📄 Deploying Websites

Deploying Websites

Contents

  1. Odoo
  2. Shopify
  3. Wordpress

As a general rule, we deploy websites during a phase that business is slow. For non e-commerce websites, the weekends are ideal. For e-commerce websites, the ideal time is during the middle of the week at night.

Odoo

1. Final Quality & Logic Audit

  • Check and test all website functions to ensure everything works exactly as designed and developed.

  • Verify all internal links and Odoo backend integrations (Sales, CRM, Inventory) are triggering correctly.

2. Database & Domain Mapping

  • Login to the Odoo Cloud Portal and go to Databases.

  • Locate the specific database you are deploying.

  • Click the Gear Icon beside the database name and select Domain Names from the dropdown.

3. Custom Domain Configuration

  • Select Use My Own Domain (Note: "Get a New Domain" is rare and usually avoided for established brands).

  • In the Use Existing Domain Name window, enter the full domain name and click Verify.

4. DNS Record Implementation

  • Login to the client’s DNS Provider (e.g., GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap).

  • Create a CNAME Record to map the traffic.

  • Point the subdomain (typically www) to the Odoo database URL.

    • Example: Point www.onevector.net to ovdco-erp-03.odoo.com.

  • Naked Domain Redirection: If using a naked domain (e.g., onevector.net), set up a Domain Forwarding rule to redirect the naked domain to the www version.

5. Odoo Verification & Propagation

  • Return to the Odoo portal and click the "I confirm it's done" button.

  • Propagation Monitoring: Propagation can take between 2 to 48 hours. Use tools like DNS Checker to monitor the global status asynchronously.

6. Multi-Website Mapping (If Applicable)

  • Perform steps 1 through 5 for each additional domain.

  • Navigate to Settings > Website within the Odoo backend.

  • Select the specific website from the dropdown menu.

  • Enter the unique domain name in the Domain Field and hit Save.

  • Note: This step is critical for mapping specific traffic to the correct Odoo website instance.

7. Launch Confirmation & Security

  • Verify that the SSL certificate has automatically provisioned and the site is served over HTTPS.

  • Perform a final "Lead Capture" test to ensure data is flowing into the correct Odoo database.


Shopify

Phase 1: Pre-Launch Technical Audit

  1. ADA Compliance Sweep

    • Run a final accessibility scan (using tools like WAVE or Axe) to ensure the store meets inclusive design standards.

  2. Cross-Browser & OS Verification

    • Confirm the checkout flow and main navigation function perfectly on Safari (iOS), Chrome (Android/Desktop), and Firefox.

  3. Speed Optimization

    • Compress all images via Shopify’s CDN and ensure no "Electric Sewer" apps are slowing down the Liquid render time.

  4. Legal & Compliance Pages

    • Verify that Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Refund Policies are customized to the client’s specific business model.

Phase 2: Domain & DNS Configuration

  1. Primary Domain Connection

    • Connect the client's custom domain (via Shopify Admin > Settings > Domains).

  2. DNS Record Update

    • Ensure the A Record points to Shopify's IP (23.227.38.65) and the www CNAME points to shops.myshopify.com.

  3. SSL Certification

    • Trigger the SSL availability check; ensure the "Pending" status clears before announcing the site as live.

Phase 3: Commercial Transition

  1. Payment Gateway Activation

    • Move Shopify Payments (or 3rd party gateways) from "Test Mode" to "Live Mode."

  2. Shipping & Tax Validation

    • Perform a "Ghost Purchase" using a real credit card to ensure shipping zones and tax nexus calculations are triggering correctly.

  3. Plan Selection

    • Assist the client in choosing their Shopify subscription plan. Note: Development stores must be on a paid plan to process actual transactions.

Phase 4: Ownership Transfer (The Partner Handshake)

  1. Staff Account Cleanup

    • Remove any temporary contractors (except Mat and Rodel) from the staff list to ensure security.

  2. Ownership Transfer

    • Navigate to Settings > Users and Permissions and select Transfer Ownership.

    • Note: This is a one-way action. Ensure the client’s email is correct and they are ready to accept the billing responsibility.

  3. Partner Dashboard Check

    • Confirm the store appears in your Shopify Partner Dashboard as a "Managed Store" so you can continue to provide support without using a staff seat.

Phase 5: Post-Launch "Growth" Setup

  1. Analytics Verification

    • Confirm that GA4, Facebook Pixel, and GSC are receiving data from the live domain.

  2. Sitemap Submission

    • Submit the sitemap.xml to Google Search Console to jumpstart the AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) indexing.

  3. Client Training Delivery

    • Upload the bespoke training videos (recorded in Phase 6 of the workflow) to the client’s Odoo Portal.


Wordpress

Phase 1: Pre-Launch Quality Audit

  1. Functional Integrity Check

    • Test all website features, buttons, and navigation to ensure they function as designed and developed.

  2. Logic & Integration Verification

    • Confirm that front-end actions (forms, purchases, sign-ups) correctly trigger the corresponding Odoo backend events in CRM, Sales, or Inventory.

  3. Cross-Browser & OS QA

    • Verify that the site renders perfectly on all major browsers and mobile devices.

Phase 2: Database & Domain Mapping

  1. Database Selection

    • Login to the Odoo Cloud Portal, go to Databases, and locate the specific database intended for deployment.

  2. Domain Configuration Menu

    • Click the Gear Icon beside the database name and select Domain Names from the dropdown menu.

  3. Domain Verification

    • Select Use My Own Domain, enter the client's custom domain name, and click the Verify button.

Phase 3: DNS & Technical Setup

  1. CNAME Record Creation

    • Access the client’s DNS settings (e.g., GoDaddy, Cloudflare).

    • Create a CNAME record pointing the domain (e.g., www.onevector.net) to the Odoo database URL (e.g., ovdco-erp-03.odoo.com).

  2. Naked Domain Redirection

    • Configure a redirect at the DNS level to point the naked domain (e.g., onevector.net) to the www version of the URL.

  3. Odoo Confirmation

    • Return to the Odoo portal and click the "I confirm it's done" button to initiate the handshake.

Phase 4: Propagation & Multi-Website Mapping

  1. Propagation Monitoring

    • Monitor progress via DNS Checker. Note that global updates can take between 2 to 48 hours.

  2. Website-to-Domain Mapping

    • For environments with multiple Odoo websites: Go to Settings > Website, select the specific website from the dropdown, and enter the unique domain in the Domain Field.

  3. SSL & Security Validation

    • Ensure the SSL certificate is provisioned and the site is loading securely over HTTPS.

Phase 5: Launch & Handover

  1. Final Conversion Test

    • Perform a final test on all live lead-capture forms to ensure data is populating in the Odoo production environment.

  2. Client Training & Documentation

    • Provide the client with the recorded training videos specific to managing their Odoo instance.

  3. Project Closure

    • Confirm the site is fully operational and archive the project within the Odoo Project module.