Installation Basic Pro
Install LeaseFox on any WordPress site in under five minutes. The steps below apply to both Basic and Pro — the only difference is the license key you enter afterward.
Method 1 — Upload via WordPress Admin (recommended)
- Download the plugin zip — Log in to presspros.io, go to My Downloads, and save
LeaseFox-Basic_v1_1_0.zip. Do not unzip it. - Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin — Click the Upload Plugin button at the top of the page.
- Choose the file and install — Select the
.zip, click Install Now. WordPress handles the rest. - Click Activate Plugin — A LeaseFox item appears in your WordPress admin sidebar.
- Flush your permalinks — Go to Settings → Permalinks and click Save Changes. This registers the
/property/ID/URL rule.
Method 2 — FTP Upload
- Unzip — Extract to get the
leasefox-property-managementfolder. - Upload — Copy the folder to
/wp-content/plugins/on your server. - Activate and flush — Activate in Plugins, then visit Settings → Permalinks → Save Changes.
Initial Setup Basic
Everything in this section lives under LeaseFox → Settings.
- Company Settings — Enter company name, address, phone, email, and logo (Settings → Company). These appear on invoices and the tenant portal.
- Currency — Choose your currency symbol and number format. LeaseFox supports any currency, including non-US decimal conventions.
- Google Maps (optional) — Under Settings → Maps, paste your Google Maps API key. The map only loads on properties with a valid street address.
- Create Required Pages — LeaseFox doesn't auto-create frontend pages. See the Pages & Shortcodes section for the exact slugs and shortcodes to use.
- Add Your First Staff Account — Go to LeaseFox → Users. Add a staff record, then create a matching WordPress user (Users → Add New) with the exact same email address. LeaseFox links them automatically on first login.
- Connect WooCommerce (optional) — Install WooCommerce and a payment gateway (e.g., Stripe). LeaseFox detects it automatically.
- Plugin activated & permalinks flushed
- Company name, address, and logo saved
- Currency configured
- Employee Login page at
/employee-login/ - Tenant Portal page at
/tenant-portal - First staff member with a matching WordPress user
- First property added
License & Upgrades Pro
A Pro license unlocks advanced features, AI tools, and automatic plugin updates from presspros.io.
Activating Your Key
- Copy your key from the order confirmation email or presspros.io → My Account → Licenses.
- Open LeaseFox → Settings → License and paste the key.
- Click Activate. LeaseFox validates with presspros.io and displays your tier and expiry date.
Basic vs Pro
| Feature | Basic | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Properties, Tenants, Invoicing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tenant Portal & Online Payments | ✓ | ✓ |
| Reports & Analytics | Core suite | Full + scheduled delivery |
| Import / Export | ✓ | ✓ |
| Marketing & Lead Pipeline | — | ✓ |
| Rent Comps (RentCast) | — | ✓ (US only) |
| Bulk Announcements | — | ✓ |
| AI Features (22 tools) | — | ✓ + Anthropic API key |
| Automatic Plugin Updates | — | ✓ |
Pages & Shortcodes Basic
LeaseFox does not auto-create WordPress pages. Create these manually and add the shortcode to each one. The two required page slugs are hardcoded — use them exactly.
pprs_ prefix. The old pm_ shortcodes are no longer registered and will print as literal text on the page.Required Pages
[pprs_employee_login]
Staff login screen. Redirect target after session expiry. Requires a matching WordPress user account — see the Staff Roles section.
[pprs_tenant_portal]
Tenant self-service dashboard. Tenants log in with their email and the password you set on their record. Session-based — not a WordPress login.
Property Listing Shortcodes
[pprs_property_list]
Property grid with live search and filter controls. Best for your main Listings page.
- show_search (default: yes)
- show_filters (default: yes)
[pprs_properties]
Simple property grid — no search or filters.
- limit (default: -1 = all)
- columns (default: 3)
- show_price (default: yes)
- show_status (default: yes)
[pprs_available_properties]
Shows only vacant (un-rented) properties. Ideal for a Vacancies page.
- columns (default: 3)
- limit (default: -1)
[pprs_property id="12"]
Embeds a single property inline. For a dedicated full-page view use the automatic URL /property/ID/ — no shortcode needed.
- id (required — the property's numeric ID)
[pprs_contact_form]
Inquiry form (name / email / message). Pairs naturally with a property page.
- property_id (optional, default: 0)
[tenant_application_form]
Full rental application form with document uploads. Place on any page — no fixed slug required.
- title (default: "Rental Application Form")
- button_text (default: "Submit Application")
- show_title (default: yes)
Properties Basic
Add and manage rental properties, photo galleries, and public listing pages.
Adding a Property
- LeaseFox → Properties → Add Property
- Enter details — address, type, bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, rent, and availability status.
- Add photos — The first image becomes the listing thumbnail. Photos display in a carousel on the public detail page.
- Enable map (optional) — Check Show Map if you have a Google Maps API key configured. The property's address is used to render the embed.
- Save — The property is immediately accessible at
/property/ID/and appears in all listing shortcodes.
/property/123/ — no WordPress page or shortcode needed. If these return 404, go to Settings → Permalinks → Save Changes.Portfolios
Group properties into portfolios for organization and reporting. Go to LeaseFox → Portfolios → Add Portfolio, name it, and assign properties. Portfolio-level reports are available on the Reports page.
Tenants & Leases Basic
Manage tenant records, lease agreements, renewals, signatures, and financial statements from the Tenants tab.
Adding a Tenant
- LeaseFox → Tenants → Add Tenant — enter name, email, phone.
- Assign to a property — set lease start/end and monthly rent.
- Set portal credentials — enter a password; the tenant's email is their username at
/tenant-portal. - Save — you can now invoice, generate a ledger, and track this tenant.
Lease Renewal Workflow Basic
Open the tenant record → Renew Lease. Adjust end date and rent. Lease history is preserved; the renewal becomes the active record. Generate a new PDF after saving.
Lease Document Generation Basic
Click Generate Lease PDF on the tenant record. FPDF produces a PDF including your company details, tenant info, property address, lease dates, and rent amount.
E-Signature Basic
Typed-name signature system — no third-party services. Tenant types their full legal name; the signature, timestamp, and IP address are recorded in an audit log on the lease record.
Renters Insurance Tracking Basic
Record the tenant's insurance provider, policy number, and expiry date on their record. LeaseFox flags expiring policies on the tenant list so you can follow up.
Tenant Onboarding Checklist Basic
A default checklist is seeded on activation (keys handed over, move-in inspection complete, portal access confirmed, etc.). Mark items off from the tenant record during move-in.
Tenant Ledger / Statement Basic
Click Download Ledger on a tenant record. Set the date range. LeaseFox generates a PDF statement showing every charge and payment — suitable for sharing directly with the tenant.
Prorated Rent Calculator Basic
For mid-month move-ins: enter the monthly rent and move-in date on the tenant record. LeaseFox calculates the prorated amount and lets you apply it as the first invoice.
Co-Tenants Basic
Add co-tenants to any unit from the primary tenant's record. Each has their own contact details and can have portal access. Invoices stay under the primary tenant.
Invoicing & Auto-Invoice Basic
Generate invoices manually or automate recurring rent billing on any schedule.
Manual Invoice
- LeaseFox → Invoices → Add Invoice — select tenant, amount, description, due date.
- Save and optionally Send to Tenant — the invoice appears immediately in the tenant's portal.
Auto-Invoice (Recurring Billing) Basic
- LeaseFox → Settings → Auto Invoice — set the billing day and advance notice period.
- Enable per tenant — on each tenant record toggle Auto Invoice: On. LeaseFox uses their lease rent amount.
- Verify — check LeaseFox → Invoices after the first cycle to confirm invoices generated correctly.
wp-cron.php every 15 minutes for reliable timing.Recurring Charges Basic
Set up additional recurring charges (pet fees, parking, utilities) under LeaseFox → Recurring Charges. These are automatically added to the auto-invoice when the billing cycle runs.
Rent Collection Basic
Enable online rent payments through the Tenant Portal using WooCommerce and any compatible gateway.
- Install WooCommerce — Plugins → Add New → search WooCommerce → Install and Activate. Complete the setup wizard.
- Install a payment gateway — Install WooCommerce Stripe (or another gateway). Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Payments, enable Stripe, and enter your Stripe API keys.
- Verify in LeaseFox — LeaseFox → Settings should show WooCommerce as connected. No additional LeaseFox configuration needed.
- Test a payment — Log in as a test tenant at
/tenant-portal, open an invoice, click Pay Now. Use Stripe test card4242 4242 4242 4242. Confirm the invoice status updates to Paid.
Tenant Portal Basic
A secure, mobile-friendly dashboard where tenants view invoices, pay rent, and see property info — separate from WordPress admin.
Setup
- Create the page — Slug:
tenant-portal. Shortcode:[pprs_tenant_portal]. Publish. - Set tenant credentials — On each tenant record, set a portal password. Email = username.
- Share the URL — Send tenants your portal URL and their credentials. They can log in immediately.
Progressive Web App (PWA) Basic
Tenants can add the portal to their phone's home screen like a native app. A 📲 Get App button in the portal header opens a step-by-step install guide tailored to their device (Android/Chrome or iOS/Safari).
Marketing & Lead Pipeline Pro
Track vacancies, manage prospective tenant leads, syndicate listings, and pull rent comps — from the Marketing tab.
Lead Pipeline Pro
Leads from the property contact form, inquiry shortcode, and submitted applications automatically appear in the pipeline. Move them through five stages:
| Stage | Meaning |
|---|---|
| New | Received, not yet contacted |
| Contacted | Initial outreach made |
| Showing Scheduled | Property tour booked |
| Applied | Formal application submitted |
| Closed | Converted to tenant — or declined |
Syndication Feed Pro
Export a live feed of your available properties in XML or JSON. Go to Marketing → Syndication Feed for your feed URL and format options.
Rent Comps (RentCast) Pro
- Get a RentCast API key at rentcast.io.
- Enter the key in LeaseFox → Settings → Integrations.
- Pull comps — Marketing → Rent Comps → select a US property → Get Comps.
Maintenance Basic
Log requests, assign vendors, track progress, and schedule inspections.
- Log a request — LeaseFox → Maintenance → Add Request. Select property, describe issue, set priority (Low / Medium / High / Emergency).
- Assign a vendor — Link to a vendor from your LeaseFox → Vendors list.
- Track progress — Update status: Open → In Progress → Completed. Completed requests are archived.
- Inspections — Schedule under LeaseFox → Inspections. Record date, inspector, and notes.
Messages & Announcements Pro
- Individual message — LeaseFox → Messages → New Message. Select tenant, write, send. Logged against their record.
- Bulk announcement — LeaseFox → Messages → Bulk Announcement. Select recipients (all / by property / by portfolio) and send. Emails are queued and batched.
Documents Basic
Central repository for leases, inspection reports, insurance certificates, and property files.
- Upload — LeaseFox → Documents → Upload Document. Name it, choose a category, optionally link to a property or tenant.
- Access from records — Linked documents appear directly on the tenant or property record.
Reports & Analytics Basic Pro
Portfolio-wide visibility from a live KPI dashboard through to per-unit profitability. Pro adds year-over-year trends and scheduled report delivery.
Portfolio KPI Dashboard Basic
At the top of the Reports page: total units, occupancy rate, rent billed this month, payments received, and outstanding balance. Updates in real time.
| Report | Basic | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Occupancy & Vacancy | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rent Roll | ✓ | ✓ |
| Income & Expense Summary | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tenant Payment History | ✓ | ✓ |
| Year-over-Year Trend | — | ✓ |
| Unit Profitability | — | ✓ |
| Scheduled Report Delivery | — | ✓ |
Scheduled Reports Pro
- Reports → Scheduled Delivery → Add Schedule
- Choose report type and frequency (weekly or monthly) and enter delivery email(s).
- Save — LeaseFox generates and emails a PDF on schedule via WP-Cron.
Import & Export Basic
Importing Data
- LeaseFox → Settings → Import / Export — select Properties or Tenants.
- Upload your CSV — LeaseFox reads the headers and presents a column mapping screen.
- Map columns — match your CSV columns to LeaseFox fields. Skip columns you don't need.
- Run import — LeaseFox processes each row and reports success / skipped / error counts with row-by-row detail.
Exporting Data
From the same tab, click Export Tenants or Export Properties to download a CSV of all current records including all stored fields.
Staff Roles & Permissions Basic
| Capability | Employee | Manager |
|---|---|---|
| View properties, tenants, invoices | ✓ | ✓ |
| Log maintenance requests | ✓ | ✓ |
| Create and send invoices | Limited | ✓ |
| Edit tenant records | — | ✓ |
| Access Settings | — | ✓ |
| Add / remove staff | — | ✓ |
| Generate reports | — | ✓ |
AI Features Pro AI · Pro
LeaseFox Pro includes 22 AI tools powered by Claude (Anthropic). All require a Pro license and your own Anthropic API key. No AI data is stored by LeaseFox — calls go directly from your server to Anthropic's API.
Setup: Connect Your Anthropic API Key
- Get an Anthropic API key at console.anthropic.com. You'll be billed by Anthropic directly based on usage.
- LeaseFox → Settings → AI — paste the key and click Save.
- Test Connection — LeaseFox makes a minimal test call and reports success or an error.
🏠 Leasing & Lead Conversion AI · Pro
Listing Description Writer
Generates fair-housing-compliant vacancy listing copy from property details — bedrooms, bathrooms, sq ft, type, and highlights. Outputs 3–4 engaging sentences and a call to action.
Lead Qualification & Prioritization
Scores an inbound inquiry lead 1–10 based on message quality and apparent fit. Returns a score and a brief reason so you can focus on your best prospects first.
Automated Inquiry Follow-Up
Drafts a warm, professional follow-up email to any inbound rental inquiry — including a subject line. Output is under 150 words. Copy into your email client or send system.
📋 Applications & Screening AI · Pro
Application Summary
Summarizes a rental application in 3–5 objective bullet points covering income, employment, and rental history. Never references protected class attributes.
Income Document Parsing
Paste pay stub or income document text. The AI extracts: employer, gross pay per period, pay frequency, and estimated monthly gross. Flags anything unclear.
Affordability & Ratio Calculation
Calculates the rent-to-income ratio and gives a 2-sentence assessment with a recommendation: Approve, Conditional, or Decline.
Reference Check Assistant
Two modes: (1) generates 6 professionally-worded, legally-safe questions to ask a previous landlord, or (2) summarizes your reference notes into 3 key findings and a final recommendation.
📄 Lease & Document Intelligence AI · Pro
Plain-Language Lease Summary
Paste lease text and the AI rewrites it in plain English — key terms, obligations, and potential gotchas. Does not provide legal advice.
Document Classification & Auto-Filing
Paste or describe a document. The AI classifies it (lease, inspection report, insurance certificate, etc.) and suggests where to file it in your Documents library.
Expiring Document Detection
Reviews your document records and flags any expiring soon — insurance certificates, inspection reports, etc. — so you can renew before coverage lapses.
🔧 Maintenance Intelligence AI · Pro
Request Triage & Urgency Classification
Evaluates a maintenance request and classifies urgency: Routine, Urgent, or Emergency — with a brief explanation. Helps you prioritize without reading every ticket.
Guided Troubleshooting
Describe the issue; the AI generates a step-by-step troubleshooting checklist — things to check before calling a vendor. Covers common issues (leaky faucets, HVAC, etc.).
Work Order Scope Generation
Generates a clear, concise scope of work for a maintenance job — suitable for sending to a vendor. Includes what the job entails, materials likely needed, and access requirements.
Post-Job Summary
Describe what was done; the AI generates a summary for your maintenance log and for sharing with the property owner as a record of the completed repair.
💰 Financial Automation AI · Pro
Receipt & Invoice OCR
Paste receipt or vendor invoice text. The AI extracts: vendor name, date, amount, and line items — structured for quick entry into your expense records.
Expense Auto-Categorization
Describe an expense; the AI suggests the correct category (repairs, utilities, insurance, professional fees, etc.) to reduce mis-categorization.
Payment Communication Drafting
Drafts a late-payment reminder or payment confirmation email. Provide the tenant name, amount, and due date — the AI produces a ready-to-send message in a firm but professional tone.
✉️ Communication Assistance AI · Pro
Reply Drafting
Paste a message you received from a tenant or prospect; the AI drafts a professional, contextual reply. Useful for handling routine questions, complaints, or requests quickly.
Tone Adjustment
Paste a message you wrote and the AI rewrites it in a chosen tone: more formal, friendlier, more firm, or legally precise. Useful before sending sensitive communications.
Translation
Translates any message or notice into a specified language. Useful for tenants whose first language isn't English. Note: verify AI translations on critical legal notices.
Notice Content Review
Paste a formal notice (late payment, lease violation, entry notice, etc.) and the AI reviews it for completeness, tone, and plain-language clarity. Does not provide legal advice.
📊 Portfolio Intelligence AI · Pro
Weekly Portfolio Digest
Generates a plain-language weekly summary of your portfolio — occupancy, outstanding invoices, recent maintenance activity, and items needing attention — formatted to scan in 60 seconds.
Onboarding Data Cleanup
Paste imported or manually entered data and the AI reviews it for inconsistencies, missing fields, formatting issues, and duplicates — giving you a cleanup checklist before the data goes live.
Troubleshooting & FAQ
Property detail pages return 404
Go to Settings → Permalinks and click Save Changes. This re-registers LeaseFox's rewrite rules. No setting change is needed — just saving is enough.
Staff member can't log in
Confirm: (1) the staff record exists in LeaseFox → Users, and (2) a WordPress user exists with the exact same email address (Users → All Users). The WordPress user must not have the Administrator role. LeaseFox links them on first successful login.
Tenant can't log into the portal
Check that a portal password is set on the tenant's LeaseFox record. The page at /tenant-portal must exist with the shortcode [pprs_tenant_portal]. The tenant logs in with their email and that password.
Shortcodes print as plain text
Use the pprs_ prefix (e.g., [pprs_tenant_portal]). The older pm_ shortcodes are no longer registered and render as literal text.
Auto-Invoice didn't run
Auto-Invoice runs via WordPress Cron, which fires when someone visits your site. On low-traffic sites, set up a server-side cron job to call wp-cron.php every 15 minutes.
Pay Now button isn't showing in the Tenant Portal
The button only appears when WooCommerce is installed, activated, and has a payment method enabled. Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Payments and confirm your gateway is toggled on.
AI features return "API key not configured"
Go to LeaseFox → Settings → AI, paste your Anthropic API key, Save, then use Test Connection. AI features require an active Pro license.
Rent Comps show no results
Rent Comps require a valid US street address on the property and a valid RentCast API key under Settings → Integrations. International addresses are not supported.
CSV import errors on certain rows
The import screen reports errors row-by-row. Common causes: missing required fields, duplicate entries, or date formats not matching YYYY-MM-DD. Fix the flagged rows and re-import just those.
Does LeaseFox send any data externally?
Only the license validation request — license key, site URL, plugin/PHP/WP versions to presspros.io. No property, tenant, or invoice data leaves your site. The optional Google Maps embed sends a property address to Google. AI tools send only what you enter in each tool's form to Anthropic.
Can't Find What You Need?
These docs grow with every release. If something's missing, just ask.