Training Overview
In this training we will cover the basics of how content editors can use the site.
Dashboard: We will cover the dashboard layout, where almost all editable parts of the site are located.
Templates: when creating pages, it is essential to understand what templates are available and what they look like. There are settings at the bottom of every template that are necessary in order to control the appearance of banners, anchor menu, side menu, breadcrumbs, Quick links as well as search for care widget.
Widgets are used to populate site content. This site features over 30 custom designed and built widgets. The widgets can be dragged and dropped on to the pages to customize the layout of pages. Important in understanding widgets is the settings that are available by clicking the gear icon in the top right hand corner. Often there are theming, styling or options to connect content to other areas of the site (for example quick links). The widget list below is meant to be a quick guide to understand each widget and what its purpose is. All widgets were designed to be intuitive where you can directly edit content where possible.
Dashboard
The dashboard is the first page when you login to the backend. Along the left column there are a number of different sections devoted to managing different parts of the website. The red items indicate where you manage pages and the purple items are where you manage content that makes up parts of feeds on pages or elements that work with the widgeted areas of the site.
| Posts | This is where you manage blog posts |
| Pages | This is where you manage pages |
| Carousel Text Slide | This is where you manage the slides that work with the “Carousel Text” widget. There is an option in the settings of that widget that allows you to select these items. |
| Documents | |
| Homepage Slides | This is where the homepage slides are located. There is a selector on the homepage to connect these |
| Jobs | This is where you add jobs. Connected with the job listing widget |
| Notifications | This is where notification are added site wide |
| Quick Links | This is where Quick Links are managed and connected to from the widget or template |
| Resources | This is where resources are managed. They automatically connect to the feed on the resources page. |
| Site Alerts | This controls the alerts that appear on the site |
| Staff | This is where you add staff image / bios. Connects to the staff listing widget. |
| Videos | This is where videos are located throughout the site. used in Video widgets. |
| Media | This is where you can add images, video, documents |
Templates
By default when you add a page in the “Pages” section of the site it will be a “Default” template. To change the template navigate to the “Page” settings on right side of the page and click on the blue title that says “Default Template”
Homepage
Default Template
Two Column Template
Template Settings – scroll to bottom
| Side Navigation | |
| Hide this page from the side navigation? | This will hide the page so it wont show up on other page’s side navigation |
| Show this page as a link in the side navigation? | This will allow this page to be clicked from other side navigations |
| Page Banner | |
| Title only | select this option if there is no image |
| Title, Text and Image | select this option if there is an image |
| Show Breadcrumbs | this will hide or show breadcrumbs on the page |
| Banner Title | by default it will show the page name |
| Banner theme | choose between yellow, purple or dark blue |
| Show Anchor Navigation | this must be checked off to show anchor menu. Anchor Target widgets are added on the page and automatically appear on this menu in the sequence they appear in |
| Search For Care Widget | |
| Add a ‘Search for Care’ widget to the bottom of this page? | This is for the bottom of the page and when checked it will show the search for care |
| Quick Links Widget | |
| Show a ‘Quick Links’ widget at the bottom of this page? | This will show a widget at the bottom of the page. When selected the option to select the widgets will display int he controls. |
| Face Illustrations w/ BG Colour | These controls are for the mega menu so you can change the icons |
Widgets
Widgets are used through the site to populate content. To add a widget click on the blue “+” when editing a page. You will see the widget menu. All custom widgets built for the PLASP site include the naming “PLASP -” in the title. Other widgets in this menu may work but are not specifically styled for the site so use with caution.
PLASP Widgets
Universal Widget Controls
When you are logged in you will see dashed borders around every widget as well as the widget name in a box on the top left. This allows you to see what you have selected and helps you visualize where you are dragging and dropping widgets.
The menu that appears when you click on the 3 dots is extremely helpful. In some cases you will want to duplicate a widget or copy it and then just replace the content. The 6 dots allow you to grab the widget to move it anywhere on the page and the arrows let you sequence widgets up or down.
Other important details about widgets
- Make sure that when you click a widget you check to see it is what is highlighted. Sometimes the container holding the widget gets highlighted instead. All widgets have “Page” and “Block” settings. Make sure you check those if you are looking for some functionality that is not obvious in the widget itself or the settings. Block settings are on the far right hand column.
- Adding widgets is as easy as clicking on the blue + and made even easier when you have a widget already on the page by clicking the black +.
- If you don’t like the widget feel free to delete it with the keyboard. Empty widgets should not add space to the way a page looks but it will clutter up the interface when editing the page.
| PLASP – 3 Button CTA | This widget has theming options and appears at the bottom of a lot of pages |
| PLASP – Accordion | This will add an accordion to the page. If adding multiple items to the accordion make sure you have the accordion selected and press the black “+” in the bottom right hand corner. |
| PLASP – Anchor | This will allow you to create an anchor. Make sure the “Show Anchor Navigation” is checked off in the page settings. |
| PLASP Button | You can add a styled button anywhere on the page |
| PLASP Carousel Text | This connects to the “Carousel Text Slides” accessed from Dashboard |
| PLASP Click Through | This widget will add a styled link to the site. Works well when there are multiple links |
| PLASP Content – 700px width | This widget is used to control the width. It is used primarily on default, home page templates when you need to have padding on the side for a text area. Note: not all widgets are available to be added to this widget |
| PLASP Content – 950px width | This widget is used to control the width. It is used primarily on default, home page templates when you need to have padding on the side for a text area. Note: not all widgets are available to be added to this widget |
| PLASP CTA | This is a banner widget with theming |
| PLASP Document Listing | This connects to the “Documents” section of the Dashboard. Used for annual reports or other documents |
| PLASP – Frequently Asked Questions | Two column widget with an accordion on 1 side and a contact CTA on the other |
| PLASP – Featured Call Out | This is used for the Handbook CTA. The image in this call out is meant to have a transparent background |
| PLASP – Find Program Callout | Two column widget feature, heading text in one column and in the other a search for care search |
| PALSP – Image Collage | This widget includes 4 image uploads |
| PLASP – Image Heading | Widget that includes a two column heading. Image on one side and text on the other |
| PLASP – Image with rounded corners | styled image |
| PLASP Image Text | Used throughout the site. There are theming options available in the settings. |
| PLASP Job Listing | This widget connects to the “Jobs” accessed through the “Dashboard” |
| PLASP – News Cards | This widget will display in a carousel the most recent blog articles |
| PLASP – News Listing | This widget will display in a carousel the most recent news articles |
| PLASP – Quick Links | In the settings of the widget select the quick links. Quick links are managed from the dashboard item “Quick Links” |
| PLASP – Search for Care | Add this widget anywhere to add a full width search for location |
| PLASP Spacer | Sometimes widgets or text need a bit more space between them. Use this widget to add space. The settings also allow you to reduce the space. |
| PLASP – Staff Listing | In settings select the staff member profiles you want to include. The “Staff” is accessed and managed from the Dashboard “Staff” |
| PLASP Table | Add this table to anywhere on the site to add a table. Click the amount of rows and columns. This table you are looking right now is this widget |
| PLASP – Tabbed Content | Use this widget to add tabs |
| PLASP – Title and Buttons | Adds title with buttons |
| PLASP – Two Col – Title and Text | Use this to add title and text |
| PLASP Video Embed | Use this for individual videos |
| PLASP Video Group | This connects to the dashboard “Videos” |
| Paragraph | This is a default widget added anywhere you click and press enter. |
| List | If you have lists or bulleted text you have pasted into the paragraph widget, you can select it and format it by clicking on the paragraph icon and select “list” |
| Code | Use this widget if you need to past code. Not needed for general content editing |
| Image | You could use the image that is default to wordpress to add images |
Useful Tips Everyone Should Know
- Navigating the “Pages” section of to find the page you want to edit can be aided with the search but it is a lot harder to use this interface than navigating the site while logged in and clicking edit on a page. This is especially true for pages that have repeated names like the Fee’s pages.
- When you are editing a page and using widgets make sure you use the “PLASP Content 950px” or “PLASP Content 700px” widgets if you are on a full width template and just want to add text or basic content that does not fit in with other widget styling
- When uploading content to the site in the media section make sure you upload content to a place where you will be able to find the content. You can add folders as you need and mimic the structure of the site if that makes sense.
- Menus are edited in “appearance” > “menus”. There are multiple menus on the site and some of them are labelled items mixed in with pages and posts.
- It takes a bit of time to get use to editing but once you understand where things are located, everything follows the same patterns but reading about something on a training page is not going to replace hands on experience