1. Upload the script - Although the script is designed to be installed in the root directory of your site, it will work anywhere.  For testing purposes, make a directory called "test" in your html root and upload the entire script to that directory.  Be sure to keep the script's directory structure intact.
2. Access the script with your web browser.  If you installed it as above, simply point your browser to www.yoursite.com/test/.  If you see the test website, all worked well.  If you get any errors, please see the troubleshooting section.  You can also contact me directly.  (paul at ironclad dot net)
3. Click the "Register" link and register yourself as the first user on the site.  The first user is automatically given administrator rights.  Please be sure that you have a secure password on this account.  A link is provided to edit your account info and change your admin password if you need to.
4. Edit the email settings.  A link is also provided to edit your email setting to allow the script to send email.  Be sure to send a test email to insure that the email system is working properly.  If the email system doesn't work, this script will be utterly useless to you.  If your server's sendmail is working, it should be a snap to configure.  In not, PHP Mailer is included so that the script can use any smtp mail account to send mail.  Even a free gmail account can be used.  To enable PHP Mailer, click the checkbox that says "Check this box to Use PHP Mailer" and then fill in you account settings.
5. Main Configuration.  Go to the Admin section's "Main Configuration" and enter your site's name, a slogan (if desired), and if you want to change the look of the site, select a different theme from the "Theme" drop down box.  Your script is now configured to actively register new users.  Also, you now have the ability to do mass emailing to your registered users for newsletters, sales generation, or ??.
6. Accessing the Admin Section.  The admin section is always available at www.yoursite.com/test/EZUser_Support_Files/  be sure to become acquainted with it to see all the features this script has to offer.
7. Many add-on scripts are available to enhance the features of the script including event calendars, automated downloads, paid memberships via paypal, etc.  Check www.phpeasyscripts.com often for all the new add-on scripts.

At this point the script is now configured to act as a simple “opt-in” newsletter subscription script. 

To prove it to yourself, sign up as a new user (using a different valid email address from your admin account of course).  Next, log into the admin section using your admin account information. 

Here’s how to send your first email newsletter to your users.

Step 1 - Compose your Newsletter

From the admin section main menu, click “Email Template”.  Use the WYSIWYG editor to compose your newsletter.  Be sure to enter a subject.  The subject becomes the file name that you will choose in the next step. 

You can use variables inside the subject or the body of the e-mail.  For example, typing !first_name! in the body of the email will cause the script to replace that variable with the user’s actual first name.  A complete list of usable variables are listed at the bottom of the “Email Template” page for your convenience.

Be sure to save the completed newsletter before continuing to the next step.

Step 2 – Choosing the Recipients

Now that your newsletter is composed, we have to choose who to send it to.  From the admin main menu, select “Email Preparation”.  Once there, select the newsletter that you just composed in the first dropdown box.  Next, select “All Users” from the second dropdown box and click the “Save Emails to Outbox” button.  If all went well, the script generated the emails, replaced the variables (like !first_name!) with real data, and saved them to the email outbox.  Click the link that says “Continue to Outbox”.

Step 3 – Sending the Newsletter

Go to the “Email Outbox” either by clicking the “Continue to Outbox” link as described above or clicking the “Email Outbox” link from the admin Main Menu.  You can view any email by clicking on it in the right panel.  You can even edit individual letters and re-save them before they are sent.  Look over the letters and make sure they meet your approval and then send them out.

You have now just sent out your first newsletter to your distribution list!