Web Services: Content Management System FAQ
1.What is CMS?
CMS stands for Content Management System. CMS allows non-technical users to update their Website. The editing environment is similar to Microsoft Word and no HTML coding is involved in updating a site.
2. Is the learning curve difficult?
If you know how to use MS Word, then you should have little difficulty learning how to use CMS. The Ramapo Web Team provides training and help desk support.
3. How can I gain access to my CMS site?
The Ramapo Web Team will provide a user name and password during your CMS training.
4. What are the advantages to CMS?
- Users don’t have to learn HTML coding nor seek help from those with technical backgrounds.
- The Website can be quickly and easily updated and kept current without having to ask others for assistance.
- Users can access their site from any location, all they need is a computer, Internet access and their user name and password.
- All of the pages in their site are built within a common sit ewide template thereby eliminating the need to “design” a site.
- The work area creates a sense of workflow. A “content creator” does not have to publish content right away. It can be posted that it is waiting approval. Also in the work area are content currently checked out, tasks, and content to expire.
5. Who can view what is in CMS?
Once it is published (you control updates), any visitor to the Website can view your updates.
6. What is a Content Block?
It is a link to a specific area on a Website. A content block can hold any amount of information from a menu, to a large chunk of text on a page (see tutorial: Adding Content and Creating Quicklinks for more help).
7. What is a Module?
A module is a collection of content. Right now there are modules for RSS feeds, calendars, and import/export language.
8. What are my options when publishing content?
Content does not need to be published right away. It can just be saved on the system. There is also an option to make content searchable and to add it to quicklinks.
9. Can I edit content already checked out?
No. Other users cannot edit the content until it is checked back in.
10. How do I access content?
Every content block can be found in the content folder or one of its subfolders. To create a new content block on a specific page, you must first enter its subfolder.
11. What is Quicklinks?
A Quicklink is a special hyperlink that jumps to another content block on the website, as opposed to a regular hyperlink that would jump somewhere on the Internet.
12. Can I schedule when I want content to be published?
Yes! When the user is editing content, click on the schedule option. There, the user can enter the date they want the content to be submitted. If needed, the user can enter a date they no longer want the content to be viewable, but this is optional.
13. Anything I should know about deleting a content block?
A user can only delete a content block if its status is checked in or approved. Once the deleted content block is approved, it is removed from the site immediately.
14. Anything I should know about adding a subfolder?
The user should click on the folder where they want to create a subfolder or else it will be placed in the root directory by default.
15. Anything I should know about deleting a folder?
Deleting a content folder permanently deletes its content blocks, quicklinks, and subfolders.
16. Why would I want to use the summary option when creating a new content block?
A summary provides a short description of a content block to supplement the title. A separate page could list the titles and summaries, with a link to the full content. This is useful in the athletic site for news stories.
17. What’s in the library?
The library contains all the content folders and text information such as files, forms, hyperlinks, images and quicklinks.
18. What is a form?
A form is a hyperlink to an html form content block. Whenever a content block is created, a form link is automatically created for it.
19. How do I insert an image into a content block?
The user must copy the image to the library before the image can be inserted into a content block.
