Employee Time Logger Pro requires Employee Time Logger Lite. Install and activate Lite first, then install and activate Pro.
Required access: WordPress Administrator access, the Lite installation package or WordPress.org listing, the Pro ZIP from your Charter Hosting account, and the Pro license key.
Before you install
- Create a current backup of the WordPress files and database.
- Confirm WordPress 6.4 or newer and PHP 7.4 or newer.
- Set the WordPress timezone under Settings > General.
- Download the current Pro ZIP from the product's Downloads area in your Charter Hosting account. Do not unzip it.
- If installing Lite from a ZIP, keep that ZIP compressed as well.
Install Employee Time Logger Lite from WordPress.org
- Sign in to WordPress as an Administrator.
- Go to Plugins > Add Plugin.
- Search for Employee Time Logger Lite.
- Confirm that the author is Charter Hosting and Michael Moller.
- Select Install Now.
- When installation finishes, select Activate.
If the plugin is not yet visible in WordPress.org search, use the ZIP installation procedure below. The assigned directory slug is employee-time-logger.
Install Employee Time Logger Lite from a ZIP
- Go to Plugins > Add Plugin.
- Select Upload Plugin.
- Select Choose File and choose the Lite ZIP.
- Select Install Now.
- Wait for the installation result, then select Activate Plugin.
- Open Plugins > Installed Plugins and confirm that Employee Time Logger Lite is active.
Install Employee Time Logger Pro
- With Lite active, go to Plugins > Add Plugin > Upload Plugin.
- Select Choose File and choose the current Employee Time Logger Pro ZIP.
- Select Install Now.
- When installation finishes, select Activate Plugin.
- Return to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
- Confirm that both Employee Time Logger Lite and Employee Time Logger Pro show Deactivate, which means they are active.
What you should see after activation
- One main WordPress menu named Time Logger.
- Time Logger submenu items named Dashboard, Workforce, Payroll, Settings, and Tools.
- A Pro setup notice when setup is incomplete.
- A license notice until a valid Pro license is activated.
If there are two Time Logger top-level menus, clear all page and object caches, then confirm only one copy of each plugin is installed. Do not keep duplicate copies under renamed folders.
Activate Pro
- Open Time Logger > Settings.
- Select the License tab.
- Paste the license key exactly as it appears in your Charter Hosting account.
- Select the activation button.
- Wait for the License Status card to show Active.
If activation does not succeed, copy the exact status message and follow the license troubleshooting article.
Create or select the employee clock page
- Go to Time Logger > Settings > Guided Setup.
- Under Employee time clock, choose an existing page or Create a new Employee Time Clock page.
- Complete the remaining setup fields and save.
- Open the selected page while signed in as an employee.
To create it manually, create a WordPress page containing [employee_time_logger]. Publish it and select it later in Guided Setup.
Verify the installation
- Go to Time Logger > Tools > System Status.
- Confirm that Lite, Pro, WordPress, PHP, database tables, and database versions pass.
- Confirm that the site's timezone is correct.
- Confirm that scheduled jobs display a future run time when their related features are enabled.
- Go to Time Logger > Settings > License and confirm Active status.
- Open the clock page as a test employee, create a completed shift, and confirm it appears under Time Logger > Dashboard > Time Entries.
Common installation messages
| Message or symptom | What to do |
|---|---|
| Pro requires Lite 1.4.0 or newer | Install, update, and activate Lite before activating Pro. |
| The uploaded file exceeds the upload limit | Ask the host to raise the PHP upload limit or install the ZIP through the host's file manager using the exact plugin folder. |
| Destination folder already exists | Use WordPress's replace-current-version option for an update. For a first installation, inspect Installed Plugins for an old or renamed copy. |
| No Time Logger menu | Confirm Lite is active and the current user can manage time. Check Plugins for an activation error. |
| Pro pages are locked | Activate the license. Installing Pro does not unlock features without a valid license. |
| Tabs or submenu pages are missing | Check the current user's permissions and the module's master and sub-feature switches under Settings > Features. |
Do not do the following
- Do not upload a folder that contains another nested plugin folder.
- Do not rename the Lite folder away from
employee-time-logger. - Do not install multiple copies of Lite or Pro under different folder names.
- Do not delete Lite while Pro is active.
- Do not enable permanent uninstall erasure while testing installation or upgrades.
Next steps
- Activate the Pro license.
- Complete Guided Setup.
- Review Feature Controls.
- Run the full employee and payroll acceptance test described in the Start Here article.
