This version adds a shiny new module: Knowledge Base! (And some other things, too. Read on.)

Knowledge Base

The knowledge base is a clients-only page—or a collection of pages you can use to share information and resources with your clients.

Just like the client dashboard, the knowledge base is a regular WordPress page with some special features. Only clients can access it, for one thing. But it also includes a drop-down index and breadcrumb navigation to help your clients find their way around.

When you activate Client Power Tools, it will automatically create a knowledge base page for you. You can change it on the CPT settings page, or you can edit the page itself to rename it or add content to it. Since the knowledge base is made of regular WordPress pages, you can do all the same thing, like add videos or images, embed forms, or attach documents.

What should you do with your new knowledge base? Here are some ideas:

  • A new-client welcome kit with a video and links to information and resources that will help new clients get up and running.
  • Frequently asked questions.
  • Prep materials. For example, lawyers might create a mediation or deposition prep page. Designers might include materials for the initial design meeting.
  • Documents and checklists. For example, accountants might include their annual tax return worksheet.
  • Intake forms.
  • Tools, like calculators for common situations.

I’d love to know how you use it!

Navigation

A one-page client dashboard was fine before, but now that Knowledge Base exists, we needed more space. So your client dashboard will now show a tabbed navigation, with separate tabs for messages and your knowledge base.

Additionally, because the knowledge base could contain dozens of pages, that tab includes a drop-down index, and any sub-pages will include breadcrumbs to help clients get around.

Customization

Now that the main client dashboard tab is less cluttered, you can add your own content to it. It’s a nice place to make sure your clients have your contact information, or to highlight some key resources in your knowledge base.

Also, all non-core modules can be disabled. If you want to take advantage of Knowledge Base but you aren’t ready to ditch email for messaging in Client Power Tools, you just disable the Messages module. Easy!

You can also disable the Status Update Request Button Knowledge Base. If you disable all the non-core modules, you’ll still be able to take advantage of the client dashboard as a one-page, clients-only resource.

Documentation

For more information on how to take advantage of the new and updated features, plus ideas for how to use the Knowledge Base, see the documentation.

And as always, I would love your feedback! Let me know what you think about Client Power Tools or tell me how you are using it on Twitter, where I’m @samglover, or leave a review on WordPress.org. And you have a problem and you can’t find an answer in the documentation, try the support forum.