Applies to: Advanced, Enterprise
Secondary Processes let you offer extra per-part services on the Quote & Cut form.
These services appear on the frontend quote form when they are enabled, configured, and available for the selected part.
Quote & Cut Advanced includes Secondary Processes for:
- Folding.
- Powder coating.
Quote & Cut Enterprise also has access to Secondary Processes because Enterprise requires the Advanced add-on.
Where to find Secondary Processes #
In WordPress, go to:
Quote & Cut → Secondary Processes
This page lets you enable, price, restrict, and manage folding and powder coating options.
Requirements #
To use Secondary Processes, you need:
- Quote & Cut installed and active.
- Quote & Cut Advanced installed and active.
- A connected Quote & Cut account that includes Advanced or Enterprise features.
- Materials configured in Quote & Cut.
- Secondary Process settings completed and saved.
If your account does not currently include Advanced processing, Secondary Processes may be paused.
What happens when Secondary Processes are paused? #
If Secondary Processes are paused, your saved folding and powder coating settings are preserved, but new quotes will not include Secondary Process options.
The settings may be shown for reference only until your connected Quote & Cut account includes Advanced or Enterprise access again.
When Advanced processing is available again, your saved configuration can become editable and usable again.
How Secondary Processes appear on the quote form #
When configured, Secondary Processes appear per part on the frontend quote form.
Customers can choose finishing or fabrication options for each uploaded part.
For example, one part could have folding enabled, while another part in the same quote has powder coating enabled.
Secondary Process options are only shown when the part passes your configured rules.
Why options may be hidden from customers #
Folding or powder coating may be hidden for a part if:
- The process is not enabled.
- Required pricing settings are incomplete.
- The part is outside the maximum length limit.
- The part is outside the maximum width limit.
- The part is outside the maximum weight limit.
- The selected material is not allowed.
- The selected thickness is not allowed, for folding.
- No available powder colours or finish prices are configured.
- The connected account does not include Advanced processing.
This helps prevent customers selecting services that you cannot offer for a particular part.
Folding #
Folding lets customers request folds on individual parts.
When folding is enabled and available for a part, the customer can:
- Select folding.
- Enter the number of folds.
- Add fold notes or instructions.
- Upload an optional folding drawing.
Folding can be restricted by:
- Material.
- Thickness.
- Maximum length.
- Maximum width.
- Maximum single-part weight.
Folding can be priced using:
- Setup fee per different folded part.
- Price per fold.
- Minimum folding charge.
- Size surcharge bands.
- Weight surcharge bands.
Folding is covered in more detail in the folding articles.
Powder coating #
Powder coating lets customers add a coating option to individual parts.
When powder coating is enabled and available for a part, the customer can:
- Select powder coating.
- Choose a powder colour.
- Choose a finish level.
Powder coating can be restricted by:
- Maximum length.
- Maximum width.
- Maximum single-part weight.
- Available colours.
- Available finish prices.
Powder coating is priced using coated area, powder usage, colour pricing, setup charges, per-part charges, minimum charges, and optional handling surcharge bands.
Powder coating is covered in more detail in the powder coating articles.
Powder coating finish levels #
Quote & Cut includes these finish levels:
- Textured.
- Matte 30±5.
- Semi Glossy 60±5.
- Glossy 80±5.
Each powder colour can have a different price per kilogram for each finish level.
If a finish price is left blank for a colour, that finish is treated as unavailable for that colour.
Other Colour option #
The powder coating settings can include an Other Colour option.
This lets customers choose a custom colour that is not listed in your configured colour table.
When a customer selects Other Colour, automatic quote calculation is prevented and the customer is shown your manual quote message and contact button, if configured.
Use this when you want customers to enquire about special colours rather than receiving an automatic price.
Customer instruction text #
Both folding and powder coating include customer instruction text fields.
Use these to explain what customers need to provide.
For example, folding instructions might ask customers to upload a folding drawing or include fold notes.
Powder coating instructions might explain that colour previews are for guidance only or that special colours require manual review.
Pricing and minimum charges #
Secondary Process costs are added on top of the normal laser-cutting price.
The final quote can include:
- Base laser cutting price.
- Folding charges.
- Powder coating charges.
- Setup fees.
- Per-part charges.
- Minimum charges.
- Size or weight surcharges.
This means Secondary Processes can significantly change the final quote price.
Always test the pricing before going live.
Recommended setup order #
Configure Secondary Processes in this order:
- Make sure Quote & Cut Advanced is installed and active.
- Make sure your account includes Advanced or Enterprise access.
- Configure your normal materials and pricing first.
- Enable folding, if required.
- Add folding prices and limits.
- Enable powder coating, if required.
- Add powder coating limits and coverage rate.
- Configure powder colours and finish prices.
- Configure the Other Colour option, if required.
- Save Secondary Processes.
- Run test quotes on the frontend.
- Place a test order and review the WooCommerce order data.
Testing Secondary Processes #
Before using Secondary Processes with real customers, test:
- A part with folding enabled.
- A part with powder coating enabled.
- A part with both options, if you allow both.
- A part outside your folding size limit.
- A part outside your powder coating size limit.
- A part using a disallowed folding material.
- A part using a disallowed folding thickness.
- A powder colour with available finish prices.
- A powder colour with missing finish prices.
- The Other Colour manual quote flow.
Check that the options appear and disappear as expected.
Common setup issues #
If Secondary Processes do not appear on the quote form, check:
- Quote & Cut Advanced is installed and active.
- Your Quote & Cut account includes Advanced or Enterprise access.
- Your API key and site binding are connected.
- The process is enabled on the Secondary Processes page.
- Required pricing fields are completed.
- The selected material and thickness are allowed.
- The uploaded part is within your configured size and weight limits.
- Powder coating has enabled colours with prices for at least one finish level.
- You clicked Save Secondary Processes after making changes.
Important before going live #
Do not rely on starter values alone.
Before accepting live orders, check folding prices, powder coating prices, setup fees, minimum charges, coverage rate, colour prices, finish prices, and surcharge bands against your real production costs.
Then test the quote form and WooCommerce order workflow from start to finish.
Continue to: Enabling Folding.
