Configuration

General Settings

1. Access Settings:

   • If the menu location is set to "Separate", go to Packaging Fit in the WordPress admin menu.

   • If the menu location is set to "Settings", navigate to Settings > Packaging Fit.

2. Configure Settings:

   • Menu Location: Choose between Separate Menu or Settings Menu. This setting determines where the Packaging Fit settings will appear in the WordPress admin interface.

   • Allow Rotation: Select Best Fit to allow any orientation or Keep Flat to maintain items flat. This affects how products can be rotated when being packed.

   • Free Package Space: Define the free space percentage for packages globally. This setting adds extra space around the items inside the box.

   • Free Product Space: Define the free space percentage for individual products. This setting ensures there is additional space around each product within the box.

Package Configuration

1. Add Groups and Packages:

   • Navigate to the Package Configuration section.

   • Click Add Group to create a new group of packages. Each group can contain multiple packages.

   • Within each group, click Add Package to specify package details such as name, price, weight, and dimensions.

2. Define Package Properties:

   • Name: Enter a descriptive name for the package.

   • Price: Specify the cost of using the package.

   • Package Weight: Enter the weight of the empty package itself.

   • Max Weight: Define the maximum weight capacity of the package.

   • Dimensions: Enter the length, width, and height of the package.

   • Free Space: Specify any additional space inside the package to ensure items fit comfortably.

Free Space Calculation

Free space is an important aspect of the Packaging Fit configuration that ensures there is additional space around products and within packages to prevent damage and make packing easier. Here’s how it works:

1. Global vs. Product-Specific Settings:

   • Each product can have its own free space and rotation settings.

   • If no specific settings are provided for a product, the global settings will be used.

2. How Free Space is Applied:

   • When you add free space to a package, its dimensions are effectively reduced by the specified free space value from each side.

   • Example:

     • If you have a package with dimensions 10x10x10 cm and you add 1 cm of free space, the free space will actually be 2 cm (1 cm on each side).

     • This means the actual internal dimensions of the package will be 8x8x8 cm.

   • Similarly, for products, adding free space increases their effective dimensions.

     • Example:

       • If a product has dimensions of 10x10x10 cm and you add 1 cm of free space, the effective dimensions will be 12x12x12 cm (1 cm added to each side).

3. Visual Representation:

   • The plugin uses these adjusted dimensions to determine the optimal packing arrangement and provides visual layouts to assist you.

   • These layouts show the suggested arrangement but are meant as helpful guides rather than strict instructions. There may be manual adjustments you can make to achieve an even better fit.

Understanding how free space works is crucial to effectively using Packaging Fit. Ensure you account for the total free space added to both packages and products to avoid confusion and optimize packing efficiency.