Installing InstitutionKit

Last Updated: 2026-05-27 | Applies to: IK v1.2+

Installation Methods

Method 1: WordPress Admin (Recommended)

1. Go to Plugins → Add New
2. Click "Upload Plugin"
3. Choose the institutionkit.zip file
4. Click "Install Now"
5. Click "Activate Plugin"

Method 2: FTP Upload

1. Extract institutionkit.zip to your computer
2. Connect to your server via FTP
3. Navigate to /wp-content/plugins/
4. Upload the institutionkit folder
5. Go to Plugins in WordPress admin
6. Activate "InstitutionKit - School Management System"

What Happens During Activation

When you activate InstitutionKit, the system automatically:

ACTIVATION SEQUENCE:├── 1. Creates 47+ database tables├── 2. Adds custom user roles (Campus Admin, Teacher, Accountant, etc.)├── 3. Assigns capabilities to all roles├── 4. Creates default "Main Campus" (code: MAIN)├── 5. Inserts default data:│   ├── 11 Grade Scales (A+ to F)│   ├── 10 Meeting Topics│   └── 15 Expense Heads├── 6. Sets up cron jobs (invoice generation, reminders)├── 7. Flushes rewrite rules└── 8. Redirects to license activation

Post-Installation Steps

Immediately after activation:

1. Activate License → Popup appears automatically, or go to IK License page
2. Review Settings → IK Settings page for currency, school info
3. Setup Classes → Setup page to create classes, subjects, sections
4. Add Campuses → Campuses page (if multi-campus)
5. Create Fee Types → Fee Management → Fee Types
6. Add Staff → Payroll & Expenses → Staff
7. Configure Grade Scales → Review default or customize

System Requirements

Required PHP Extensions

• mysqli - Database connection
• json - Data handling
• mbstring - Character encoding
• gd or imagick - Certificate images
• curl - License verification

Installation Troubleshooting

Problem: "Maximum execution time exceeded"Solution: Increase PHP limits in wp-config.php:

php

set_time_limit(300);ini_set('memory_limit', '256M');

Problem: "Error creating database tables"Solution:

1. Check MySQL user has CREATE TABLE permissions
2. Verify dbDelta() function is available
3. Check WordPress database prefix (default: wp_)

Problem: "Plugin activated but no menu appears"Solution:

1. Verify user has manage_options capability
2. Check for plugin conflicts (disable others temporarily)
3. Re-save permalinks (Settings → Permalinks → Save)