Frequently Asked Questions
Content Management System
Omni CMS Tips, Training and Tutorials for Web Authors
View specific features from basic to advanced such as overwriting pdfs, creating new
pages, adding accordions and more!
Template Parts
Where do I go to login to the CMS?
Great question! This web address will remain the same, so feel free to bookmark it. You can also directly edit your webpages by browsing to a page that you want to
edit and clicking the "Last Updated" text at the very bottom left corner.
Is there a choice of what links will appear in the left sidebar menu?
Yes. A common set of links are present on most college and departmental sites for
consistency's sake and to orient the visitor. Each area inevitably will have the need
to provide visitors access to area-specific information.
Must every site have Related Links?
No, Related Links are optional and are used to showcase links to information that
might otherwise be difficult to find and/or that would be of interest to visitors
of a particular site.
Content Population
If another part of Winthrop's site has the same information that needs to be displayed
on my site, do I have to recreate the content?
No. Part of the beauty of using a CMS is the opportunity to reuse content. Reusable
content is easier to maintain, ensures information accuracy, and reduces the amount
of duplicate information on the site. The web developer can further explain how to take advantage of reusable content and can assist you
with linking to such content as needed.
What is the proper way to use the CMS font styles?
Six header styles and various other font styles are provided for CMS users in our
style sheet.
Note: No header text or other style should be used to simply apply a specific style (font
color, size, etc.) to content. Header styles are reserved for header text, because
screen readers use the code to help the visually impaired navigate a site. For this
reason, please refrain from applying font styles inappropriately. Header text should
follow a heirarchy or the CMS will generate an accessbility error. An example of how
the CMS could generate an accessbility error is when a heading 3 follows a heading
1. A heading 2 should follow a heading 1, etc.
How should hyperlinks be treated?
Internal links (links to pages on winthrop.edu) should open in the same browser
window. External links (go to pages not on winthrop.edu) should spawn new windows
so that the original content remains easily available to the visitor. For more details
on links, please review the "Style and Format" section of Winthrop's Web Policy.
How do I delete files or pages from the CMS?
If you have an updated version of a PDF file or image, you should overwrite it instead of deleting it. If you have a page, file or image that is outdated and
is not being replaced, e-mail the web developer and let us know it needs to be deleted. We will check to ensure that deleting the
item will not break any links on the site first.
Miscellaneous
The CMS web addresses are constructed differently than what I am used to seeing. Will
you explain the parts of the CMS URL?
For a thorough explanation of the CMS URL, visit the "CMS: Web Addresses" page. If your area has a need to print or share web addresses often, speak to the
web developer regarding your options for simplifying the syntax.
Will the CMS help me ensure my site is Section 508 compliant?
Yes. The CMS has many built in features that help authors build compliant content.
When you "Publish" a page, an accessibility check will run to ensure your page is
WCAG 2.1 (Level AA) compliant. For assistance with Section 508 compliance, visit the "Accessibility Initiative" site.
Why isn't my alias (friendly URL) working?
Keep in mind that each department is limited to a total of ten active aliases at
any given time. When an alias is not working, use the following checklist to troubleshoot:
- Check to make sure the alias was created.
- Make sure the alias does not go to a library item (i.e. pdf).
- Ensure the path is accurate and without typos.
- Be sure the correct template is used.
