Installation Guide

Software Requirements

Required PHP Extensions

The web installer will check all extensions and display which ones are missing before you proceed. You can verify them yourself with: php -m | grep -E 'pdo|curl|gd|zip'

Optional (Production)

• Supervisor — runs the queue worker (php artisan queue:work) to process background jobs such as push notifications and email delivery.
• Redis — can replace the database cache/queue driver for better performance. The database driver is used by default and works well for most shops.
• SSL certificate — required for PWA installation prompt and push notification features. Free certificates available via Let's Encrypt / Certbot.
• Node.js 18+ / npm — only needed if you want to rebuild the frontend assets. Pre-compiled assets are included in the package.

What to upload

Extract the purchased ZIP file. Inside you will find the application folder (named repairflow/ or similar). Upload all contents to your server's document root or a subdirectory. Typical locations:

• Shared hosting: /public_html/
• VPS / Dedicated: /var/www/repairflow/
• Subdomain: point the subdomain's document root to the public/ subdirectory

Nginx configuration example

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name your-domain.com;
    root /var/www/repairflow/public;

    add_header X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN";
    add_header X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff";

    index index.php;

    charset utf-8;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
    }

    location ~ \.php$ {
        fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php8.2-fpm.sock;
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $realpath_root$fastcgi_script_name;
        include fastcgi_params;
    }

    location ~ /\.(?!well-known).* {
        deny all;
    }
}

Apache (.htaccess)

A .htaccess file is included in the public/ folder. Ensure mod_rewrite is enabled on your Apache installation. In your Apache VirtualHost config, set:

DocumentRoot /var/www/repairflow/public
<Directory /var/www/repairflow/public>
    AllowOverride All
    Require all granted
</Directory>

Before running the installer, ensure the web server user (typically www-data on Ubuntu/Debian or nginx/apache on CentOS) has write access to two directories:

chmod -R 775 storage bootstrap/cache
chown -R www-data:www-data storage bootstrap/cache

Or, if you are not sure of the web server user, use 777 (less secure but works everywhere):

chmod -R 777 storage bootstrap/cache

The installer automatically creates three demo staff accounts alongside your admin account. These accounts are useful for exploring role-based access before setting up your real team. Change their passwords immediately after first login.

Complete these steps before inviting your team

1. 1
   Change the admin password — click your avatar in the top-right corner → My Profile → change password.
2. 2
   Delete or update demo accounts — go to Admin → Users and remove the demo accounts (0900000002, 0900000003, 0900000004) or reset their passwords.
3. 3
   Set shop information — go to Admin → Settings → General: enter your shop name, phone number, address, and upload your logo (displayed on invoices and the PWA splash screen).
4. 4
   Configure SMTP email — go to Admin → Settings → Email (SMTP) to enable the Forgot Password feature. Without SMTP, password reset emails cannot be sent. See the Email & SMTP section of the User Guide for Gmail setup instructions.
5. 5
   Add product categories — go to Admin → Settings → Product Categories and create your categories (e.g. Parts, Materials, Services).
6. 6
   Add suppliers — go to Admin → Settings → Suppliers and enter your parts suppliers.
7. 7
   Create warehouses and locations — go to Admin → Settings → Warehouses to set up at least one warehouse (e.g. "Main Warehouse") and storage locations (e.g. Shelf A, Shelf B).
8. 8
   Configure payment accounts — go to Admin → Settings → Payment Accounts and add your cash register, bank accounts, or e-wallet accounts.
9. 9
   Add products and services — go to Admin → Products and create your catalog. Import initial stock via Admin → Inventory → Purchase Orders.
10. 10
    Create staff accounts — go to Admin → Users and invite your receptionists, technicians, and accountants. Assign the appropriate role to each.