Four Ways to Run It #

The same Bizuno code runs four different ways. This is one of Bizuno’s
real differentiators — most ERPs lock you to a single delivery model
(usually their SaaS). Bizuno is the same AGPL library underneath
whether you self-host it, ride it inside WordPress, containerize it,
or let PhreeSoft host it. You can start one way and move later.

This page helps you pick. Each path has a full walkthrough linked from
its section.

The four paths at a glance #

Which one is for you? #

Just want it to work, no servers? → PhreeSoft Cloud. You get a
login at my.bizuno.com, PhreeSoft runs the infrastructure, backups,
and upgrades. Pick this unless you have a specific reason to self-host
(data-residency rules, deep customization, an existing server you want
to use).

Already run WordPress — especially WooCommerce? → WordPress
plugin. Bizuno shares WordPress’s database, login, and admin. One
set of users, one backup, and the
WooCommerce bridge
syncs orders/inventory/customers both ways. Least-effort self-host
path.

Want full control and don’t use WordPress? → Standalone
LAMP/LEMP. Bizuno runs on its own (sub)domain served directly by
Apache or Nginx. Most flexibility for hardening (source + data outside
the webroot) and for hosts where you already have a LAMP stack or
cPanel/Plesk.

Deploying to a dedicated server and want it reproducible? →
Docker. Three containers (Bizuno + MariaDB + a TLS-terminating
Caddy proxy) brought up with one docker compose up. Best when the
box is Bizuno’s alone and you want clean, repeatable rebuilds.

Hard requirements per path #

All self-host paths need the same PHP extensions — mbstring,
pdo_mysql, json, curl, openssl, zip, gd. If any are
missing, Bizuno’s installer shows a “setup required” page naming
exactly which.

Moving between paths #

Bizuno’s data is a MySQL database plus a data directory (uploads,
attachments, cache). Because every path stores the same shape of data,
moving is mostly a database + files migration — not a re-implementation.

Easy moves (same data model, just relocate):

• Standalone ↔ Docker — dump the database, copy the data
  directory, restore into the other. Identical schema.
• WordPress ↔ Standalone — Bizuno’s own tables are the same; the
  WordPress install just prefixes them (wp_bizuno_) and shares WP’s
  database. Export the *bizuno_* tables and the
  wp-content/uploads/bizuno/ directory, import into a standalone DB +
  data dir.
• Cloud → self-host — PhreeSoft can hand you a database dump + data
  archive to restore into any self-hosted path.

Mind these when migrating:

• BIZUNO_KEY encrypts stored PII; biz-instance-key.php (in
  the data directory) signs session cookies. Carry both to the new
  home or encrypted data won’t decrypt and sessions reset. They travel
  with portalCFG.php + the data directory respectively.
• Table prefix differs between WordPress (wp_bizuno_) and
  standalone (none by default) — set BIZUNO_DB_PREFIX to match the
  dump you’re importing.

Not easy: exporting out of Bizuno back into QuickBooks or
similar. Bizuno imports from those (see
Migration & Upgrade); the reverse is a
manual report-and-reenter job, same as leaving any ERP.

PhreeSoft Cloud, briefly #

The cloud option is multi-tenant managed hosting run by PhreeSoft.
You log in at the public my.bizuno.com, which routes you to whichever
server holds your database and files. There’s nothing to install,
patch, or back up — that’s the point. Sign up at
phreesoft.com. Everything else in this
manual still applies once you’re logged in; only the install chapter
is skipped.

Related #

• What is Bizuno
• Docker install walkthrough
• LAMP / LEMP install walkthrough
• WordPress install walkthrough
• First-hour walkthrough
• Migration & Upgrade