PriceCal Tutorial

Whether you're setting up your first product or fine-tuning complex pricing rules, these tutorials will help you get the most out of PriceCal. Follow along step-by-step to automate your pricing, reduce manual work, and set up your branded storefront. No technical skills needed – our presets and guides make setup straightforward. Pick a tutorial below and start streamlining your quoting process today.

Tutorial Categories

Design Studio – WordPress Website Version

How Your Customers Get and Use the Online Design Studio

This guide explains how the online design studio (powered by Pacdora) works from a customer’s point of view, so your team can confidently support them.

1. Overview: What Is the Online Design Studio?

The online design studio is a browser-based editor that lets your customers:
  • Create and preview packaging box designs in 3D
  • Automatically use the correct custom dieline based on their order specs
  • Save and return to their design any time
  • Download print-ready files after checkout
The design link is generated automatically from the PriceCal / WordPress website ordering flow—no manual setup needed from your side.

2. Customer Flow: From Pricing to Design  [Customer View]

When the customer is satisfied with their design:
Here’s the full journey your customers will follow. Your support team can refer to these steps when assisting them.

Step 1: Customer Logs In or Creates an Account

    • Customer goes to your website.
    • They log in to their account.
    • If they don’t have an account, they sign up first.
      • Important: An account is required so their design links and files can be saved and accessed later.
Support tip:
If a customer says they “can’t find their design,” first confirm they are logged in with the same email they used when they created the order.

Step 2: Customer Selects Product & Configures Box Specs

    • Customer opens the Price Calculator for the packaging box product.
    • They select all required options, such as:
      • Box style / type
      • Size (dimensions)
      • Material
      • Quantity
      • Finishing options, etc.
    • Once done, they click Start Designing.
At this point, the system has enough information to generate a custom dieline and a unique design link.

Step 3: Design Link Appears in the Cart

    • After clicking Start Designing, the customer goes to the Cart page and will pop up a Design Studio page.
    • Customer can design packaging on Design Studio page and save the design.
    • On the cart page, they will see a button or link labeled “Continue Design” next to the item.
Key points for your team:
    • The “Continue Design” link is generated per line item in the cart.
    • Each button opens a unique online design link tied to that specific order configuration.
Common support questions:
    1. “I don’t see the ‘Continue Design’ link.”
      • Check that:
        • They are on the Cart page (not Checkout yet).
        • The product they added supports the online design studio.
        • All required options in the Price Calculator were selected before adding to cart.
    2. “Can I use the same design link for a different size box?”
      • No. Each link is tied to the specific product configuration.
      • For a different size/spec, they must configure a new product and use the new “Continue Design” link.

Step 4: Customer Opens the Online Design Studio

    • This launches the online editor (Pacdora) in their browser.
What the customer can do inside the editor:
    • Place logos, images, and text on each panel of the box
    • Change colors and backgrounds
    • View 3D previews of the box
    • Save progress and return later using the same link
Important technical behavior:
    • The design is auto-linked to the order; no manual file upload is needed at this stage.
    • The customer can redesign as many times as they want before checkout.
Support tip:
If a customer says they “lost the editor page,” instruct them to:
    1. Log in to their account.
    2. Go to their Cart.
    3. Click “Continue Design” again for that item.
      Their latest saved design will load.

Step 5: Customer Checks Out and Receives Files?

    1. They save their work in the editor (if applicable).
    2. They return to the Cart and proceed to Checkout.
    3. After successful payment/checkout, the system generates the print-ready files.
Customers can access their design files in two ways:
    1. From Their Account Page
      • They log in and go to My Account > Order .
      • Select the relevant order.
      • Download the dieline / design files from there.
    2. Via Email
      • They receive an order confirmation email.
      • This email includes download links to their design files.
Support tip:
If a customer claims they didn’t receive the email:
    • Ask them to check spam/junk.
    • Confirm the email address on their account.
    • Remind them they can always download files directly from their account orders page.

3. When Customers Only Want the Dieline Template?

Some customers (e.g., professional designers) don’t want to use the online editor. They only need the dieline to design in their own software.
Here’s the flow for them:
  1. Customer configures the box in the Price Calculator and clicks ADD TO CART.
  2. They go straight to Checkout (they can skip the “Continue Design” step).
  3. After checkout, they can:
    • Download the dieline template from their account’s order page, or
    • Use the download links in the order confirmation email.
They can then design in:
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Other professional design tools
Support tip:
If a customer asks, “Can you just send me the dieline?”
  • Instruct them to place an order with the correct box specs and complete checkout.
  • Explain that the system will generate a dieline perfectly matched to their chosen size and options.

4. Key Benefits to Explain to Customers

When training your team, make sure they can clearly communicate these benefits:
  • Free design tool
    Customers can design and preview their box at no extra cost.
  • Accurate custom dieline
    The dieline is automatically generated based on the exact specs chosen in the Price Calculator.
  • Preview before printing
    Customers can see how their box will look in 3D before confirming the order.
  • Design flexibility
    • Edit and redesign as many times as needed before checkout.
    • Save and come back later using the same account and cart.
  • Professional, print-ready files
    After checkout, customers receive files that are ready for production—no manual setup required from your team.

5. How the Print Shop Can Get the Customer’s Design Link?  [Admin View]

Besides the customer’s own access, you as the Print Shop can also retrieve the design link for reference, checking artwork, or assisting with changes.
You have two main ways to get it:

A. From WordPress Backend (WooCommerce)

    1. Log in to your WordPress admin.
    2. Go to WooCommerce → Orders.
    3. Open the specific order you want to check.
    4. In the order details, look for the order item meta added by PriceCal.
    5. You will see the design link (Pacdora design studio URL) stored with the line item.
Use cases:
    • Review the customer’s design before production.
    • Open the link to confirm artwork, layout, or text.
    • Help the customer if they report issues (“I can’t open my design,” etc.).

B. From the Received Order Email (Print Shop Email)

    1. Check the order notification email that your shop receives when a new order is placed.
    2. In that email, PriceCal can include the customer’s design link as part of the order details.
    3. You can click that link directly from the email to open the design.
Use cases:
    • Quick access to design without logging into WordPress.
    • Production team can open the design directly from the email.
    • Easy reference when communicating with the customer.
Support tip for your team:
If a customer asks you to “check my design” or “help adjust something,” your staff can:
  • Open the order in WooCommerce or
  • Open the internal order email,
    then click the design link to view exactly what the customer created.

6. Quick Reference Script for Support Staff

You can give this short script to your CS team to use in chat/email:
To use our free online design studio for your packaging box, please:
  1. Log in to your account (or create one).
  2. Open the box product and use the Price Calculator to choose your size, material, and options.
  3. Click ADD TO CART.
  4. On the Cart page, click “Continue Design” next to your item to open the design studio.
  5. Create your design, save it, and when you’re happy, proceed to checkout.
After checkout, you can download your dieline and design files from your account’s order page or from the confirmation email.
If you only need the dieline template, you can skip the design step—just add to cart, checkout, and download the dieline from your order.

Company

PriceCal

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©2025 PriceCal.co

API

SC-Sheet calculates printing costs by determining the number of large sheets required based on material, size, printing method, and quantity.

For example, if a customer orders 1,000 business cards (89mm x 54mm), SC-Sheet calculates how many fit on a standard sheet, the total sheets needed, and the printing cost. Additional finishing like lamination or diecut is factored in separately, ensuring precise pricing while optimizing material usage and profitability.

What products are best suited for API?

Click on the products below to see API in action!

SC-Sheet

SC-Sheet calculates printing costs by determining the number of large sheets required based on material, size, printing method, and quantity.

For example, if a customer orders 1,000 business cards (89mm x 54mm), SC-Sheet calculates how many fit on a standard sheet, the total sheets needed, and the printing cost. Additional finishing like lamination or diecut is factored in separately, ensuring precise pricing while optimizing material usage and profitability.

What products are best suited for SC-Sheet?

Click on the products below to see SC-Sheet in action!

CSV

CSV is the most flexible way to manage and price products with fixed options or variations that don’t require dynamic calculations. Ideal for products with pre-set combinations of attributes like size, material, finish, and quantity, CSV enables
printers to create custom pricing tables in Excel (CSV format). Once the table is computed, simply upload it into PriceCal, and our Price Calculator will convert it into a systematic selection, generating the price based on the chosen options.

For instance, when calculating the price for a roll-up standee, printers can set up variables like type (e.g., Standard, Deluxe), size (Small, Medium, Large), print method (Digital, Offset), and quantity (e.g., 1, 5, 10). These variables are then organized in a CSV file, and upon upload, the system will automatically generate the correct pricing based on the selected options.

What products are best suited for CSV?

Click on the products below to see CSV in action!

  • Banners (Size, Material, Print Method, Quantity)
  • Packaging Boxes (Type, Size, Printing Method, Finishing)
  • Signage (Material, Size, Print Method, Quantity)
  • Stationery (Size, Material, Print Method, Quantity)
  • Promotional Products (Type, Design, Print Location, Quantity)

SC-Packaging

SC-Packaging is designed to handle pricing for packaging products such as boxes and cartons by calculating costs based on material, size, and finishing components. Through our strategic partnership with Pacdora, printers gain access
to a wide variety of box models, including double tuck boxes, auto-lock boxes, mailer boxes, and more.

This tool works similarly to SC-Sheet by calculating the open size of the selected box model and using the input dimensions to determine material usage, printing costs, and additional finishing. Components like gluing, die-cutting, and assembly costs can be seamlessly factored into the pricing

For example, if a customer orders 2,000 auto-lock boxes measuring 200mm x 150mm x 100mm, SC-Packaging will generate the total material required based on the box’s flat layout, calculate the printing and die-cutting costs, and include any finishing or assembly charges.

Exciting Benefits from Our Pacdora Partnership

Thanks to this collaboration, printers can now:

✅ Retrieve dielines instantly upon customer order.

✅ Offer customers access to Pacdora’s design studio to create and edit packaging
artwork effortlessly.

What products are best suited for SC-Packaging?

Click on the products below to see SC-Packaging in action!

SC-Item

SC-Item is designed for pricing single-item print customization, making it ideal for products like apparel, drinkware, and promotional merchandise. Unlike other pricing tools, SC-Item allows for flexible order quantities across different variations, such as sizes, colors, and print locations.

For example, in t-shirt printing, customers can choose to print on the front, back, or sleeves and place an order with specific quantity breakdowns—20 Large, 10 Small, 15 Medium, etc. SC-Item calculates the cost based on the print locations, total quantity, and any additional customization options like embroidery, heat transfer, or DTF printing.

What products are best suited for SC-Item?

Click on the products below to see SC-Item in action!

SC-Booklet

SC-Booklet is designed to generate precise pricing for multi-page products like booklets, catalogs, and magazines by calculating the material cost, printing method, and binding requirements. It determines the number of sheets required to fulfill an order based on the total number of pages, paper type, and sheet size. Additionally, SC-Booklet supports various binding methods, including saddle stitching and perfect binding, ensuring flexibility in product customization.

For example, if a customer orders 500 copies of a 32-page booklet, SC-Booklet calculates the number of large sheets needed based on the imposition layout. If the inner pages are printed on 150gsm matte paper and the cover on 300gsm glossy
paper, it determines how many sheets of each material are required and factors in the printing and finishing costs accordingly. The system also accommodates add-ons like spot UV, lamination, and special finishes.

What products are best suited for SC-Booklet?

Click on the products below to see SC-Booklet in action!

  • Corporate brochures
  • Annual reports
  • Event programs
  • Product catalogs
  • Training manuals
  • Magazines
  • Cookbooks
  • Portfolios
  • School yearbooks
  • Art books

SC-Area

SC-Area calculates printing costs based on the total print area (sq ft). When a user enters the length and width of the final print, SC-Area determines the total printable area and generates the cost accordingly. It also factors in additional finishing based on the perimeter, making it ideal for products that require eyelets, frames, or poles.

For example, if a customer orders a banner measuring 10ft x 3ft, SC-Area will calculate the total print area (30 sq ft) and generate the cost. If finishing options like eyelets every 2ft or a poles are added, SC-Area factors in these costs based on the perimeter. This tool is perfect for large-format prints such as banners, buntings, billboards, and signage, ensuring accurate pricing and seamless cost calculation.

What products are best suited for SC-Area?

Click on the products below to see SC-Area in action!

  • Magnetic signs
  • Metal / Aluminum signs
  • Die-cut stickers (large format)
  • PVC boards (Forex board prints)
  • Corflute / Corrugated plastic signs
  • Canvas prints
  • Tension fabric displays
  • Construction site signage
  • Directional & wayfinding signs
  • Table covers & table runners
  • Street pole banners
  • Retail window clings
  • Estate agent boards
  • Event standees & cutouts
  • Door signs & nameplates

PriceCal bags Best eCommerce Fulfilment Award 2023

PriceCal, conceptualized and brought to life by Welson and his dynamic team, emerged from a vision to revolutionize the print industry's approach to online sales....
Read More