly.
Active	The plugin was accepted for the current installation and domain during the latest validation.
NotConfigured	The plugin has not completed activation or validation on this installation.
Never checked	No completed validation result is stored locally for the selected plugin.
Grace days	A temporary allowance for a previously valid license when the online validation service cannot be reached.

Validate before clearing. When a status appears stale, use Validate License first. Clear Local License only when validation does not correct the local record or support asks for a clean reactivation.

Manage permissions and customer roles

Use Manage ACL from the eStoreware dashboard or plugin administration area to decide which nopCommerce customer roles can access protected management or customer-facing features.

Grant administrative permissions only to trusted store roles.
Review customer-facing permissions before launching Quick Order Forms or other account tools.
Test with a non-administrator account after changing role access.
Keep the built-in administrator role available for recovery and troubleshooting.

nopCommerce permissions table showing eStoreware Quick Order Forms, Quotes, EDI, Dashboard, and quote-request permissions by customer role — **Role-based access.** Edit each eStoreware permission to control which customer roles can manage plugins or use customer-facing Quick Order Form and quote features.

Updates, staging sites, and domain changes

Update an installed plugin

Confirm the new package supports the installed nopCommerce version.
Back up the database and the current plugin folders.
Stop or take the website offline if files will be replaced manually.
Replace the plugin files using the supplied package instructions.
Restart the application, reload plugins, and allow any included migrations to run.
Open the eStoreware dashboard, verify the plugin version, and validate its license.
Test the plugin’s primary workflow before reopening the site to normal traffic.

Move to a different production domain

Add the new production domain in My eStoreware Licenses, deploy the website, and validate each installed plugin from the nopCommerce Licensing page. After confirming the new website is working, deactivate the old domain when it is no longer required.

Development and staging domains

Use a clearly non-production hostname and enable development-domain support when included with the license. Do not publish real keys, customer names, email addresses, installation IDs, or private domains in screenshots.

Troubleshooting

The eStoreware menu does not appear

Confirm Core is installed and enabled under Local plugins.
Reload the plugin list and restart the nopCommerce application.
Confirm the plugin folder name and files were copied completely.
Review the nopCommerce log for plugin-load, assembly, or dependency errors.

The license is NotConfigured or Never checked

Select the correct installed plugin and confirm the license key.
Click Activate Online, followed by Validate License.
Confirm the server can make outbound HTTPS requests.
Review activated domains in My eStoreware Licenses.
If the local record remains stale, clear the local license, activate again, and validate.

The wrong plugins appear on the Licensing page

The current Core behavior is intended to list installed eStoreware plugins only. Reload the plugin list and restart the application if a newly installed or removed plugin is not reflected correctly.

Before contacting support: Record the nopCommerce version, plugin version, current URL, exact error message, and relevant log entry. Redact keys and customer information from screenshots.

Continue with the Core Dashboard FAQ, return to Plugin Documentation, or contact eStoreware support.

Back to top ↑

Core Plugin Documentation

Install, license, and manage the eStoreware plugin foundation.