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Omni CMS Guide

Content Guidelines

Content is the first thing you need to consider when building a web page. Ask yourself the following as you start to create a page:

  • Does this need to be on a web page?
  • Does this information violate HIPAA or FERPA guidelines?
  • Can I divide this page into headings and subheadings?
  • Should I use images to strengthen the look and feel of the page?
  • Can I use images to help support the text and editorial message of the page?
  • Do I need a call-to-action button or link to guide visitors to an internal or external resource?

Considerations

  • Who is my audience? (faculty, staff, students, campus community, external community, etc.)
  • Is it clear for a website visitor to navigate to the main goals of this site?
  • Is my content useful, neccessary, and effective?

Accessibility

  • We are required by the Office of Civil Rights to maintain web accessibility which includes:
    • Maintaining hierarchy for your headings (ex: Heading 2, Heading 3, Heading 4, etc...)
    • Checking your spelling before publishing a web page
    • and many more rules including color contrast for text and having descriptions for images

Navigating to Omni CMS

There are many ways to navigate to Omni CMS to begin Editing Content.

  1. If we set you up with an account using your Downstate email, you can use the link that was sent to your account to get to the login page.
  2. Have a bookmarked Omni CMS page in your browser from a previous session.
  3. Navigate to a page you'd like to edit and scroll to the bottom to locate the "©" link in the footer.
    Copyright AreaThat link will take you to a login page if you're not already logged in or if you are logged in, it will take you to the page in Edit view of Omni CMS.

(note: this will not work for sites or pages that you do not have access to)

Editing a Page

  1. You can begin navigating to a page by using the Content > Pages dropdown
    Content > Pages

  2. Once you see a list of pages you can use the filter to find the folder or file you are looking for.
    Folder > Pages

  3. Once you locate the file or folder click to enter and when you you enter a .pcf file you will be brought to the edit view window.

  4. Once in the edit view, you can click on the green "Main Content" button to begin the editing interaction.
    Content Region buttons

  5. Selecting that button opens up a toolbar with all of the tools you need to control the content on the page.
    Toolbar
    A few of the notable ones being: "Save and Exit", "Spell check", "Clear Formatting", "Insert/Edit Link", and "Insert/Edit Image".
    If you can't remember which icon does which function, hover over it and text will appear with the description.

  6. When you are done making edits on a page click "Save and Exit" (keep in mind that this does not publish the file and you will still be seen as having the file checked out).

  7. When you are ready to make this page "live" you can select the publish button and that will open up a dialog box that will give you final check options.
    (For some, you may even have a publish target option that will show webdev by default)
    Publish
    Selecting publish in this dialog box will immediately publish your page to the server and you will have an option at the bottom of the window to "View This Page in New Window".
    publish window

  8. Once you review and are happy with your edits, you can navigate to other pages by once again using the content > pages dropdown.

Editing or Creating a link

  1. From the edit view, after going into full width or left content, select the text you would like to make your link.
    Link Text

  2. If you already have a link that you would like to change you can select anywhere in that link and use the path at the bottom left at your window to click "a" and the whole link will be highlighted.
  3. Once your text is selected, select the insert/edit link button in the toolbar.
  4. A dialog box will open up and the first line will be the "URL" area.
    url window
    Either paste a link or select a file that is on the server already. (you can also upload in the following window)
    documents-window

  5. Be aware that you are currently in the folder that you are editing the page in to start.  You will have to navigate to your "documents" or "pdf" folder to link a pdf, word, or excel document.
    Documents Area
    You can also link other pages in your website using this same window.

  6. Once you have located or uploaded a file, you can select "Insert" on the bottom right of the dialog box, that will take you to the previous window and you can select "OK" to finish inserting the link.
    insert cancel

If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to Aaron Cormier or Sean Nurse