VendorHearth Pro uses your organization information and designated WordPress pages to create the front-end experience for vendors and authorized staff.
Most of these settings are established during the Setup Wizard, but they can be reviewed or changed later.
Organization Information #
Your organization information identifies the market, event company, or organization using VendorHearth.
Review your organization settings to make sure information such as your organization name and vendor contact details is accurate.
This information may be used throughout the VendorHearth experience.
Vendor Contact Email #
Your vendor contact email should be an address that is actively monitored.
Vendors may need to contact your organization about:
- Applications
- Payments
- Event participation
- Documents
- Booth information
- Account problems
Update this address if the person or department responsible for vendor communication changes.
Front-End Portal Pages #
VendorHearth uses WordPress pages and shortcodes to provide front-end access to different parts of the system.
This allows vendors and authorized staff to use VendorHearth without requiring full access to the WordPress administration dashboard.
Vendor Registration #
The Vendor Registration page uses:
[cmn_vendor_register]
This page allows new vendors to register for an account.
Vendor Login #
The Vendor Login page uses:
[cmn_vendor_login]
This provides a dedicated front-end login experience for VendorHearth users.
Vendor Dashboard #
The Vendor Dashboard uses:
[cmn_vendor_dashboard]
This is the primary front-end area where vendors interact with their VendorHearth account.
Make sure the correct WordPress page is assigned as the Vendor Dashboard in your VendorHearth settings.
Vendor Event Packet #
The Vendor Event Packet uses:
[cmn_event_packet]
This page provides participating vendors with access to event-related operational information.
Vendor Check-In #
The Vendor Check-In page uses:
[cmn_vendor_checkin]
This page provides front-end access to VendorHearth’s event check-in tools.
Vendor Relations Portal #
The Vendor Relations Portal uses:
[cmn_vendor_relations_portal]
This provides appropriate front-end functionality for users responsible for vendor-relations tasks.
Using the portal allows these users to perform supported responsibilities without giving them unnecessary WordPress Administrator access.
Organizer Portal #
The Organizer Portal uses:
[cmn_organizer_portal]
This provides supported organizer functionality through the front end of the website.
One Shortcode Per Intended Page #
For the cleanest setup, create dedicated WordPress pages for VendorHearth’s major portal functions.
For example:
Vendor Login[cmn_vendor_login]
Vendor Dashboard[cmn_vendor_dashboard]
Keeping these functions on clearly named pages makes your portal easier to manage and troubleshoot.
Adding Portal Pages to Your Website Menu #
You can add appropriate VendorHearth pages to your WordPress navigation.
For example, a vendor menu might include links to:
- Vendor Login
- Vendor Dashboard
- Event Packet
Not every operational page needs to appear in your public navigation.
Staff-only pages such as check-in or vendor-relations tools should be handled according to your site’s access requirements.
Do Not Give Vendors Administrator Access #
VendorHearth’s front-end portal exists so vendors can manage their participation without accessing the WordPress administration area.
A normal vendor should not be made a WordPress Administrator simply to access VendorHearth.
Use the appropriate VendorHearth role and front-end pages instead.
Changing a Portal Page #
If you replace one of your VendorHearth portal pages:
- Create the new WordPress page.
- Add the appropriate VendorHearth shortcode.
- Publish the page.
- Update the corresponding VendorHearth setting.
- Test the page from the front end.
- Update your website navigation if necessary.
Do not delete the old page until you have confirmed that the replacement works correctly.
Test as the Correct User Role #
Administrator access can sometimes hide permission problems that another user would experience.
When testing your portal, use an appropriate test account whenever possible.
For example, test the Vendor Dashboard while logged in as a Vendor rather than only testing it as an Administrator.
Check Mobile Access #
Vendors are likely to access VendorHearth from their phones.
After configuring your portal pages, check important pages on a mobile device or mobile-sized browser window.
Pay particular attention to:
- Login
- Registration
- Vendor Dashboard
- Applications
- Payments
- Event Packet
Use System Readiness #
After changing portal settings, review:
VendorHearth → System Readiness
VendorHearth can check whether required portal pages and other important system components are configured correctly.
If a portal page is missing or improperly configured, System Readiness is a good place to begin troubleshooting.
Next Step #
Continue to Configuring Payment and Email Settings to review the global settings that control VendorHearth payment processing and system email behavior.
