=== Baxtersweb Guide Dots – WordPress Admin Guidance & Client Handover ===
Contributors: baxterjones
Tags: documentation, wordpress admin, client handover, onboarding, admin guide
Requires at least: 6.4
Tested up to: 7.0
Requires PHP: 7.4
Stable tag: 1.0.0
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Create contextual guide dots, documentation and training notes that live directly inside the WordPress admin.

== Description ==

Baxtersweb Guide Dots helps agencies, developers and site owners replace outdated handover documents with persistent guidance that lives directly inside the WordPress admin. Interactive guide dots keep instructions attached to the screens where users actually work, making client handovers, training and long-term website maintenance easier.

Instead of maintaining a separate handover document that quickly becomes outdated, Guide Dots keeps contextual guidance attached to the relevant admin screens. Clients, editors, developers and other users receive guidance while working, rather than searching through PDFs, emails or external documentation.

Use Guide Dots to explain how a custom field should be completed, document an unusual setting, guide a client through an editing workflow, or leave an important reminder for yourself.

Guide Dots keeps this information connected to the website and the screen it relates to.

= Contextual guidance inside WordPress =

A guide dot is a visual marker placed on a WordPress admin screen. Selecting the dot opens the guidance attached to that location.

This makes documentation easier to understand because users do not need to search through a long document or remember which instructions apply to the screen they are viewing.

= Create role-specific guidance =

Organise guides by audience so that the right users receive the right level of information.

For example, you might create:

* Simple editing instructions for clients.
* Content guidance for editors.
* Technical implementation guidance for developers.
* Internal website documentation for future maintenance.
* Step-by-step guidance for website administrators.

Each audience can have its own name and colour, helping users distinguish between different types of guidance.

= Guide users through a complete workflow =

Multiple guide dots on the same screen can be viewed as a sequence.

Previous and Next controls allow users to move through the available guides without closing each note and finding the next dot manually.

A screen summary also shows the guides available on the current admin screen, making longer workflows easier to follow.

= Edit without disrupting normal work =

Guide Dots separates editing from viewing.

Enable editor mode when you need to create, reposition or update guides. Switch to view mode when you want to experience the guidance as a user would.

When the guides are not needed, they can be hidden without deleting them.

= Keep website handovers useful =

Traditional handover documents quickly become outdated as websites evolve. As websites change, those instructions can become difficult to follow.

Guide Dots places the explanation inside the website itself. This makes it suitable for:

* Client website handovers.
* Custom WordPress builds.
* Content management instructions.
* Internal website documentation.
* Technical guidance for developers.
* Training new editors or administrators.
* Explaining custom fields and plugin settings.
* Recording important website-specific processes.


= Why Guide Dots is different =

Guide Dots is designed to solve a different problem from traditional admin notes plugins.

Most notes plugins focus on attaching comments or reminders to the WordPress admin. Guide Dots focuses on guided website handovers by combining persistent visual guide points, contextual documentation and sequential navigation into a workflow that users can follow while working.

Rather than asking users to search for documentation, Guide Dots keeps the guidance attached to the interface itself.

This makes it particularly suited to:

* Client website handovers.
* Custom WordPress builds.
* Team onboarding.
* Ongoing website maintenance.
* Internal process documentation.


= Ideal for =

Guide Dots works particularly well for:

* Web design agencies
* Freelance WordPress developers
* Client website handovers
* Internal documentation
* Custom WordPress solutions
* Website maintenance
* Team training
* Ongoing content management

= Key features =

* Place contextual guide dots on WordPress admin screens.
* Add clear guidance to each dot.
* Create separate audiences for different users or purposes.
* Give each audience its own identifying colour.
* Navigate through multiple guides using Previous and Next controls.
* View a summary of all guides available on the current screen.
* Switch between editor mode and view mode.
* Reposition and update existing guide dots.
* Hide guidance when it is not currently needed.
* Manage guides from one organised admin area.
* Keep documentation attached to the website it describes.
* Designed specifically for the WordPress admin area.

Guide Dots is deliberately focused. Unlike dashboard note plugins or editorial comment tools, it is designed to create persistent, contextual guidance that remains attached to the workflow it explains. It is not a learning management system, frontend product tour builder or general documentation platform.

== Installation ==

1. Install the plugin through the WordPress Plugins screen.
2. Activate Baxtersweb Guide Dots.
3. Open the Guide Dots management screen and create your first audience.
4. Visit the WordPress admin screen where you want to add guidance.
5. Enable Guide Dots editor mode.
6. Add your guide text and place the dot in the appropriate position.
7. Switch to view mode to test the guide.

For additional instructions, visit the Guide Dots documentation.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= What is a guide dot? =

A guide dot is a visual marker placed on a WordPress admin screen. When selected, it displays the guidance attached to that location.

= Who is Guide Dots intended for? =

Guide Dots is useful for developers, designers, agencies, freelancers, site administrators and anyone responsible for handing over or maintaining a WordPress website.

It can also help clients and editors who need guidance while managing content.

= Does Guide Dots display anything on the website frontend? =

No. Guide Dots is designed for guidance inside the WordPress admin area.

= Can I create guides for different types of users? =

Yes. Guides can be organised into separate audiences, such as Clients, Editors or Developers. Each audience can have its own name and colour.

= Can a screen contain more than one guide? =

Yes. You can add multiple guide dots to the same admin screen. Users can open them individually or navigate through them using the Previous and Next controls.

= Can users see all guides on the current screen? =

Yes. The screen summary lists the available guides and their audiences, making it easier to find and follow the relevant guidance.

= Can I move a guide dot after placing it? =

Yes. Enable editor mode to update or reposition an existing guide.

= Can I temporarily hide the guide dots? =

Yes. Guide Dots can be hidden when they are not needed without deleting the underlying guides.

= Will Guide Dots replace my full website documentation? =

It can replace many screen-specific instructions, but it does not need to replace broader documentation.

Guide Dots works best for contextual information: instructions, reminders and explanations that relate to a particular WordPress admin screen.

= Is Guide Dots a frontend onboarding or product-tour plugin? =

No. Guide Dots is focused on contextual guidance inside the WordPress admin. It does not create public-facing tours or walkthroughs.

= Can I use it for my own developer notes? =

Yes. You can use Guide Dots for client instructions, internal documentation or reminders for your future self.

= What happens when an admin screen changes? =

A guide may need to be repositioned if the layout of the related admin screen changes significantly. Editor mode lets you update the guide and its placement.

= Does Guide Dots require another plugin? =

No additional plugin is required.

= Does Guide Dots affect website visitors? =

No. Guide Dots only runs inside the WordPress admin. Visitors to your website never see guide dots or their associated guidance.

== Screenshots ==

1. Guide dots placed directly on a WordPress admin screen.
2. Opening a guide to view its contextual instructions.
3. Navigating through multiple guides using Previous and Next controls.
4. Viewing all guides available on the current screen.
5. Adding guidance and placing a new guide dot in editor mode.
6. Creating audiences for clients, editors, developers or other users.
7. Managing, editing and organising guides from the Guide Dots admin area.
8. Hiding guide dots when guidance is not currently needed.

== Changelog ==

= 1.0.0 =

* Initial release.
* Add contextual guide dots to WordPress admin screens.
* Create and manage multiple guide audiences.
* Assign identifying colours to audiences.
* Add multiple guides to the same admin screen.
* Navigate between guides using Previous and Next controls.
* View a summary of guides available on the current screen.
* Switch between editor mode and view mode.
* Edit, reposition and remove existing guides.
* Hide guide dots without deleting their guidance.
* Manage guides from a central admin interface.