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FAQ & Troubleshooting Guide

7 min read

Find answers to common questions and solutions to frequent issues with the Was This Helpful plugin.

Frequently Asked Questions #

General Questions #

Q: Is this plugin free or paid? #

A: The plugin is available in pro versions. Check hasthemes for current pricing and features.

Q: Will this plugin slow down my site? #

A: No. The plugin is lightweight and optimized for performance. It adds minimal overhead and won’t affect your page load speed.

Q: Does it work with page builders? #

A: Yes! It works with:

  • Elementor
  • Gutenberg (Block Editor)
  • Classic Editor
  • And all other page builders

Q: Is it mobile-responsive? #

A: Yes, the feedback widget automatically adapts to all screen sizes (mobile, tablet, desktop).

Q: Can I use it on WooCommerce products? #

A: Yes! If WooCommerce is installed, “Product” will appear in the post type selection. Just check the box to enable feedback on products.

Q: Does it support multiple languages? #

A: The plugin is translation-ready and works with:

  • WPML
  • Polylang
  • TranslatePress
  • Loco Translate
  • And other translation plugins

Configuration Questions #

Q: Can I change the feedback question? #

A: Yes! Go to Was This Helpful → Option Tab → Message Settings and change “Your Question” field.

Q: Can I use emojis in button text? #

A: Yes! You can copy any emoji and paste it into the button text fields. The plugin provides common emojis as examples.

Q: Can I have different questions on different posts? #

A: Not through the settings interface. The question is set globally. However, you can use custom code to override it per post if needed.

Q: How do I change button colors? #

A: Go to Was This Helpful → Style Tab and use the color pickers for:

  • Positive Button Background
  • Negative Button Background
  • Button text color
  • And more

Q: Can I remove the feedback widget from specific posts? #

A: Currently, the plugin enables feedback on all posts of selected types. To exclude specific posts, you would need custom code.

Vote & Data Questions #

Q: How does “Vote Once” work? #

A: The plugin uses IP-based tracking. When a visitor votes, their IP address is recorded. If they try to vote again from the same IP, they’ll see an “Already Voted” message.

Q: Will clearing cookies allow re-voting? #

A: No. The plugin uses IP tracking, not cookies, so clearing cookies won’t reset the vote.

Q: What if someone uses a VPN? #

A: If they change their IP address (via VPN or mobile data switch), they could technically vote again. This is a limitation of IP-based tracking.

Q: Where is feedback data stored? #

A: All data is stored in your WordPress database in custom tables created by the plugin. Nothing is sent to external servers.

Q: Can I export feedback data? #

A: You can take screenshots or manually copy the data from the Report tab. Full CSV export may be added in future updates.

Q: How long is data retained? #

A: Data is stored permanently until you manually delete it or uninstall the plugin with data deletion option.

Display Questions #

Q: Where does the feedback widget appear? #

A: By default, it appears at the bottom of post content, before comments. You can use custom code to change the position.

Q: Can I add it to sidebar or footer? #

A: Not through default settings. This would require custom development or shortcode support (may be added in future).

Q: Does it work with custom post types? #

A: Yes! All registered post types appear in the “Select Post Types” option. Just check the ones you want.

Q: Can I show it only to logged-in users? #

A: Not by default, but this can be achieved with custom code/filters.

Troubleshooting Common Issues #

Issue 1: Feedback Widget Not Showing #

Symptoms: Widget doesn’t appear on posts/pages

Solutions:

✅ Check 1: Post Type Selected

  1. Go to Was This Helpful → Option Tab
  2. Scroll to Select Post Types
  3. Ensure the correct post type is checked (post, page, etc.)
  4. Click Save Changes

✅ Check 2: Plugin Activated

  1. Go to Plugins in WordPress admin
  2. Ensure “Was This Helpful” shows as active
  3. If not, click Activate

✅ Check 3: Theme Compatibility

  • Your theme must use standard WordPress content hooks
  • Test with default WordPress theme (Twenty Twenty-Four)
  • If it works with default theme, contact your theme developer

✅ Check 4: Plugin Conflicts

  1. Deactivate all other plugins
  2. Check if widget appears
  3. Reactivate plugins one by one to find the conflict

✅ Check 5: Cache Issues

  • Clear browser cache (Ctrl+F5 or Cmd+Shift+R)
  • Clear WordPress cache plugins (WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, etc.)
  • Clear CDN cache if using Cloudflare, etc.

Issue 2: Votes Not Being Counted #

Symptoms: Users can vote but numbers don’t increase

Solutions:

✅ Check 1: Vote Once Setting

  1. Go to Was This Helpful → Option Tab
  2. Find Vote Only Once dropdown
  3. Ensure it’s set to “Yes” for proper tracking
  4. Test in incognito mode (new IP simulation)

✅ Check 2: Database Permissions

  • Ensure WordPress can write to database
  • Check with hosting provider if needed

✅ Check 3: JavaScript Errors

  1. Open browser Developer Tools (F12)
  2. Go to Console tab
  3. Look for JavaScript errors (red text)
  4. If present, report to support with error message

✅ Check 4: AJAX Issues

  • Check if other AJAX features work on your site
  • Disable any “AJAX optimization” plugins temporarily

Issue 3: Styling Not Applying #

Symptoms: Color changes or style modifications don’t appear

Solutions:

✅ Check 1: Save Changes

  • Ensure you clicked Save Changes button after modifications
  • Look for success message at top of page

✅ Check 2: Clear Cache

  • Browser cache: Ctrl+F5 (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)
  • Plugin cache: Clear WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, etc.
  • Server cache: Ask hosting provider
  • CDN cache: Purge Cloudflare, etc.

✅ Check 3: CSS Priority

  • Your theme’s CSS might override plugin styles
  • Solution: Use more specific CSS in Custom CSS box
  • Example: Add !important to your custom rules
.feedback-button {
    background-color: #3B82F6 !important;
}

✅ Check 4: Color Format

  • Ensure colors are in correct format: #3B82F6 (with #)
  • Not: 3B82F6 (without #)

Issue 4: “Already Voted” Message Appearing Incorrectly #

Symptoms: Users see “Already Voted” even though they never voted

Solutions:

✅ Check 1: Shared IP Address

  • Multiple users on same network share same IP
  • Common in offices, schools, public WiFi
  • This is a limitation of IP-based tracking

✅ Check 2: Vote Once Setting

  1. If you want unlimited voting:
  2. Go to Was This Helpful → Option Tab
  3. Change Vote Only Once to “No”
  4. Save Changes

✅ Check 3: Database Issue

  • Rare case: Database needs cleanup
  • Contact support with specifics

Issue 5: Reports Not Showing Data #

Symptoms: Report tab is empty or shows zero votes

Solutions:

✅ Check 1: Date Range

  1. Go to Was This Helpful → Report Tab
  2. Clear the From and To date filters
  3. Ensure you’re viewing “All Time”

✅ Check 2: No Votes Yet

  • Have users actually voted?
  • Test by voting on a post yourself (incognito mode)
  • Check if it appears in reports

✅ Check 3: Database Connection

  • Check WordPress database connection is working
  • Other plugins working normally?

Issue 6: Feedback Comments Not Saving #

Symptoms: Users submit comments but they don’t appear in reports

Solutions:

✅ Check 1: Comment Box Enabled

  • Ensure feedback input form is configured properly
  • Test the full flow: Vote → See comment box → Submit

✅ Check 2: Form Validation

  • Check browser console for JavaScript errors
  • Ensure anti-spam plugins aren’t blocking submission

✅ Check 3: Database Write Permissions

  • Contact hosting provider to verify database permissions

Issue 7: Layout/Design Issues #

Symptoms: Widget looks broken or misaligned

Solutions:

✅ Check 1: Theme CSS Conflicts

  • Your theme’s CSS might conflict
  • Test with default WordPress theme
  • Add custom CSS to fix alignment:
.feedback-container {
    clear: both;
    overflow: hidden;
}

✅ Check 2: Button Width

  • If buttons overlap, increase width
  • Go to Style Tab → Feedback Button Width
  • Try 130px or higher

✅ Check 3: Container Width

  • Ensure container has enough space
  • Adjust padding/margin in Style tab

✅ Check 4: Mobile View

  • Check on actual mobile device
  • Use Chrome DevTools mobile emulator
  • Adjust button sizes if needed

Reporting Bugs #

If you’ve tried everything and still have issues:

What to Include in Support Request: #

  1. WordPress version: (e.g., 6.4.2)
  2. Plugin version: (e.g., 1.0.5)
  3. Active theme: (e.g., Astra)
  4. Other active plugins: List main plugins
  5. PHP version: (found in Site Health)
  6. Description: What’s happening vs. what should happen
  7. Screenshots: If visual issue
  8. Browser/device: Chrome on Windows, etc.
  9. Steps to reproduce: Exact steps to see the issue
  10. Console errors: Any JavaScript errors (F12 → Console)

How to Contact Support: #

  1. Go to your CodeCanyon purchase page
  2. Click on the Support tab
  3. Fill in the support form with details above
  4. Include your purchase code for verification

Response time: Usually 24-48 hours (business days)

Pro Tips #

Tip 1: Use Incognito Mode for Testing #

  • Your IP gets tracked, so use incognito mode or VPN when testing votes
  • This simulates a new visitor

Tip 2: Regular Cache Clearing #

  • After any changes, always clear cache
  • Makes troubleshooting much easier

Tip 3: Backup Before Updates #

  • Always backup your site before updating plugins
  • Use UpdraftPlus or similar

Tip 4: Test on Staging Site #

  • If you have a staging site, test changes there first
  • Avoids breaking live site

Tip 5: Keep WordPress Updated #

  • Update WordPress, themes, and plugins regularly
  • Many issues are fixed in updates

Additional Resources #

Still Need Help? #

Support options:

  1. Documentation: Re-read relevant guides
  2. Direct Support: Use support tab on purchase page

Before contacting support:

  • ✅ Read this troubleshooting guide
  • ✅ Try all suggested solutions
  • ✅ Gather the information listed in “Reporting Bugs”
  • ✅ Check if issue exists with default theme and no other plugins

Most issues can be resolved by following this guide. If you discover a solution not listed here, please share it with support to help other users!

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