How To Setup FF Business

FolderFort Business Settings Guide

This guide explains the Business Settings area from start to finish. Use it when setting up a Business account, connecting your domain, branding the file portal, configuring storage, setting up billing, creating plans, and managing customers.

Business Settings are available to users who have Business management access. If you do not see Business Settings in your account menu, your account may not have the required role yet.

What Business Settings Controls

Business Settings lets you run a branded FolderFort experience for your own customers.

You can:

• Add your Business name, logos, favicon, and theme colors.
• Connect a custom domain such as files.yourdomain.com.
• Decide whether customers can sign up themselves or must be added manually.
• Use FolderFort managed storage or connect your own S3-compatible bucket.
• Connect your own SMTP sender for system emails.
• Connect Stripe to sell your own plans.
• Create plans, assign customers, and manage customer bandwidth allowances.
• Control API, connector, and bandwidth settings when those features are enabled for your account.

Getting To Business Settings

1. Log in to FolderFort.
2. Open your account menu.
3. Select Business Settings.
4. Make changes in one or more sections.
5. Click Save changes at the top of the page.

Some sections have their own buttons, such as Check domain status, Finish domain setup, Connect Stripe, New plan, Add customer, and Transfer bandwidth credits. Use those buttons when working inside the matching section.

Recommended Setup Order

For a new Business account, use this order:

1. Branding: set your Business name and logos.
2. Signups: decide whether customers can register themselves.
3. Storage: choose platform storage or your own bucket.
4. Email: configure your sender if you do not want to use the platform default.
5. Billing: connect Stripe if you will charge customers.
6. Plans: create public plans for signup and checkout.
7. Domain: point your custom domain and finish SSL setup.
8. Customers: add or review customers.
9. Theme and Custom CSS: fine-tune the appearance.
10. Test everything as a customer.

Branding

The Branding section controls the basic identity of your Business portal.

Fields:

• Tenant name: the display name for your Business.
• Primary domain: the main domain customers should use, such as files.example.com.
• Light logo: used on dark backgrounds and dark navigation.
• Dark logo: used on light backgrounds and light navigation.
• Compact logo: used in small spaces such as the navigation bar.
• Favicon: used in browser tabs and bookmarks.

If you are a platform super admin, you may also see Tenant slug. Regular Business users do not edit this because changing it can break routing and account mapping.

Custom Domain Setup

Use a subdomain such as:

files.example.com

drive.example.com

secure.example.com

Do not use your root domain unless you have been told it is supported for your account. A subdomain is usually cleaner and easier to verify.

Typical DNS setup:

Type: CNAME

Name: files

Value: secure.folderfort.com

If your DNS provider asks for the full host, use:

files.example.com

After adding the DNS record:

1. Enter the full hostname in Primary domain.
2. Click Save changes.
3. Click Check domain status.
4. Wait for the status to show DNS ready.
5. Click Finish domain setup (SSL).
6. Wait for SSL ready.

DNS can take a few minutes to several hours depending on your provider.

Domain Troubleshooting

If DNS status says DNS issue:

• Confirm the domain is spelled correctly in Business Settings.
• Confirm the DNS record is a CNAME pointing to the FolderFort platform host.
• Remove conflicting A, AAAA, or CNAME records for the same hostname.
• Wait for DNS propagation.
• Try Check domain status again.

If SSL stays pending:

• Make sure DNS ready is passing first.
• Make sure the domain is public, not internal-only.
• Make sure your DNS provider is not proxying or flattening the record in a way that hides the expected target.
• Try Finish domain setup again after DNS is stable.

If the domain opens the wrong page:

• Confirm you are using the exact hostname entered as Primary domain.
• Clear browser cache or try a private window.
• Make sure the domain is not still pointed at an old server.

Signups

The Signups section controls how customers join your Business.

Options:

• Allow public signups: customers can go to your domain and create their own account.
• Manual creation only: the signup form is hidden and you create accounts in the Customers section.

Use public signups when you want customers to self-serve. Use manual creation when you want tighter control, private onboarding, or invite-only service.

Troubleshooting:

• If customers cannot register, check whether Signups is set to Manual creation only.
• If customers are registering before you are ready, switch to Manual creation only.
• If a custom domain signup page does not load, verify the domain and SSL status first.

Email

The Email section controls outgoing email for your Business. Emails include verification codes, password resets, customer notifications, and other system messages.

You can either use the platform default email system or provide custom SMTP settings.

Fields:

• From name: the sender name customers see.
• From email: the sender email address customers see.
• Mail driver: use default, SMTP, or log/debug.
• Encryption: default, TLS, SSL, or none.
• SMTP host: your provider's SMTP hostname.
• SMTP port: common ports are 587 for TLS and 465 for SSL.
• SMTP username: your SMTP username.
• SMTP password: your SMTP password or API key.

SMTP Setup

1. Choose a mail provider, such as SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark, Amazon SES, Google Workspace SMTP, or another SMTP provider.
2. Verify your sending domain with that provider.
3. Add the provider's DNS records for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
4. In Business Settings, set Mail driver to SMTP.
5. Enter host, port, username, password, and encryption.
6. Set From name and From email.
7. Click Save changes.
8. Send a real password reset or test email and confirm it reaches the inbox.

Email DNS Notes

For custom SMTP, the mail provider sends the email. Use the SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records supplied by your mail provider.

Do not add secure.folderfort.com to SPF unless FolderFort is directly sending mail for your domain. If you use SMTP, your SMTP provider is the sender.

Email Troubleshooting

If emails do not arrive:

• Check spam/junk folders.
• Confirm SMTP host, port, username, password, and encryption.
• Confirm the From email uses a domain verified by your mail provider.
• Confirm SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are set correctly.
• If using SendGrid, the username is usually apikey and the password is the API key.
• Try TLS with port 587, or SSL with port 465, depending on your provider.

If customers see the wrong sender:

• Check From name and From email.
• Make sure the fields are saved.
• Make sure your mail provider allows the chosen From address.

If mail worked before but stopped:

• Check whether the SMTP password/API key was rotated or revoked.
• Check whether your mail provider paused the account.
• Check sending limits and bounce policies.

API

The API section controls Business-level access and bandwidth behavior.

Depending on your account, some fields may be visible only to platform admins.

Settings may include:

• Business features: whether Business features are enabled.
• Connectors: whether connector features are enabled.
• API access: whether API access is enabled.
• Included monthly bandwidth credits: included allowance that refreshes each month.
• Business bandwidth top-up balance: purchased or transferred carryover credits.
• Credit mode: how bandwidth usage is charged.

Credit modes:

• Charge Business bandwidth pool: all customer traffic uses the shared Business pool.
• Charge individual users: each customer needs their own bandwidth balance.

Bandwidth can be used by web app uploads/downloads, API usage, connector traffic, shared links, previews, and direct/embed delivery where enabled.

API And Bandwidth Troubleshooting

If a customer cannot use API or connectors:

• Confirm API access is enabled.
• Confirm connectors are enabled if they are using connector tools.
• Confirm the customer has an active account and enough bandwidth if individual user mode is enabled.

If downloads or previews are blocked:

• Check whether the Business pool has available bandwidth.
• Check whether the customer has their own available bandwidth if individual user mode is enabled.
• Review whether monthly included credits have already been used.

If bandwidth totals seem different than expected:

• Remember that traffic can come from web app use, links, previews, embeds, APIs, and connectors.
• Monthly included credits reset each billing period.
• Top-up credits are carryover credits and are deducted separately.

Theme

The Theme section controls the look of your Business portal.

Settings:

• Base theme: match device, light mode, or dark mode.
• Theme colors: override the platform's default color palette.
• Rounding: controls button, input, and card corner radius.
• Borders: controls button, input, and card borders.
• Background: optional background image across the interface.
• Authentication background: optional background image for login/register pages.

The Theme panel includes a preview so you can see how the design will look before saving.

Color fields accept standard color values. You can use values like:

#4f46e5

rgb(79 70 229)

255 255 255 / 0.8

Rounding fields accept CSS values like:

8px

16px

1rem

999px

Border fields accept CSS border values like:

1px solid #d0d5dd

1px solid rgba(0,0,0,.1)

none

Troubleshooting:

• If changes do not appear, click Save changes and refresh the page.
• If a color looks wrong, use a simple hex value first.
• If text becomes hard to read, check contrast between background and text colors.
• If a background image repeats unexpectedly, adjust Background repeat.
• If a background image is cropped, try Contain instead of Cover.

Custom CSS

Custom CSS lets you add advanced styling for your Business and customer accounts.

Use this only if you are comfortable with CSS. Custom CSS is injected after the normal theme styles, so it can override the default interface.

Example:

.navbar {
  border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e7eb;
}

Troubleshooting:

• If the page looks broken, remove the most recent CSS and save again.
• Test CSS on desktop and mobile.
• Avoid hiding important controls such as upload, account, billing, or logout buttons.
• Avoid broad rules like * { ... } unless you know exactly what they will affect.

Storage

The Storage section controls where customer files are stored.

Options:

• Use platform storage presets: FolderFort manages the bucket and root storage credentials.
• Use custom S3/Backblaze credentials: you provide your own S3-compatible bucket credentials.

If storage settings are locked, your account is using platform-managed storage and only FolderFort support or a platform admin can change the bucket configuration.

Platform Storage

Use platform storage if you want the simplest setup.

Benefits:

• No bucket credentials to manage.
• Encryption is handled by FolderFort before data is stored.
• Storage routing is already configured.

With platform storage, you may see a message explaining that the bucket key and root credentials are managed by the platform.

Custom S3 Or Backblaze Storage

Use custom storage if you want files stored in your own bucket.

Fields:

• Disk driver: usually s3 for S3-compatible storage.
• Region: your bucket's region, such as us-west-002.
• Bucket name: the bucket where files should be stored.
• Path prefix: optional folder-like prefix, such as tenants/acme.
• Access key ID: your S3/Backblaze access key.
• Secret access key: your S3/Backblaze secret key.

Recommended bucket setup:

• Use a dedicated bucket for FolderFort files.
• Use a dedicated access key for this bucket only.
• Grant only the permissions needed for object read/write/delete/list.
• Do not reuse your root cloud account key.
• Keep public access disabled unless FolderFort support tells you otherwise.

Encryption note:

FolderFort encrypts files before sending them to S3-compatible storage. Your bucket should receive encrypted object data, not plain user files.

Tenant Unlock Key

The Tenant unlock key area lets you create or rotate an unlock key for encrypted data recovery/export workflows.

Important:

• The private key is shown once when generated.
• Save it somewhere secure before clicking I saved this key.
• FolderFort cannot recover the private key for you if you lose it.
• Rotating the key changes future unlock metadata, but does not mean old private keys should be destroyed unless you know they are no longer needed.

Troubleshooting:

• If you cannot edit storage, your storage settings may be locked by the platform.
• If uploads fail after switching to custom storage, verify bucket name, region, access key, secret key, and permissions.
• If downloads fail, confirm the bucket still contains the encrypted objects and credentials were not rotated.
• If Backblaze rejects uploads, check application key permissions and bucket restrictions.
• If you lose the unlock private key, contact support before rotating or deleting anything.

Billing

The Billing section connects your Business to Stripe so you can charge customers for plans.

Statuses:

• Stripe not connected: no Stripe account is connected yet.
• Stripe onboarding incomplete: a Stripe account exists, but onboarding is not finished.
• Stripe connected: charges are enabled and customers can be billed.
• Billing suspended: charges and checkout are disabled for this tenant.
• Stripe platform config incomplete: FolderFort platform billing is not ready yet, so Business onboarding cannot start.

Buttons:

• Connect Stripe: starts Stripe onboarding.
• Resume onboarding: returns you to Stripe to finish setup.
• Refresh status: checks the latest Stripe account status.

Stripe Setup

1. Open Business Settings.
2. Go to Billing.
3. Click Connect Stripe.
4. Complete Stripe's onboarding steps.
5. Return to FolderFort.
6. Click Refresh status.
7. Confirm the status says Stripe connected.
8. Create or update plans in the Plans section.

Troubleshooting:

• If Connect Stripe is disabled, the platform Stripe configuration may not be ready.
• If onboarding is incomplete, click Resume onboarding and finish all Stripe requirements.
• If Stripe says payouts or charges are disabled, check your Stripe dashboard for required information.
• If customers cannot pay, confirm Stripe connected is shown and the plan has a valid Stripe price ID.
• If you changed something in Stripe, click Refresh status in FolderFort.

Plans

The Plans section controls subscription plans offered by your Business.

Plan fields:

• Plan name: the customer-facing plan name.
• Stripe price ID: the price_... ID from Stripe.
• Price amount: display-only amount shown in FolderFort.
• Currency: ISO code such as USD or EUR.
• Billing interval: month, year, week, or day.
• Interval count: how many intervals per bill, such as 1 month or 1 year.
• Storage quota (MB): storage included in the plan.
• Customer limit: maximum active customers allowed on this plan. Leave blank for unlimited.
• Description: features or notes shown for the plan.
• Visible on signup pages: controls whether the plan is public.

Important Stripe note:

Stripe charges based on the Stripe price ID, not the display-only amount. Make sure the Stripe price ID matches the amount, currency, and billing interval you want to charge.

Creating A Paid Plan

1. Create the product and recurring price in Stripe.
2. Copy the Stripe price ID. It starts with price_.
3. In Business Settings, open Plans.
4. Click New plan.
5. Enter the plan name.
6. Paste the Stripe price ID.
7. Enter the display amount, currency, interval, storage quota, and customer limit.
8. Add a description.
9. Enable Visible on signup pages if customers should see it.
10. Save.

Creating A Free Or Manual Plan

You can create a plan without a Stripe price ID.

Use this for:

• Free tiers.
• Manually billed customers.
• Internal customer groups.
• Private plans.

If Stripe is not connected, paid plans may appear in the UI but customers will not be charged.

Troubleshooting:

• If a plan does not show on signup, check Visible on signup pages.
• If checkout does not charge, confirm Stripe is connected and the plan has a valid Stripe price ID.
• If the displayed price is wrong, update the display amount in FolderFort and confirm the real Stripe price in Stripe.
• If customers cannot be assigned, confirm the plan still exists and has not been deleted.

Customers

The Customers section lets you manage accounts under your Business.

You can:

• Search customers.
• Add a customer.
• Edit a customer.
• Assign a plan.
• Set a storage region when region presets are available.
• Set monthly bandwidth credits.
• Transfer top-up bandwidth credits.
• Suspend all customers.
• Reassign customers to another tenant when allowed by admin workflows.
• Delete a customer.

Customer table columns:

• Customer: name and email.
• Plan: assigned plan and billing gateway.
• Status: subscription or pending status.
• Bandwidth: included monthly credits and top-up credits.
• Created: account creation date.
• Actions: edit, transfer credits, delete.

Adding A Customer

1. Open Customers.
2. Click Add customer.
3. Enter name and email.
4. Enter a password or leave it blank to auto-generate one.
5. Choose a plan or leave as No plan.
6. Choose a storage region if available.
7. Set monthly bandwidth credits if needed.
8. Save.

Monthly Bandwidth Credits

Monthly credits are included allowance from the Business monthly pool. They reset each billing period.

The total monthly credits assigned across customers cannot exceed the Business monthly pool.

Top-Up Bandwidth Credits

Top-up credits are carryover credits. When you transfer top-up credits to a customer, they move from the Business top-up balance to that customer's balance immediately.

Use top-up credits when a customer needs extra bandwidth outside the normal monthly allowance.

Customer Troubleshooting

If a customer cannot log in:

• Confirm the email address is correct.
• Reset the customer's password.
• Confirm the account was not deleted or suspended.

If a customer is missing a plan:

• Edit the customer and assign a plan.
• Confirm the plan has not been deleted.

If a customer cannot upload/download:

• Check their bandwidth allowance.
• Check whether the Business is using shared pool mode or individual user mode.
• Check storage configuration.
• Check whether their account or subscription is suspended.

If the customer did not get an email:

• Check Email settings.
• Ask them to check spam/junk.
• Confirm the From domain is verified by the SMTP provider.

If you need to pause all customers:

• Use Suspend all.
• Confirm the warning before applying it.
• Use this carefully; it affects all customers under the Business.

Testing Your Business Setup

Before sending customers to your Business, test these flows:

1. Open your custom domain.
2. Confirm the page loads with HTTPS.
3. Confirm your logo and favicon appear.
4. Create or log in as a test customer.
5. Upload a test file.
6. Download and preview the test file.
7. Create a share link and open it in a private browser window.
8. Test password reset email.
9. If public signup is enabled, create a new test account from the signup page.
10. If Stripe is connected, test checkout with a small test plan before using live pricing.

Common Issues And Fixes

I do not see Business Settings

Your account may not have Business management access. Contact support or your platform admin.

My custom domain is not working

Check the DNS record, wait for propagation, then use Check domain status. The hostname should usually be a CNAME pointed at the FolderFort platform host.

SSL is not ready

DNS must be correct before SSL can be issued. Run Check domain status first, then Finish domain setup.

Branding image upload fails

Try a smaller PNG or SVG. If the error mentions storage or permissions, check Storage settings or contact support.

Emails are not sending

Check SMTP credentials, sender verification, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and provider limits.

Paid plans do not charge customers

Connect Stripe, finish onboarding, click Refresh status, and confirm the plan has a valid Stripe price ID.

Customers are using too much bandwidth

Review API credit mode, monthly included credits, top-up balances, shared links, previews, embeds, API traffic, and connector traffic.

Storage works for some users but not others

Check storage region, customer plan, storage quota, bucket credentials, and whether the customer account is active.

Theme changes look wrong

Remove recent custom CSS, reset complex colors to simple hex values, and check contrast. Save changes and refresh.

Security Best Practices

• Use a dedicated custom domain for your Business portal.
• Use a dedicated SMTP sender domain or subdomain.
• Use a dedicated S3/Backblaze bucket and access key if using custom storage.
• Do not share root cloud credentials.
• Save tenant unlock private keys in a secure password manager or offline vault.
• Enable two-factor authentication on your admin account.
• Test customer access after every major billing, storage, or domain change.

When To Contact Support

Contact support if:

• You cannot access Business Settings.
• DNS is correct but SSL will not issue.
• Storage credentials are correct but uploads still fail.
• You lost a tenant unlock private key.
• Stripe onboarding fails inside FolderFort.
• A customer is billed incorrectly.
• You need to move customers between Business accounts.
• You need help confirming whether Backblaze/S3 is receiving encrypted data.