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1. Starter Guide: Your First Steps

Welcome to The Pattern Cloud (TPC)! This guide provides everything you need to know about managing your studio’s website backend

Juan Lagrange avatar
Written by Juan Lagrange
Updated over 2 months ago

Accessing Your Studio Website

Now that you’ve signed up for The Pattern Cloud, your studio has access to a wide range of resources. You will use your email and the provided password to log in.

Backend vs. Frontend

  • The Backend is where you manage your studio’s designs, sales, invoices, high-resolution files, stock, user accounts, and pricing.

  • The Frontend is the customer-facing side where buyers log in to view and purchase designs.

Important: TPC does not have access to or view your design work.

Website Links

  • Backend (Admin Panel): admin.thepatterncloud.com

  • Frontend (Your Customer Site): yourstudioname.thepatterncloud.com or your custom subdomain

Setting Up Your Studio Website

Follow this step-by-step guide and get started easily. You also have access to a pre-recorded setup tutorial, you can watch it here:

1.1. Choosing Your Website Setup

Your studio website is hosted on TPC’s servers. To get started, email TPC support to let them know which setup you require:

  • Option A: A full studio website with a homepage and additional pages

  • Option B: A secure area where designs are displayed, integrated into your existing website

Login to the Backend (Admin Panel)

Once the TPC administrator has set up your website, log in to the Backend at admin.thepatterncloud.com using your credentials.

1.2.Your Domain Options

Choose between these two options:

Option 1: Use a Pattern Cloud Subdomain

  • Example: yourstudioname.thepatterncloud.com

  • Pros: Quick setup and includes free SSL security (site is marked as secure).

  • Cons: Uses Pattern Cloud’s branding in the URL.

TPC can set this up for you.

Option 2: Use Your Own Subdomain

  • Example: design.yourstudio.com

  • Pros: Uses your branding.

  • Cons: Requires setup on your domain registrar and may have additional costs.

Email Us with Your Decision

Once you’ve chosen your option and domain, email us so we can configure everything on our end and TPC developers can activate your domain.

Switching Domains Later

If you initially choose Option 1 for speed, you can switch to Option 2 later once your custom subdomain is ready.

How to Set Up Your Own Subdomain

  1. Log in to your domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap).

  2. Create a subdomain (e.g., design.yourstudio.com).

  3. Point the subdomain to TPC’s server IP: 54.247.163.72.

  4. Notify [email protected] once this is done, so we can connect your site.

  5. Add a menu button on your main website linking to your studio shop.

SSL Security for Custom Domains

If you use Option 1 (thepatterncloud.com subdomain), the SSL is included.

If you choose Option 2 (using your own subdomain), you will need to update your domain's DNS settings by adding a CNAME record or an A record, depending on what your domain provider supports.

a. Connecting Your Domain to The Pattern Cloud

Log in to your domain provider’s account and navigate to the DNS Management or DNS Settings section.

Depending on your provider’s capabilities, you can connect your subdomain using either a CNAME Record or an A Record.

CNAME Record Option

If your domain provider supports CNAME records, add the following:

  • Type: CNAME

  • Host/Name: (Enter your preferred subdomain, e.g., shop if the full subdomain will be shop.yourdomain.com)

  • Value/Target: setup.thepatterncloud.com

  • TTL: Default or 1 hour

A Record Option

If your domain provider supports A records, add the following:

  • Type: A

  • Host/Name: (Enter your subdomain, e.g., shop for shop.yourdomain.com)

  • Value/IP Address: 54.247.163.72

  • TTL: Default or 1 hour

Once your record is added, allow some time for DNS propagation. Let our team know when it's complete so we can link your site on our end.

b. Save Your Changes

After adding the record, save the changes. DNS updates may take a few minutes to several hours to propagate.

c. Verify Your Setup

Once your DNS changes have propagated, visit your subdomain (e.g., shop.yourdomain.com) in a browser to ensure it points to The Pattern Cloud.

If you experience any issues, please contact your domain provider’s support team or reach out to The Pattern Cloud support team for assistance.

1.3. Customizing Appearance

To update your website’s appearance, go to Appearance (note: this may take a few moments to load). Here, you can customize:

  • Company Name

  • Logo (Recommended height: 46 pixels; any length)

  • Watermark Logo (Optional: watermark PDFs for VIP customer downloads)

  • Home Link (Destination URL when users click your studio’s icon)

  • Non-Exclusive Collection Label (Customizes the tab name for non-exclusive designs on the Frontend)

  • Images & Icons (Customize visuals for different sections, including main and non-exclusive collections)

  • Colors & Styles (Modify button colors, backgrounds, and more via the color selector)

  • Email Address (Used for site notifications, such as customer sign-ups and order confirmations—e.g., [email protected] or [email protected])

  • Bank Details (Customize invoice payment details; ensure currency-specific information is set correctly for multi-currency invoicing)

Important: Save Your Changes

Once you've made your updates, click "Save" to ensure your changes are applied. Unsaved updates will be lost.

1.4. Managing Website Content

The Content section allows you to customize the default text that comes with the system.

You can add any information about your business that you feel is necessary.

All content fields contain pre-filled text from TPC, which you can modify or replace with your own.

Content Sections by Studio Type

Type A Studio (Full Studio Website)

If you have a full studio website, you can update the following sections:

  • Contact – Enter your studio’s contact details.

  • Terms and Conditions – A standard template is provided. You can either update it with your company’s details or replace it with your own.

  • FAQs – Add common customer questions and responses.

  • About – Provide information about your studio and the services you offer.

  • Cookie Policy – Explains how cookies are used on your site.

  • Privacy Policy – A standard privacy policy is provided. You’ll need to insert your company details where applicable.

When updating content, ensure you edit both the title and the main body of the text as needed.

Type B Studio (Integrated Secure Area)

If your studio setup includes only a secure area for showcasing designs, the following sections will be available:

  • Cookie Policy

  • Terms and Conditions

  • Privacy Policy

Editing Content After Your Site is Live

You can update any of these sections at any time, even after your website is live.

Once you’ve made changes, be sure to save them to apply updates to your site.

1.5. Homepage (For Option A Users Only)

The Homepage is the first page your customers see when they visit your Type A studio website.

Adding Images

To ensure fast loading times and proper display, use the exact image sizes recommended.

  1. Click Replace to upload a new image.

  2. Select an image from your files and click Open.

  3. The uploaded image will appear in the designated box.

Image Titles & Links

  • Each image can have a title that describes its content or the link it represents (e.g., Blog or Catwalk). Leaving the title blank removes the white box overlay.

  • To add a link to an image:

    1. Click Add Link and enter the external URL (e.g., a blog page).

    2. Click Save to confirm.

Linking Tags

The Tags function is currently inactive. To manually link to specific tags/ keywords:

  1. Log in as a customer on your Frontend shop.

  2. Search for the tag you want to link.

  3. Copy the URL link.

  4. Paste the copied link into the External Link section.

Finalizing Your Homepage

  • Ensure all image boxes are filled.

  • Click Save at the bottom of the page.

  • You can update images and links anytime.

1.6. Payment Options

You can choose your preferred payment provider - Stripe or PayPal - to process credit card payments through your website. These settings will determine the checkout options your customers see when completing a purchase.

In addition, you can choose which currencies you would like to work with.

Stripe

Stripe is our recommended payment provider, here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up your Stripe account:

  1. Access the Stripe Setup
    Go to the backend of your website.
    In the Website section, click on Payment, then select Stripe Connect Account.
    You’ll be redirected to Stripe’s website.

  2. Create or Log In to Your Stripe Account
    Click the link provided in the Payment section to access Stripe.
    From there, you can create a new account or log in with your existing Stripe account.

  3. Activate Your Stripe Account
    Follow the on-screen instructions provided by Stripe to activate your account.

  4. Multiple Currencies Support
    Stripe allows you to add multiple bank accounts to your profile so you can accept payments in different currencies, making it flexible for international clients.

PayPal

If you’d like to set up PayPal as a payment method on your website, you’ll need a PayPal Business Account. To connect it, you’ll first need to retrieve both your Sandbox Client ID/Secret and Live Client ID/Secret, then enter the correct credentials into the provided fields.

Follow the steps below to get started:

  1. Log in to PayPal Developer Dashboard
    Visit https://developer.paypal.com and click "Log into Dashboard" using your PayPal Business Account. ​If you don’t have a business account yet, you’ll need to create one first.

  2. Create a Sandbox Business Account
    To run test payments, you’ll need a sandbox account. Click on "Accounts" under the Sandbox section, then click "Create Account."

  3. Create a Sandbox App
    Once your sandbox account is ready, go to "My Apps & Credentials" in the left menu and click "Create App." Give your app a name and select your sandbox business account, then click "Create App."

  4. Access Your Sandbox Credentials
    Once the app is created, you’ll see the Client ID and an option to view the Secret Key, these are your sandbox credentials.

  5. Create a Live App
    Return to "My Apps & Credentials", then toggle from Sandbox to Live at the top of the page. Click "Create App", name it, and select your live business account.

  6. Access Your Live Credentials
    After creating your live app, you’ll be shown your Live Client ID and can click to reveal the Secret Key — these are your live credentials.

  7. Enter Credentials on Your Studio Website
    Go to the Payment area under the Studio Website tab in your backend. Paste the relevant Sandbox and Live Client ID/Secret keys into the PayPal setup fields.

Allowing New Customers to Pay by Invoice

If you prefer to offer more flexibility at checkout, The Pattern Cloud gives you the option to allow new customers to pay by invoice.

To enable or disable invoice payments for new customers:

  1. Go to the Settings section in the left-hand menu

  2. Click on Pricing, then select Invoice Settings

  3. Find the toggle labeled New Customers Can Pay by Invoice

  4. Switch the toggle on to allow invoice payments by default, or off to disable it

What This Means

  • When enabled: Any new customer will automatically have the option to pay by invoice at checkout.

  • When disabled: You can still manually enable the invoice option for specific customers from their profile under the Pricing section.

This gives you full control over how and when invoice payment options are offered to buyers.

1.7. Setting Your Website Live

Once all required sections are completed, we can set your website live.

  • Completed sections will display a green checkmark ✅

  • Incomplete sections will appear red with a cross ❌

Going Live

Please email [email protected] to confirm that your website is ready, and we'll set it live!

Next step 2. Setting Up Your Site: Settings, Pricing, & Agents

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2. Setting Up Your Site: Settings, Pricing, & Agents
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