Catalog Item

Content Type for a New Catalog Entry

Summary

A Catalog Item is a page for a new entry that is discovered by searching or filtering entries in a catalog. It can contain images and text. A link to the Catalog Item is automatically added to your website's existing catalog when published.

Note: Your website's catalog must be configured before you can add items to it. Please complete Views training and submit a support request ticket to Digital Solutions for assistance with establishing a new catalog. 

Audience

Publishers can create new Catalog Items for catalogs that are already configured. Learn more about Platform User Roles and Permissions. 

How To

  • 1

    Create a Catalog Item

    New Content Types are created using the Content menu in your toolbar. To create a new Catalogue Item, navigate to: Content > Add Content > Catalogue Items.

    Hand cursor selecting Add Catalogue Items

    Begin filling out the form. Fields with an asterisk (*) are required.

    • Title (*) - Enter the title of the Item. This appears on the Item, in its URL, and in the catalog.
    A new catalogue item is being created and the title entered says Fox Squirrel
  • 2

    Image

    Best Practices

    While not required, it is best practice to add a Main Image. The Main Image appears in both the Catalog Item and in the catalog view. 

    Alternative Text

    All meaningful images must have descriptive alternative text (alt text) to be accessible for visitors with low or no vision. If the image does not convey meaningful information and is purely decorative, check the box for Decorative Image and leave the Alternative Text field empty. This allows screen reading software to skip over the image. Learn more about Alternative Text. 

    Add media button to upload a main image for the Catalogue Items content type.

    Add Media

    • Main Image - Select the Add Media button to add a Main Image. 
    • The Media Library opens. Select the desired image, or upload a new image and select it. 
    • Select Insert Selected. 
    • A thumbnail of the image you selected now appears. 
    After adding a Main Image for a catalog item.
  • 3

    Summary

    Summary  - Briefly describe the Catalog Item. The Summary appears in the Catalog View beneath the Title, and also appears in search engine results with the link. Provide a Summary to enhance Search Engine Optimization (SEO). 

    Enter a summary for all content types including catalog items.
  • 4

    Body

    Best Practices

    Write for your audience's needs in plain and direct language. Not sure where to begin? Use a tool to help simplify your writing, such as the Hemingway Editor, and register for our training. 

    • Body - This is the body of your Catalog Item that people will read. Type or paste your content into the text editor. Format text and insert links or images as desired. 
    Example of catalog item text in the body of the item.

    Text Format

    • Paste Filtered HTML - Text Format is set to Paste Filtered HTML by default. When you paste text into the text editor with this setting, hidden HTML tags are filtered out to maintain a consistent look across your website. 
    • Full HTML - To retain markup, change the Text Format to "Full HTML" using the drop-down menu before pasting content.  

     

  • 5

    Link

    Provide related links, if desired.

    • URL - Enter a web address.
      • Links within your website - Start typing the Title of the content to which you want to link and select it from the search results. You can also enter an internal path, such as /node/add. (Example: /media/225/open)
      • External links - Paste the URL if it points to a website other than your own.
    • Link Text - Enter text for the link. (Example: Fox Squirrel species profile)
    example of the link fields filled in on the catalog item content type.

     

    A vertical number line is placed on a scene of a hot air balloon, sailboat, and scuba diver. Explanation in caption.
    Lighter weights float upwards like a hot air balloon. Heavier weights sink downards like a scuba diver. 
    • Select Add Another Item to post additional links.
    • Repeat this process to add as many Links as you need.
    • Rearrange multiple Links by dragging and dropping them into the desired order, or by adjusting their Row Weights. To bring an item closer to the top, assign it a lower number.  
    • Attributes allows you to add desired styling, such as the button style, to the selected Link.
    • Select Remove Item to delete a link.

    Learn about creating meaningful links. 

  • 6

    Catalog Contacts

    Provide contact information, if desired.

    • Contact Name - Enter the title and first and last name of the contact person. 
    • Contact Phone - Enter the contact person's phone number in the appropriate format. 
    • Contact Email - enter the contact person'os email address in the appropriate format. 
    • Add Catalog Contacts - Select this button to add more than one contact person. 
    Contacts field of a catalog item content type with the phone and email fields completed.
    Contact information for a catalog item as it appears to website visitors.
    Contact, Links, and Address information for a catalog item as it appears to website visitors.

    Address

    No Map or Directions Needed

    • Country - For Catalog Items that do not have a geographic location, keep the default setting, None, and proceed to the Catalog Settings section.

    Provide a Map and Directions

    • Country - To provide Google Maps directions to the location of your Catalog Item, use the drop-down menu to select United States.
    • The Address section of the Catalog Item refreshes to add new form fields. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.
    • Location Name - Enter the Location Name. Example: Boat House at the Swim Lake
    • Street Address (*) - Enter the Street Address. Example: 240 Park Entrance Road
    • City (*) - Enter the City. Example: Seven Springs
    • State (*) - Select North Carolina from the drop-down menu.
    • Zip Code (*) - Enter the Zip Code. Example: 28578
    Address section of a Catalog Item completed for Cliffs of the Neuse state park.
  • 7

    Catalog Settings

    Taxonomy Terms

    Content Types that appear in Views can be tagged with taxonomy terms to help visitors filter for the content that interests them. Web Managers can add new terms to the vocabulary, while other user roles may apply those terms to their content. Options are specific to your Division or Office and differ from the examples provided. 

    Catalog - Assign the new Catalog Item to the appropriate catalog on your website by selecting it from the drop-down menu. Your website may have one or multiple catalogs. Example: Species catalog.

    A cursor selects one of two possible catalogs in which the catalog item should display.

     

    Catalog Categories - Categories subdivide the information in the overall catalog. Select the appropriate Categories that apply to your Catalog Item. Example: Within the Species Catalog, this item falls under the Mammals Category. 

    Select the appropriate categories the catalog item should join.

    Depending on how your catalog is configured, your new Catalog Item may apply to one or more categories, but that does not apply in this example. 

    Mammals is one of many kinds of animal species to select from.

    North Carolina Counties - If your Catalog data contains information located within certain North Carolina Counties, select the appropriate countyor counties. 

    You can associate a catalog item with one or more North Carolina counties.
  • 8

    Save

    Unlike other Content Types, the Catalog Item does not have different states to choose from, such as Draft or Needs Review. When the Catalog Item is saved, it is added to the catalog. 

    Select the Save button.

    green Save button