This guide covers requirements, installation, and the first checklist run so you can confirm your store is sellable after updates, plugin changes, or a busy sales week.
This is not a maintenance-mode or coming-soon plugin. It does not close your shop, hide the storefront, or put WooCommerce into maintenance mode. It is a read-only operations checklist you re-run whenever you need confidence that the shop is still operational.
Requirements
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| WordPress | 7.0+ |
| WooCommerce | 10.0+ |
| PHP | 8.1+ |
Permissions: You need the manage_woocommerce capability (Shop Manager or Administrator) to open the plugin and use its REST API.
Privacy: Scans run on your WordPress site. There is no remote scan service, no usage telemetry, and no StoreCrafted account required.
Installation
From WordPress.org (or Plugins → Add New)
- In wp-admin go to Plugins → Add New Plugin.
- Search for Store Maintenance Checklist for WooCommerce.
- Click Install Now, then Activate.
- WooCommerce must already be active. If it is not, the plugin shows an admin notice and does not register its menu or scans.
From a ZIP
- Download the plugin ZIP.
- Go to Plugins → Add New Plugin → Upload Plugin.
- Choose the ZIP, install, and activate.
After activation, a Maintenance Checklist submenu appears under WooCommerce.
Open the admin
- Go to WooCommerce → Maintenance Checklist.
- The app shell opens with four screens in the sidebar: Checklist, Settings, History, and About.
Hash routes (same page, page=stmc):
| Screen | Route |
|---|---|
| Checklist | #/ |
| Settings | #/settings |
| History | #/history |
| About | #/about |
First-run checklist
Step 1 — Run a scan
- On Checklist, click Run scan.
- Fast (sync) checks run in the start request. Catalog product checks continue in Action Scheduler batches so large catalogs do not block the admin.
- Watch the progress panel. You can Cancel scan if needed.
What to expect: when the scan finishes, you see a score summary, open findings sorted by severity, and a collapsible list of passed checks.
Step 2 — Fix Critical findings first
- Open each Critical finding.
- Read why it matters and the evidence (counts and sample admin links when available).
- Use the primary action (always a free WooCommerce / WordPress / hosting step).
- Re-run the scan after you change settings or catalog data.
Step 3 — Review Warnings and Info
Work through Warning then Info. Ignore intentional configs (for example sandbox gateways on staging) with a reason so they stop affecting the score.
Step 4 — Optional settings
On Settings, adjust production severity for staging QA, further-tools visibility, and catalog scan bounds. See Settings.
How it works
- Hybrid scan — Sync checks (payments, shipping, email, most environment and order heuristics, plus some catalog page checks) run immediately. Catalog sellability checks batch through Action Scheduler (products and variations).
- One scan at a time — Starting a second scan while one is running is blocked.
- Findings — Each open issue has severity (
critical/warning/info), area, plain-language explanation, evidence, and a primary fix link. Optional Further tools links may appear after the free path when enabled. - Score — Informational only (not a security, PCI, or legal certification). Ignored checks are excluded. Partial catalog scans are marked provisional.
- History — Terminal scans (completed, cancelled with progress, or failed) write a summary (up to 10 retained).
Admin screens at a glance
| Screen | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Checklist | Run scans, filter findings, ignore/restore, export CSV |
| Settings | Severity overrides, further tools, catalog bounds |
| History | Past scores, change markers, clear history |
| About | Product positioning, recommendation policy, version |
Uninstall
Deleting the plugin removes its options (stmc_settings, stmc_ignores, stmc_latest_results, stmc_history, stmc_scan_state), related stmc_* transients, and scheduled Action Scheduler actions in group stmc.
It does not delete WooCommerce products, orders, or core settings.