Keep Your CMS Organized and Efficient with Page Creation Rules

Page Creation Rules are used to control the way content comes into the information architecture in the CMS. They dictate things like what schema can be used to create content, which groups can create new content items, the workflow process new items go through, and where in the site tree new items can be created.

By effectively using Page Creation Rules in Ingeniux CMS you can keep your site tidy and help content creators publish their work more efficiently.

Put the Work in Upfront

Set yourself up for success by creating and applying your Page Creation Rules (PCRs) before you build out your full information architecture. We recommend you start by building a shell of the IA, then apply your PCRs. Use the PCRs to generate content in the site tree so everything ends up in the correct workflow. You can even use the PCRs if you are generating content in an import process through the CSAPI to save development time on adding things to the proper workflow.

Watch the video tutorial on on preparing to use Page Creation Rules. 

Add Custom Thumbnails

You can customize the look of your PCRs by adding a custom thumbnail in the schema the rule will be creating. We suggest taking a screenshot of the page or component from the design and using that as the thumbnail image. This may make it easier for your users to identify which type of content item they want to create.

Watch the video tutorial on how to create custom thumbnails. 

Use Folders to Your Advantage

Rather than attaching your rules directly to pages, which may need to change depending on how your architecture grows, attach your rules to folders under the page. These folders can move more easily in the architecture and take the rules with them when they move.

Watch the video tutorial on how to apply PCRs to folders. 

Don’t Forget About Components

It’s easy to focus on the pages that are needed to build out your site(s), but component organization is essential to keeping your site clean and organized. Create a component categorization plan ahead of time. Most companies we work with categorize components by department/section front or type. The categorization you use for your components will depend on how many users are working in the CMS and how you use components in your site. Then, identify which types of components will be created most often and what workflows you’ll need to use. Apply your Page Creation Rules accordingly.

Watch the video tutorial on working with components and PCRs. 

Keep Them Separated

You may have scenarios in your CMS that require you to create two or more rules for the same schema. Creation of a new PCR is required if any of the following details change:

• The group that starts the workflow is different
• The content goes into a different workflow
• The ability to nest similar items under the parent pages is different

Use good naming convention to make sure that multiple rules are easy to distinguish from each other. For instance, if the difference between two rules is that they go into different workflows include that in the name of the rule:, for example, “Detail Page – Self Approval” and “Detail Page – Editorial Review.”

Watch the video tutorial on naming and organizing PCRs. 

Security and PCR Intersect

You might assume that, because you have a user group using a rule that is used in multiple sections of the site tree, you must recreate the rule for each section in order to keep authors from creating things in places they shouldn’t. However, you do not need to add additional PCRs just because the rule is applying to different parts of the tree.

The security groups you set on your tree will allow users to create things appropriately in their own sections. When a user belongs to the group of people that has access to use a rule (e.g., Authors) and to a group that has security to a node where the rule is applied (e.g., Support) on the tree they will be able to create items of that type in that space. Create just one rule and let the security groups do their job!

Watch the video tutorial on working with security and PCRs. 

How have you used PCRs to facilitate work in your CMS site tree? Share your own tips and tricks in the comments!