Getting Started with DMSI DDLS

Start

DMSI DDLS is designed to be powerful yet straightforward to set up. This guide walks you through installation and configuration, getting you from zero to selling licensed digital products.

Before You Start

Make sure you have:

  • WordPress 6.0 or higher
  • WooCommerce 7.0 or higher, installed and active
  • PHP 8.0 or higher
  • Administrator access to your WordPress site

That’s it. No API keys from third parties, no external service signups, no complicated prerequisites.

Step 1: Install DMSI DDLS

Option A: Install from WordPress.org

  1. In your WordPress admin, go to Plugins > Add New
  2. Search for “DMSI DDLS”
  3. Click Install Now next to “DMSI DDLS – Digital Downloads, Licensing & Subscriptions”
  4. Click Activate after installation completes

Option B: Manual Installation

  1. Download the plugin ZIP file from WordPress.org
  2. Go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin
  3. Choose the ZIP file and click Install Now
  4. Click Activate after upload completes

DMSI DDLS is now installed and will create its database tables automatically on activation.

Step 2: Review Initial Settings

After activation, navigate to DMSI-DDLS in your WordPress admin menu to access the plugin.

Key Settings Areas

While DMSI DDLS works with sensible defaults, you may want to review these settings:

General Settings (DMSI-DDLS > Settings > General):

  • Your company name and support email address (General tab)
  • Your license types (License Types tab). Each type sets how many sites a key can be activated on (any number, or 0 for unlimited) and how long the license lasts. Three types are ready to use: Standard (1 site), Professional (5 sites) and Enterprise (unlimited sites), each for 12 months.

Email Settings (DMSI-DDLS > Settings):

  • From name and email address for automated emails (General page, Email tab)
  • Email templates, reminder timing and admin notification recipients (Email Templates page)

Portal Settings (DMSI-DDLS > Settings > General, Portal tab):

  • Portal page title (the portal URL is shown below it)
  • Portal features to turn on or off: Allow Downloads, Allow Activation Management and Allow Subscription Management

For your first test, the defaults work, with one exception: on a new install the portal features are switched off. Tick Allow Downloads (and Allow Subscription Management if you sell subscriptions) in the Portal tab, then save. You can customize the rest later.

Step 3: Create Your First Licensed Product

Now let’s create a WooCommerce product that generates licenses automatically.

Create the WooCommerce Product

  1. Go to Products > Add New
  2. Enter a product name (example: “Pro Plugin License”)
  3. Set the regular price
  4. Choose product type:
    • Simple product for single products, or Variable product for tiered pricing. To sell it as a subscription, enable subscriptions in the Licensing tab

Configure License Generation

In the Product data box, open the Licensing tab. DMSI DDLS adds this tab to every WooCommerce product.

Enable Licensing:

  1. Check Enable Licensing
  2. Choose a License Type. It sets the activation limit and the license duration:
    • Standard: 1 site, 12 months (the default)
    • Professional: 5 sites, 12 months
    • Enterprise: unlimited sites, 12 months

    You can change these types, or add your own, under DMSI-DDLS > Settings > General, License Types tab.

  3. Optional: to use different values for this product only, tick Override License Type Defaults:
    • Activation Limit: for example 1 for single-site licenses, or 0 for unlimited activations
    • License Duration: a number of days, months or years, for example 12 months for annual licenses
    • Tick Lifetime for a license that never expires
  4. Publish the product

That’s it! When customers purchase this product, DMSI DDLS automatically generates and delivers their license key.

Step 4: Configure Product Downloads (Optional)

If you’re selling software or digital files, upload them as a version of your licensed product:

Add Download Files

  1. Go to DMSI-DDLS > Versions and click Add New
  2. Select your product (and the variation, for a variable product)
  3. Enter the Version Number (for example 1.0.0) and a short Changelog
  4. Under Files, upload your file and choose its platform
  5. Click Create Version

Customers download these files from the Downloads section of the customer portal, and only while their license is valid.

Step 5: Test the Complete Flow

Let’s verify everything works by creating a test order:

Create a Test Order

  1. Open your site in a private/incognito browser window (or log out)
  2. Add your licensed product to the cart
  3. Go to checkout
  4. Use a test email address you control
  5. Complete the purchase using a test payment method

If you don’t have a test payment gateway configured, you can use WooCommerce’s built-in “Cash on Delivery” or “Check Payments” methods for testing. These leave the order as Processing or On hold, so open it in WooCommerce > Orders and set it to Completed: DMSI DDLS creates the license when the order is completed.

Verify License Generation

  1. In WordPress admin, go to DMSI-DDLS > Licenses
  2. You should see a new license entry for your test order
  3. The license key will be automatically generated
  4. Status should be “Active”

Check Email Delivery

Check the test email inbox – you should receive:

  • The WooCommerce order emails
  • The license key, added by DMSI DDLS to the WooCommerce email sent when the order is completed

Test Customer Portal Access

  1. While still logged in as the test customer (or log in with test credentials)
  2. Navigate to the customer portal (default: /customer-portal/)
  3. You should see the dashboard with your license information
  4. Try viewing license details and downloads (if you turned on Allow Downloads)

If all these steps work, you’re ready to start selling licensed products!

Step 6: Enable Subscriptions (Optional)

For recurring revenue, enable subscription functionality:

  1. In your product’s Licensing tab
  2. Check Enable Subscriptions
  3. The billing period is automatically derived from your license duration
  4. Update the product

When customers purchase, they’ll get both a license and an active subscription. In the free plugin, DMSI DDLS tells you when a renewal is due and you send the customer a renewal order. With the paid DMSI Subscriptions Pro extension (€49 a year per site), renewals are charged automatically.

Understanding the Customer Experience

When customers purchase your licensed product:

  1. Order Completes: WooCommerce processes the payment
  2. License Generates: DMSI DDLS creates the license automatically
  3. Email Sent: Customer receives license key via email
  4. Portal Access: Customer can log into the portal to manage their license
  5. Software Activation: Customer uses the license key in your software
  6. API Validation: Your software validates the license via the REST API

Common Configuration Options

Multiple Products with Different Settings

Each WooCommerce product can have independent licensing configuration:

  1. Create each product in WooCommerce
  2. Configure DMSI settings independently per product
  3. Set different activation limits, durations, and restrictions
  4. Customers can purchase and manage multiple licenses

Variable Products with Licensing

If you use WooCommerce variable products (different pricing tiers):

  1. Configure licensing settings on the variation level
  2. Each variation can have different activation limits
  3. Perfect for “Personal” vs “Business” vs “Agency” licensing tiers

API Integration

To validate licenses from your software:

  1. Send a POST request to the REST API endpoint: /wp-json/dmsilm/v1/licenses/validate
  2. Include the license_key, and we recommend product_id and site_url too. No API key is needed: the validation endpoint is public
  3. See the API integration examples in various languages

Next Steps

You now have DMSI DDLS running and configured. Here’s what to explore next:

Explore Settings

Navigate to DMSI-DDLS > Settings to review configuration options:

  • General settings (company name, support email, debug logging)
  • License settings (key format, expiration rules)
  • Email settings (from address, notifications)
  • License Types (activation limits and durations)
  • Portal settings (customer portal configuration)

Monitor Your System

Use the built-in tools:

  • Dashboard: Overview of licenses, subscriptions and recent activity
  • Reports: Sales, licenses, downloads and revenue
  • Email Logs (under Settings): Track email delivery

Troubleshooting Quick Fixes

License Not Generated After Purchase

Possible causes:

  • Order status is “Processing” instead of “Completed”
  • “Enable Licensing” not checked in the product’s Licensing tab
  • PHP or database errors during order processing

Solutions:

  1. Check order status – some payment gateways require manual completion
  2. Review product settings to ensure licensing is enabled
  3. Check your server’s PHP error log for error messages
  4. Manually create a license from DMSI-DDLS > Licenses > Add New

Email Not Received

Possible causes:

  • WordPress email configuration issues
  • Emails going to spam folder
  • SMTP not configured properly

Solutions:

  1. Test WordPress email: DMSI-DDLS > Settings > Email Templates, General tab, Send Test Email
  2. Check spam/junk folders
  3. Verify “From Email” matches your domain
  4. Consider installing an SMTP plugin for reliable delivery

Customer Can’t Access Portal

Possible causes:

  • Customer not logged into WordPress
  • Portal URL not configured correctly
  • Permalink settings need refresh

Solutions:

  1. Ensure customer has WordPress user account
  2. Verify portal settings: DMSI-DDLS > Settings > General, Portal tab (Enable Customer Portal must be ticked)
  3. Go to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes
  4. Test portal access while logged in as the customer

API Validation Failing

Possible causes:

  • Incorrect endpoint URL
  • Invalid license key format
  • Product ID mismatch
  • Rate limiting

Solutions:

  1. Verify endpoint URL: /wp-json/dmsilm/v1/licenses/validate, called with POST
  2. Check license key is being sent correctly
  3. Confirm product_id is the DMSI DDLS product ID of the product the license was sold for. It is not the WooCommerce product ID; the validate response shows it as license.product_id
  4. If the response is HTTP 429 (rate limit exceeded), validate less often, for example once a day per site

Getting Help

If you need assistance:

Free Community Support:

Additional Resources:

Conclusion

You’ve successfully installed and configured DMSI DDLS! Your WordPress site now has professional license management, digital download protection, and subscriptions – and the core plugin is free.

From here, you can:

  • Create additional licensed products
  • Customize the customer experience
  • Integrate the API with your software
  • Configure email notifications
  • Set up advanced features like support contracts

DMSI DDLS handles the technical complexity so you can focus on building great products. Welcome to hassle-free license management!

Need More Help? Visit the DMSI DDLS documentation or ask questions in the WordPress.org support forum.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need WooCommerce to use DMSI DDLS?

Yes. DMSI DDLS uses WooCommerce for payment processing and product management. Make sure WooCommerce is installed and activated before setting up DMSI DDLS. WooCommerce is free and available on WordPress.org.

Is DMSI DDLS really free?

Yes. The core plugin is free, with no time limits and no revenue share. License management, subscriptions, secure downloads and the REST API are included at no cost. Paid extensions add automation: DMSI Subscriptions Pro (€49 a year per site) charges renewals automatically, and DMSI Update Server (€49 a year per site) delivers automatic updates. Both together cost €79 a year per site in the Growth Bundle.

Can I use DMSI DDLS for non-WordPress software?

Yes. The REST API at /wp-json/dmsilm/v1/ works with any application that can make HTTP requests — desktop apps (C#, Python, Java), mobile apps, SaaS tools, or any other software platform. Your WordPress site becomes the licensing server.

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