Skip to main content

Pet Nutrition Pro

Menu
Activate Diet Engine

Pet Nutrition Pro · Operational Guide

Quick Start Guide

From installation to your first complete test. Follow the sections in order to configure Pet Nutrition Pro, prepare your WooCommerce catalogue, and verify the results before going live.

Download the plugin View the Complete Guide

Configure Pet Nutrition Pro step by step

This page covers the essential setup tasks. Each section includes a reference to the corresponding chapter of the manual for detailed explanations, examples, screenshots, and complete testing procedures.

01

Preparation

Install and activate Boma Pet Nutrition Pro

Boma Pet Nutrition Pro requires WooCommerce to be installed and active. Check this prerequisite first, then install the plugin and configure access to the remote service deliberately.

  1. Make sure WooCommerce is installed and active. If it is not present, install and activate WooCommerce before proceeding with Boma Pet Nutrition Pro.
  2. Go to Plugins → Add Plugin → Upload Plugin.
  3. Select the Boma Pet Nutrition Pro ZIP file, install it, and activate it.
  4. After activation, open Pet Nutrition Pro → Getting Started.
  5. Read the information about the remote service and privacy.
  6. When you want to use the calculation service, enable Remote service authorisation in the settings.
  7. Separately check the status of Diet Engine, if applicable.
  8. If you have just activated Diet Engine and want to use it immediately, select Refresh service check to update the service status stored by the plugin.
Free and Diet Engine are two separate statuses. Remote service authorisation is also required for the Free calculation. Diet Engine adds recommended products, coordinated quantities, and WooCommerce cart integration.
Refresh service check does not authorise the remote service. Authorisation is controlled only through Remote service authorisation. The refresh action only forces a new check of the service status.
Learn more: Complete Guide · Chapter 17 → ↑ Back to index
02

Public pages

Configure the form and results page

Pet Nutrition Pro uses two separate pages: one collects the pet's information and the other displays the result. On new installations, the Resulting Diet page is created and linked automatically by the plugin.

  1. Create or identify the page that will contain the questionnaire.
  2. Add the shortcode [pet_nutrition_form] once.
  3. After activating Boma Pet Nutrition Pro, check that the Resulting Diet page exists and is published.
  4. On new installations, the plugin automatically creates and links this page with the shortcode [bomapnp_resulting_diet].
  5. In the Pet Nutrition Pro settings, make sure the Diet result page points to the correct Resulting Diet page.
  6. If the page is missing, has been deleted, or its content has been changed, restore it manually by adding [bomapnp_resulting_diet] and selecting it again as the results page.
  7. Publish the questionnaire page and verify the complete flow over HTTPS.
Manual creation of Resulting Diet is a recovery procedure. On a correct new installation, the page is created automatically by the plugin.
Do not swap or duplicate the shortcodes. The questionnaire page uses [pet_nutrition_form], while the results page uses [bomapnp_resulting_diet].
Learn more: Complete Guide · Chapters 17–18 → ↑ Back to index
03

WooCommerce catalogue

Prepare products for diet recommendations

A WooCommerce product is not automatically included in recommendations. It must be enabled and configured with the information required by Pet Nutrition Pro.

  1. Open the WooCommerce product page.
  2. Enable Included in Diet.
  3. Assign only one technical category: Dry, Puffed, or Wet.
  4. Enter the correct energy value in kcal per 100 g.
  5. Configure the product for dogs and/or cats, including size and life stage where applicable.
  6. Enter food exclusions and sensitivities only when supported by the product label, technical data sheet, or manufacturer's information.
  7. Save the product and verify the result using a test profile.
Included in Diet makes the product eligible for evaluation. It does not mean that the product is compatible with every pet.
Learn more: Complete Guide · Chapter 10 → ↑ Back to index
04

Energy information

Enter kcal per 100 g correctly

Pet Nutrition Pro always uses a normalised value expressed as kcal per 100 grams. UK and Irish product information may report metabolisable energy in kcal/kg, kJ/kg, MJ/kg, or another documented format, so the source value may need to be converted.

  1. Always start with the most reliable source available: the product label, technical data sheet, or manufacturer.
  2. If the source provides kcal/100 g, enter the value directly.
  3. If it provides kcal/kg, divide the value by 10. Example: 3,650 kcal/kg → 365 kcal/100 g.
  4. If energy is provided in kJ/kg or MJ/kg, use the guided calculator or convert the value before entering the final kcal/100 g result.
  5. If calories are provided for an entire pack or unit, use the documented weight of that pack or unit to calculate the equivalent value per 100 g.
  6. Before saving, always compare the result with the label, technical data sheet, or manufacturer's information.
UK energy information may use terms such as metabolisable energy (ME), kcal/kg, kJ/kg, MJ/kg and kcal/100 g. Appendix A of the Complete Guide contains the UK-specific reference procedure. Avoid arbitrary estimates.
Learn more: Complete Guide · §10.4 and Appendix A → ↑ Back to index
05

Selection rules

Configure product compatibility

Merchandising priority is applied only after the system checks the user's preferences and verifies that the product is compatible with the pet's profile.

  1. First verify the species and life stage for which the product is declared suitable.
  2. For dogs, correctly configure the supported size groups.
  3. Enter exclusions and intolerances conservatively.
  4. Select sensitivities only when they are supported by documented product information.
  5. Remember that a single relevant incompatibility can exclude the product from the recommendation.
  6. Test the behaviour with at least one profile that should include the product and one that should exclude it.
The correct sequence is: preferences → compatibility → ordering → recommendation. Placing a product first does not make it compatible.
Learn more: Complete Guide · Chapters 4, 5, and 10 → ↑ Back to index
06

Merchandising strategy

Order compatible products

Product ordering determines which compatible product is considered first for each food type and animal group.

  1. Open Pet Nutrition Pro → Product Ordering.
  2. Select the food type: Dry, Puffed, or Wet.
  3. Select the group: small, medium, or large dog, or cat.
  4. Apply the filters and review the complete ranking.
  5. Drag the products into the desired order.
  6. Save the new ordering.
  7. Generate a new diet to verify the effect.
Position 1 has the highest priority, but only among compatible products. Dogs have separate rankings by size; cats use their own product ordering.
Learn more: Complete Guide · Chapter 11 → ↑ Back to index
07

Recommendation range

Set the number of Wet Food products

For Dry and Puffed food, the system normally selects one product. For Wet Food, you can specify how many compatible products the system should attempt to recommend.

  1. Open the main Pet Nutrition Pro settings page.
  2. Locate the Number of wet food products field.
  3. Enter the desired number.
  4. Save your changes.
  5. Generate a new diet that includes Wet Food.
  6. Check which products are included according to compatibility and ordering.
The configured number is a maximum. If you request 3 Wet products but only 2 are compatible, the system recommends the 2 compatible products. It does not force a third product into the result.
Learn more: Complete Guide · Chapter 12 → ↑ Back to index
08

Stores and agencies

Customise Appearance and Layout

Pet Nutrition Pro lets you customise the nutrition summary and recommended-product display without changing the plugin's logic.

  1. Open Pet Nutrition Pro → Appearance and Layout.
  2. Configure width, typography, colours, backgrounds, borders, and corner radius for the nutrition summary.
  3. Choose a grid or list layout for recommended products.
  4. Set the number of columns for desktop, tablet, and smartphone.
  5. Configure images, price, description, and button according to your store design.
  6. If you work for an agency, you can add a logo, identifying text, and an additional CSS class.
  7. For the logo, use Select from Media Library when appropriate.
  8. Save your changes and always check an actual result on desktop, tablet, and smartphone.
Use the built-in options first. Use custom CSS only for additional requirements, and never modify the plugin files directly.
Appearance and Layout controls the on-screen presentation. Printing and PDF output use a separate layout. A difference between the web page and the PDF does not necessarily indicate an error.
Learn more: Complete Guide · Chapter 19 → ↑ Back to index
09

Testing

Verify with the TEST / CONTROL method

Before going live, verify each criterion by changing only one variable at a time.

  1. Prepare two products: one TEST product and one CONTROL product.
  2. Keep all values identical except for the criterion you want to test.
  3. Create a repeatable test pet profile.
  4. Generate the result and record the outcome.
  5. Change only one condition and repeat the same profile.
  6. To test ordering, use at least two compatible products and verify which one is selected.
  7. Also check the number of Wet products, printing/PDF output, and Add to Cart behaviour.
  8. Repeat the complete flow as a logged-out visitor.
After testing, remove or disable any technical products that are not intended for customers, restore the commercial product ordering, and generate one final real diet as confirmation.
Learn more: Complete Guide · Chapter 15 → ↑ Back to index
10

Before going live

Run the final checks and go live

Before making the service available to customers, verify functionality, security, and public information.

  1. Make sure the public website uses HTTPS.
  2. Make sure Remote service authorisation has been enabled deliberately if the website is intended to use the calculation service.
  3. Update your Privacy Policy so it accurately reflects your actual use of Pet Nutrition Pro and the remote service.
  4. Verify that the form and results work while logged out of WordPress.
  5. Test the entire path: form → result → products → cart.
  6. Check desktop, tablet, and smartphone layouts.
  7. Check printing and Save as PDF.
  8. Make sure no keys, tokens, or confidential technical information are publicly visible.
WordPress also registers suggested Privacy Policy text provided by Pet Nutrition Pro. It is a technical starting point that must be adapted to the website, not a universal legal template.
Learn more: Complete Guide · §§17.8, 21.7, and 21.8 → ↑ Back to index
11

Troubleshooting

If something isn't working

Troubleshoot systematically and change only one variable at a time. Avoid changing the page, CSS, cache, and service configuration all at once.

  1. Make sure the shortcodes are on the correct pages: [pet_nutrition_form] and [bomapnp_resulting_diet].
  2. Verify that the Resulting Diet page is published, contains [bomapnp_resulting_diet], and is selected as the results page.
  3. Repeat the test in a private/incognito window using an up-to-date browser.
  4. Check Remote service authorisation and Diet Engine status separately.
  5. If you have just activated Diet Engine or want to force a fresh remote status check, use Refresh service check.
  6. Clear the WordPress, browser, server, and CDN caches separately, where applicable.
  7. If necessary, temporarily disable minification, defer, or JavaScript optimisation.
  8. In staging, test with a standard theme and only the essential plugins enabled.
Remote service authorisation, Refresh service check, and clearing caches are three different operations. Remote service authorisation enables or disables use of the remote service. Refresh service check forces a new check of the status stored by the plugin. Neither operation clears the WordPress, browser, server, or CDN cache.
When requesting support, provide software versions, steps to reproduce the issue, screenshots, and any relevant errors. Do not send passwords, API keys, tokens, cookies, or complete backups.
Learn more: Complete Guide · Chapters 20 and 22 → ↑ Back to index