Solar Installation Workflow & Quote Management
Use this guide to install, configure, and operate SolarFlow for solar assessments, appliance load estimation, quote preparation, invoice review, WooCommerce payments, and customer communication.
What is SolarFlow?
SolarFlow is a WordPress plugin for managing solar customer assessments, load estimation, quote preparation, invoice workflow, and WooCommerce payment coordination.
- Multi-step customer assessment wizard
- Appliance-based load estimation
- Admin dashboard and workflow tracking
- Quote builder with internal pricing controls
- Customer-facing invoice review and PDF invoice support
- Email notifications for customers and administrators
- WooCommerce order/payment integration
Installation Guide
- Log into your WordPress admin dashboard.
- Go to Plugins → Add New.
- Click Upload Plugin.
- Select the SolarFlow ZIP file.
- Click Install Now.
- Activate the plugin.
- Open the SolarFlow settings area and complete your configuration.
Recommended Setup Order
- Configure General Settings.
- Configure Email Settings.
- Set up invoice/payment settings.
- Review estimate packages.
- Review appliance library and wattage values.
- Create or confirm the assessment page shortcode.
- Submit a test assessment.
- Create a test quote and invoice.
Assessment Wizard Workflow
The customer assessment is designed as a guided multi-step workflow. Customers provide contact details, installation information, appliance usage, solar needs, and final confirmation.
Step 1: Customer Details
Collects the customer name, email, phone/WhatsApp, and country.
Step 2: Installation Details
Collects the installation address and required project contact at the installation location.
Step 3: Electricity Usage
Customers select the appliances they use so SolarFlow can estimate load and system requirements.
Live Estimate
The system updates estimated load, inverter, battery, panels, and energy use as appliances are selected.
Step 4: Solar Needs
Collects additional solar requirements and customer preferences.
Step 5: Review & Submit
Customer reviews details before submitting the assessment.
Dashboard & Activity Tracking
The SolarFlow dashboard helps administrators review assessments, monitor workflow status, track recent activity, and manage solar quote operations.
- Assessment volume and workflow overview
- Recent customer submissions
- Status tracking
- Quote and payment workflow visibility
- Mobile-friendly admin table scrolling
Configuration Areas
General Settings
Configure core SolarFlow behavior and system defaults.
Email Settings
Set notification addresses and control admin/customer email communication.
Invoice Settings
Configure invoice-related settings used in customer-facing quote and payment workflows.
Language & Translation
Manage text labels and translation-friendly content for customer-facing screens.
Appliance Load Library
The appliance library controls the devices customers can select during the assessment. Each appliance can include wattage values used for estimating system load.
- Add or update appliance items
- Control wattage values
- Organize appliances by category
- Support more accurate vendor handoff
Estimate Package Setup
Estimate packages help SolarFlow recommend system sizing such as inverter, battery, panel count, and project range based on selected appliance load.
Quote Items & Pricing Workflow
Administrators can create quote items, review internal cost, set customer-facing pricing, and prepare invoice-ready summaries.
- Equipment line items
- Labor cost controls
- Customer-facing totals
- Vendor/internal cost visibility
- Quote preparation workflow
Invoice & Customer Payment Workflow
SolarFlow supports customer-facing invoice review, PDF invoice generation, and WooCommerce payment workflows.
- Review customer identity before sending invoice
- Display included quote items
- Show customer total clearly
- Generate customer-facing invoice PDF
- Connect payment flow through WooCommerce
Recommended Operating Process
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Customer submits solar assessment. |
| 2 | Admin reviews customer details, installation address, and selected appliances. |
| 3 | Vendor or technical team validates the expected project scope. |
| 4 | Admin prepares quote and customer-facing invoice. |
| 5 | Invoice is sent to the customer. |
| 6 | Customer completes payment through the connected workflow. |
| 7 | Project coordination and installation follow-up begin. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SolarFlow require WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is recommended for invoice/payment workflows, but the assessment workflow can still be used for intake and lead management.
Can appliance items be customized?
Yes. Appliance items and wattage values can be managed in the appliance library.
Does the customer receive a confirmation?
Yes. Customers receive confirmation after submitting an assessment. Emails can include their selected appliance summary and assessment details.
Does the admin email include selected appliances?
Yes. Admin alerts include customer information, project contact details, selected appliances, quantities, and load information.
Is SolarFlow mobile friendly?
Yes. The customer assessment wizard is mobile optimized and includes a compact sticky estimate experience.
Version History
Version 2.4.1
- Improved professional PDF invoice layout.
- Enhanced invoice customer/project presentation.
- Preserved quote, email, and WooCommerce logic.
Version 2.4.0
- Marketplace-ready presentation structure.
- Final invoice review customer identity display.
- Improved documentation/readme structure.
Version 2.3.x
- Mobile wizard redesign.
- Dashboard analytics improvements.
- Appliance summary in admin and emails.
- Mobile admin table responsiveness.
- Sticky mobile estimate summary.
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