Store Locator Plus® continues to upgrade the outdated 2002 style PHP interfaces that were inherited with our WordPress framework to modern React interfaces. Our latest updates focus on replace the mix of old JavaScript and PHP code on the Location Import interface.
Updated locations import interface
Separate Upload / Import Progress Meters
The new interface has a clear separation between the file upload process with its own progress meter and the import processing. The import is designed to separate the file upload process from the file import process. The import process is asynchronous, which means the user can go to other parts of the app to continue working, then come back at any time to the import page and see how their location imports is progressing.
Updated import progres meter.
Sidebar: For smaller files with a couple of hundred of locations this may not seem important. For our customers that are uploading files with 35,000+ locations it is critical that the file upload process is distinct from the processing of the file. While uploads that large can take up to an hour, depending on the user’s connection speed, the import is more challenging. For our customers that do not use our SaaS platform, they can be running on slower smaller web hosting platforms. Importing 35,000 locations will break those servers as they run out of memory or “time out” during the 2-3 hour import process (our SaaS servers are far larger and faster than most self-WordPress sites; if you are doing large location imports you may want to switch to our SaaS platform). The Store Locator Plus® import process manages this by detecting pending timeout issues and keeps track of the current line being imported. If a timeout is imminent the import will stop on the last record processed and queue up a new import request to pick up the process where it left off. That allows the memory and processor to “take a breath” – preventing server crashes and getting those large import files fully loaded without additional user intervention.
Remote File Imports
Remote file location import interface
Remote file imports allow user to load CSV files that are hosted on a different server. This is often used for companies with a separate CMS or inventory management system that exports their locations on a nightly basis to a private URL. The remote file imports can be setup to read those remote files on a regular basis, keeping the list of locations in Store Locator Plus® in sync with external services.
This section now has its own interaction panel with related messages and processing details.
Recent Uploads – new feature
Recent location import files
A new Recent Uploads section allows users to see the list of recent CSV file imports. From here the files can be re-imported (without uploading), downloaded, viewed, or deleted.
Viewing the file shows the details of the most recent import as well as a summary of the first 20 records in the file. To view the complete file, the user can download the CSV file.
Uploaded location file details.
CSV Processing Settings
The shared CSV processing settings are shared between the uploaded CSV, remote processing, and re-import actions. The setting can be accessed via the settings icon on the top right of the Import panel.
Location Import Settings
Load Locations From WordPress
This feature is now part of the Professional and Enterprise accounts and is included in the Import tab as a new section.
This feature allows users to load locations from a WordPress site they own that has the Store Locator Plus® plugin installed.
Our August 2026 user experience updates continue for Store Locator Plus® with a new Cards viewing mode for Locations. The Cards view provides a vertical scrolling column of location cards. This provides a quick view of the location data alongside a map preview to help ensure the location is where you expect it to be.
This feature replaces the SaaS-only Card listing that was in need of a refresh. We opted to include this in the WordPress plugin as well, but be aware this view can use up Google API charges when viewing this mode for users of the WordPress plugin. For the SaaS users, there are no additional charges.
Location Cards Features
Filter Locations The location cards view provides a filter interface that allows for stacked filter selections to limit the cards that are displayed.
Search Locations The search feature is a multi-field text search that matches full or partial text across multiple location fields.
Both feature mimic the functionality of the new Location List table view that went into production last month.
Location Cards Fitler
Getting the Location Cards
Store Locator Plus® SaaS users will automatically see the new Cards view under the Locations page later this month.
WordPress plugin users will need to update to the latest Store Locator Plus® plugin. Look for the plugin version at or above v2608.04.XX for this new feature. If you’ve not updated the plugin recently you may need to update any associated add on plugins including Power, Experience, and Premier plugins. Keep in mind that all plugins require your WordPress server to be running PHP 8.2 or higher.
Work continues to modernize the Store Locator Plus® user experience. The latest round of updates focused primarily on the Location Management table header. Location management updates include an improved tab bar along with improved bulk actions, filter, and search components.
These updates were made in preparation for a complete rework of the locations management table. The reworked table will significantly improve location searches, filters, and other tools that assist our clients with location lists that include hundreds or thousands of locations. Those releases are expected in our Summer 2026 update.
Manage Location Interface Updates
July 2026 location management action bar UX improvements (all users).
The latest Store Locator Plus® updates continue the work of modernizing the location management experience for SaaS customers and WordPress plugin users. This release window focused on the Manage Locations screen, especially the tools store owners use every day: bulk actions, search, filters, category updates, import/export workflows, and clearer in-admin feedback.
The updated tag locations modal (Professional and Enterprise users).
For customers with large location directories, the biggest improvement is a more responsive and easier-to-use admin workflow. The location list controls are being moved into the newer React-based interface, giving the page a cleaner layout while preserving the existing Store Locator Plus behavior that site owners already rely on.
SaaS Updates
The hosted Store Locator Plus® dashboard received shared interface updates that improve button styling and visual consistency across React-based admin screens. These refinements help keep action buttons readable and consistent even on screens that still include older WordPress admin styling.
The SaaS dashboard components were rebuilt against the updated shared interface library. This is mostly behind-the-scenes work, but it supports a more consistent customer dashboard as more account, profile, and location management screens move to the newer interface framework.
Testing and development environments were also updated for newer WordPress compatibility, helping keep the hosted platform aligned with upcoming WordPress changes.
WordPress Plugin Updates
The Store Locator Plus® base plugin updates in this window focused heavily on the Manage Locations screen. The bulk actions, search box, and location filter controls have moved into React-based components while still using the existing backend processing paths. That keeps the customer-facing behavior stable while improving the admin interface.
The Power add-on was updated to work with the new React location management controls. Location filters, import processing, export behavior, hosted CSV options, and category-related actions were adjusted so they continue to work cleanly with the updated admin layout.
The Experience add-on received compatibility updates for the revised bulk action wording and location management controls.
The Premier add-on received a settings message clarification, making the Premier Options guidance easier to understand in the WordPress admin.
For WordPress plugin users, the relevant versions from this release window are Store Locator Plus® 2607.11.01, Power 2607.11.01, Experience 2607.04.01, and Premier 2606.26.01. The Store Locator Plus® base plugin now requires PHP 8.2 or newer.
Admin and Interface Refinements
The Manage Locations screen has a cleaner action bar with modernized bulk action controls. Tagging and categorizing locations now use clearer modal and drawer interfaces, with improved action button layout and better feedback while processing.
Search has been moved into the new header area and continues to use the established Store Locator Plus search behavior. This keeps the workflow familiar while reducing older PHP-generated interface code.
The updated location filter notification interface.
Filters now use a slide-out drawer and active filter indicators. When a filter is applied, the active filter state is shown more clearly so administrators can see what is limiting the current list. Property filters can show details such as name, ZIP/postal code, state, country, and category selections.
The updated location filter interface (Professional and Enterprise accounts).
Filtered searches that return no matching locations now keep the action bar available. This is important because it lets administrators adjust or clear filters instead of getting stuck on an empty result view.
Bulk action progress feedback has also been improved. Actions now show clearer processing indicators, and apply buttons are disabled when they cannot safely act on the current result set.
Fixes and Stability Improvements
Several older location management scripts and unused admin UI paths were removed after the new React controls replaced them. This reduces duplicate logic and lowers the chance of old interface code interfering with current behavior.
Power import handling was updated so import-related scripts load when the Locations tab is available, not only after a specific tab click. This makes import workflows more reliable in the updated admin interface.
A Power categorization issue that could interfere with other JavaScript on the Manage Locations screen was fixed.
The updated Categorize locations interface (Professional and Enterprise accounts).
Unused JavaScript libraries and older table sorting assets were removed from Power where WordPress core or the newer interface no longer needs them.
The Store Locator Plus® base plugin and related add-ons received maintenance cleanup, including PHP compatibility updates, PSR-12 cleanup, dependency simplification, and removal of unused generated assets.
What You Need To Do
Store Locator Plus® SaaS customers do not need to install anything. The hosted service is updated automatically.
WordPress plugin users should update the Store Locator Plus® base plugin and any active add-ons together. If you use Power, Experience, or Premier, update those add-ons at the same time as the base plugin to keep the Manage Locations tools aligned.
Before updating a production WordPress site, confirm that your hosting account is running PHP 8.2 or newer. If your site is still on an older PHP version, update PHP first or ask your hosting provider to move the site to a current PHP release.
As always, test updates on a staging copy first if your site has custom integrations, large location imports, or custom admin workflows.
