# Give buyers access to protected content

> Link protected content to payment form items and event tickets so buyers get access when they pay, and grant it to people who bought earlier.
>
> Source: https://docs.bcl.my/protected-content-attach-to-products/

Protected content does nothing until you link it to something you sell. Link it to a payment form item or an event ticket, and every buyer who pays gets their own access straight away. For people who bought before you linked it, one click gives them access too.

## Link content to a payment form item

This works on payment forms that sell items (**Multiple Items**). Save the form once so the items exist, then:

1. Go to **Payments** → **Forms** and click **Edit** on the form.
2. On the **Payment Details** tab, click **More** on the item.

   *(Screenshot: The List of Items on the Payment Details tab with the More button of the first item highlighted)*

3. Under **Digital Content**, pick one or more contents in **Protected Content**. Only **Active** content is listed.
4. Click **Update Item Information**.

   *(Screenshot: The item panel with the Protected Content field highlighted under Digital Content)*

5. Click **Update Form**.

   *(Screenshot: The Update Form button at the top of the Edit Payment Form page)*

A small **P** on the item's **More** button shows it has protected content. From now on, each paid order for that item gives the buyer access, shows the content on their receipt (if **Show on Receipt** is on) and sends them the access email.

## Link content to an event ticket

Each ticket type can unlock its own content, for example a recording for all tickets and a bonus video for VIP only:

1. Go to **Events** → **Events** and click **Edit** on the event.
2. Under **Event Tickets**, click **Edit** on the ticket type's row.
3. Under **Content & Online Access**, pick the content in **Protected Content**.

   *(Screenshot: The ticket settings panel with the Protected Content field under Content & Online Access highlighted)*

4. Click **Update Ticket Settings**.

Everyone who pays for that ticket type gets access, and the ticket's **Edit** button shows a small **P**. The content's list row shows how many products and tickets use it in **Used In**.

## Give access to people who bought earlier

Linking only affects new orders. To give access to everyone who already paid for the linked items or tickets:

1. Go to **Protected Content**, open the menu next to **Edit** on the content and click **Customer Access**.
2. Click **Actions**, then **Grant Buyer Access**.

   *(Screenshot: The Actions menu on the Customer Access page with Grant Buyer Access highlighted)*

3. The window shows how many **Eligible Transactions** were found, how many buyers already have access, and which forms or tickets are linked. Turn on **Send email notification to buyers** if you want each buyer to get their access link by email.
4. Click **Yes, Grant Access**.

   *(Screenshot: The Grant Access to Past Buyers window with the eligible transactions, existing access and linked tickets, and the Yes, Grant Access button highlighted)*

BCL shows how many buyers got access and how many were skipped because they already had it. The buyers then appear on the **Customer Access** page.

You can do the same for a whole payment form. In **Payments** → **Forms**, open the menu on the form's row and click **Transactions**, then click **Grant Content Access** above the list. It grants every protected content linked to the form's items.

*(Screenshot: The Grant Content Access button above a payment form's transactions)*

## What the buyer gets

After a successful payment, BCL:

- Creates the buyer's access, with start and end dates from the content's **Access Type**.
- Opens **Your Content is Ready!** on the receipt, with a button for each content that has **Show on Receipt** on.
- Emails them **Your Protected Content is Now Available**, with a button to each content.

Only successful payments give access. Pending, failed and cancelled orders do not.

## Tips

A few habits keep access simple:

- **Link before you launch.** Buyers then get access from their first order and you never need to grant it by hand.
- **Leave the email off when granting to many old buyers.** Turn it on only if you want them all to hear about it now. You can resend it later from **Customer Access**.
- **Linking is copied with the item.** When you clone a form or an item, the copy unlocks the same content. Duplicating the content itself does not copy its links.

## Common issues

### My customer paid but cannot open the content. What should I check?

Open the content's Customer Access page. If the buyer is not listed, the content is probably not linked to the item or ticket they bought. Link it, then use Grant Buyer Access to give access to everyone who already paid.

### I linked content to a product I have sold for months. How do earlier buyers get access? One by one?

No. On the content's Customer Access page, click Actions → Grant Buyer Access. BCL finds every paid buyer of the linked items and tickets, gives them access, and skips anyone who already has it.

### Can one ticket unlock several pieces of content?

Yes. The Protected Content field on an item or ticket takes more than one content, and the receipt shows a button for each.