Help Topics
Are some of these words unfamiliar? Check out the Glossary of Terms. See also, Training Videos.
| I need help with | Category | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility Checker | SEO & Usability | The Accessibility Checker runs automatically. It identifies potential accessibility issues and tells you how to correct them. Alerts marked with a yellow "?" require human verification. Alerts marked with a red "!" are definite errors that must be corrected. |
| Alert | Content Type | Alerts quickly grab visitor attention for time-sensitive notices. They display in a block at the top of all pages by default, but can be limited to specific pages or sections. |
| Analytics Dashboard | SEO & Usability | Look up your website in our list of Looker Studio analytics dashboards. |
| Article Card | Paragraph Component | The Article Card is used as a general teaser for content. It contains an image and text and a link to point visitors to more detailed content. |
| Audio and Podcast File Embed | Images, Documents & Media | How to embed an audio file in the text editor so that visitors can play the audio directly from the page. |
| Bands | Layout & Design | Bands are horizontal containers used to layout content in columns on Landing Pages, Site Pages, and Catalogue Items. Each column should contain only one Component. |
| Blog Entry | Content Type | A Blog Entry is a page for a new blog article. It can contain images and videos. A link to the Blog Entry is automatically added to your website's blog view when published. |
| Button Style | Link | Add CSS styling to a link to draw attention to it. Links with this styling appear as rounded rectangular buttons. |
| Callout | Paragraph Component | This Component calls attention to content with text and images. They are useful for highlighting new initiatives, pages or articles. |
| Carousel | Paragraph Component | A Component to create an image slideshow with text, links, and slider controls. |
| Catalogue | Dynamic Content | Catalogues are useful for organizing a complex list of items, as in a program directory. |
| Catalogue Items | Content Type | A Catalogue Item is a page describing an item or offering. It is added to your website's existing catalogue when published. The catalogue must be configured before items can be added to it. |
| Clickable Email | Link | Clickable email addresses allow users to click and open their default email application. |
| Clickable Phone Number | Link | How to make telephone numbers clickable on mobile devices for easy dialing. |
| Color Palettes | Layout & Design | Six accessible color palettes are available for Digital Commons websites. |
| Contact Card | Paragraph Component | A Contact Card allows you to easily provide the name, phone number, address, and a website URL with icons to your page. |
| CTA Card | Paragraph Component | The Call-to-Action or CTA Card prompts the visitor to act. It includes an icon and link. |
| Data Table | Content Type | Data Table pages organize related information and are both sortable and searchable. They are created by uploding a Comma-separated Values (.csv) file created in spreadsheet software, such as Excel. |
| Event | Content Type | An Event is a page for a dated calendar event. It can contain images and videos. A link to the Event is automatically added to your website's event view when published. Note: This is not to be confused with the Event Card paragraph component, which is a layout element inserted into a page. |
| Event Card | Paragraph Component | Event Cards help raise awareness, improve visibility, and increase attendance for a particular event. |
| Establish a Content Strategy | Content Management | Establish a governance strategy for managing content, the people handling it, and the processes they will follow. |
| Home Page Search Block with Popular Topics | Layout & Design | Your Home page includes more options than a standard Landing Page. Web Managers can ask Digital Services to add the Home Page Search Block to a website. After the block is enabled, you can add button links to Popular Topics. |
| How To Page | Content Type | A How To page is tailored specifically to outline a process in order by numbered steps. Each step can also include an Accordion that can include other Components within the sidebars. |
| Icons | Images, Documents & Media | How to use SVG files for icons on CTA Cards |
| Image Sizes and Image File Types | Images, Documents & Media | Look up the ideal image dimensions to crop pictures and illustrations for our content types. Information to help decide which image file type to use. |
| Landing Pages | Content Type | Landing Pages are used for top-level pages on your website to provide visitors with a broad overview of topics and to point them to more detailed content elsewhere. Landing Pages use Bands to organize content into columns. Landing Page Bands may contain up to 4 columns and use background colors or images. |
| Link to a Tab or Accordion | Link | Create a link to content that is hidden on a page by Tab or Accordion. |
| Logo Dimensions and Best Practices | Images, Documents & Media | The website logo appears in the top left corner of the browser window in line with the Main Menu. Follow best practices to create an effective logo that the Web Manager will submit to Digital Services. |
| Main Image | Images, Documents & Media | The Main Image is the large image appearing at the top of a page. |
| Managing Content | Content Management | How to manage content on the Digital Commons platform. |
| Media Library | Images, Documents & Media | How to upload media items: Audio Files, Documents, Icons, and Images. |
| Menu Structure and Navigation | Layout & Design | How to add links to the Main Menu, Utility Menu, and Footer Blocks, including Social Media icons. Navigation points to consider are also provided. |
| Mobile Responsive iframes | Paragraph Component | How to embed iFrames on your pages and ensure mobile responsiveness. See examples of iFrame embeds for ArcGIS, Google Maps, iContact, Power BI, SoundCloud, and Tableau. Use either the iFrame Component or the Source icon within the Text Editor for embedded content. |
| Moderation Dashboard | Content Management | How to view and moderate content submitted by other content editors. |
| NC Map | Paragraph Component | The NC Map block is a responsive, interactive map of North Carolina counties which can display information and link to other web pages. |
| Press Release | Content Type | A Press Release is a page for a new press announcement. It can contain images and videos. A link to the Press Release is automatically added to your website's press release view when published. |
| Profile | Content Type | A Profile is a page that provides the job title, biography and contact information for an individual. This content type is most often used for senior leadership or committee members. Note: This is not to be confused with the Profile Card paragraph component, which is a layout element inserted into a page. |
| Profile Card | Paragraph Component | A Profile Card highlights an individual. It displays a photo, name, job title, phone number, and email address, and can be linked to a full Profile or biography. Note: This is not to be confused with the Profile content type. |
| Quick Links | Paragraph Component | The Quick Links block is a compact way to present a list of related links. You can present items as links or buttons. |
| Site Page | Content Type | Site Pages are used to focus on detailed content on lower-level pages on your website. Site Pages tend to be text-heavy, so the content area is narrow for easier readability. Bands may contain one or two columns. |
| Spotlight | Paragraph Component | The Spotlight Component is a visually attractive layout that includes an image. The Spotlight is used to highlight press releases, events, featured articles, and links. It can only be placed on a Landing Page in a single-column Band. |
| Statistic Card | Paragraph Component | The Statistic Card is used to draw attention to numerical content, such as a a percentage, dollar amount, or other total. Statistic Cards may have an entrance animation, if desired. |
| Summary Field | SEO & Usability | You should always provide a brief, deliberate description of the content in the Summary field for each page type you create. Summary content appears in search engine results and informs visitors what they will find if they follow the link to your page. While it is not visible on most Content Types, the Summary does show on the page types that appear in Views: Blogs, Press Releases, and Events. |
| Tabs/Accordion | Paragraph Component | The Tabs/Accordion Component allows you to condense a large volume of content into a smaller, collapsible area of the page. You can choose whether to display the content as Tabs or Accordions and the user selects the desired item to access the content they need. Each Tab or Accordion item can also hold other Components, like a CTA Card or Video Card, inside it. |
| Taxonomy | Dynamic Content | Taxonomy is used to classify or categorize website content. Web Managers create terms that are added to the vocabulary. Other content creators use those terms to tag their content, such as a Blog Entry, Press Release, or Event. The terms that are applied can be used by the website visitor to filter for the desired content. |
| Text Editor | Paragraph Component | The Text Editor is an essential feature of every Content Type and Component. It allows you to provide formatted text, links, bulleted or numbered lists, tables, images, and more. It may also be used to embed iFrame content into the page Source in situations where the iFrame Component is not ideal. |
| Upload a File | Images, Documents & Media | There are two methods of uploading files, which behave differently. This article also specifies how to replace and delete files. |
| URL Redirects | Content Management | Only Web Managers may create redirects. A redirect must be created if a page is unpublished or deleted. Web Managers can create a redirect for a friendlier, shorter URL to be used in press releases and newsletters. Other redirects are created automatically when a page is renamed or moved within the menu structure. Beware of circular redirects which cause the user to be stuck in a loop. |
| User Accounts: Adding a New User | User Management | Web Managers choose and assign User Roles to the staff supporting their Digital Commons website. |
| User Accounts: Canceling or Blocking | User Management | Web Managers can cancel user accounts or block users from accessing a website. |
| Video Card | Paragraph Component | How to place YouTube or Vimeo videos on your website. |
| Webform Confirmation Email Attachments | Webform | How to attach a file to the confirmation email sent to users who have completed your webform. Allowed file types include .ical and .ics calendar files for syncing meetings with work calendars. |
| View Webform Submissions | Webform | Web Managers can view all submissions from a webform, and save it as a CSV file. Editors and Publishers can view submissions from forms they created. |
| Views | Dynamic Content | Create a Custom View (for Events, Press Releases, Blogs, etc.) and embed the block on a Landing Page or Site Page. |
| Webforms | Content Type | A Webform is a form or questionnaire accessible to users. They may be simple or complex and can include conditional logic, but must not be used to collect Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Advanced training is required. |
| Write for Users | SEO & Usability | How to write in plain language for your audience. Make your message easy for visitors to understand. |
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This page was last modified on 02/10/2026