Quick Start Guide

How to Install & Customize xCRUD CRM

Step-by-step instructions written in plain language — no technical background required.

How to Install

Installing the CRM is like setting up any desktop application. Follow these three simple steps.

1

Restore the Database

The database is like the CRM's filing cabinet — it holds all your customer records, invoices, and settings. You need to set it up before the software can run.

  1. Open phpMyAdmin (a tool that comes with XAMPP) in your web browser. It usually runs at http://localhost/phpmyadmin.
  2. Click the "Databases" tab at the top, type a name like xcrud_crm in the field, and click "Create".
  3. Select your new database from the left panel, then click the "Import" tab.
  4. Click "Choose File", navigate to the demo_database folder, and select the file named crm.sql.
  5. Scroll down and click "Go". Wait for the success message — this loads all the tables and sample data.
2

Copy Files to Your Web Server

The CRM files are the actual application — the "program" you will run. You need to place them where your computer can serve them to a web browser.

  1. If you haven't already, install XAMPP (it bundles Apache, MySQL, and PHP in one package) and start the Apache and MySQL services from the XAMPP Control Panel.
  2. Find your XAMPP installation folder. On Windows, it is usually at C:\xampp\htdocs\.
  3. Copy the entire CRM folder (the one containing index.php, login.php, etc.) into the htdocs folder. Rename it to xcrud_crm so the address becomes neat.
  4. Your files should now be at C:\xampp\htdocs\xcrud_crm\.
3

Deploy & Launch

With the database restored and files in place, you are ready to open the CRM in your browser.

  1. Make sure the XAMPP Control Panel shows both Apache (green) and MySQL (green) as running. If not, click "Start" next to each.
  2. Open any web browser and go to: http://localhost/xcrud_crm/login.php
  3. Log in with the default credentials that were loaded with the database. Check the crm.sql file or the README for the default username and password (commonly admin / admin123).
  4. Once logged in, you will see your CRM dashboard. The system is now live and ready to use!

How to Customize

Customizing the CRM does not require advanced programming skills. Everything is organized into clear folders and simple configuration files.

Customize Individual Pages

Each screen in the CRM (like Invoices, Leads, Projects) is its own file. To change what fields appear, what labels say, or what data is shown, simply open the corresponding file.

  1. Open the pages/ folder inside your CRM installation.
  2. You will see files like crm_invoices.php, crm_leads.php, crm_projects.php, and more — one for each module.
  3. Open any file in a text editor. The code uses simple, readable method calls like $xcrud->label('total', 'Amount') to rename a column, or $xcrud->hide_button('view') to remove a button.
  4. Change the text inside the quotes to match your business language, add or remove fields from the fields() list, then save the file. Refresh your browser to see the changes.
Example: $xcrud->label('invoice_number', 'Invoice #'); This renames the "invoice_number" column to "Invoice #" in the list view.

Manage Users & Roles

The CRM includes a built-in user management system. As an administrator, you can create new user accounts, assign them to roles, and control which menu items each role can see — all from within the browser.

  1. Log in to the CRM as an administrator (the account that has full access to all menus).
  2. In the left sidebar, look for a menu group called "Access Control" or "Roles / Menu". Click it to open the user management area.
  3. Add Users: Find the "Users" section. Click the "Add New" button (the plus sign). Fill in the person's name, email, username, and password. Assign them to one or more roles using the checkboxes or dropdown that appears.
  4. View & Edit Roles: Find the "Roles" section. Here you can see all existing roles (like Admin, Sales, Finance). Click any role to edit it.
  5. Configure Menu Windows: Inside each role, you will see a list of menu items (windows). Each row has toggle switches for Active and Visible. Turn these on or off to control whether users in that role can see and access each window. Changes take effect immediately — no restart needed.
  6. Duplicate a Role: Need a new role that is almost identical to an existing one? Use the "Duplicate" button to copy the role along with all its menu permissions in one click, then adjust the copy as needed.

Customize Appearance & Branding

Personalize the CRM to match your company's look and feel without touching code.

  1. Upload your logo: Go to Settings → System Settings, find the "App Logo" field, and upload your company logo image.
  2. Change colors: The CRM supports light and dark themes. Users can toggle between them using the moon/sun icon in the top-right corner. For custom brand colors, edit the CSS variables in the main stylesheet.
  3. Rename the app: In System Settings, change the "App Title" and "App Name" fields to your company name.
  4. Custom CSS: Advanced users can add custom CSS rules in the css/ folder to override any visual style.

Troubleshooting

"Cannot connect to database"

Check that MySQL is running in the XAMPP Control Panel. Then open the file lib/xcrud/xcrud_config.php and verify your database name, username (usually root), and password match your MySQL setup.

"Page Not Found" after login

Make sure you restored the full crm.sql file — it creates the system tables that define the menu. If you only imported a partial SQL file, the menus will be missing.

Forgot login credentials

The default admin account is created when you import crm.sql. Look for the user table in phpMyAdmin and check the username and password columns. The password is stored as a hash, so if you need to reset it, ask your IT person to update it directly in the database.