This month in the studio, we’ve been busy customising LearnDash certificates for an existing client, launching two new websites for a Sheffield-based community arts organisation, fixing security vulnerabilities in an inherited site from a new client, and customising an online quotation site for another. Each project presents its unique challenges, especially when working in collaboration with in-house developers.
LearnDash Certificates Automated and Authenticated
We’ve automated the certificate issuance process for a client using LearnDash for online training. Previously, issuing certificates of completion was a manual task. Now, delegates must sign a declaration of completing the necessary work before a certificate is automatically issued, significantly reducing administrative tasks for our client. Additionally, we’ve incorporated a unique ID number on each certificate and in the WordPress admin area, enabling the client to validate certificates easily.
Local Arts Centre Websites Ready for Launch
We’re excited to launch not one, but two websites for a local community arts project in Sheffield. The project, initiated last year, includes a website for promoting events and selling tickets for RivelinCo, alongside a site for Borrow Shop—a community initiative that allows local arts projects to hire equipment.
Visit the site: https://rivelinco.org/
For the RivelinCo website we integrated the TicketSource API for event management into the WordPress site, offering synchronised ticket sales and customisable event categories—a feature not available on the TicketSource platform.
For the Borrow Shop, we implemented a ‘pay as you feel’ option through WooCommerce customisation. As users are required to register as members before they can hire equipment, we also created tiered subscriptions and restricted content for those not registered as members. The membership functionality requires users to sign up as members and pay an annual fee, adding another revenue stream for the client.
To streamline the setup, we provided a CSV template for bulk item uploads, saving time for our clients.
Online Quote Customisation for an EV Charger Client
We’ve started working with a new client promoting Electric Vehicle (EV) charging unit installation across the UK. They required customisation of their online quotation system to accommodate referrals from partners, including lead attribution, restricted product availability per partner, and partner-specific discounts. Our solution involved streamlining product listings to a subdomain from their main website for easier management and enabling the client to adjust partner details and offerings directly.
In-house Developer Collaboration
We often work alongside customer’s in-house developers to provide them with extra support, expertise or capacity.
Collaborating with an existing client’s new in-house developer presented challenges with version control, adherence to WordPress coding standards, and communication. Our solution was to establish systems and processes that align our work with their developer, ensuring smooth project execution and minimising errors.
WordPress Security Project
Following a security audit that highlighted vulnerabilities in a client’s WordPress site, we addressed issues with a custom plugin used for meeting management. Our approach included data sanitisation to ensure form inputs were as expected and securing SQL queries to protect the website and database. Additionally, we safeguarded customer data in a non-web-visible directory and implemented access controls based on user permissions.
