Start the One-Time 30-Day Max Preview in QCDS

Eligible QCDS installations include a one-time 30-Day Max Preview. It does not start when you install QCDS, open the component, view a locked feature, or refresh entitlement. The 30 consecutive days begin only when an administrator explicitly chooses Start 30-Day Max Preview.

Start it only when you are ready to test Max-level features.

Before You Start

  • Open Components > QC Digital Signature > Status.
  • Confirm the site's normal Base tier is shown correctly.
  • Confirm the hourly Entitlement Revalidation task is healthy. QCDS refuses to start the preview until that task is structurally sound.
  • Plan the features you want to test during the 30-day window.

If the site already has Max or All Access, there is no reason to consume the preview; Max features are already included.

Start the Preview

  1. On QCDS Status, locate the Max Preview notice.
  2. Choose Start 30-Day Max Preview.
  3. Confirm the prompt explaining that the period begins immediately, runs for 30 consecutive days, and cannot be restarted after expiration.
  4. Allow QCDS to contact the entitlement service and refresh the resulting entitlement.
  5. Recheck the Current Entitlement card.

What You Should See

During an active preview, the underlying Base tier remains the site's real Basic or Pro tier, while the Effective tier becomes Max. The QCDS reminder shows that Max Preview is active and reports the remaining time/end date.

This separation is intentional: the preview changes temporary feature access, not the purchased/base product state.

What the Preview Unlocks

The preview exposes the current Max QCDS feature set, including Max-level request capacity, Identity Verification, optional Joomla user-group monthly request limits, Custom CSS, and other controls gated to Max. Use controlled test data when evaluating advanced features.

What Does Not Start the Preview

  • Installing or upgrading QC Digital Signature.
  • Opening the administrator component.
  • Opening the frontend workspace.
  • Viewing a Max-only control or upgrade notice.
  • Choosing Refresh Entitlement for normal Authorized-Domain validation.

The source explicitly blocks an untouched preview from starting during ordinary entitlement checks.

The Preview Is One-Time

If the preview status is already expired or used, QCDS reports that the domain has already used its one-time 30-Day Max Preview. It cannot be restarted after expiration.

What Happens When It Ends

QCDS returns new feature access to the valid underlying Base entitlement. A Basic installation returns to Basic; a Pro installation returns to Pro. A known preview expiration is never extended locally just because the entitlement server is temporarily unreachable.

Existing Requests and saved configuration are not erased. For example, saved Custom CSS is preserved but stops applying when Max-level entitlement is no longer active.

If the Start Button Fails

  1. Check whether the preview is already active, expired, or used.
  2. Repair any Entitlement Revalidation task warning first.
  3. Confirm the site has a valid public domain/origin and can reach QuantaCade.
  4. Refresh entitlement and read the returned message before retrying.

Community Discussion

Want to compare workflows, share practical tips, or discuss how you use this QCDS feature? Visit the QC Digital Signature Community. For private support, bug reports, account-specific issues, or feature requests, use the QuantaCade support system.