Admins with access to the SitePref tab may modify the Front Page of their Internal and External Live Sites.
Key elements of a KB Site are identified in the screen shot below. Most can be customized as needed.
There are three delivered KB Content Modules:
Modify a Delivered Content Module
You may update the name of a delivered Content Module by navigating to the SitePref > Content Modules link > Content Modules screen. Put your cursor in the Module name field and update to something more relevant to your users. In the image below, a red arrow is pointing to and editable field. You may enter text that is more user specific, for example: "Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences News". Be sure to click on the Update button on the bottom of the screen to save your work.
Create a Custom Content Module
To create a Custom Content Module, go to the SitePref > Content Modules link on the left navigation bar. This will lead you to the Content Modules screen.
You can set the following attributes for your Custom Content Module:
- Module name - You may give a name to a delivered field. Example, for the delivered News Content Module in the image above, the module may be named "News This Week in the Department of Classics". This field is required.
- Internal - Check this box if you want the Content Module available on the Internal Live site.
- External - Check this box if you want the Content Module available on the External Live site.
- FullView - Check this box if you would like your Content Module to appear when viewing on a full desktop/ laptop screen view.
- MobileView - Check this box if you would like your Content Module to appear when viewing on mobile devices.
- Order - Select what order the Content Modules will appear on your site. Please remember we start with 0, 1, 2.
- Limit of number of items to display - The dropdown list appears in the delivered Content Modules only and defaults to 20 items.
- DocID(s) /URL - this field appears when creating a Custom Content Module. Enter one or a comma delimited string of document IDs. You may also enter a URL here.
- Add button - Please be sure to click this button to Add the your Custom Content Module. If you only click on the Update button on the bottom of the screen, your new Content Module will not be added.
Example: In the image below, you will see two Custom Content Modules and a delivered Content Module :
- Display the Content of a single KB document - "Move to Production and Meetings" shows an embedded Google Calendar whose code/content resides on a single KB document.
- Display a custom list of docs in the sequence of your choosing - Meteor Data lists three specific documents selected by the Admin.
- Most Recently Updated Documents is a delivered Content Module.
Display Content of a Single KB Document
Create a KB document with the content (e.g. images, links, tables, Google Calendar Code) you want displayed in your Custom Content Module. Enter that single document ID number in the DocID(s)/URL field to display the body of that document. In the image below, the document ID 36843 is circled in red.
- The document must be in the Status of Active.
- The document SiteAccess must be set the appropriate KB Site. (In the example above, the "Calendar" should only be seen by Internal Staff and the Content Module will only appear on the Internal site. Therefore, the SiteAccess of your KB document should be set to Internal).
- We recommend you select the Search Priority of Exclude from search, especially if you think your users may be confused should they discover this content.
- Finally, click on the Update button at the bottom of the screen to save your changes.
Display Custom List of Documents
You may display a specific list of documents in the order of your choosing. In the Doc ID(s)/URL field, place a comma delimited list of the documents your would like displayed. In the image below, you will see three comma delimited document IDs for the Custom Module called, "Meteor Data".
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- The documents listed must be in the Status of Active.
- The document Site Access of each document must be set the appropriate KB Site. (In the example above, the "Meteor Data" can be displayed internally, and externally. Therefore, the Site Access of these KB documents should be set to Internal and External).
- Finally, click on the Update button at the bottom of the screen to save your changes.
Content Modules: Expand and/or Collapse
After creating Content Modules that best suit your KB site, you will see a downward pointing arrow/ chevron in the right corner. This arrow indicates that the Content Module is collapsible and then expandable. The KB will remember what you choose to collapse/expand and remember the next time you visit your Live site.
- Note: The downward pointing arrows/ chevrons are readable by those accessing the KB via a screen reader (by means of the keyboard, specifically the space bar.)
For you visual thinkers, imagine when you create a Side Module, that you are creating a "container" in which you will place Side Module Link(s).
Example: you may create a Side Module called "Media Outlets"
...inside which you will have Side Module Links to "BBC Mundo", "CNN", "NPR", "Tech World" and "Wired".
Navigation: SitePref tab > Side Modules > Side Modules screen.
The image below shows a blank Side Module waiting to be customized. Note the positional options in the aptly named Position field's menu. The image below shows a blank Module field circled in red and also shows all the options available. These options will be further illustrated below.
You may define as many Side Modules as you would like. After you enable the specifics of your Custom Side Module, click the Add button. Should you only click the Update button, your custom Side Module will not be saved. *The Update button saves edits to existing Side Modules*.
The name of your Side Module. The name you enter here will be displayed to users if the module position is Menu Bar Dropdown - Under Search, Side Left or Side Right. For the other positions, the module name will only be referenced by admins working on this page in the KB Admin Tools.
If you are choosing one of the other module positions, such as Link Bar - Between Logo and Search, it is recommended you set the name to something simply like "Link Bar" for easy reference.
The position you choose has a significant impact on the layout of your KB site. Below are descriptions of each position option.
Top Left
Top Right
Top Left and Top Right Links appear in a bar at the very top of the page in their respective corners. When multiple links are added to a Top Left or Top Right module, they will be displayed horizontally, with the first link appearing the further left and progressing to the right.
The image below has Top Left and Top Right Links circled in yellow.
Link Bar - Between Logo and Search
When this position is selected, the search bar will be moved out from alongside the site logo and will instead display in a separate section below, with the Link Bar appearing between the logo and new search areas. When multiple links are added to a Link Bar, they will be displayed horizontally, with the first link appearing the further left and progressing to the right.
The image below shows a blue arrow pointing to the Link Bar.
Link Bar - Under Logo and Search
When this position is selected, the Link Bar will appear below the combined logo and search area. When multiple links are added to a Link Bar, they will be displayed horizontally, with the first link appearing the further left and progressing to the right.
The image below shows a blue arrow pointing to the Link Bar.
Menu Bar Dropdown - Under Search
When this position is selected, the Menu Bar will appear below the combined logo and search area. Each module added with this position represents its own dropdown menu in the menu bar area, ordered left to right, with the name of each module displaying in the menu bar. When a user hovers over the dropdown name in the menu bar, the links will be displayed in a vertical list.
The image below shows a blue arrow pointing to the Menu Bar. Under the "Publications" menu item, you will see four items to choose from in the dropdown menu.
Side Left
Side Right
When one of these positions is selected, a column will be created to the right and/or left the main content area. Each module added with this position will be a separate grouping of links in the column, ordered top to bottom. The module name will be displayed at the top of the link grouping, and an expand/collapse arrow will appear next to the module name.
If a user collapses a side module, their selection will be stored in a browser cookie, and this will be retained if the user goes back to your site in the same browser session. Additionally, UW-Madison sites configured with the new UW Theme layout will have side modules auto-collapse at smaller screen widths.
These downward pointing arrows/ chevrons are accessible to those accessing the KB via a screen reader by means of the keyboard, specifically the spacebar.
Internal - Check/enable if you want the Side Module availability on the Internal Live site.
External - Check/enable if you want the Side Module availability on the External Live site.
FullView -Check/enable if you would like your Side Module to appear when viewing on a full desktop/ laptop screen view.
MobileView - Check/enable if you would like your Side Module to appear when viewing on mobile devices.
LandingPage - Check/enable so the Side Module will appear on the homepage. (recommended)
DocPage -Check/enable so the Side Module will appear on any other page within your KB.
In the image below, you see that the Side Modules appear whenever you pull up a document. If your content is better presented using the full screen, then do not check DocPage.
Order - Select what order the Content Modules will appear on your site.
*Add - Please be sure to click this button to add the your Custom Side Module. If you only click on the Update button on the bottom of the screen, your new Custom Side Module will not be added. The Update button only updates existing content.
Navigation: SitePref tab > Side Module Links > Side Module Links screen. The image below shows a blank Side Module Link waiting to be customized. Note
the red arrow leads to the names of existing Side Modules. This image shows "References" as the Module name. the aptly named Position field's menu. The
image below shows a blank Module field circled in red and also shows all
the options available. These options will be further illustrated below.