Basic Foundations
Before you begin working on your site, it's important to understand the basic foundations of the CMS service. This is the starting point for all new CMS users, but it can be beneficial for experienced users as well.
Templates
To achieve a cohesive look among official university websites, templates are provided as a base for building sites in the CMS. These templates dictate branding, page layout and overall style. Options are available allowing each site to be unique.
The templates are mobile responsive so the presentation of a website will change depending on factors like display size and device type. Learn more about the Site-Wide Elements, Page Elements and Page Types available below.
Site-Wide Elements
Site-wide elements are the items that appear and are identical on every page. Site-wide elements are categorized into Header, Navigation and Footer regions.
- Header: Appears at the top of every page. You may choose the color of the "roof", or the top most bar with the university's wordmark, to be white, red or dark gray. In addition to the department or group name, configurable options are available for other elements.
- Navigation: Provides the functionality to traverse a site using menus that are available on every page. Navigation is automatically generated as you build your site and can accomodate up to 10 items; however, configuration options are available for customization. Navigation is provided in several regions of a page.
- Footer Grid (optional): The footer grid appears near the bottom of every page immediately above the lower footer. It is ideal for providing content that is easily accessible throughout your site, like important links.
- Footer: The footer is the bottom-most region of every page. Configurable elements include contact information and social media.
Page Elements
Page elements are the components that are customizable on each separate page. Unlike the site-wide elements that are identical on every page, the page elements are what make each page unique. Page elements are categorized into two main sections, the Hero and Content.
- Hero (optional): A large visual that can be added to the top of any page. While not all pages need a hero, we recommend using one on your home page and other highly visible pages to add visual appeal.
- Content: The content is the heart of the page. You can create engaging and informative web pages by utilizing the different types of content available. There are four content elements you can use: WYSIWYG, Grid, Slideshow and Wide.
Page Types
All pages contain the Site-Wide and Page Elements covered here. However, additional page types are available to accomodate different types of content.
Standard Page
The Standard Page will likely be the most used page on your site; multiple content options allow for a simple or complex page layout depending on need.
Bio Page
Bio pages are used to feature a biography section. Biographies are typically used for faculty, staff and students, and have the flexibility of including as much or as little information as needed. Here is an example of a bio page.
Related page types:
- Bio - Biographical information about a person including title, education, research and contact information; a photo may be needed.
- Bio Index - Directory of bios with filter and dropdown functionality; layout options available.
- Short Bio - Multiple bios on a single page; ideal for a quick overview of people or a contact page.
News Page
News pages are used to feature a news section on your site. News is ideal for stories, press releases, events, announcements or promoting important topics. Here is an example of a news article and an example of a news index page.
Related page types:
- News Article - News with syndication (sharing and social media options), media inquiry contact information and byline.
- News Index - Directory of news and filter and dropdown functionality.
Course Page
The set of Course pages is used to feature a course section on your site.
Related page types:
- Course - Course information including description, semester, instructor and learning objectives.
- Course Index - Directory of courses with filter and dropdown functionality.
CMS Dashboard
When you log in to the Cascade CMS, you're taken to the dashboard. Consider the dashboard to be your home area in the CMS; it provides an overview of your recent actions, notifications and site content. The dashboard consists of widgets (tools) with a configurable layout so you may add, remove and rearrange the widgets to best suit your needs.
Widgets
- Welcome - Add or reset widgets on your dashboard using the Welcome widget.
- Stale Content - Assets (pages, folders, files) that have not been updated within a set time period. You set the time period in which content is considered stale.
- My Upcoming Tasks - Tasks allow you to create and organize a CMS to-do list.
- My Content - Quickly access your recently updated assets, starred assets and saved drafts.
- My Sites - Sites you've recently visited; click any of them to switch into the site.
- Content to Review - Assets with upcoming review dates; review dates can be configured for each asset.
- Notifications - Your most recent notifications like publish reports and user mentions.
Site Management
The site management interface consists of three general panels: Main Toolbar, Asset Tree and Workspace.
Main Toolbar
The Main Toolbar is always visible at the top of the interface including on the dashboard. Some options are specific to the site you're working in, while others are general CMS settings. From the Main Toolbar, you can filter by site, add content and navigate the user menu like history, publish messages and more.
Asset Tree
The Asset Tree contains the contents of a site in a folder structure. You can click on a folder to open and close its contents. Right click on a folder to perform several actions including edit, publish, unpubish, delete and rename.
Workspace
The Workspace is the primary work area in the interface. While the contents of the Main Toolbar and Asset Tree remain fixed while you work on a site, the Workspace changes depending on the type of asset selected and task being performed.