Documentation Article

Product guidance, setup detail and troubleshooting.

Find the right setup path for The Stay Manager Lite/Core, Pro, the Stay Manager Theme and the Customer Portal. Use this page for installation guidance, feature setup, shortcodes, Elementor workflows, licensing help and troubleshooting.

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Free/Core setup Pro workflows Theme guidance License support

Choose your product path

Start with the documentation that matches your setup.

Each customer may enter The Stay Manager from a different point: a free Free/Core installation, a Pro plan, the theme, or the Customer Portal.

Free start

The Stay Manager Lite/Core

Install Lite, create the required pages, add your first accommodation listing and test the enquiry or quote flow before going live.

  • Free/Core installation
  • Property setup
  • Public listing pages
  • Quote request workflow
Open Free/Core Page →
Growth setup

AM Accommodation Manager Add-ons / Pro Bundle

Set up add-on / Pro Bundle licensing, feature entitlements, payments, deposits, reports and the operational tools needed for growing accommodation businesses.

  • License activation
  • Feature entitlements
  • Payments & deposits
  • Reports & operations
View Add-ons →
Website design

The Stay Manager Theme

Use the Elementor-friendly theme as the visual foundation for a polished direct-booking website with editable hospitality pages.

  • Theme installation
  • Starter pages
  • Elementor containers
  • Booking shortcodes
View Theme →
Customer access

Customer Portal

Use the portal for product downloads, license keys, authorised domains, support tickets and account-specific customer resources.

  • Downloads
  • License keys
  • Support tickets
  • Account access
Open Portal →

Setup playbook

A practical launch order for accommodation websites.

Use this sequence to avoid the most common setup problems: missing pages, incomplete rates, untested quote forms or unclear launch steps.

01

Prepare WordPress

Confirm WordPress, WooCommerce if required, Elementor if you are using the theme, permalink settings and your preferred public page structure.

02

Install products

Install Free/Core plus any premium add-ons, activate the theme if needed, then confirm that the required admin menus, shortcodes and public pages are available.

03

Create accommodation content

Add properties, accommodation types, descriptions, gallery images, amenities, policies, services and location information.

04

Configure pricing and availability

Add seasons, rates, adult and child pricing, minimum stays, unavailable dates and any booking rules needed before launch.

05

Test guest workflow

Run a full guest journey from listing page to availability, quote request, booking/payment flow and customer communication.

06

Launch and support

Connect your license, check updates, publish the live pages, and use the portal or contact page if you need assistance.

Documentation index

Browse help by feature area.

These topic areas map to the parts of a real accommodation booking website: setup, content, pricing, availability, payments, operations and support.

01

Installation & Updates

Install Free/Core, add-on / Pro Bundle and theme packages safely, then understand updates and product version checks.

 02

Pages & Shortcodes

Create listing, detail, quote, download, documentation and portal pages using the correct shortcodes or widgets.

 03

Properties & Accommodation

Build your property structure with rooms, units, cottages, villas, full-property rentals and public listing content.

 04

Images, Amenities & Policies

Prepare photo galleries, amenities, services, policies, disclaimers and guest-facing content that supports bookings.

 05

Seasons, Rates & Rules

Set seasonal date ranges, adult rates, child rates, minimum stays and pricing rules for accurate quote requests.

 06

Availability & Quote Testing

Block dates, test availability results and confirm the quote/booking workflow before publishing the site.

 07

Payments & Deposits

Understand premium payment requests, deposits, subscription access and how payment workflows fit into the booking process.

 08

Reports & Operations

Use premium reporting, exports, guest operations, housekeeping and maintenance features as your business grows.

 09

Theme & Elementor

Use the Stay Manager Theme with Elementor containers, page sections, image areas, CTA blocks and booking widgets.

 10

Troubleshooting

Solve common problems with blank pages, shortcodes, permissions, cache, styling, mobile layouts and missing features.

 11

Licensing & Downloads

Manage license keys, authorised domains, downloads, product access and support routes through the Customer Portal.

 12

Launch Checklist

Review the final pre-launch items before taking the site live and inviting guests to enquire or book directly.

Help centre

Search the documentation library.

The live documentation library is powered by the Stay Manager Portal documentation system when the portal plugin is active. If the portal documentation shortcode is available, it will appear below inside this styled documentation area.

← Back to documentation

Managing availability blocks

Availability & QA / Accommodation Booking Manager Free

How to block dates that should not be available for enquiries or quotes.

Availability blocks are used to mark dates as unavailable.

Use availability blocks for:

- Maintenance dates.
- Owner stays.
- Existing direct bookings.
- Private events.
- Dates blocked manually for any reason.

To add an availability block:

1. Open the manager dashboard.
2. Go to Availability.
3. Select the property.
4. Select the accommodation option if the block applies to a specific option.
5. Select the start date and end date.
6. Enter the number of units or rooms blocked where required.
7. Add notes for internal reference.
8. Save the block.

The public enquiry or quote workflow should avoid quoting dates that conflict with active availability blocks.

Need more than a guide?

Move from documentation to the right support path.

Some questions are solved by a setup guide. Others need a demo, product comparison, license check or support request. Use these paths to get to the right place quickly.

Book a Demo Contact Support

Products

Compare Free/Core, add-ons, Pro Bundle and theme options before choosing the right setup path.

Open →

Pricing

Choose the add-ons or Pro Bundle that fit the business.

Open →

Themes

Review the Stay Manager Theme and its Elementor-ready page structure.

Open →

Book a Demo

Request a guided walkthrough before committing to a setup route.

Open →

FAQ

Documentation questions.

These quick answers help users decide where to start and when to use the portal, demo or contact route.

Should documentation be public or only inside the Customer Portal?

Public documentation helps new visitors understand the product and helps customers find setup guidance quickly. Account-specific downloads, licenses and tickets still belong inside the Customer Portal.

Where should a new customer start?

Start with installation, required pages, properties, accommodation types, seasons and rates, then test the quote or booking workflow before publishing.

Is Free/Core enough to launch a simple site?

Free/Core is designed as the starting point for a direct-booking website with unlimited properties. Add-ons or the Pro Bundle are better when the business needs payment workflows, reporting, channel sync, operations or advanced growth features.

Does the theme replace Elementor?

No. The Stay Manager Theme is designed to work with Elementor-friendly layouts. Elementor can still be used for editable containers, images, headings, buttons and page sections.

Where do I get help with a license or download?

Use the Customer Portal for downloads, license keys, domain activations and customer support tickets linked to your account.