The Content Management System (CMS) is a web-based application that provides users with a simple way to add/or manipulate content on a web site. It is also used for determining Web site structure, and much more, all with no more advanced knowledge than it takes to use a word processor like Microsoft Word.
The software enhances efficiencies in the content development lifecycle by eliminating bottlenecks, which may occur when one person or department is responsible for updating a web site for an entire organization or company. The CMS software decentralizes the responsibility for web site content maintenance and upkeep.
Main Features
Role-based Permissions and Security
To help maintain a Web site’s integrity, the CMS has three user types – content editor, content manager and site administrator – each with a different level of access to CMS functionality. In addition, low-level users only have access to pages to which they have been assigned. Finally, a user’s type determines that user’s role in a multi-stage approval and publication process. This ensures that only those with the proper credentials can make changes to the live site.
In addition, each CMS user is given an individual, password-protected account, created by the site administrator. While the administrator assigns the username, the password is generated at random by the CMS and sent automatically to the new user via e-mail. The CMS does not allow anyone – not even the site administrator – to view other users' passwords. As a result, every user can feel secure about his or her account.
WYSIWYG Interface
The WYSIWYG interface completely eliminates the need to know HTML coding or programming. Users can easily create content from scratch within the Content Editor function or by simply "copying and pasting" their content into the CMS from any word processing file, such as Microsoft Word. This greatly reduces the time to publish content to the site, streamlines the maintenance of the site and reduces ongoing maintenance costs. More advanced users can choose to work in HTML view for maximum control. The Content Editor combines the basic formatting features of Microsoft Word to allow users to bold, underline, indent, justify, insert hyperlinks, tables, ordered lists and more, by the click of a button.
Instant Page Preview - One Click Access
Instant Page Preview gives the user instantaneous preview of how the page will appear on the Web site. Authors can easily manipulate the page content format and layout to achieve the desired effect in seconds. A single click lets you see your page as it appears on the staging site, a replica of the live site that lets CMS users view their work in context. Once it meets the user’s expectations, it can be submitted for approval or published directly to the live site. Publishing is controlled through user-based permissions defined by the site administrator.
Web Accessibility Features
Web accessibility features ensure that site visitors who use screen-readers and other software for the disabled can view the Web site. The CMS's web accessibility features include automatic ALT tags for uploaded files, hidden links and graphics in templates where necessary and page linearization.
File Management
In the File Manager, users can upload many kinds of files (jpegs, gifs, pdfs, word documents, excel files and more) that site visitors can easily view, download, save and print. To upload a file, simply use a familiar browse interface to locate it, and then click "Upload."
Dynamically Generated Site Navigation
This is a powerful tool for a site administrator. The CMS's simple interface for moving pages within the web site's structure is seamlessly integrated with the site's front-end navigation. As a result, the Web site's navigation stays consistent and 100% accurate, with no time-consuming maintenance needed. The entire navigation structure of the site can be updated in real-time without the need to recode the site. Entire content sections can be created and inserted within the existing global navigation structure. Sections can be just as easily removed, promoted or demoted as necessary.
Custom Design Templates
The CMS uses HTML page templates that can be created from any page design. A page's content is dynamically inserted into the template when the page is viewed using a web browser. Using page templates ensures consistent appearance and behavior throughout the Web site, and makes it easy to apply uniform changes to visual and functional elements of the web site. Because the content and aesthetic of the site are separated using XML based technology, updating the design of the site is extremely easy. The user could completely redesign the site or certain sections literally in hours.
Flexible, Expandable Technology
The CMS is built on Microsoft's well-supported ASP .NET software development platform, and uses the most recent versions of HTML, XML, CSS and other web programming languages. As a result, the CMS is scalable and upgradeable when new features are desired.
Events Calendar
The CMS also contains an events calendar, maintainable through the web interface. This functionality allows a user to maintain a database of events with locations, start dates, description fields, etc… that is all searchable through the front end of your web site.
Version Control and Rollbacks
Using rollbacks, site administrators can restore a previous version of the site, in case there are changes that need to be recovered. A rollback is a copy of the entire site’s hierarchy of files and content. The CMS allows for rollbacks to both the production site and templates.
In addition, the CMS offers page level versioning, which allows the user to rollback to a previous version of a specific page.
Content and Meta-data site search
For each page within the CMS, the system stores not only the content on the page, but the title of the page, and some meta-data including keywords and a description. All of this data is weighted and then searchable through the included site search on the front end of the web site.
Content Freshness Reports
These reports allow the administrator the ability to see which content has not been updated recently, or which content changes most often.
PC and MAC browser compatible
The CMS is MAC compatible. Although, our recommended browser is IE 5+, MAC users have full use of the system, except the WYSIWYG editor will be replaced with a standard text area.
