Hello,

I just would like a few comments on if anyone is using the phpmanager script with their cpanel/whm panel for auto-account sign and billing clients?

If any of you are using it could you tell me your positives or negitives with this script I know it is fairly new and only on its second version

Thanks for your comments

Jreis - co-owner
.:sessionmedia:.

What are your reasons for wanting to use PHPMANAGER? I tried it and my reasons were for the skin and maybe the accounting.

I tried using the last version but I had issues with the data not aligning properly when using their control panel. They claimed it was because of the new WHM skins but did not offer much of a fix. I was never able to get it to work correctly,

I downloaded the latest version but I have not been able to get the auto signup portion to work yet but I have not tried real hard yet.

With the release of the new bluelagoon standard Cpanel skin I may just blow off the $20 I spent and move on. For my auto signup I am using a modified script from nixt.org that works fine for signups.

Thanks for your post

I would be using the script for the auto account feature and billing issues such as recurring billing and keeping track of who needs to be billed an so fourth. I also like that it has a built in support ticket system although I see it has a bug in it which has no fix as of yet. I like you have already purchased it and payed them to install the script only for 3 days to go by and find out that I needed to do a second full install myself (so I sorta wasted money on paying them to install it. I am not totally unhappy with the product but Just wanted so others opinions on the script since I have not had my customers use it yet (I am still testing/playing around withit. I don't like allowing my customers to access features that are not 100% yet. So I was thinking if their is another host with a large client base that is using the script I could get some honest opinions of the script with how their customers like it and how well the script works with many clients using it.

Thanks again for your input

I do not feel good enough about phpmanager to move any further ahead with it.

I decided to stick with my modified version of the nixt.org script which takes my order and posts the order info into a MySQL database waiting for my action. I then go in via a SSL link and pull down the order info, and the nixt.org admin screen has a feature to launch the auto setup of the order then it deletes the customer info from the database. I am not fond of storing customer info and card info on my server.

I use QuickBooks Pro 2001 to do all of my accounting and invoicing and I also subscribed to the Wells Fargo Merchant account that directly interfaces with QuickBooks Pro. I set QuickBooks up to do the recurring /memorized transactions for my periodic billing runs and this has been working great! Once you get the account loaded in the rest is very simple and take very little time to manage.

QuickBooks will also allows me to email a copy of the invoice to my customer so everyone is happy.

Thanks Hostingdirect,

I really appreciate your comments

Auto setup scripts - highly dangerous. Storing CC info on your server - highly irresponsible.

Also there's the spammer issue. Guy comes in with a nice CC "borrowed" from someone, finds a server vulnerable with this kind of script and, bang, he's on your server to hack, crack and spam. And you don't even know about it yet because you're safely tucked up in bed...........

Hey NexDog who ever said I keep cc number on my servers? the cc number is used for instant account set up buy Our tech's which work 24/7 take that info off our servers once the account is set up. Also if their is a person using a CC which is not their's their is no way to know until a person reporst's the card stolen or the charge not made by them. So if I only accept orders by phone and then charge the cc and set up the account 24 hours later like some places do. The person trying to open the account could still be someone who legally does not own the cc.

How do you set account's up? CC frued is something ever online bussiness has to work daily to combat.

It sounds like you are a reseller since you are not aware that some companies like my own have 24/7 staff that monitor all our servers as well as any and all account's that are created. We use secure servers and log ip address's of all order's placed as well as refunding money (it is local state law) for any cc charge that is claimed to be made by someone who is not the owner of the cc.


Anyway I just felt alittle insulted when I read you say
"Auto setup scripts - highly dangerous. Storing CC info on your server - highly irresponsible."

Their are alot of companies who obviously have a better knowledge of secure incryption and internet security then you do who use Auto-account creation. I just was wondering what other scripts people use so I can best serve my customers.

Anyway my question still stands how do you set up accounts since you sound like you are 100% sure that any account you set up is 100% secure and done so by the person who legally owns the paying cc?

I agree storing CC information on your server isn't safe. PHP Manager is Ok. Wish it was automatic billing and not click the link to bill them...

Hey Jreis,

Please don't take my post the wrong way as I definately don't mean to offend. None of my comments were directed to anyone in particular, they were just general observatons.

I quick visit to our site would show you that we aren't resellers(though we have many ourselves). I'm very unhappy at the way some hosts and online businesses run their billing operations and I'm not implying anything there.

I remember not so long ago hearing about a certain host that was hacked and had the credit card info of thousands of clients compromised. Lax security coupled with a bad system was the reason and, in my opinion, was totally inexcusable.

As for us, we run 4 servers and all our billing is done through Revecom. Expensive, sometimes unreliable but 100% safe and secure. And yes, we work 24/7. With multiple servers, hundreds of clients and thosands of domains that we are responsible for, it would be foolhardy not to.

NexDog ok No Offence Taken. It was just a late night and I was tired so I might of read your comments the wrong way.

Hey I do agree with you that alot of online companies handle their billing operations in a unprofessional manner. I think this is really do to how easy it is for any old person including kids (teens) to set up shop on the net. Not that I am saying all kids should not be allowed to run a bussiness. However the market is really being saturated with everyone and anyone who thinks they can get rich overnight by opening a hosting company.
I feel bad for all the potential customers out their that have to weed through all these "wanna be" hosting companies not knowing really who is safe to host with and who is really able to keep their clients personal information safe. I have heard many sad stories of people being scammed or even having their cc #'s stolen from servers. Which is why I take many step's to ensure our client's and our servers are monitored and protected to the best of our ability from potential attack's.

Well thanks NexDog and everyone. This thread was started so I can learn more about the phpmanager script in general. Fourm's like this are great places for us companies to share knowledge about script's and maethods to handle our clients information safely and swiftly.

Laurence...your money is far from *secure* in the hands of Revecom. They'll happily gve it back to a 12 month contract client after 6 months or so. So we took a nice slice of money out of them and moved back to PlanetPOS. More secure...? Who knows. But we've not a single problem in almost 2 years with them, and they're down under and reachable.

Cheers

Gary

Answer to all the debate:

Quickbooks for the web - $15 a month

You can store your stuff, they are liable to secure it, and you can get your merchant account through them to auto bill every month a credit card. Even works with paypal very well. When someone pays you with paypal after you email them your invoice, it automaticly updates thier total due without you doing anything.

We use it, we love it, we recommend it highly.

Not much good for those outside the US.

Gary