QCFUM Plans and Feature Access: Basic, Pro, Max, and All Access

Document the current 2.0.4 tier matrix, including Basic onboarding, Pro CSV/approvals/automation/HTML/temporary access, and Max/All Access Join Codes, delegated user management, bulk actions, and Custom CSS.

This guide follows the accepted QC Frontend User Manager 2.0.4 implementation and applies to All plans. QCFUM delegates selected Joomla user-onboarding and management workflows without making frontend staff Joomla backend administrators. When older manuals or walkthrough wording differs from the current source or accepted keyless-entitlement behavior, the current implementation takes precedence.

Before You Begin

• Take a current Joomla/site backup before installation, upgrade, or structural changes.
• Confirm Administrator access and permission to install extensions and inspect Scheduled Tasks.
• Record the current QCFUM version and Base/Effective tier before entitlement or task changes.

Step-by-Step Workflow

1. Open the Pro+ Import tab from the unified Dashboard.
2. Start from the QCFUM sample CSV or confirm required headers and the administrator row/upload limits.
3. Choose the default Direct Create or Invite Link mode plus valid default Profile/Invite Pack where needed.
4. Upload the CSV and run Preview; do not commit before reviewing row-level validation.
5. Correct invalid/duplicate/unauthorized rows or intentionally accept the supported handling choice.
6. Commit the import only after Preview matches the intended onboarding result.
7. Review the import summary, Recent Users/Tracker/invitations, approval state, and email-delivery outcome.

Current QCFUM Plan Matrix

These are QCFUM product allowances, not Joomla ACL. A user can have a high QCFUM tier and still be denied an action by Joomla/QCFUM permissions or target-specific protection. Downgrades preserve records rather than deleting configuration that temporarily exceeds the lower tier.

CSV Intake Reference

Always use Preview before committing a production import. A valid upload can still contain rows that QCFUM refuses because of duplicate identity, invalid workflow selection, unavailable Profile/Pack, group protection, or current tier/allowance limits.

Server-Side Safeguards

• Joomla menu access, QCFUM ACL, product entitlement, and target-specific authorization are separate gates.
• Super Users and equivalent protected administrative accounts remain protected server-side.
• Visibility does not automatically imply editability; a user may be shown but intentionally view-only.
• Allowed destination groups are constrained independently from the groups a target user currently has.
• Bulk actions re-authorize each selected target server-side; the UI selection is never the security boundary.
• Password resets are delivered privately; frontend managers do not receive the generated password.
• The QCFUM MFA Required value is an administrative flag only, not Joomla MFA enforcement.

Join-Code Eligibility

• Effective Max/All Access is required for the current Join Code feature.
• The Join Code itself must be published, within its allowed time window, and below its use limit.
• Its linked Invite Pack and User Type Profile must remain valid for the current onboarding request.
• Usage reservation is handled atomically so concurrent requests cannot legitimately exceed the final available use.

The current 2.0.4 tier matrix, including Basic onboarding, Pro

Document the current 2.0.4 tier matrix, including Basic onboarding, Pro CSV/approvals/automation/HTML/temporary access, and Max/All Access Join Codes, delegated user management, bulk actions, and Custom CSS. In QCFUM 2.0.4, this must be evaluated together with the current Effective tier, the Joomla/QCFUM permissions of the acting account, and target/workflow safeguards. QCFUM is designed to fail closed around protected users and sensitive actions rather than trusting the presence of a frontend button as authorization.

For QCFUM Plans and Feature Access: Basic, Pro, Max, and All Access, test the exact workflow with a safe non-administrator account and a deliberately chosen target. QCFUM’s frontend presentation is not the authorization boundary: a control can be visible while the server still refuses an unsafe target, an unavailable tier, an invalid workflow state, or a group change that violates administrator-defined safeguards.

Current QCFUM behavior

current QCFUM behavior. In QCFUM 2.0.4, this must be evaluated together with the current Effective tier, the Joomla/QCFUM permissions of the acting account, and target/workflow safeguards. QCFUM is designed to fail closed around protected users and sensitive actions rather than trusting the presence of a frontend button as authorization.

For QCFUM Plans and Feature Access: Basic, Pro, Max, and All Access, test the exact workflow with a safe non-administrator account and a deliberately chosen target. QCFUM’s frontend presentation is not the authorization boundary: a control can be visible while the server still refuses an unsafe target, an unavailable tier, an invalid workflow state, or a group change that violates administrator-defined safeguards.

Production verification

production verification. In QCFUM 2.0.4, this must be evaluated together with the current Effective tier, the Joomla/QCFUM permissions of the acting account, and target/workflow safeguards. QCFUM is designed to fail closed around protected users and sensitive actions rather than trusting the presence of a frontend button as authorization.

For QCFUM Plans and Feature Access: Basic, Pro, Max, and All Access, test the exact workflow with a safe non-administrator account and a deliberately chosen target. QCFUM’s frontend presentation is not the authorization boundary: a control can be visible while the server still refuses an unsafe target, an unavailable tier, an invalid workflow state, or a group change that violates administrator-defined safeguards.

How This Fits into QCFUM

This category establishes the installation, entitlement, update, and administrative foundation. It should be completed before delegating frontend onboarding to staff.

A reliable QCFUM configuration keeps Joomla authoritative for real user accounts while QCFUM owns the delegated workflow, attribution, approval, automation, and safety rules around those accounts. This separation matters during upgrades and downgrades: preserving QCFUM records does not mean every preserved premium feature remains usable at a lower Effective tier.

Security and Data-Protection Notes

• Use least privilege for menu access and QCFUM ACL; grant staff only the actions required for their role.
• Never share passwords, invite tokens, API credentials, or private account data in screenshots, support requests, or custom email content.
• Treat Super Users and equivalent administrative-capability accounts as protected even when a UI configuration appears permissive.
• Verify destructive or access-changing actions with a safe test account before enabling them for production staff.
• Remember that uninstall/reinstall is not a supported method for wiping QCFUM business data or resetting entitlement/preview history.

Verify the Result

• The resulting Joomla user/group state matches the intended QCFUM workflow.
• A protected or out-of-scope user remains protected when tested with the delegated staff account.
• Preview/summary counts match the intended rows and no password column or unauthorized workflow slipped through.
• Published/expiration/use-limit and linked Pack/Profile state are all valid for an intended successful test.
• The relevant Joomla Scheduled Task is published/healthy and security expiration behavior is not accidentally disabled with commercial automation.
• Reload the real frontend/Administrator view rather than relying only on a saved form message.
• Repeat the critical test using the exact non-Super-User group that will operate the workflow.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping Preview or adding a password column to the CSV.
• Publishing a reusable Join Code without a sensible expiration/use limit or without validating the linked Pack/Profile.
• Assuming an old pending approval guarantees the action can still run after groups, protections, or entitlement change.
• Disabling the Scheduled Automation task while existing temporary-access users still depend on expiration enforcement.
• Testing only as Super User instead of the actual delegated staff group.
• Changing multiple security/workflow settings at once during troubleshooting, making the real cause difficult to identify.

Troubleshooting

• If a control or tab is missing, check Effective tier, QCFUM ACL, menu access, and feature configuration before assuming installation damage.
• If a user cannot be selected or changed, check protected groups/IDs, core administrative protection, visibility/editability rules, destination-group rules, and the delegated manager’s exact permissions.
• If onboarding stalls, inspect the stored workflow status (invite, approval, import, temporary access) rather than deleting the record and starting over immediately.
• If automation does not run, verify Joomla Scheduled Tasks and distinguish the hourly Entitlement Revalidation task from the separately configured Scheduled Automation task.
• If email does not arrive, verify Joomla mail transport independently, then inspect QCFUM template publication, recipient/address, queue state, and retry eligibility.

Operational Best Practice

Keep onboarding definitions simple enough that staff can select the correct Profile/Pack without guessing. Test every delegated workflow with the real staff Joomla group, keep entitlement/tasks healthy, and preserve an Administrator recovery path. When changing user-management safeguards, verify both a target that should be allowed and a protected target that must still be refused.

Community Discussion

Want to compare Joomla user-onboarding workflows, share practical QCFUM tips, or discuss how other administrators use this feature? Visit the QC Frontend User Manager Community. For private support, bug reports, account-specific entitlement problems, or feature requests, use the QuantaCade support system.