SGEN Setup Wizard — Walkthrough

Walks the 5-step wizard end-to-end, captures the post-install state, and lists the recommended onboarding steps after the wizard says "Install Site." Owner: Jerome. Screenshots: screenshots/01-welcome.png... screenshots/14-pages-add-new.png. Site name used in walkthrough: TestDoc. Identifiers anonymized.

How to use this walkthrough

What is this for?

This walkthrough covers the SGEN Setup Wizard from the first screen to the completed install — every field, every default, and every first step after the wizard finishes. It is the reference map for operators completing their first SGEN site setup or onboarding a teammate to the same process.

Good use cases

• You are completing the Setup Wizard for the first time and want to know what to expect at each step.
• You are onboarding a teammate and want a single document that covers the wizard plus the post-install steps.
• You are verifying that a new site is set up correctly against a known-good reference.
• You want to see what the default post-install state looks like before touching anything.

What NOT to use this for

• Changing wizard defaults or admin config after setup — use Site Settings in the SGEN admin.
• Multi-site deployment — the wizard runs once per site; for managing multiple sites in SG-Dashboard, see the multi-site setup guide.
• Platform-level onboarding architecture — the companion audit at 07-Internal-Docs/setup-wizard-audit-2026-04-30.md covers the platform-eng findings.

How this connects to other features

• SGEN Setup Wizard — the short user-facing overview of the wizard steps.
• Pre-launch checklist — the 23-item checklist to run after this walkthrough, before going live.
• Getting started with SGEN — the orientation guide for new operators that sets context for why the setup sequence matters.

Before you start

• Have your site name, admin email, and a strong password ready before opening the wizard. The wizard runs in sequence and does not save progress between sessions.
• Decide on a theme before step 4. You can change it after install, but picking intentionally saves a round trip.
• If you are setting up a client site, turn Maintenance Mode ON immediately after install (see Part 3, Step 1) before sharing the URL.

Where to go

The Setup Wizard runs at https://<your-sgen-host>/setup-wizard. It is the first screen you see after your SGEN account is provisioned. If the wizard is already complete, access the admin at https://<your-sgen-host>/sg-admin/.

Steps

The full step-by-step walkthrough is in Part 1 (wizard) and Part 3 (post-install onboarding steps) below.

What success looks like

After the wizard completes:

• The browser redirects to the SGEN admin dashboard at /sg-admin/.
• The admin greeting shows the display name you set ("Hi, Site Owner").
• The live site at / loads with the theme you selected — placeholder content visible, ready to replace.
• The admin email on file receives a confirmation.

What to do if it does not work

• Wizard does not advance past a step — all required fields on that step must be filled. Check that the password meets the strength requirement and that the admin email is a valid address.
• Install hangs beyond 3 minutes — do not refresh. If the page times out, contact support with the timestamp. The install may have partially completed; support can confirm and clean up.
• Admin URL returns 404 after install — confirm the sg-admin slug is correct, or try the default path /sg-admin/. If a custom slug was set, use that slug.

Part 1 — The wizard (5 steps, ~3 min if you have the answers)

Step 1 — Welcome

• URL: https://<host>/setup-wizard
• Page title: "SGEN — Setup Configuration"
• Heading: "Welcome to SGEN"
• Single CTA: Start Setup
• Progress nav (top): Welcome / Site Info / Admin / Theme / Review · v1.0
• Trust signals: "Quick setup — no coding required" · "Secure connection established"

Step 2 — Site Info

• Heading: "Site Information"
• Required field: Site Name (placeholder My Awesome Site)
• Buttons: Back · Next
• Validation: name required to advance. Single field — minimal.

Step 3 — Admin Setup

• Heading: "Admin Setup"
• Required fields:
• Admin URL slug (default sg-admin, prefixed display https://<host>/)
• Admin Email
• Password (with Show toggle + Generate button)
• Confirm Password
• Buttons: Back · Next
• Notes:
• Generate produces a strong cleartext password and fills both password + confirm.
• Show toggle reveals the password in plaintext.

Step 4 — Choose Your Theme

• Heading: "Choose Your Theme"
• 5 presets (single-select):

1. Midnight Orchid — Dark · Poppins · charcoal base with orchid + pink highlights (default)
2. Slate Ember — slate w/ cool blue + warm ember
3. Forest Mint — earthy dark greens + fresh mint
4. Burgundy Gold — burgundy + crimson + gold
5. Graphite Lime — graphite monochrome + lime

• Each preset bundles colors + typography + button styles. You can rework via Appearance → Themes later.

Step 5 — Review & Install

• Summary cards: Site / Admin URL / Admin email / Password (masked, with Show + Copy) / Theme
• Buttons: Back · Install Site
• ⚠ Once Install Site is clicked, the password becomes the real admin credential. Save it before clicking Install.

Install state

• Click → modal "Installing your site... This may take a few moments. Please do not refresh or close this page."
• Install button disables.
• On completion (~30-90s observed): auto-redirect to <host>/sg-admin/ Dashboard.

Part 2 — What you get post-install (defaults)

2.1 — Front-end (what visitors see)

URL: https://<host>/

• Title bar: "Home - {Site Name}"
• Header nav: Site logo (text fallback = Site Name) · Home · BOOK A DEMO (#) · TALK TO US (#)
• Hero: "Lorem Ipsum / dolor sit amet consectetur adi" + lorem body + "CTA BUTTON 1" · "CTA BUTTON 2"
• Stats block: "minim veniam" + 4 cards "9.9 BLN / LOREM IPSUM"
• Feature blocks: several "Excepteur sint occaecat" + "+00.0%" placeholder cards
• Testimonial: "Ed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste!" + lorem body
• Service grid: 6 "Lorem Ipsum Dolor Sit Amet" cards
• Team carousel: 8 placeholder team members ("John Doe / Jane Doe", "Software Engineer")
• CTA section + Image popup row (3 default theme images) + 3 "CALL NOW" cards
• Footer: lorem body · CALL TO ACTION · "{Site Name}" wordmark · LINKS (Home only) · CONTACT US (#000 Sample Location and Address, 000-000-0000, mailme@email.com) · 4 social link placeholders · © Copyright 2026, {Site Name}
• Floating widgets: "Open admin sidebar" + "Open accessibility options"

Site ships fully populated with lorem placeholder content. Every block, every CTA, every image. Replace 100% before going live OR turn on Maintenance Mode immediately.

2.2 — Admin Dashboard

URL: https://<host>/sg-admin/

• Greeting: "Hi, Site Owner"
• Site Vitals widget — all "—" until a scan runs. Has Desktop/Mobile toggle, Scan button, link to PageSpeed.web.dev.
• Leads Overview: 0 across all metrics. Day/7d/30d/90d filters.
• Lead Sources: 0% across Organic / Direct / Referral / Google Ads / Social / Other.
• SEO Overview: Pages (1) — 0 at 90%+, 1 needs work. Blogs / Custom / Products = no items.
• Recent Activity: "No recent activity."

2.3 — Sidebar inventory (modules pre-enabled)

GENERAL Dashboard · Appearance · Media Library · Blogs · Pages · UsersMODULES SEO · Discussions · My Forms · Phone Taps · Tracking ConsentTemplates · Popups · Redirects · Custom Fields · LocationsEvents · Analytics · BlacklistSTORE MGMT Products · Orders · Coupons · ConfigurationCUSTOM OBJECTS Custom ObjectsCONFIGURATION Tools · Migration

Store Management entries route through /sg-admin/ecommerce/* — reach Products, Orders, Coupons, and Configuration via the sidebar links rather than typing the bare URLs.

2.4 — Top-right header

• Search admin pages (textbox)
• Notifications (icon, dropdown) — /sg-admin/notifications
• Site Owner button (top-right pill: "SO Hi, Site Owner") → dropdown:

2.5 — Appearance submenu

Themes /sg-admin/appearance/themesTheme Editor /sg-admin/appearance/headerSite Settings /sg-admin/settings (note: NOT /appearance/site_settings)Menu /sg-admin/appearance/menuCustom Fonts /sg-admin/custom_fontsCustom Codes /sg-admin/custom_codesCustom CSS /sg-admin/custom_cssShortcodes Helper /sg-admin/appearance/shortcodes_helper

2.6 — Site Settings → General defaults

Wizard does NOT collect: description, logo, favicon, timezone, business address, business hours, social links. All are post-install work — see the onboarding checklist in Part 5.

Sibling tabs:

• Email (/settings/email_settings) — SMTP + sender, empty.
• Social Media (/settings/social_media) — Profiles + icons, empty.

2.7 — Users

• 1 user pre-created: the admin from the wizard. Display name "Site Owner", role Administrator.
• Counts: All Users 1 · Administrator 1 · Editor 0 · Customer 0 · Trash 0.
• "Add New" works (/sg-admin/users/add_new).

2.8 — Tools → Google Integrations

All 6 services ship Inactive · Not configured:

Dashboard's Site Vitals + Leads Overview widgets stay empty until at least Analytics + Search Console are configured.

2.9 — Pages, Blogs, Products, Forms

• Pages: 1 (Home — full lorem template, marked — Homepage). View URL = /home. Edit URL = /sg-admin/pages/edit/1.
• Blogs: 0 created. Use the sidebar sub-items to reach Add New + listings.
• Forms: 0 created. Submission inbox at /forms/submissions.
• Templates / Popups / Redirects / Custom Fields / Events / Locations: 0 each. Reach each via its sidebar entry.

Part 3 — Onboarding walkthrough (recommended steps)

These map to the onboarding checklist in Part 5. Walked end-to-end on staging.

Step 1 — Set Maintenance Mode ON (recommended before publishing real content)

• URL: /sg-admin/tools/maintenance_mode
• UI: single checkbox "Enable maintenance mode?" + multiline content editor (HTML, prefilled with default <h1>We'll be back soon!</h1> + SGEN Documentation shortcode). Save Changes button.
• Behavior: when ON, visitors see the maintenance page instead of the live site.
• Recommendation: turn ON for the first 1-2 hours post-install. Off after content is replaced.

Step 2 — Adjust Timezone

• URL: /sg-admin/settings
• Default: America/Los_Angeles. Full IANA list available (Africa / America / Asia / Atlantic / Australia / Europe / Indian / Pacific / UTC).
• Local time displayed inline so you can verify.
• Affects: Activity Log entries, scheduled posts, blog dates, business hours rendering.

Step 3 — Set Site Description, Logo, Favicon, Business Info

• URL: /sg-admin/settings
• All under General Settings. Logo + Favicon use "Choose Image" → Media Library picker.
• Business Phone / Address Line 1+2 / City / State / Postal / Country / Hours — empty by default. Drives Schema.org markup, footer info, contact forms.

Step 4 — Configure SMTP (/sg-admin/settings/email_settings)

• Until configured: form submissions, password resets, contact-us notifications all fail silently.
• Critical before launching forms.

Step 5 — Connect Google services (/sg-admin/tools/google_integrations)

• 6 cards, each with Configure button. All ship Inactive.
• Recommended order: reCAPTCHA → Analytics → Search Console → Tag Manager → Google Ads → Business Profile. (reCAPTCHA first protects forms; Analytics + Search Console drive the dashboard widgets.)

Step 6 — Build Menu (/sg-admin/appearance/menu)

• Default menu has only "Home." Add real navigation here.

Step 7 — Create your first real page

• URL: /sg-admin/pages/add_new
• Form covers (in order): Title · "Edit with SG-Builder" CTA · Page Banner toggle (with banner content + multi-CTA buttons w/ icon/style/color picker + background images mobile/desktop) · Header Scripts · Footer Scripts · SEO (Page Title with {{shortcodes}}, Description, Canonical URL, Search Engine Visibility checkbox) · Status (Publish/Draft/Private/Password Protected) · Parent (optional) · Template (Text Editor / SG-Builder, default SG-Builder) · "Is a landing page?" toggle · Thumbnail.
• Template default = SG-Builder. Switching to Text Editor changes the editor surface.
• Shortcodes available in SEO field: SGEN Documentation, https://documentationsgen.staging.sgen.com/, , , Setup Wizard Walkthrough, https://documentationsgen.staging.sgen.com/blog/guides/setup-wizard-walkthrough,

  SGEN Setup Wizard — Walkthrough

  Walks the 5-step wizard end-to-end, captures the post-install state, and lists the recommended onboarding steps after the wizard says "Install Site." Owner: Jerome. Screenshots: screenshots/01-welcome.png... screenshots/14-pages-add-new.png. Site name used in walkthrough: TestDoc. Identifiers anonymized.

  ---

  How to use this walkthrough

  What is this for?

  This walkthrough covers the SGEN Setup Wizard from the first screen to the completed install — every field, every default, and every first step after the wizard finishes. It is the reference map for operators completing their first SGEN site setup or onboarding a teammate to the same process.

  Good use cases

  • You are completing the Setup Wizard for the first time and want to know what to expect at each step.
  • You are onboarding a teammate and want a single document that covers the wizard plus the post-install steps.
  • You are verifying that a new site is set up correctly against a known-good reference.
  • You want to see what the default post-install state looks like before touching anything.

  What NOT to use this for

  • Changing wizard defaults or admin config after setup — use Site Settings in the SGEN admin.
  • Multi-site deployment — the wizard runs once per site; for managing multiple sites in SG-Dashboard, see the multi-site setup guide.
  • Platform-level onboarding architecture — the companion audit at 07-Internal-Docs/setup-wizard-audit-2026-04-30.md covers the platform-eng findings.

  How this connects to other features

  • SGEN Setup Wizard — the short user-facing overview of the wizard steps.
  • Pre-launch checklist — the 23-item checklist to run after this walkthrough, before going live.
  • Getting started with SGEN — the orientation guide for new operators that sets context for why the setup sequence matters.

  Before you start

  • Have your site name, admin email, and a strong password ready before opening the wizard. The wizard runs in sequence and does not save progress between sessions.
  • Decide on a theme before step 4. You can change it after install, but picking intentionally saves a round trip.
  • If you are setting up a client site, turn Maintenance Mode ON immediately after install (see Part 3, Step 1) before sharing the URL.

  Where to go

  The Setup Wizard runs at https://<your-sgen-host>/setup-wizard. It is the first screen you see after your SGEN account is provisioned. If the wizard is already complete, access the admin at https://<your-sgen-host>/sg-admin/.

  Steps

  The full step-by-step walkthrough is in Part 1 (wizard) and Part 3 (post-install onboarding steps) below.

  Setup Wizard — 5 steps at a glance

  Welcome 1 Site Info 2 Admin Setup 3 Theme 4 Review & Install 5

  What success looks like

  After the wizard completes:

  • The browser redirects to the SGEN admin dashboard at /sg-admin/.
  • The admin greeting shows the display name you set ("Hi, Site Owner").
  • The live site at / loads with the theme you selected — placeholder content visible, ready to replace.
  • The admin email on file receives a confirmation.

  What to do if it does not work

  • Wizard does not advance past a step — all required fields on that step must be filled. Check that the password meets the strength requirement and that the admin email is a valid address.
  • Install hangs beyond 3 minutes — do not refresh. If the page times out, contact support with the timestamp. The install may have partially completed; support can confirm and clean up.
  • Admin URL returns 404 after install — confirm the sg-admin slug is correct, or try the default path /sg-admin/. If a custom slug was set, use that slug.

  ---

  Part 1 — The wizard (5 steps, ~3 min if you have the answers)

  Step 1 — Welcome

  • URL: https://<host>/setup-wizard
  • Page title: "SGEN — Setup Configuration"
  • Heading: "Welcome to SGEN"
  • Single CTA: Start Setup
  • Progress nav (top): Welcome / Site Info / Admin / Theme / Review · v1.0
  • Trust signals: "Quick setup — no coding required" · "Secure connection established"

  Step 2 — Site Info

  • Heading: "Site Information"
  • Required field: Site Name (placeholder My Awesome Site)
  • Buttons: Back · Next
  • Validation: name required to advance. Single field — minimal.

  Step 3 — Admin Setup

  • Heading: "Admin Setup"
  • Required fields:
  • Admin URL slug (default sg-admin, prefixed display https://<host>/)
  • Admin Email
  • Password (with Show toggle + Generate button)
  • Confirm Password
  • Buttons: Back · Next
  • Notes:
  • Generate produces a strong cleartext password and fills both password + confirm.
  • Show toggle reveals the password in plaintext.

  Step 4 — Choose Your Theme

  • Heading: "Choose Your Theme"
  • 5 presets (single-select):
  1. Midnight Orchid — Dark · Poppins · charcoal base with orchid + pink highlights (default)
  2. Slate Ember — slate w/ cool blue + warm ember
  3. Forest Mint — earthy dark greens + fresh mint
  4. Burgundy Gold — burgundy + crimson + gold
  5. Graphite Lime — graphite monochrome + lime
  • Each preset bundles colors + typography + button styles. You can rework via Appearance → Themes later.

  Step 5 — Review & Install

  • Summary cards: Site / Admin URL / Admin email / Password (masked, with Show + Copy) / Theme
  • Buttons: Back · Install Site
  • ⚠ Once Install Site is clicked, the password becomes the real admin credential. Save it before clicking Install.

  Install state

  • Click → modal "Installing your site... This may take a few moments. Please do not refresh or close this page."
  • Install button disables.
  • On completion (~30-90s observed): auto-redirect to <host>/sg-admin/ Dashboard.
  ✓

  Settings saved

  Your SGEN site is ready. The admin dashboard is now available at your admin URL. The public site is live with placeholder content — turn on Maintenance Mode before replacing it.

  ---

  Part 2 — What you get post-install (defaults)

  2.1 — Front-end (what visitors see)

  URL: https://<host>/

  • Title bar: "Home - {Site Name}"
  • Header nav: Site logo (text fallback = Site Name) · Home · BOOK A DEMO (#) · TALK TO US (#)
  • Hero: "Lorem Ipsum / dolor sit amet consectetur adi" + lorem body + "CTA BUTTON 1" · "CTA BUTTON 2"
  • Stats block: "minim veniam" + 4 cards "9.9 BLN / LOREM IPSUM"
  • Feature blocks: several "Excepteur sint occaecat" + "+00.0%" placeholder cards
  • Testimonial: "Ed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste!" + lorem body
  • Service grid: 6 "Lorem Ipsum Dolor Sit Amet" cards
  • Team carousel: 8 placeholder team members ("John Doe / Jane Doe", "Software Engineer")
  • CTA section + Image popup row (3 default theme images) + 3 "CALL NOW" cards
  • Footer: lorem body · CALL TO ACTION · "{Site Name}" wordmark · LINKS (Home only) · CONTACT US (#000 Sample Location and Address, 000-000-0000, mailme@email.com) · 4 social link placeholders · © Copyright 2026, {Site Name}
  • Floating widgets: "Open admin sidebar" + "Open accessibility options"

  Site ships fully populated with lorem placeholder content. Every block, every CTA, every image. Replace 100% before going live OR turn on Maintenance Mode immediately.

  2.2 — Admin Dashboard

  URL: https://<host>/sg-admin/

  • Greeting: "Hi, Site Owner"
  • Site Vitals widget — all "—" until a scan runs. Has Desktop/Mobile toggle, Scan button, link to PageSpeed.web.dev.
  • Leads Overview: 0 across all metrics. Day/7d/30d/90d filters.
  • Lead Sources: 0% across Organic / Direct / Referral / Google Ads / Social / Other.
  • SEO Overview: Pages (1) — 0 at 90%+, 1 needs work. Blogs / Custom / Products = no items.
  • Recent Activity: "No recent activity."
  SGEN Admin / Appearance / Site Settings

  ←

  Site Settings — General (post-install defaults)

  Fields left empty by the wizard — fill these before going live

  Site NameSet during wizard. Edit here to update the site title and logo fallback text.Site DescriptionEmpty after wizard. Fill to populate meta description and SEO defaults.Site LogoEmpty after wizard. Upload your logo here — appears in the header and replaces the text fallback.FaviconEmpty after wizard. Upload a 32×32 or 64×64 image.TimezoneAmerica/Los_Angeles (default)America/New_YorkEurope/LondonAsia/ManilaDefaults to US Pacific. Change to your local timezone — affects post timestamps, booking times, and the Activity Log.Business PhoneEmpty after wizard. Used in schema markup and tap-to-call links.

  Save Changes
  }

  2.3 — Sidebar inventory (modules pre-enabled)

  GENERAL Dashboard · Appearance · Media Library · Blogs · Pages · UsersMODULES SEO · Discussions · My Forms · Phone Taps · Tracking ConsentTemplates · Popups · Redirects · Custom Fields · LocationsEvents · Analytics · BlacklistSTORE MGMT Products · Orders · Coupons · ConfigurationCUSTOM OBJECTS Custom ObjectsCONFIGURATION Tools · Migration

  Store Management entries route through /sg-admin/ecommerce/* — reach Products, Orders, Coupons, and Configuration via the sidebar links rather than typing the bare URLs.

  2.4 — Top-right header

  • Search admin pages (textbox)
  • Notifications (icon, dropdown) — /sg-admin/notifications
  • Site Owner button (top-right pill: "SO Hi, Site Owner") → dropdown:

  Option	URL
  Account Settings	/sg-admin/edit_profile
  Log Out	/sg-admin/?signout=1&_nonce=…

  2.5 — Appearance submenu

  Themes /sg-admin/appearance/themesTheme Editor /sg-admin/appearance/headerSite Settings /sg-admin/settings (note: NOT /appearance/site_settings)Menu /sg-admin/appearance/menuCustom Fonts /sg-admin/custom_fontsCustom Codes /sg-admin/custom_codesCustom CSS /sg-admin/custom_cssShortcodes Helper /sg-admin/appearance/shortcodes_helper

  2.6 — Site Settings → General defaults

  Field	Default after wizard	Notes
  Site Title	from wizard (e.g. "TestDoc")	Editable
  Site Description	empty	Fill in to populate meta + SEO
  Email	from wizard (admin email)	Editable
  Site Logo	empty (text fallback shows Site Title)	Upload to replace
  Site Logo Hyperlink	empty (placeholder = site URL)	Defaults to homepage if blank
  Favicon	empty	Upload to replace
  Membership: Anyone can register	unchecked (closed)	Toggle if you want public sign-ups
  Timezone	America/Los_Angeles	Adjust if not US-Pacific
  Homepage	"Home" (auto-set)	Can switch to "Default" or any other published page
  404 Page	"Default"	Can override with a custom page
  Blacklist Redirect URL	empty	Optional — empty = blocked visitors see a default block response
  Business Phone / Address / City / State / Postal / Country	empty	All require post-install
  Business Hours	empty
  Google Business Profile CID	empty	Optional
  Age Verification	disabled	Toggle if needed

  Wizard does NOT collect: description, logo, favicon, timezone, business address, business hours, social links. All are post-install work — see the onboarding checklist in Part 5.

  Sibling tabs:

  • Email (/settings/email_settings) — SMTP + sender, empty.
  • Social Media (/settings/social_media) — Profiles + icons, empty.

  2.7 — Users

  • 1 user pre-created: the admin from the wizard. Display name "Site Owner", role Administrator.
  • Counts: All Users 1 · Administrator 1 · Editor 0 · Customer 0 · Trash 0.
  • "Add New" works (/sg-admin/users/add_new).

  2.8 — Tools → Google Integrations

  All 6 services ship Inactive · Not configured:

  Service	Customer impact when inactive
  Google Analytics	No traffic data captured. Lead Sources stay at 0%.
  Tag Manager	No marketing tags fire.
  Search Console	No SEO performance / indexing data.
  Google Ads	No ad-conversion tracking.
  Business Profile	No local business linkage.
  Google reCAPTCHA	Forms exposed to spam / bots.

  Dashboard's Site Vitals + Leads Overview widgets stay empty until at least Analytics + Search Console are configured.

  Google Integrations — post-install state

  All 6 services ship inactive. Configure in this order for fastest dashboard data.

  + Add New

  Action For Selected Move to ActiveMove to InactiveMove to Trash Apply

  Search

  	Service	Status	Priority
  	Google reCAPTCHA	Inactive — Not configured	1st — protects forms immediately
  	Google Analytics	Inactive — Not configured	2nd — powers Lead Sources widget
  	Google Search Console	Inactive — Not configured	3rd — powers SEO Overview widget
  	Google Tag Manager	Inactive — Not configured	4th — enables marketing tags
  	Google Ads	Inactive — Not configured	5th — enables conversion tracking
  	Google Business Profile	Inactive — Not configured	6th — local business linkage

  2.9 — Pages, Blogs, Products, Forms

  • Pages: 1 (Home — full lorem template, marked — Homepage). View URL = /home. Edit URL = /sg-admin/pages/edit/1.
  • Blogs: 0 created. Use the sidebar sub-items to reach Add New + listings.
  • Forms: 0 created. Submission inbox at /forms/submissions.
  • Templates / Popups / Redirects / Custom Fields / Events / Locations: 0 each. Reach each via its sidebar entry.

  ---

  Part 3 — Onboarding walkthrough (recommended steps)

  These map to the onboarding checklist in Part 5. Walked end-to-end on staging.

  Step 1 — Set Maintenance Mode ON (recommended before publishing real content)

  • URL: /sg-admin/tools/maintenance_mode
  • UI: single checkbox "Enable maintenance mode?" + multiline content editor (HTML, prefilled with default <h1>We'll be back soon!</h1> + SGEN Documentation shortcode). Save Changes button.
  • Behavior: when ON, visitors see the maintenance page instead of the live site.
  • Recommendation: turn ON for the first 1-2 hours post-install. Off after content is replaced.

  Step 2 — Adjust Timezone

  • URL: /sg-admin/settings
  • Default: America/Los_Angeles. Full IANA list available (Africa / America / Asia / Atlantic / Australia / Europe / Indian / Pacific / UTC).
  • Local time displayed inline so you can verify.
  • Affects: Activity Log entries, scheduled posts, blog dates, business hours rendering.

  Step 3 — Set Site Description, Logo, Favicon, Business Info

  • URL: /sg-admin/settings
  • All under General Settings. Logo + Favicon use "Choose Image" → Media Library picker.
  • Business Phone / Address Line 1+2 / City / State / Postal / Country / Hours — empty by default. Drives Schema.org markup, footer info, contact forms.

  Step 4 — Configure SMTP (/sg-admin/settings/email_settings)

  • Until configured: form submissions, password resets, contact-us notifications all fail silently.
  • Critical before launching forms.

  Step 5 — Connect Google services (/sg-admin/tools/google_integrations)

  • 6 cards, each with Configure button. All ship Inactive.
  • Recommended order: reCAPTCHA → Analytics → Search Console → Tag Manager → Google Ads → Business Profile. (reCAPTCHA first protects forms; Analytics + Search Console drive the dashboard widgets.)

  Step 6 — Build Menu (/sg-admin/appearance/menu)

  • Default menu has only "Home." Add real navigation here.

  Step 7 — Create your first real page

  • URL: /sg-admin/pages/add_new
  • Form covers (in order): Title · "Edit with SG-Builder" CTA · Page Banner toggle (with banner content + multi-CTA buttons w/ icon/style/color picker + background images mobile/desktop) · Header Scripts · Footer Scripts · SEO (Page Title with {{shortcodes}}, Description, Canonical URL, Search Engine Visibility checkbox) · Status (Publish/Draft/Private/Password Protected) · Parent (optional) · Template (Text Editor / SG-Builder, default SG-Builder) · "Is a landing page?" toggle · Thumbnail.
  • Template default = SG-Builder. Switching to Text Editor changes the editor surface.
  • Shortcodes available in SEO field: SGEN Documentation, https://documentationsgen.staging.sgen.com/, , , {{page_title}}, {{page_url}}, {{page_content}}, -.

  Step 8 — Create your first blog post

  • URL pattern: /sg-admin/blogs/add_new (reach via the sidebar Blogs entry).

  Step 9 — Custom Codes / Custom CSS (advanced)

  • /sg-admin/custom_codes — <head> and pre-</body> raw HTML / scripts.
  • /sg-admin/custom_css — global + per-page CSS.
  • These are escape hatches. Most operators won't touch them. Prefer Theme Editor / Site Settings before reaching for Custom Codes.

  Step 10 — Tracking Consent (if EU/UK/CA visitors expected)

  • URL: /sg-admin/tracking_consent
  • Default: not configured. Required for compliance.

  ---

  SGEN Admin / Pages / Add New

  ←

  Create first page — Add New Page

  Default state after install — one Home page pre-created, all other pages start here

  TitleThe page title shown in navigation and the browser tab. Used as the default SEO page title.TemplateSG-Builder (default)Text EditorSG-Builder is the default. Switch to Text Editor only for simple long-form content pages.StatusDraft (save without publishing)PublishedPrivatePassword ProtectedKeep as Draft while building. Switch to Published when the page is ready to go live.ParentNone (top-level page)HomeOptional. Nest pages under a parent for URL hierarchy (e.g. /about/team).

  Save

  Part 4 — What the wizard does well

  • Short. 5 steps, single-screen each, clear progress nav.
  • Identity is anchored from the start. Site Name → admin URL → admin user → theme.
  • Theme presets bundle colors + typography + buttons. One decision instead of five.
  • Review step is honest. All inputs visible.
  • Auto-redirect to admin removes friction.
  • No optional fields in the wizard — you can't skip past anything required.

  ---

  Part 5 — Onboarding checklist

  Paste-ready. Walk top-to-bottom before flipping Maintenance Mode OFF.

  PRE-LAUNCH HYGIENE□ 1. Set Maintenance Mode ON until ready (Tools → Maintenance Mode)□ 2. Adjust Timezone (Appearance → Site Settings)□ 3. Set Site Description + Tagline (Site Settings + Global SEO)□ 4. Upload Logo + Favicon (Site Settings → General)□ 5. Configure SMTP Email (Site Settings → Email)□ 6. Fill Business Info (phone, address, hours) (Site Settings → General)□ 7. Set Social Media URLs (Site Settings → Social Media)□ 8. Build the Menu (Appearance → Menu)□ 9. Replace Home page lorem content (Pages → Home → Edit)SEO BEFORE LAUNCH□ 10. Flip "Enable search engines from indexing" (SEO → Global SEO) — currently OFF; site is invisible until ON□ 11. Set page meta description on Home (SEO → SEO Manager → edit Home)□ 12. Pick + configure a schema type (SEO → Schema Editor; pick LocalBusiness or Organization minimum)□ 13. Upload OG Image (replace platform default) (SEO → SEO Manager → OG Image per page)□ 14. Verify /sitemap.xml resolves (open /sitemap.xml in browser)□ 15. Connect Google Search Console (Tools → Google Integrations)INTEGRATIONS□ 16. Connect Google reCAPTCHA (Tools → Google Integrations)□ 17. Connect Google Analytics (Tools → Google Integrations)□ 18. Set Tracking Consent (if EU/UK) (Modules → Tracking Consent)OPERATIONAL□ 19. Set 404 Page (Site Settings → General)□ 20. Add additional users (Users → Add New)□ 21. Run first Site Vitals scan (Dashboard → Site Vitals → Scan)□ 22. Maintenance Mode OFF when ready (Tools → Maintenance Mode)

  Pre-launch checklist progress

  Hygiene (9) 9 SEO (6) 6 Integrations (3) 3 Operational (4) 4 Total 22

  ---

  Part 6 — Path inventory (verified resolving paths)

  Admin root /sg-admin/Activity Log /sg-admin/activityBlacklist /sg-admin/blacklistNotifications /sg-admin/notificationsAppearance ──Themes /sg-admin/appearance/themesTheme Editor /sg-admin/appearance/headerMenu /sg-admin/appearance/menuShortcodes Helper /sg-admin/appearance/shortcodes_helperStyles & Layout /sg-admin/appearance/styles_layoutsSite Settings /sg-admin/settings↳ Email /sg-admin/settings/email_settings↳ Social Media /sg-admin/settings/social_mediaCustom Fonts /sg-admin/custom_fontsCustom Codes /sg-admin/custom_codesCustom CSS /sg-admin/custom_cssMedia Library /sg-admin/mediaPages ──All Pages /sg-admin/pagesAdd New /sg-admin/pages/add_newEdit /sg-admin/pages/edit/<id>Users ──All Users /sg-admin/usersAdd New /sg-admin/users/add_newEdit My Profile /sg-admin/edit_profileSEO ──SEO root /sg-admin/seoPosts /sg-admin/seo/post_typeBlogs /sg-admin/seo/blogsStore /sg-admin/seo/storeModules ──Discussions /sg-admin/discussions (settings @ /sg-admin/discussions/settings)Forms (My Forms) /sg-admin/forms (add_new + submissions sub-paths)Phone Taps /sg-admin/phone_tapsTracking Consent /sg-admin/tracking_consentTemplates /sg-admin/templates (add_new sub-path)Popups /sg-admin/popups (add_new sub-path)Redirects /sg-admin/redirects (add_new sub-path)Custom Fields /sg-admin/custom_fields (add_new sub-path)Locations /sg-admin/locationsEvents /sg-admin/events (add_new sub-path)Analytics /sg-admin/analyticsCustom Objects /sg-admin/custom_objects (add_new sub-path)Tools ──Google Integrations /sg-admin/tools/google_integrationsSearch & Replace /sg-admin/tools/search_replacePost Migration /sg-admin/tools/post_migrationMaintenance Mode /sg-admin/tools/maintenance_modeSite Protection /sg-admin/tools/site_protectionOptimization /sg-admin/tools/optimizationMisc Tools /sg-admin/tools/miscMigration /sg-admin/migration↳ Import /sg-admin/migration/importSetup wizard /setup-wizardLive front-end /Logout /sg-admin/?signout=1&_nonce=<nonce>

  What's not in this build

  This build of SGEN intentionally omits a few sections customers sometimes look for. None of the paths below resolve:

  • Billing / Subscription / Plan / Upgrade — account-level billing lives at the SG-Dashboard tier (your account portal), not inside the per-site admin.
  • Help / Support / Audit log / API / Webhooks — not surfaced inside the site admin at this version.
  • Backup / Restore / Import / Export — handled through Tools → Migration and Tools → Post Migration rather than top-level routes.

  If you came looking for any of these, check the SG-Dashboard companion docs (account-tier) or contact support.

  ---

  Screenshots in this folder

  screenshots/01-welcome.png Step 1 — Welcomescreenshots/02-site-info.png Step 2 — Site Infoscreenshots/03-admin-setup.png Step 3 — Admin Setupscreenshots/04-theme.png Step 4 — Themescreenshots/05-review.png Step 5 — Reviewscreenshots/06-installing.png Install in progressscreenshots/07-admin-dashboard.png Dashboard post-installscreenshots/08-live-front-end.png Live site (lorem template)screenshots/09-google-integrations.png Tools → Google Integrations (all inactive)screenshots/10-users.png Users (1 admin)screenshots/11-site-settings-general.png Site Settings → Generalscreenshots/12-site-owner-menu.png Top-right Site Owner dropdownscreenshots/13-maintenance-mode.png Tools → Maintenance Modescreenshots/14-pages-add-new.png Pages → Add New formscreenshots/15-seo-manager.png SEO Manager (1 page, 6 issues)screenshots/16-global-seo.png Global SEO config (index toggle OFF default)screenshots/17-schema-editor.png Schema Editor

  ---

  Internal companion: the platform-eng findings + recommendations + SEO startup audit captured during this walkthrough live at 07-Internal-Docs/setup-wizard-audit-2026-04-30.md. This doc keeps the customer-facing happy path; the audit doc holds the bugs to file, route fixes to land, and SEO defaults to revisit.

  Last verified: 2026-04-30 against https://test.staging.sgen.com. Identifiers anonymized.

  , -.

Step 8 — Create your first blog post

• URL pattern: /sg-admin/blogs/add_new (reach via the sidebar Blogs entry).

Step 9 — Custom Codes / Custom CSS (advanced)

• /sg-admin/custom_codes — <head> and pre-</body> raw HTML / scripts.
• /sg-admin/custom_css — global + per-page CSS.
• These are escape hatches. Most operators won't touch them. Prefer Theme Editor / Site Settings before reaching for Custom Codes.

Step 10 — Tracking Consent (if EU/UK/CA visitors expected)

• URL: /sg-admin/tracking_consent
• Default: not configured. Required for compliance.

Part 4 — What the wizard does well

• Short. 5 steps, single-screen each, clear progress nav.
• Identity is anchored from the start. Site Name → admin URL → admin user → theme.
• Theme presets bundle colors + typography + buttons. One decision instead of five.
• Review step is honest. All inputs visible.
• Auto-redirect to admin removes friction.
• No optional fields in the wizard — you can't skip past anything required.

Part 5 — Onboarding checklist

Paste-ready. Walk top-to-bottom before flipping Maintenance Mode OFF.

PRE-LAUNCH HYGIENE□ 1. Set Maintenance Mode ON until ready (Tools → Maintenance Mode)□ 2. Adjust Timezone (Appearance → Site Settings)□ 3. Set Site Description + Tagline (Site Settings + Global SEO)□ 4. Upload Logo + Favicon (Site Settings → General)□ 5. Configure SMTP Email (Site Settings → Email)□ 6. Fill Business Info (phone, address, hours) (Site Settings → General)□ 7. Set Social Media URLs (Site Settings → Social Media)□ 8. Build the Menu (Appearance → Menu)□ 9. Replace Home page lorem content (Pages → Home → Edit)SEO BEFORE LAUNCH□ 10. Flip "Enable search engines from indexing" (SEO → Global SEO) — currently OFF; site is invisible until ON□ 11. Set page meta description on Home (SEO → SEO Manager → edit Home)□ 12. Pick + configure a schema type (SEO → Schema Editor; pick LocalBusiness or Organization minimum)□ 13. Upload OG Image (replace platform default) (SEO → SEO Manager → OG Image per page)□ 14. Verify /sitemap.xml resolves (open /sitemap.xml in browser)□ 15. Connect Google Search Console (Tools → Google Integrations)INTEGRATIONS□ 16. Connect Google reCAPTCHA (Tools → Google Integrations)□ 17. Connect Google Analytics (Tools → Google Integrations)□ 18. Set Tracking Consent (if EU/UK) (Modules → Tracking Consent)OPERATIONAL□ 19. Set 404 Page (Site Settings → General)□ 20. Add additional users (Users → Add New)□ 21. Run first Site Vitals scan (Dashboard → Site Vitals → Scan)□ 22. Maintenance Mode OFF when ready (Tools → Maintenance Mode)

Part 6 — Path inventory (verified resolving paths)

Admin root /sg-admin/Activity Log /sg-admin/activityBlacklist /sg-admin/blacklistNotifications /sg-admin/notificationsAppearance ──Themes /sg-admin/appearance/themesTheme Editor /sg-admin/appearance/headerMenu /sg-admin/appearance/menuShortcodes Helper /sg-admin/appearance/shortcodes_helperStyles & Layout /sg-admin/appearance/styles_layoutsSite Settings /sg-admin/settings↳ Email /sg-admin/settings/email_settings↳ Social Media /sg-admin/settings/social_mediaCustom Fonts /sg-admin/custom_fontsCustom Codes /sg-admin/custom_codesCustom CSS /sg-admin/custom_cssMedia Library /sg-admin/mediaPages ──All Pages /sg-admin/pagesAdd New /sg-admin/pages/add_newEdit /sg-admin/pages/edit/<id>Users ──All Users /sg-admin/usersAdd New /sg-admin/users/add_newEdit My Profile /sg-admin/edit_profileSEO ──SEO root /sg-admin/seoPosts /sg-admin/seo/post_typeBlogs /sg-admin/seo/blogsStore /sg-admin/seo/storeModules ──Discussions /sg-admin/discussions (settings @ /sg-admin/discussions/settings)Forms (My Forms) /sg-admin/forms (add_new + submissions sub-paths)Phone Taps /sg-admin/phone_tapsTracking Consent /sg-admin/tracking_consentTemplates /sg-admin/templates (add_new sub-path)Popups /sg-admin/popups (add_new sub-path)Redirects /sg-admin/redirects (add_new sub-path)Custom Fields /sg-admin/custom_fields (add_new sub-path)Locations /sg-admin/locationsEvents /sg-admin/events (add_new sub-path)Analytics /sg-admin/analyticsCustom Objects /sg-admin/custom_objects (add_new sub-path)Tools ──Google Integrations /sg-admin/tools/google_integrationsSearch & Replace /sg-admin/tools/search_replacePost Migration /sg-admin/tools/post_migrationMaintenance Mode /sg-admin/tools/maintenance_modeSite Protection /sg-admin/tools/site_protectionOptimization /sg-admin/tools/optimizationMisc Tools /sg-admin/tools/miscMigration /sg-admin/migration↳ Import /sg-admin/migration/importSetup wizard /setup-wizardLive front-end /Logout /sg-admin/?signout=1&_nonce=<nonce>

What's not in this build

This build of SGEN intentionally omits a few sections customers sometimes look for. None of the paths below resolve:

• Billing / Subscription / Plan / Upgrade — account-level billing lives at the SG-Dashboard tier (your account portal), not inside the per-site admin.
• Help / Support / Audit log / API / Webhooks — not surfaced inside the site admin at this version.
• Backup / Restore / Import / Export — handled through Tools → Migration and Tools → Post Migration rather than top-level routes.

If you came looking for any of these, check the SG-Dashboard companion docs (account-tier) or contact support.

Screenshots in this folder

screenshots/01-welcome.png Step 1 — Welcomescreenshots/02-site-info.png Step 2 — Site Infoscreenshots/03-admin-setup.png Step 3 — Admin Setupscreenshots/04-theme.png Step 4 — Themescreenshots/05-review.png Step 5 — Reviewscreenshots/06-installing.png Install in progressscreenshots/07-admin-dashboard.png Dashboard post-installscreenshots/08-live-front-end.png Live site (lorem template)screenshots/09-google-integrations.png Tools → Google Integrations (all inactive)screenshots/10-users.png Users (1 admin)screenshots/11-site-settings-general.png Site Settings → Generalscreenshots/12-site-owner-menu.png Top-right Site Owner dropdownscreenshots/13-maintenance-mode.png Tools → Maintenance Modescreenshots/14-pages-add-new.png Pages → Add New formscreenshots/15-seo-manager.png SEO Manager (1 page, 6 issues)screenshots/16-global-seo.png Global SEO config (index toggle OFF default)screenshots/17-schema-editor.png Schema Editor

Internal companion: the platform-eng findings + recommendations + SEO startup audit captured during this walkthrough live at 07-Internal-Docs/setup-wizard-audit-2026-04-30.md. This doc keeps the customer-facing happy path; the audit doc holds the bugs to file, route fixes to land, and SEO defaults to revisit.

Last verified: 2026-04-30 against https://test.staging.sgen.com. Identifiers anonymized.