Configuration and Setup
CartThrob’s settings can be found in ExpressionEngine’s backend at Admin > Ultilities > Extension Manager > CartThrob > Settings. Once CartThrob is set up you can move on and forget about where the settings are stored. Sweet. After the initial configuration, you should only need to interact with your weblogs & templates.
Your store’s look & feel and content is all driven by ExpressionEngine templates and weblogs. A key part of configuration is mapping your weblogs for use in CartThrob. If you do not have existing product or order weblogs, great you can just use the auto-install system to get up and running fast. If you prefer to do things your own way, then please take quick look at the information below.
It is generally assumed that product and order weblogs are already configured and set up before the backend configuration begins. You can partially set up the backend without setting up order and product weblogs, but some field mapping must be done after the weblogs are created to make the system work to its fullest. A template installer is included to make setting up order and product weblogs more simple (if you are starting from scratch)
Each setting within CartThrob is documented in the backend itself, so the settings are not described here in detail. However, a few general notes about the backend are included below.
Shipping, Tax and Payment gateways are handled by plugins. Each plugin may have its own unique settings. Payment settings are global, though they can be overridden in the template system, in the case that your store requires multiple payment systems.
Email notifications are sent upon order success. You can also choose to create your own notifications using ExpressionEngine‘s notification system, Solspace.com’s Entry Notifications, or another custom system if your notification requirements are complex. CartThrob’s email notifications use ExpressionEngine’s template parser, so your notifications can contain weblog data, and complex formatting.
