Getting Started Manager Training Guide 1. To get into your web site: Open a web browser. Enter your school s web address: 2. Central Services is the home base for working with SOCS. From this page, you have access to all of the tools necessary to run your site. The general public will never access this part of SOCS. To get to the Central Services page add /cs behind your web address. Changing Username and Password To change your username and/or password: 1. Click on Edit Profile in the top right-hand corner of the Central Services page. 2. Change or update your username and password and/or your personal information (only first and last names are required). 3. Click on Update Profile when finished. 1
Main Menu Click on Manager from the Tool Menu on the left-hand side to see the Manager Menu. (Additional options to which you have access appear on the left-hand side of the screen.) You can access all Manager features from these areas. Above the Manager Menu is a message that alerts you if any feedback posts are waiting for approval. The following pages explain the Manager Menu options in the order in which they appear on the Manager Menu bar. The access privileges listed on the left-hand side are covered in separate training guides. 2
Features Use this function to determine which articles display on the front page. To set the article display and position, click on Features from the main menu. Select Today to position articles for the current date; Tomorrow to position articles for tomorrow; or click on the calendar drop-down box to select a specific date. Click on Show Features. Show Features To add or change the front-page articles, click on Edit Front Feature for the article you want to change or add. This brings up a list of available articles. From this list, click on the article you want to add or replace and choose Update Feature. The article chosen will now appear as a feature article. 3
Section Featured Article & Current Highlights If you choose to, you can highlight or feature one article per section in a box on your SOCS front page. If you choose not to have the article displayed in the box on the front page, the featured article will display with a more prominent appearance in the section to which it is assigned. If there is an image in the featured article, the image will display and the text will be in a larger font. The article will appear as the first article in the section. You can also set the priority in which the articles appear within their section. The lowest number equals the highest priority. To set Current Highlights and change priorities: Choose the appropriate date format (today, tomorrow or future date) from the Features menu. The Section Featured Articles For (directly below Front Page Featured Articles), lists all sections and their corresponding articles. Select which section you wish to view leave the default All Sections to see a complete list of sections By default the Show on Front Page box is checked for all Sections. This means the Featured Article in any section will appear in the box on the front page of your site. You have the option to: Uncheck all boxes for all sections and no article will show on the front page unless you check the box for the desired article(s) Leave all boxes checked and uncheck only the ones you don t want to appear on the front page 4
choose a specific section and automatically uncheck the box for the particular section Check/uncheck the Show on Front Page boxes one by one. To set Featured Articles Check/uncheck the Show on Front Page box in the section you want to feature. Click on Edit Section Feature and select the article you wish to highlight from the drop-down box. Click Update Feature to return to the previous page. Click on Save Changes Click on Finish Polls Managers can create, maintain and remove polls. The Manager sets the start date, end date and voting end date for the poll. To begin using this feature, follow these steps: Click on the Polls button on the Manager main menu. Click Edit Polls for the section or sub-section for which you wish to create a poll. Click the Add Poll button to create a new poll. Type the poll question into the text field labeled Poll Topic and click Add Choice. 5
Click the Add Choice button to add each new poll choice. Type in the choice in the field labeled Choice Text. You can also enter a URL in the Choice URL field to link to web sites, specific web pages or images. Click the Add Choice button to complete the addition of this choice. When you have all choices added, you can reorder your choices or click Back to Poll. 6
In the Vote Options area, set the Start and End dates for the poll to display. By default the poll is set to start on the current date, and expire the following day. Set the Vote End date. You can set the Vote End date prior to the poll End Date. By doing this, voting ends but final poll results display. Select Yes or No for the Require Vote to See Results option. If you select Yes, the visitor cannot see the results until they vote. If you select No, a small link will appear in the poll allowing visitors to view the current poll results before voting. Click the Add Poll button at the bottom of the page. You can come back and edit this poll (reword the topic, add/delete/edit choices, change the dates and move the poll to another section) at anytime prior to the expiration date. To edit a poll, select Polls from the main menu. Click on the poll in the Section/Page you wish to edit. Click on Edit Poll to edit the poll. Click on Update Poll to record your changes. Sections Three Levels of Navigation Overview 3-level navigation offers the flexibility to use one, two or all three levels. You set up your sections using either the pipe ( ) or two greater than signs (>>), or both. If using three levels, a appears by the main section to indicate there is content in the second level. A appears by the second level and a fly-out menu displays third level sections. If using two levels, you have two options: a) using the pipe ( ), where a appears by the main section to indicate there is content in the second level, or b) using two great than signs (>>), where a appears by the first level and a fly-out menu displays second level sections. A combination of two and three levels cannot be accommodated within the same section. 7
Section Prioritization If you want SOCS to alphabetize all sections, all levels, simply leave the priority for all at 100. If you are using the pipe ( ) to create a list that will appear below the main section, and you want to force a specific order, follow these instructions to prioritize: 1. Sections (first level) use 100,200,300 2. Sub-section (second level) to allow for future additions, and to insure that your subsection associates with the correct section, use increments of 5 within the section numbering convention (105,110,115) (205,210,215) If you are using the greater than signs (>>) to create a fly-out for the second level, and you want to establish a specific order, you only need to change the priority for the second level using 100, 200, 300, or 10, 20, 30. When using the >>, for either the second or third level, it operates independently. These priority numbers will never interfere with the other levels. You can use 100 to alphabetize or you can force a specific order using 10 s or 100 s without considering the first and second level prioritization. To Add a Section Click on Section on the Manager Menu Click on Add Section at the bottom of the screen. Enter the Section Name. Notes is an optional field. Set the Section Priority Section type is always other If you want to assign a current Section Editor to the new section, select that Editor from Assigned Editors. Select Add Section To Add a Sub-Section To add a Sub-Section (level two) under a Section, click on Add Section. In the Section Name field re-type the section name followed by the pipe (shift and \) followed by the sub-section name. (Example: Arts and Entertainment Movies). This subsection will display below the section on the navigation. To Add a Third Level To add a third level for a sub-section, click on Add Section. In the Section Name field re-type the section name followed by the pipe and the subsection name. Directly behind the sub-section, add two right brackets (>>) followed by the third level name. (Example: Arts and Entertainment Movies>>Now Showing). This third level section will appear on the fly-out beside the sub-section. 8
Section Prioritization Example Forcing an Order (3 levels) 100 Parents 105 Links 10 E-pay 20 Lunchbox 30 STI Home 110 E-mail Addresses 115 Handbook 200 Students 205 Links 10 Cool Math 4 Kids 20 Fun Brain 30 Fun School 210 Dress Code 215 Handbook 300 School 305 News and Reminders 310 Directions 315 Curriculum 10 Fine Arts 20 Language Arts 30 Mathematics 400 Activities 405 Athletics Boys 10 Baseball 20 Basketball 410 Athletics Girls 10 Basketball 20 Cheerleading 415 Athletics Co-Ed 10 Cross Country 20 Track 500 District 505 News and Reminders 510 School Board 10 Members 20 Meeting Minutes 30 Agendas 515 Administration 10 Superintendent 20 Assistant Principal 600 Community 605 City Library 610 Daily Times 615 Chamber of Commerce 9
To Order Sections applies to both 2 and 3 levels of navigation Select Order Sections from the Edit Sections screen. The Order Sections screen displays the current order for sections/sub-sections. Modify the Priority setting for sections/sub-sections as desired. Click on Re-draw to view the proposed order. Click on Update Priorities to implement the order changes made. Select Manager at the top of the screen or from the Tools Menu to return to the Main Menu. Banners Top & Bottom Banners & Leaderboard Use top, bottom or leaderboard banners to place stationary or scrolling messages on your SOCS site. You can place these banners on the front page or in any section or sub-section of your site. The top banner displays directly between the site masthead and the SOCS articles, the bottom banner displays at the bottom of the page, and the leader-board banner displays above the SOCS masthead. Anyone with Manager access can create these banners. Note: Refer to the Buttons option if you want to place a link on the right hand side of the template. Insert a Banner/Button using html code Change Banner Type to Other. Enter the banner html code in the text box for the desired position. Click on Update at the bottom of the page. 10
Scrolling Banners (using html code) You can place a scrolling or stationary banner (message) at the top or bottom of any page using html code. This message can be changed at any time. To place a scrolling banner: 1. Select Banners from the Manager Main Menu 2. Select the page for the message to display 3. From the Banner Information screen, choose the display position either Front Page Leader Board, Front Page Top or Front Page Bottom 4. For the location you select, change the Banner Type to Other from the drop-down box 5. Enter the html code for your banner in the text box. You can copy the example below and change the font color and size to meet your specifications. In the example below, marquee indicates that the banner will scroll and bgcolor is the background color. <p><font color= black size= 5 > <marquee bgcolor= white scrolldelay= 180 >Your Text Message Here</marquee></font></p> Select Update to save your changes. If you want the message to be stationary, use the example below: <p><font color= black size= 5 > <bgcolor= white >Your Text Message Here</font></p> Select Update to save your changes. Additional information: HTML recognizes standard colors, so you can enter the color name, ie red, green, blue, etc. If you want a specific shade or color, insert the hex color number between the quotes (#cc9900 ) be sure to include the # sign. You can change the font size the bigger the number, the larger the font size. You can control the speed of a scrolling message by changing the scroll delay number the higher the number, the slower the scroll speed. Our example of 180 is the average scroll delay (not too fast, not too slow). When you change the scroll delay number, please be aware that it may take some time for it to register/change. 11
Feedback Readers can submit feedback regarding articles appearing on your SOCS site, and this feedback can be posted to the site for the public to read. A Manager must review and approve a feedback submission before it can be posted to the site. You will receive an e-mail when feedback is submitted, and you can moderate it through the e-mail or through the feedback option. Feedback Posts (if there are any) will also display above the Manager Main Menu. To access Feedback posts: Number of Posts Waiting to be Approved. Click on Feedback Click on search to see pending feedback Click on Edit Post for the pending comment you want to view 12
Make any changes Check or uncheck Notify poster of approval/rejection Choose Approve, Reject, or Hold Choose to Approve, Reject or continue to Hold the Feedback. Leave checked or uncheck. Rejecting a Previously Approved Post Choose either Post Search or Topic Search to search for feedback Enter Article Name, Topic Name (keyword) or Topic ID Choose Approved status Click Search Click on Edit Post to view the feedback Click Reject to delete post Bios This option can provide biographical information for each of the Editors and Correspondents for your site. This feature is Editor or Correspondent specific. If it is enabled, the byline becomes a link to the biographical information each time the person s name appears in the byline field.select Bios to set up biographical information. Choose either Editors or Correspondents Click on the Edit field next to the name you want 13
Click on the Display Bio box to display biographical information each time the selected name appears in the byline field. If Display Bio is not checked, no biographical information will appear. Enter the title Enter the Bio Description Click Browse to upload an image (this is an optional field) Click Update Bio to finish Logout The logout button logs you out of the system. Be sure to log out of the system when you complete a SOCS session. This will prevent unauthorized users from gaining access to your SOCS tools. 14