Applies to Cmsmart Product Designer (NBDesigner) 2.18.0 · Updated October 2026. Screens shown: WP Admin > Cmsmart > Files, plus the Output and Upload design settings tabs that feed it.

In short

  • The Files screen is the one place to see every customer design file, its preflight/DPI state and its print-ready PDF — no more hunting through order attachments.
  • It reads the local cache of designs and uploads, links each file to its order and customer, and shows the print-ready PDF the cloud renderer produced.
  • Setup takes minutes: raise the default output DPI, decide which formats customers may download, and point output sync at FTP, Dropbox, S3 or Google Cloud if needed.

What does it cost you when you don't manage customer design files WooCommerce orders create?

Without a single design-file view, stores lose time per order hunting for the right file, discover low-resolution artwork only after it's on press, and have no way to tell an active order's file from an abandoned cart upload. The Files screen in WP Admin > Cmsmart > Files removes exactly that gap, and lets you manage customer design files WooCommerce stores generate from one list.

Walk the floor of a print shop or POD operation before a tool like this exists and you'll hear the same complaints:

  • Manual hunting. Staff open order after order looking for 'the artwork for #1665'.
  • Low-resolution surprises. A 150 DPI upload looks fine as a thumbnail, blurry on a 12x18 inch print — discovered after the job is cut.
  • Orphaned uploads. Abandoned designs sit on disk forever with no order to say whether they're safe to delete.
  • No paper trail on edits. A buyer tweaks their design post-order and nobody knows if the PDF in hand is current.
  • Storage creep. Nobody owns cleanup, so the uploads folder grows until a host warns about disk space.

On a real demo store running 2.18.0, the Files screen surfaces this instantly: 214 files on one page, 313 not yet run through preflight and 305 flagged below 300 DPI — numbers invisible until a reprint happened. Still doing this by eye? A quick talk with an ecommerce expert can tell you what's solved out of the box versus worth a custom build.

What would it look like if every design file took care of itself?

Imagine an order arriving already carrying a print-ready PDF Cmsmart Product Designer rendered the moment the customer clicked Process, flagged for low DPI before anyone on the floor opens it, and findable by order number, customer name or file ID in one search box — that is the state the Files screen is designed to produce.

Example scenario. A buyer finishes a door-hanger design at 11pm, logged 'Not checked' with a DPI reading. By morning, the operator filters Cmsmart > Files to 'Print-ready' and sees only orders genuinely safe to print. A flagged low-DPI file gets a note back to the customer before it reaches the press, not after.

That's the promise: a shared, order-linked record that production, support and admin all read from the same source — with a print-ready PDF that matches the order (2.17) waiting at the other end.

How does Cmsmart's Files screen manage design files, versions and cloud offload?

Cmsmart Product Designer's Files screen indexes every design and upload from the local WordPress cache, links it to its order, customer, preflight result and DPI, and sits next to the Output settings that decide where the print-ready copy ends up — the pdfs folder, or synced to FTP, Dropbox, S3 or Google Cloud.

Cmsmart Product Designer 2.18.0 Files screen header showing Needs fix, Not checked, Print-ready and Low DPI KPI cards
Cmsmart Product Designer 2.18.0, WP Admin > Cmsmart > Files: filters plus the four status cards (Needs fix, Not checked, Print-ready, Low DPI) that triage the backlog at a glance.

Four building blocks:

  • The index. Rows come from the local cache of designs and uploads, tagged Design/Upload, linked to an order ('Orphan' when there's none) and a customer.
  • Preflight and DPI. Every file shows a preflight status (Not checked, Needs fix, Print-ready) and its DPI, flagged under 300.
  • Per-order version and print file. Each line item links to View file and its print file, tagged 'v1' with a History link.
  • Output and sync. The Output tab decides whether a print-ready PDF also lands in the pdfs folder, or is pushed to FTP, SFTP, Dropbox, S3 or Google Cloud — the 'cloud offload' half.
WooCommerce order line item showing the customer design, preflight status, View file link and v1 History link
Cmsmart Product Designer 2.18.0, order #1665: the line item carries its own design, preflight status and a 'Print file · v1 · History' link — the version record a reprint depends on.

Cmsmart insight: editing a design after the order is placed doesn't quietly overwrite what production already saw — it queues a fresh print-ready render and flags the order as changed. Once an item is approved, the save is refused outright unless a shop widens that lock with the nbd_ordered_design_edit_locked filter. Treat 'approved' as a real checkpoint, not a formality.

The print-ready PDF comes from the same renderer whether produced automatically on Process or by hand with Create PDF, which is why the order screen and the Files screen agree:

Print-ready PDF status showing Ready, rendered by the cloud renderer, with a Regenerate print-ready PDF button
Cmsmart Product Designer 2.18.0, order design detail > Create PDF tab: Print-ready status (Ready / Rendering / Failed / Not rendered) with a one-click Regenerate.

On the HPOS-based WooCommerce order screen, the Customer Design box and this file history load the same as anywhere else; see WooCommerce's documentation on High-Performance Order Storage.

Files screen settings: field, default and what we'd recommend per shop type
Field (as shown)What it doesDefaultPrint shopPOD apparelB2B / wholesaleWhere it shows on the storefront
Default output resolution - DPI (General)Resolution every new design renders at — the Files DPI column.150300150–300300+None; sets your Low DPI count.
Allow download design after checkout (General)Lets the buyer download their own file after ordering.NoNoNoComplete orderDownload link on My Account > Orders.
Design file type download (General)Which formats a buyer may download, if the above is on.None selectedPDF onlyPNG + PDFAll fourFormat buttons on that same link.
Auto export design to PDF (Output > Synchronize)Renders the print-ready PDF on Process, not on a manual click.NoYesYesYesNone visible; fills 'Print-ready' before anyone opens the order.
Also save print-ready PDFs in the pdfs folder (Output)Mirrors each PDF into the legacy pdfs folder for code that reads it.NoOn if tooling reads itNoNoNone — server-side only.
Automatic synchronize output file to (Output)Pushes output to FTP, SFTP, Dropbox, S3 or Google Cloud after auto-export.NoFTP/SFTP to prepressPartner's S3/DropboxYour DAM via S3/GCSNone — the 'cloud offload' hand-off.
Delete upload files after X days (Upload design)Retention for uploads; files attached to an order are never deleted.Blank (indefinite)90 days30–60 daysIndefiniteNone — 'Orphan' rows shrink over time.

If you need the full field-by-field walkthrough of every Output tab setting — watermarking, PDF passwords, bleed placement, font embedding — we already cover that in our print-ready PDF output settings guide rather than repeating it here.

What's the business value of a centralized design-file screen?

The Files screen turns file-hunting and blurry-print surprises into three trackable KPIs — not-checked backlog, low-DPI rate and print-ready rate — so a manager sees production risk on one page instead of on a press run.

Manual file tracking vs the Cmsmart Files screen
TaskShared drive / emailCmsmart Files screen
Find a file for order #1665Search folders by handSearch by order, customer or file ID
Know if a file is print-readyOpen and eyeball itPreflight + DPI columns, filterable
Spot unchecked filesNo record exists'Not checked' KPI card, live count
Tell current from pre-edit designFile names and folder dates'Print file · v1 · History' link
Clean up abandoned uploadsManual, risks an active order's fileUnattached/Orphan filter protects attached files

Rough-cut ROI worksheet. Use your own numbers: (orders/month needing a manual file check) × (minutes spent searching and eyeballing DPI) × (loaded hourly staff cost) = monthly cost by hand. Add (reprint rate from bad artwork) × (cost per reprint) for the error side. Filtering 313 not-checked files a week at two minutes each is ten staff-hours before a single reprint.

Track three numbers monthly from the screen itself: Not checked (is your team keeping up), Low DPI (is upload guidance working), and Print-ready against total orders (is auto-export actually on) — all visible without an extra report.

How do you set up and use the Cmsmart Files screen?

Setting up centralized design-file management means configuring three settings tabs once — General, Upload design and Output — then using the Files screen's filters day to day; most stores can configure it in under fifteen minutes.

  1. Go to Cmsmart > Settings > General and set Default output resolution - DPI to match your press (300 for most print work).
  2. Decide Allow download design after checkout and, if enabling it, tick only the formats under Design file type download you want buyers to have.
  3. Open Settings > Upload design: set Max upload size, Allowed file types, and Delete upload files after X days if you want automatic housekeeping.
  4. Open Settings > Output > Synchronize and switch Auto export design to PDF to Yes so the PDF renders on Process, not on a manual click.
  5. Pick the Order status for auto export design that matches your production trigger.
  6. If another system needs the file automatically, set Automatic synchronize output file to FTP, SFTP, Dropbox, S3 or Google Cloud, and use Test connect before saving.
  7. Go to Cmsmart > Files and filter All preflight > Not checked to see today's backlog.
  8. Use Review low-DPI files from the attention banner to clear anything under 300 DPI before it reaches the floor.
  9. Open an order, use View file and the History link next to the print file to confirm you're looking at the current version.
  10. On the Customer Design box, select the design, choose Accept and click GO — this also locks the file against further silent edits.
Download design tab with SVG, PNG, CMYK JPG with ICC profile and PDF download buttons
Cmsmart Product Designer 2.18.0, Download design tab: SVG, high-resolution PNG, CMYK JPG with an ICC profile, and PDF — the formats a file on the Files screen can hand your pre-press tool.

The CMYK JPG carries an ICC profile so a press's RIP reads colour correctly rather than guessing from RGB; see the ICC's profile library if your print partner asks which one you're using.

Settings Output Synchronize section with Auto export design to PDF, pdfs folder mirror, and automatic synchronize to FTP, SFTP, Dropbox, Amazon S3 or Google Cloud Storage
Cmsmart Product Designer 2.18.0, Settings > Output > Synchronize: the cloud-offload controls — auto export, a pdfs-folder mirror, and a push to FTP, SFTP, Dropbox, S3 or Google Cloud Storage.
Screen to manage customer design files WooCommerce stores generate, with Preview, File, Order, Customer, Type, Preflight, DPI, Size and Actions columns
Cmsmart Product Designer 2.18.0, Files list: each row is one design or upload with its order link, customer, preflight state, DPI and a Review action.

Cmsmart insight: most 'Low DPI' backlog on freshly configured stores traces to one setting — the Default output resolution left at its out-of-the-box 150. Raising it to 300 before launch beats a retroactive cleanup after hundreds of orders.

Rejecting works the same way as approving: check the design, pick a status from the dropdown, click GO, then use Send notify mail with a reason — that text and the status line go straight into the customer's email.

Customer Design approval box with a design checked, Accept status selected and the GO button highlighted
Cmsmart Product Designer 2.18.0, order edit screen: the Customer Design box — check a design, choose Accept, click GO to approve and lock it.

Can Cmsmart build custom design-file management beyond the core plugin?

The Files screen covers indexing, preflight, DPI checks and cloud sync out of the box; for anything store-specific — a true multi-revision timeline, an MIS hand-off, or per-tier retention — Cmsmart builds it as custom development on the same file and order data.

Extensions we're asked for once a store outgrows the stock screen:

  • ERP/MIS hand-off. A print-ready PDF still has to be re-keyed into your MIS. We build a webhook pushing the file and order metadata the moment preflight passes.
  • Full version history with compare. 'v1 · History' says a file changed, not what changed. We build a side-by-side diff for teams with a formal approval step.
  • Tiered retention and legal hold. A B2C cleanup window is usually wrong for wholesale accounts. We build per-group retention and a legal-hold flag that overrides it per order.
  • Self-serve B2B reorder portal. Wholesale buyers email support to re-order last quarter's file. We build a My Account area where an approved account re-orders its own history.
  • Checkout-time DPI gate. Flagging low DPI after the order is already late. We build a harder gate that blocks checkout below a DPI floor you set.

Each follows the same path: discovery, solution design, sprints, QA against your real order volume, launch, support — see how we structure that on our ecommerce projects page.

Get a custom file-management quote

Why work with Cmsmart on your print-file pipeline?

Cmsmart has run WooCommerce and web-to-print projects since 2012 as a Netbase JSC division, and built the Files screen's preflight and DPI checks into the core plugin — shipping both the plugin and the custom development that extends it from the same team.

Numbers worth knowing: 6,300+ client projects and 4,600+ delivered since 2012, 1,800+ live stores across 80+ countries, and a 4.2-star Trustpilot rating from 404 reviews.

"We have had the NB Designer plugin installed for three years and have experienced absolutely no problems during that time. It is wonderful to see their commitment to continuous development…" — Web Developer, United Kingdom, via Trustpilot.

See related work on our projects page, start with the plugin on the Cmsmart Product Designer product page — 'NBDesigner' is its former name — or read about our product designer customization service.

Related chapters: start from the installation & admin settings hub, then see the back-end settings walkthrough and the print-ready PDF output settings guide.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I find the Files screen, and what's the difference between 'All files' and 'Unattached'?

Under WP Admin > Cmsmart > Files. 'All files' lists every indexed design and upload; 'Unattached' narrows that to files with no order — deleting is only offered there.

Why do so many files show Low DPI, and does that mean they'll print badly?

It means the file renders below 300 DPI, often because Default output resolution is still at its 150 default. It's a warning to check, not a guarantee of a bad result.

What happens to a design's old file when a customer edits it after ordering?

The edit links back to the order item, flags the order as changed, and queues a new print-ready PDF if auto-export is on. An already-approved item refuses the save unless a shop has unlocked that behavior.

Does Cmsmart delete customer design files automatically?

Only if you turn on Delete upload files after X days — blank by default. Files attached to an order are never touched. Erase/export requests run through WordPress's own personal-data export tool.

Can I push print-ready files straight to Dropbox, S3 or our own FTP?

Yes — Output > Automatic synchronize output file to supports FTP, SFTP, Dropbox, S3 and Google Cloud right after auto-export, with a Test connect button.

Can the Files screen tell me a file is only in the cloud and not on this server anymore?

Yes. When the local copy is missing but a cloud copy exists, file detail says so plainly instead of a dead 'file not found' — so you resync rather than assume the artwork is gone.

How do I pay securely?

Contracts and payments go to the company, Netbase JSC: plans are paid through PayPal; services are invoiced by Netbase JSC under a written proposal and paid by bank transfer to Netbase JSC's company account or by PayPal Business. Cmsmart (Cmsmart Ecommerce) is the ecommerce brand of Netbase JSC, a company based in Hanoi, Vietnam.

How do I contact Cmsmart or get a quote?

Message the Cmsmart team on WhatsApp at +84 937 869 689 or email project@cmsmart.net; the contact page at cmsmart.net/contact lists every channel, and Request a quote (cmsmart.net/project-proposal) sends a project brief. Customers with a licence open a ticket from the dashboard.

Further reading