Web Development project completed in July 2008 for wvoheater.com. Following is the specifications outline of the project. I like to make these outlines before typing one line of code to make sure that the customer and I are on the same page for accomplishing the target objectives.

Implementation Project Plan
Shopping Cart System

Introduction

PHP Code, Database setup & population, UI graphics, XHTML, and CSS design and development of web based shopping cart front-end and web based shopping cart administration area back-end.

Project Timeline

1.Design/color-scheme, CSS style sheets, layout structures, html text and graphics for UI, can commence on Thursday, XXXXX, 2008 and be completed by Friday, XXXXX, 2008.
2.Database setup, population of categories/products, assignment of categories, featured products, cross-selling of products, can commence on Monday, XXXXX, 2008 and can be completed by Thursday, July XXXXX, 2008.
3.Shopping cart code outline, writing, implementation and testing can commence on Monday, XXXXX, 2008 and be completed by Wednesday, XXXXX, 2008.
4.Optimizing UI, code simplification, menu systems, and breadcrumbs throughout site can commence on Sunday, XXXXX, 2008 and can be completed by Monday, XXXXX, 2008.
5.Shipping costs/rates configuration and specific code scripts for real-time calculation can commence on Monday, XXXXX, 2008 and can be completed by Wednesday, XXXXX, 2008.
6.Final edits/adjustments/changes to any aspect of the shopping cart implementation to be completed by Tuesday, XXXXX, 2008.

Project Specifications

Discounts, Sales and Taxes
Support for the entry of discount codes at checkout.
Discount codes are set up using the web-based management interface.
Discount codes can be set to expire one use or be of the non-expiring type.
Discount codes can include/exclude certain items at the administrator’s discretion.
Discounts can be done as a currency amount or percentage of the items ordered.
Unused portions of currency amount discounts are saved for future use.
Custom sale logic allows the administrator to use custom scripts to calculate sales at checkout.
Taxes can be calculated for both State/Provinces and Countries.
Items can be marked individually as tax exempt.
Multiple taxation localities are supported.
Payment processed securely thru PayPal API.

Order Management, Reporting and Accounting Exports

Order management functions include a fully searchable database table, the ability to enter shipping tracking numbers for ordered items and the ability to include comments.
Customers have the ability to track their orders realtime using the front-end.
Administrator based reports include: Administrator Access Log, Page View Reports and Daily, Month and Yearly Activity Reports
Accounting exports are available for both Quickbooks & Peachtree.
Customer Care and Retention
The program uses both cookies and URL management to ensure customer shopping carts are retained throughout the shopping experience.
Customer account functions allow customers to set up accounts, edit them and retrieve lost passwords.
Customers with accounts can save wishlists and address books as well as have full management of their accounts.
Both the front-end and management interface have contact modules that allow for email based communication between customers and administrators.
The program is delivered with a full-blown mail list program that allows the administrator to send text-only and/or XHTML-based email messages to subscribers.
The mail list function allows customers to subscribe/unsubscribe via simple account links.

Wholesale and Affiliate Systems

The program comes with built-in affiliate and wholesale systems.
At the administrator’s discretion, maximum payouts per order based on a currency amount or percentage can be set.
The management interface has functions to activate affiliates and wholesalers and assign commission levels.
Affiliate front-end functions include account upgrade requests, lost password retrieval, linking information and order & sales reports.
Set affiliate commissions and wholesale prices on either the product level or globally per-affiliate or per-wholesaler

Dynamic Forms and Remote APIs

Dynamic form function that allows for the setup of web-based forms using a simple management interface.
Choose what types of form fields to present, the questions asked and the email address to which results from each form are sent.
The shopping cart function has a remote API that allows for shopping cart additions to originate from outside HTML pages.

Order Management, Reporting and Accounting Exports

Order management functions include a fully searchable database table, the ability to enter shipping tracking numbers for ordered items and the ability to include comments.
Customers have the ability to track their orders realtime using the front-end.
Administrator based reports include: Administrator Access Log, Page View Reports and Daily, Month and Yearly Activity Reports
Accounting exports are available for both Quickbooks & Peachtree.

Customer Care and Retention

The program uses both cookies and URL management to ensure customer shopping carts are retained throughout the shopping experience.
Customer account functions allow customers to set up accounts, edit them and retrieve lost passwords.
Customers with accounts can save wishlists and address books as well as have full management of their accounts.
Both the front-end and management interface have contact modules that allow for email based communication between customers and administrators.
The program is delivered with a full-blown mail list program that allows the administrator to send text-only and/or XHTML-based email messages to subscribers.
The mail list function allows customers to subscribe/unsubscribe via simple account links.

Wholesale and Affiliate Systems

The program comes with built-in affiliate and wholesale systems.
At the administrator’s discretion, maximum payouts per order based on a currency amount or percentage can be set.
The management interface has functions to activate affiliates and wholesalers and assign commission levels.
Affiliate front-end functions include account upgrade requests, lost password retrieval, linking information and order & sales reports.
Set affiliate commissions and wholesale prices on either the product level or globally per-affiliate or per-wholesaler

Web-Based Management Interface

All configuration and modifications to the shopping cart will be web-based, thru a secure administration area off the main website.
Password-protected, MD5 hash encryption, administrative access.
Manage your site from anywhere – all you need is an Internet connection.
Set up multiple users and user groups with different levels of access.
Make changes to the site in real time.

File Management Functions

Full file management functions will be available within the web-based management interface.
The management interface will have functions to upload and manage image and media files and to associated these files with specific products.
The management interface will have functions to upload and manage downloadable files available for purchase as a product.

Operating/Web Server Platform

Unix/Linux Apache Server

Database/Language Platform

MySQL/PHP

PHP Configuration

PHP version: PHP 4.3.0 or newer including PHP5.
PHP.ini: safe_mode set to Off.
PHP.ini: magic_quotes_runtime set to Off.
PHP.ini: file_uploads set to On.
PHP extension: cURL must be loaded.

Mail Configuration

Sending mail via an SMTP server (authorization supported) and as a backup sending mail via the sendmail executable.