The control panel and platform users

The control panel holds the platform-wide settings that used to live only in the server's .env file: who the platform is, how it sends email and texts, how dealerships pay their subscription, sign-in security and media defaults. Only the platform owner can open it.

Before you start #

• You must be the platform owner (settings.manage).
• A value set in the server's .env file always wins. The field then shows Locked: set in the server's .env file and can't be changed here.
• Secrets (passwords, tokens, keys) are stored encrypted and never shown again. Leave a secret field blank to keep the stored value, or tick Remove the stored value to delete it.

Open the control panel #

1. Open Security & settings › Control panel.
2. Check the banner at the top. It says whether outbound delivery is ON or OFF.

Each section has its own Save … settings button, so you can save one group at a time.

Platform #

• Platform name: shown in emails and the consoles.
• Support email shown to dealerships.
• Where platform alerts are emailed: if blank, alerts go to every active platform owner. See Alerts and the server page.

Email #

Platform mail covers sign-in emails, password resets, alerts and invitations.

1. Enter the SMTP host, SMTP port, Encryption (STARTTLS, SSL/TLS or None), SMTP username, SMTP password and From address.
2. Select Save email settings.
3. Select Send me a test email. With outbound off, the test goes to the outbox.

SMS (Twilio) #

1. Enter the Twilio account SID, Twilio auth token and Sending number (E.164), for example +19045550100.
2. Optionally tick Let dealerships without their own Twilio account text through this number. Dealerships that connect their own Twilio account always use it instead.
3. Select Save sms settings.
4. In Twilio, set the number's incoming-message webhook to the address shown on the page, so STOP replies and customer answers reach the right dealership.
5. Enter a number and select Send a test text.

Payment gateway (Stripe) #

This is how dealerships pay their MotoDealerHQ subscription by card. It is separate from each dealership's own Stripe account for invoicing its customers.

1. In Stripe, create a product and a recurring price for each plan, and paste each price id into the plan under Revenue › Plans & entitlements.
2. In Stripe, add a webhook endpoint for the address shown on the page, sending these events: checkout.session.completed, invoice.paid, invoice.payment_failed, customer.subscription.updated and customer.subscription.deleted.
3. In the control panel, tick Take subscription payments by card (Stripe), and enter the Stripe publishable key, Stripe secret key and Stripe webhook signing secret.
4. Select Save payment settings, then Check the Stripe key.
5. In Stripe's customer portal settings, turn on plan switching and cancellation and list the plans' prices, if dealerships should do that themselves.

Test in Stripe's test mode first, and watch Revenue › Webhooks. Dealers' side of this is described in Managing billing.

Sign-in security #

• Require two-factor sign-in for every dealership user. Exemptions recorded by operators still apply.
• Let dealership users skip the code on a remembered device for 30 days. On by default. Platform staff always enter a code.

Media and storage #

Platform defaults for photo retention and maximum photo size. See Storage and media retention.

Platform users and roles #

Platform staff accounts are separate from dealership accounts. Open Security & settings › Platform users (owner only) to add staff, change their role or disable them.

1. Under Add platform user, enter Name, Email, Role and an Initial password.
2. Save. The person must set up two-factor sign-in at their first sign-in.

Other owner settings #

• Security & settings › AI assistant: see AI assistant settings.
• Security & settings › Market data: providers, credentials and licence terms for market research. Off by default.
• Security & settings › Marketing services offer: describe a done-for-you marketing service you sell. When switched on, dealerships see it under Marketing with a request form. Off by default.

Permissions #

Limitations #