My Book Showroom

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about My Book Showroom — from your first install to advanced Publisher (PUB) workflows.

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1. Getting Started

How do I add my first book?

Go to My Books > Add New in your WordPress admin. Give the book a title, then use the metaboxes below the editor to add your cover image, formats and pricing, buy links, author, series, and description. Click Publish when ready. The book will immediately appear on your site.

What is the difference between FREE, Professional (PRO), and Publisher (PUB)?

FREE gives you a complete, fully functional book catalog — not a stripped demo. Five layout styles, series reading order, genre taxonomy, ARC reviewer tracking (1 active ARC book at a time, up to 5 reviewers per book), CSV import, ISBN lookup, reader reviews, buy links to 10+ retailers, and full theme compatibility. No credit card. No expiry.

Professional (PRO) adds 4 advanced layouts (Slider, Flip, Filter, Popup — 9 total), the Book Bible XLSX workbook, geo-redirected buy links, a one-click press kit, Amazon PA-API import, EPUB import, 11 email platform integrations, WooCommerce, Coming Soon badges, Universes, Book Club Resources, and ARC management for unlimited books with up to 25 reviewers per book. 1 site per key.

Publisher (PUB) includes everything in Professional (PRO) plus ONIX 2.1, 3.0, and 3.1 import and export, unlimited BISAC and Thema codes, unlimited ARC reviewers, multi-location point-of-sale inventory, the Activity Log with team feed, and an 8-tab Book Bible workbook with supply chain fields. 3 sites per key.

How do I get a license key?

FREE keys are generated at dmrstech.com — enter your email address and your key is emailed to you immediately. Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB) keys are delivered by email after you complete your purchase via Stripe. Stripe is PCI DSS Level 1 certified — your card details are entered directly on Stripe’s servers and never reach our systems. Store your key somewhere safe — if you lose it, visit dmrstech.com to have a fresh key generated and emailed to you.

How do I activate my license?

In your WordPress admin go to My Books > Settings > License. Paste your license key into the activation field and click Activate. The plugin will contact the license server, confirm your key, and display your current tier and site slot usage. If activation fails, see the Troubleshooting section.

Settings License tab with a key pasted and the Activate button

How do I upgrade from FREE to Professional (PRO)?

Purchase a Professional (PRO) license at dmrstech.com. You will receive a new Professional (PRO) license key by email. In your WordPress admin go to Settings > License, deactivate your current FREE key, then enter and activate your Professional (PRO) key. All your books, settings, and data are preserved — nothing is deleted when you switch keys.

Do I need to keep the plugin activated to keep my books visible?

Yes. My Book Showroom is a WordPress plugin and your book data is stored in your WordPress database. If you deactivate the plugin your book pages and shortcodes will stop working until the plugin is reactivated. Deactivating does not delete your data.

Do I need a license key at all to use My Book Showroom?

No. MBS installs and runs on the FREE tier with no key — you can add books, install the sample catalog, and display your full catalog out of the box. A free key (no card, no expiry) is optional: it unlocks Settings Export/Import and removes the registration notice. Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB) keys add the paid features.

How does My Book Showroom get updates? Does it auto-update?

Updates are delivered through the WordPress.org plugin update system. Updating is in-place and never changes your tier or deletes any data.

What is the tutorial sample catalog, and how do I remove it?

From the My Book Showroom dashboard, the Tutorial Data tile installs a complete sample catalog in one click — around nine books with series, collections, a universe, multiple formats, audio/video, endorsements, awards, classification codes, and a Coming Soon title — with no key required. Reinstall refreshes it; Remove Tutorial Data deletes only the samples and their media. Your own books and settings are never touched.

Tutorial Data panel after install with the Reinstall and Remove buttons

2. Adding and Managing Books

How do I add multiple formats (ebook, hardcover, audiobook) for the same book?

In the book editor, find the Formats and Pricing metabox. Click Add Format to add a new row and select the format type: Ebook, Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, Board Book, Special Edition, or Other. Each format row has its own ISBN-13, price, page count, and buy links. A book with multiple formats displays format-switching tabs on the front end automatically.

How do I upload a book cover?

Use the Book Default Cover field in the book editor’s Book Header metabox. Click Upload Cover to open the WordPress media library and select or upload your cover; this is the book’s WordPress featured image. For format-specific covers — for example a square audiobook cover alongside a portrait print cover — use the cover field inside each individual format row in the Formats and Pricing metabox. Format-specific covers are a Professional (PRO) feature.

Book Default Cover field in the Book Header metabox

How do I add buy links?

The Buy Links metabox appears in the book editor. Add a row for each retailer, select the platform from the dropdown (Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Google Play, Gumroad, BookFunnel, and more), and paste your buy URL. You can also add format-specific buy links inside each format row for titles available at different retailers per format.

Buy Links metabox with three retailer rows

How do I add an author?

Go to My Books > Settings > Authors. Click Add Author, enter the author name, bio, website, and photo. Once created, authors are available to assign to any book via the author field in the book editor.

Author edit screen with bio and profile photo fields

How do I add a publication date?

In the Book Header metabox at the top of the book editor, use the Publication Date field. You can set both a date and a time. The publication date drives Coming Soon badge behavior and release pipeline display on the dashboard.

How do I mark a book as out of print?

In the Formats and Pricing metabox, each format row has an Out of Print checkbox. Checking it marks that specific edition as out of print. This field is available on all tiers and is included in ONIX exports on Publisher (PUB) installs.

What is a lifecycle state and how is it different from book status?

Lifecycle state describes the book's publishing status: Preorder, Out of Print, Out of Stock, Draft, or Discontinued (all FREE), plus Coming Soon (Professional (PRO)). WordPress book status (Published, Draft, Scheduled) controls whether the book appears on your site at all. Both exist independently. Use lifecycle state to communicate accurate publishing information to readers; use WordPress status to control site visibility.

How do I add endorsements or blurbs?

The Endorsements metabox in the book editor lets you add a quote, attribution name, attribution title, and a visibility toggle for each endorsement. Endorsements display in the Endorsements section on the single book page.

How do I add awards?

The Extended Metadata section of the book editor contains an Awards and Accolades area. Add the award name, year, and status — Winner, Finalist, Nominee, Honorable Mention, or Longlist. Awards display in the Awards and Accolades section on the book page and are available on all tiers.

How do I add an audio sample?

In the Formats and Pricing metabox, the Audio Sample field appears on Audiobook format rows. Upload an audio file via the WordPress media library or paste a direct audio URL.

How do I add contributors like an illustrator, editor, or translator?

The Contributors metabox in the book editor lets you build an ordered list of contributors. Select the contributor from the directory and assign their role — Illustrator, Editor, Translator, Narrator, and 17 additional ONIX-standard roles are available. Reorder the list by dragging the grip handle, or with the up and down arrow buttons. Contributors are managed in the Contributors tab in Settings.

How do I add a GoodReads or StoryGraph link?

In the Book Header metabox, scroll to find the GoodReads URL and StoryGraph URL fields. Paste your book-specific links and they will render as branded buttons in the Social section on the single book page. Available on all tiers.

How do I add BISAC codes?

The Classification metabox in the book editor includes a BISAC code typeahead search. Start typing a subject to see matching codes. FREE installs display 1 BISAC code publicly; Professional (PRO) installs display up to 10; Publisher (PUB) installs have no limit. All codes you enter are stored regardless of tier — upgrading your license immediately reveals the additional codes without re-entering them.

How do I reorder the sections on a single book page?

In the book editor, find the Section Order metabox. On all tiers you can reorder sections with the up and down arrow buttons; on Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB) you can also drag rows by their grip handle. Click Update to save. Changes apply only to that individual book.

How do I add a table of contents?

The Book Details metabox in the book editor contains a Table of Contents field. Enter your chapter list or structure as free text. It displays in the Look Inside section on the single book page.

How do I add a book description?

Use the main WordPress content editor at the top of the book editor page. This is the primary book description and displays in the About the Book section on the front end.

How do I mark a book as Coming Soon? PRO

In the Book Header metabox, check the Coming Soon checkbox. Set a future publication date so the badge can display a countdown or arrival date. Coming Soon is a Professional (PRO) feature — the checkbox is not shown on FREE installs. You can customize the badge colors in Settings > Appearance.

Why is my Coming Soon badge not showing even though I checked the box? PRO

Three conditions must all be true: the Coming Soon badge setting must be enabled in Settings > Appearance, the Coming Soon checkbox must be checked on the individual book, and the book's publication date must be set to a future date. If any one of these is missing the badge will not appear.

How do I add a book trailer? PRO

In the Book Header metabox, the Book Trailer field accepts a file upload or embed URL. A play button appears on the book cover on the front end. This is a Professional (PRO) feature.

What is the difference between Authors and Contributors — and will co-authors duplicate in ONIX?

The Author(s) field in the Book Header is the Author taxonomy — your primary authors, each with an archive page and each exported to ONIX as role A01. The Contributors metabox is for secondary roles (illustrator, editor, translator, narrator, and other ONIX-standard roles). Do not re-add a primary author as a contributor, or you will get duplicate author entries in ONIX output. The per-contributor Statement field is Publisher-only.

Contributors metabox with illustrator, narrator, and editor rows

How do I add Book Club or discussion resources to a book? PRO

The Professional (PRO) Book Club Resources panel in the book editor adds a rich-text discussion guide, a drag-orderable numbered discussion-questions list, and downloadable files with optional labels. A "Show on front end" toggle lets you stage privately, and the section auto-hides if all three fields are empty. The panel is hidden on FREE installs.

3. Series, Collections, and Universes

How do I create a series?

Go to My Books > Settings > Series. Click Add Series, give it a name and an optional cover image, then add a description. Assign books to the series using the Series field in each book editor. You can set reading order from the series card in Tab 7.

How do I set reading order within a series?

In Settings > Series, each series card shows a list of its books. Use the up and down arrow buttons to set reading order — these work on all tiers. On Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB), drag books by their grip handle instead. You can also set a series number on each book directly from the book editor using the Series Number field.

How do I add a series page to my site?

Every series automatically gets a WordPress archive page at your-site.com/mbs_series/series-slug/. You can link to it from your menu, embed it on any page using the shortcode [mbs_series slug="your-series-slug"], or use the mbs/series Gutenberg block. The page shows the series description, reading order, and all books in the series.

What is the difference between a Series, a Collection, and a Universe?

A Series is a sequential reading-order grouping — books that follow on from each other such as a trilogy or ongoing series.

A Collection is a themed grouping without a strict reading order, for example Holiday Reads or Award Winners.

A Universe (Professional (PRO)) is a shared story world that can span multiple series and standalone books, with its own reading order layer for readers who want the full chronological experience.

Why can't I see the Universes tab in Settings?

Two conditions must both be true: your license must be Professional (PRO) or Publisher (PUB), and the Universe opt-in toggle in Settings > Advanced must be enabled. If either is missing the tab does not appear.

Can a book belong to more than one collection?

Yes. Collections are many-to-many — a single book can belong to multiple collections simultaneously. You can also set a different position number for the book in each collection it belongs to.

How do I display a collection on my site?

Every collection automatically gets a WordPress archive page. You can also use [mbs_collection slug="your-collection-slug"] or the mbs/collection block to embed a collection on any page.

How do I create a Universe? PRO

First enable Universes in Settings > Advanced by turning on the Universe opt-in toggle. The Universes tab then appears in Settings. Click Add Universe to create one and assign books to it. The toggle must stay on for Universe pages and the Universe block to be visible on your site.

4. Front-End Display and Layouts

How do I display my books on a page?

Place the shortcode [mbs_books] on any page or post, or use the mbs/catalog Gutenberg block. This displays your full book catalog using the layout configured in Settings > Formatting.

Front-end showroom in the default Hero layout

How do I change the catalog layout?

Go to Settings > Formatting. Select a layout thumbnail: Hero, Grid, Card, Masonry, or List on all tiers; Slider, Flip, Filter, or Popup on Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB). A description panel below the thumbnails explains each layout and what it is best suited for.

Formatting tab Default Layout thumbnail picker

Which layouts are FREE and which require Professional (PRO)?

FREE layouts: Hero (featured single book banner), Grid (photo grid), Card (card stack), Masonry (Pinterest-style), List (compact list with details).

Professional (PRO) layouts: Slider (carousel), Flip (3D cover-flip on hover), Filter (live client-side filtering by genre, series, or format), Popup (click-to-expand modal with full book detail).

How do I customize the colors on my book catalog?

Go to Settings > Appearance. Set your accent and button colors with the color pickers — four color tokens on FREE, with 16 additional tokens on Professional (PRO). Changes apply immediately to all MBS front-end output across your site.

Appearance tab color pickers

How do I enable dark mode?

Settings > Appearance — toggle Dark Mode on. Dark mode applies to all MBS-rendered output on your site.

Enable Dark Mode toggle in the Appearance tab

Why is my book cover not showing on the front end?

Check that you have set a cover image in the Book Default Cover metabox in the book editor. The Book Default Cover is the book’s WordPress featured image. If no cover is set, MBS shows a placeholder image.

How do I hide a section I don't need on a book page?

In the book editor, open the Section Order metabox. Each section has a visibility toggle. Turn off the sections you do not want to display for that book.

Why are my buy links not showing up?

Check that: (1) you have added at least one buy link in the Buy Links metabox with a complete URL, (2) the Buy Links section is enabled in the Section Order metabox for that book, and (3) the section has not been moved to a hidden position. If buy links are present but the affiliate rewriter is replacing the URL, confirm your affiliate tag in Settings > Affiliate / Earn More.

How do I display a genre page?

Every genre automatically gets a WordPress archive page at your-site.com/mbs_genre/genre-slug/. You can also embed a genre on any page using [mbs_genre slug="your-genre-slug"] or the mbs/genre block.

How do I display an author page?

Every author automatically gets a WordPress archive at your-site.com/mbs_author/author-slug/. You can also embed an author on any page using [mbs_author slug="author-slug"] or the mbs/author block, which includes the author bio, social links, and book grid.

Can I assign a different layout to a specific series or author page? PRO

Yes, on Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB). Each series, author, collection, and universe card in Settings has its own layout picker. The selected layout applies to that term's archive page and any shortcode embed for that term. FREE installs see the layout picker but selections are limited to FREE-only layouts.

How do I enable geo-redirected buy links? PRO

On Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB), each buy link can carry locale-specific URLs for six markets — US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, and Japan. Enter the per-market URL on the buy-link row; when a visitor’s browser language matches a market, MBS serves that locale’s URL (this works for any retailer, not just Amazon). Rows left blank fall back to the default URL.

What is the difference between Genres and Tags?

Genres are broad, hierarchical marketing categories (Romance, Fantasy — you can nest subgenres). Tags are flat, free-form keywords for tropes, settings, or recurring characters. Assign both in the book editor's Discovery section. Each gets its own automatic archive page, and both feed the Genre Cloud and Term List blocks.

Can I add my own custom CSS? PRO

Yes, on Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB). Settings > Appearance has a Custom CSS field that is loaded inline on MBS front-end pages. Scope your rules to the .mbs-showroom wrapper so they do not affect the rest of your theme; stable selectors include .mbs-book-card, .mbs-buy-btn, and .mbs-book-page, and you can override color tokens such as --mbs-primary-accent. There is no live preview — save and reload the front end.

5. Shortcodes and Blocks

What shortcodes does MBS provide?

FREE shortcodes:

  • [mbs_books] — full catalog with chosen layout
  • [mbs_book id="123"] — single book embed
  • [mbs_search] — live AJAX search widget
  • [mbs_genre_cloud] — genre tag cloud
  • [mbs_series slug="..."] — single series with reading order
  • [mbs_collection slug="..."] — single collection
  • [mbs_genre slug="..."] — single genre with book grid
  • [mbs_author slug="..."] — author bio, social links, and book grid
  • [mbs_timeline] — chronological publication timeline

Professional (PRO) shortcodes:

  • [mbs_author_directory] — full author grid with A-Z filter
  • [mbs_universe slug="..."] — universe reading order
  • [mbs_series_directory] — full accordion of all series
  • [mbs_esp_signup] — email subscriber widget
  • [mbs_bestseller] — bestseller badge or list
How do I display a single book on any page?

Use [mbs_book id="123"] where 123 is the book's WordPress post ID. You can find the post ID in the URL when editing the book in your admin. Alternatively, use the mbs/single-book Gutenberg block and pick the book from the dropdown.

How do I display books filtered by genre or series?

Use [mbs_genre slug="fantasy"] to display all books in a specific genre, or [mbs_series slug="the-chronicles"] to display a specific series. For a full catalog with live filtering controls, use [mbs_books] with the Filter layout (Professional (PRO)) which lets readers filter by genre, series, and format on the page.

How do I add a live book search to my site?

Place [mbs_search] or the mbs/search block on any page. As the reader types (minimum 3 characters) a live dropdown appears showing matching books with cover thumbnails and teaser text.

How do I add an ARC reader signup form?

Add the My Book Showroom → ARC Signup block (mbs/arc-signup) to any page or post and choose the book. Readers submit their name, email, and an optional message and appear as pending applicants in that book’s ARC metabox. The ARC Signup block is a Professional (PRO) feature.

Where can I find a shortcode builder and reference?

Go to Settings > Blocks and Shortcodes. A shortcode builder lets you configure attributes and copy the completed shortcode to your clipboard. All available shortcodes and blocks are listed there.

How do I add an email subscriber widget? PRO

Use [mbs_esp_signup] on any page or post. First configure your email service provider in Settings > Email / Newsletter. MBS supports Mailchimp, MailerLite, ConvertKit, Brevo, ActiveCampaign, GetResponse, Campaign Monitor, Moosend, Sendy, Flodesk, and Author.Email — 11 platforms in total.

What is the difference between the blocks and the shortcodes — and is there a full block list?

Every MBS block lives under a single My Book Showroom category in the block inserter; most render a live preview in the editor and have a settings panel (limit, columns, order, filters). The Book Catalog block is the block form of [mbs_books] and works in Full Site Editing templates. Several blocks have no shortcode equivalent — New Releases, Coming Soon (PRO), Related Books (PRO), Book Cover, Book Teaser, Term List, and Reading Order (PRO). PRO blocks appear in the inserter on FREE but only render fully with a PRO license.

Block inserter filtered to the My Book Showroom block category

How do I add a New Releases or Bestseller section?

The New Releases block shows books published within the last N days (default 30) and is free. The Bestseller block — and the [mbs_bestseller] shortcode — ranks books by Amazon sales data and is a Professional (PRO) feature. Both are inserter blocks with their own sidebar controls.

6. Import and Export

How do I import books from a CSV file?

Go to Settings > Import/Export and select the CSV importer. Download the sample CSV template, fill in your book data — one row per format edition — and upload it. The importer automatically groups rows with the same title and author into a single book with multiple format editions.

CSV import column-mapping table

How do I import books from Google Books or Open Library?

In Settings > Import/Export, use the ISBN Lookup importer. Enter one or more ISBN-13 numbers and MBS fetches matching metadata from Google Books and Open Library automatically. Available on all tiers.

ISBN lookup candidate list with cover thumbnails

How do I import my books from MyBookTable?

Export your MyBookTable library as a JSON file from your MyBookTable settings, then use the MyBookTable importer in Settings > Import/Export. Authors, series hierarchy, and affiliate settings are carried across automatically.

MyBookTable migration complete with import counts

How do I export my book data?

Settings > Import/Export offers book-data export as CSV or XLSX on Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB) installs (one row per format edition; the CSV is compatible with the CSV importer for round-trip portability). CSV import is free on all tiers.

Can I import my settings from one MBS install to another?

Yes. Settings > Import/Export includes a Settings JSON export and import. Security and license keys are excluded from exports automatically — you will need to re-enter your license key, PA-API credentials, and payment settings on the new install. All display preferences, layout choices, and affiliate tags are included.

Why isn't all the data from my imported EPUB showing up? PRO

MBS extracts the following fields from an EPUB file on import: title, description, publisher, publication location, LCCN, ISBN-13, series name, contributors (with automatic role mapping), BISAC, BIC, and Thema classification codes, table of contents, and cover image. Fields absent from the EPUB's internal metadata will be blank after import — this is common with older EPUB files and files produced by some writing tools. You can fill in any missing fields manually after import from the book editor.

How do I bulk import books by ISBN?

Use the ISBN Bulk Lookup in Settings > Import/Export: paste one ISBN per line and MBS fetches matching metadata from Google Books or Open Library, previews the results, and skips duplicates before import. This is free on all tiers.

How do I import books from Amazon? PRO

Go to Settings > Import/Export and enter your Amazon PA-API Access Key and Secret Key. Once saved you can look up and import a book by ASIN. Your PA-API credentials are stored encrypted in your WordPress database and are never transmitted to any DMRS Tech server — they go directly from your site to Amazon only.

Amazon PA-API Access Key and Secret Key fields

How do I import or export ONIX files? PUB

ONIX 2.1, 3.0, and 3.1 export and import are available to Publisher (PUB) license holders on the dedicated ONIX tab (My Book Showroom > Settings > ONIX / Publisher Tools). Set your ONIX version and sender/publisher details for export; on import, MBS auto-detects the version from the file structure and matches books by ISBN-13.

ONIX settings tab on a Publisher install

Can I move my entire catalog — books and cover images — to another site? PRO

On Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB), Settings > Import/Export has an Export Catalog + Media card that packs every book plus all media (covers, banners, trailers, audio, author headshots, and book-club files) into a single ZIP — a multi-tab catalog.xlsx plus media subfolders. On the destination PRO/PUB site, the Import from ZIP card recreates each book, restores taxonomy terms first, then sideloads the media into the new media library. The archive upload limit is 200 MB.

Import from ZIP drop zone with a selected archive ready to import

How do I migrate from a book plugin other than MyBookTable (Novelist, WP Books Gallery, and others)?

My Book Showroom reads a standard WordPress export file (a WXR .xml). It ships zero-mapping importers for MyBookTable, Novelist, WP Books Gallery, Genesis / Osom Author Pro, RS WP Books Showcase, and GS Books Showcase. For any other plugin, upload the .xml on the WXR path and MBS analyzes it, then shows a guided field-mapping screen so you match each source field (Publisher, ISBN-13, Series, and so on) to the matching MBS field. All competitor migration is free — it is never gated behind a license.

WXR field-mapping table matching source-plugin fields to My Book Showroom fields

What is the Book Bible export? PRO

From a book's Export Book Bible metabox, Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB) users download a print-ready XLSX dossier for that one title. PRO produces six tabs (Title & Overview, Marketing, Classification, Contributors, Formats & Retail, Production Notes); Publisher (PUB) adds two more — a Chicago-style copyright-page draft and a ready-to-paste EPUB OPF metadata block. A completeness badge reflects how fully the book is filled in. The export requires the PHP zip extension.

Which ONIX versions are supported, and how does book status map to ONIX? PUB

Publisher (PUB) exports short-tag ONIX in versions 2.1, 3.0, and 3.1. Book lifecycle maps to ONIX PublishingStatus automatically — Active maps to 04, Coming Soon / Pre-Order to 02 (Forthcoming), and Out of Print to 07. Set your sender and publisher details on the ONIX tab first. On import, MBS reconciles records by ISBN-13; books without one are skipped.

7. ARC Management

What is ARC management?

ARC (Advance Reader Copy) management lets you track review copies of your books. From the book editor you record reviewer names and emails, copy count, target review date, and whether a review has been received. You can add an ARC self-signup form to your site so readers can apply directly.

How do I set up an ARC campaign for a book?

In the book editor, open the ARC Management metabox. Set the status to Active, enter your target date and copy count, and add reviewer rows with names and email addresses. To let readers apply themselves, add the ARC Signup block (mbs/arc-signup, Professional (PRO)) to any page on your site.

ARC Management metabox on the book editor

How many reviewers can I add per book?

FREE installs can manage 1 active ARC book at a time with up to 5 reviewers per book. Professional (PRO) installs support unlimited active ARC books with up to 25 reviewers per book. Publisher (PUB) installs have no limit on active books or reviewers.

How do I export my ARC reviewer list?

In the ARC Management metabox, click Export and choose XLSX, CSV, or JSON format. Export is available on Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB) installs; FREE installs do not have export. The full ARC Campaign Overview dashboard — with conversion percentage and overdue flags — is available on Publisher (PUB) installs.

How do I close an ARC campaign?

In the ARC Management metabox, change the status from Active to Closed. Closed campaigns are preserved in your records but do not count against your active book limit.

How do I let readers apply to be ARC reviewers, and how do I stop spam signups? PRO

Add the ARC Signup block (mbs/arc-signup, Professional (PRO)) to a book page so readers can self-nominate; on FREE the block outputs nothing. It includes a hidden honeypot and a rate limit of three applications per book per IP per hour, plus optional reCAPTCHA v3, hCaptcha, or Cloudflare Turnstile. Applicants land in that book's ARC metabox as pending for you to approve, and can auto-sync to your ESP's ARC reviewer list.

ARC signup form on the front-end book page

9. Email and Newsletter Integration

Which email platforms does MBS support? PRO

MBS supports Mailchimp, MailerLite, ConvertKit, Brevo, ActiveCampaign, GetResponse, Campaign Monitor, Moosend, Sendy, Flodesk, and Author.Email — 11 platforms in total. Configure your platform in Settings > Email / Newsletter.

Email platform dropdown, API key, and Test Connection

How does the reader email signup widget work? PRO

Place [mbs_esp_signup] on any page. Readers enter their name and email and consent to your list. MBS passes the signup to your configured ESP automatically. You can tag subscribers by book title, series, or genre using toggles in Settings > Email / Newsletter. Double opt-in is supported on platforms that offer it.

Can MBS send a newsletter when I publish a new book? PRO

Yes. The New Release Broadcast feature in Settings > Email / Newsletter queues a campaign when a new book is published. You review and send it manually using the Send button — MBS does not send emails automatically without your confirmation.

10. Theme and Plugin Compatibility

Does MBS work with Divi?

Yes. MBS includes a Divi compatibility file that prevents Divi styles from overriding MBS book layouts and restores the MBS single book template when the Divi Visual Builder is active on a book page.

Does MBS work with Avada?

Yes. A dedicated Avada compatibility file prevents Avada’s CSS from overriding MBS display elements.

Does MBS work with Astra, OceanWP, Flatsome, BeTheme, and Newspaper?

Yes — compatibility files are included for all five themes. MBS loads the appropriate file automatically when one of these themes is active.

My theme is breaking the MBS book display — what should I do?

First temporarily switch to a default WordPress theme (Twenty Twenty-Four or similar) and check if MBS displays correctly. If it does, the issue is a CSS or JavaScript conflict with your theme. The most common cause is the theme applying aggressive heading, paragraph, or link styles inside content areas that override MBS styles. Contact support with your theme name and a description of what looks wrong.

Does MBS work with page builders like Elementor or WPBakery?

MBS shortcodes and blocks can be placed inside most page builders using a shortcode widget or HTML block. Full builder-specific compatibility has been confirmed for Divi and Avada. For other builders, placing [mbs_books] in a shortcode element is the most reliable approach.

Does MBS work with WooCommerce? PRO

Yes. Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB) installs can link books to WooCommerce products, sync the lowest format price to the WooCommerce regular price, set the SKU to the book's ISBN-13, and display an Add to Cart button alongside buy links on the single book page.

11. License and Account

I lost my license key — how do I get it again?

Go to dmrstech.com and enter the email address you used when you registered or purchased. A fresh key is generated and emailed to you automatically — the old key is revoked at the same time. Your active sites continue working without interruption.

Can I use my license on a staging site as well as my live site?

FREE licenses allow 1 active site per key, but you can generate unlimited keys at no cost. Professional (PRO) licenses also allow 1 active site per key. Publisher (PUB) licenses allow 3 active sites per key — enough for a live site, a staging environment, and a development install. You can see how many slots are in use in Settings > License.

How do I move the plugin to a new domain?

Go to Settings > License on your old site and click Deactivate. This frees the slot. Then install MBS on your new site, enter your license key, and activate. If you no longer have access to the old site, contact support to have the slot freed manually.

Is there a trial period? What if I am not sure the plugin is right for me before I buy?

The FREE tier is your trial — and it is a real one. It is not a time-limited demo, a feature-crippled teaser, or a bait-and-switch. It is a fully functional book catalog you can run on as many websites as you want for as long as you want, at no cost. We built it that way deliberately so that no one ever needs to spend a dollar on MBS until they are genuinely confident it does what they need.

Because of that, all sales are final and we do not offer refunds. We think that is a fair position: by the time you purchase Professional (PRO) or Publisher (PUB), you have already used the product. You know what it does.

A few other things worth knowing:

  • There is no subscription. Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB) are one-time purchases. No monthly fees, no renewal charges, no expiry date.
  • You are not locked into your tier. If you start on Professional (PRO) and later decide you need Publisher (PUB) features, the upgrade is $30 — not a full repurchase.
  • We are here if something is not working. Contact us before you decide the plugin is not right for you — we would rather help you succeed than lose you.
I purchased a Professional (PRO) license. Can I upgrade to a Publisher (PUB) license?

Yes. The upgrade costs $30.00 USD. Purchase the Publisher (PUB) upgrade at dmrstech.com; you will receive a new Publisher (PUB) key by email. In Settings > License, deactivate your current Professional (PRO) key, then activate the new Publisher (PUB) key. All your books, settings, and data are preserved. If you need assistance, contact support@dmrstech.com.

Can I transfer my license to a different email address?

Contact support@dmrstech.com to request an email transfer. License keys are associated with the email address used at registration or purchase.

How does Publisher multi-site activation work? PUB

A Publisher (PUB) key activates on up to three WordPress sites — paste the same key on each site's License tab, and the dmrstech.com API tracks the count and blocks a fourth activation. To move a slot, Deactivate on the old site first. Publisher also unlocks the Publishers and Imprints taxonomies and the per-book Publisher & Imprint metabox.

12. Analytics and Tracking

How do I connect Google Analytics or Plausible.io?

Go to Settings > Appearance. Enable the analytics toggle, select your provider (GA4 or Plausible), and enter your GA4 Measurement ID or your Plausible domain. MBS injects the tracking code site-wide on your front end automatically.

What usage data does MBS send back to DMRS Tech?

Only if you explicitly opt in to telemetry — you are asked once during setup and can change your answer at any time in Settings. If opted in, MBS sends once per week: your WordPress version, PHP version, MBS plugin version, total book count, which layouts are active, and which features are enabled. It never sends book titles, author names, ISBNs, cover images, buy link data, or any information that identifies you or your readers.

Are my Amazon PA-API credentials ever sent to DMRS Tech servers?

No. Your Amazon PA-API Access Key and Secret Key are stored encrypted in your WordPress database only. They are used exclusively to query Amazon's servers directly from your site. They are never transmitted to any DMRS Tech server — this is a hard architectural rule, not just a policy.

What is Brand Monitor and how do I set it up? PRO

Brand Monitor — available on Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB), not Publisher-only — tracks web mentions of your name or titles via RSS, typically Google Alerts feeds. Add up to two feed URLs in Settings > Dashboard > Brand Monitor, and a dashboard widget shows recent mentions (title, source, date, and a Read link) with a manual Refresh.

13. Troubleshooting

Why don't the section order drag-and-drop handles appear?

Drag-and-drop sort handles are available on Professional (PRO) and Publisher (PUB) only. On FREE, reorder sections with the up and down arrow buttons. If you are on PRO or Publisher and the drag handles are not appearing, JavaScript may be disabled or a theme or plugin conflict is interfering; with JavaScript off, use your keyboard arrow keys (shown under the “No JavaScript?” note) to reorder. If the issue persists, contact support with your theme name and any installed page builder plugins.

My license shows as inactive right after I activated it — what happened?

The most common cause is that your server cannot make outbound connections to the license server. Ask your host to confirm that outbound HTTPS POST requests are not blocked by a firewall or security plugin. Also confirm your server clock is accurate — the license system rejects requests with timestamps more than 5 minutes out of sync with the server.

Why are my BISAC codes not all showing on the front end?

BISAC code display is capped by tier: FREE shows 1, Professional (PRO) shows up to 10, Publisher (PUB) shows all. All codes you enter are stored regardless of tier. Upgrading reveals the additional codes immediately without re-entering them.

The plugin is showing a persistent update notice even though I have the latest version.

This is usually caused by a stale cached version check. Go to Tools > Site Health in your WordPress admin to run a fresh check, or deactivate and reactivate the plugin. The notice should clear on the next page load.

Why is the Universes tab missing from Settings even though I have Professional (PRO)?

The Universe opt-in toggle in Settings > Advanced must be enabled. Professional (PRO) license plus enabled toggle = Universes tab visible. If the toggle is off, the tab is hidden even on Professional (PRO) installs.

Why are book archive pages returning a 404 error?

Go to Settings > Permalinks in WordPress and click Save Changes without changing anything. This flushes the rewrite rules and registers MBS's custom post type and taxonomy archives. You should only need to do this once after installation.

I imported a CSV and the same book appeared multiple times — what happened?

The CSV importer groups rows into a single book by matching title and author name. If the same book appears more than once after import, check that the title and author name are spelled identically across all format rows for that book. Differences in capitalization, spacing, and punctuation are normalized and ignored when matching, so they will not split a book. Genuinely different wording — a different author-name form, or a typo in the actual words — is what creates separate books.