Access to the system requires you to complete Web CMS training. The training package for the Web CMS is self-paced and can be completed at your convenience. It is a mandatory requirement that the training package is completed prior to gaining access to maintain or create websites and content within the Web CMS.

Learn how to access Web CMS training

1. Visit the CMS login page.
   • You may be automatically logged in if you have previously logged into the CMS or another QUB service. If this is the case, you do not need to follow steps 2-3.
2. If prompted, enter your QUB credentials.
3. If prompted, complete the Multi-factor authentication (MFA) steps.
4. Upon successful completion of steps 1-3, you will be logged in and redirected to the CMS welcome screen.

Note: Please ensure a CMS profile has been set up for you, otherwise you will not be logged in to the CMS. You can learn more on accessing the system on our guidance page.

The current CMS login address is:

https://cmst4.qub.ac.uk/terminalfour/ 

You log on to the CMS using your QUB email address and password. 

If you are having any issues with this, please log a support request through our Sitehelpdesk service and we will get back to you.

Note: Please ensure a CMS profile has been set up for you, otherwise you will not be able to login to the CMS.  Find out how to access the CMS.

The training and onboarding process for the Web CMS is very simple:

Step 1 - Submit the Training Request Form

Your first step is to complete and submit the form Web CMS - Training Request. The details provided as part of this submission are important for our training records and it is essential that you complete it.

Please note: This form must only be completed by the staff member that will undertake the training.

You will then receive an email with further details on how to proceed with your training.

Learn more about the 3 Web CMS training and onboarding steps

Our online training materials are a series of instructional pages which have been organised into two main categories:

• Common Tasks
• Content Types

To learn how to use the system begin with the common tasks videos, as these are the things you'll need to know to be able to maintain your site, for example, modifying existing content and adding different types of links.

The content types resource are a list of all the layouts you can choose from - each web page being populated using different blocks of content with each block using a specific content type of your choice.

The Change Request Process needs to be completed before you can begin developing a new site.

Once you submit the New Website/Change Request Form, this goes to the Digital Operations Group (DOG). This group will review the change request and you will be informed accordingly of the outcomes.

Complete the New Website/Change Request Form

You can create a blog using the Queen's WordPress blog facility. 

Once you have a published blog, the CMS offers you the facility to embed the blog feed on any page within your site. Ask us to help you embed your blog.

What is the Correct Naming Convention for Files and Images?

All documents (e.g., PDFs, Word documents, Excel documents, etc.) and image files must have the correct filename BEFORE they are uploaded to the Media Library and File Stores. This means they must have the guidance below applied whilst the assets are held on your computer or within the SharePoint site for your business area.

The guidance is as follows: 

• Use only lowercase letters (a to z), numerals (0-9) and hyphens (-).
• Do not use spaces. Instead, use hyphens to separate words.
• Do not use special characters (e.g., £, %, &, á) or underscores.

Correct

• annual-report-and-accounts-2023-24.pdf
• undergraduate-prospectus.pdf
• application-form.docx
• lanyon-building-at-night.jpg
• queens-business-school-student-hub.jpg

Incorrect

• Annual Report & Accounts 2023-24.pdf
• UG_prospectus.pdf
• Application Form.docx
• Lanyon Building.jpg
• Queen's_Business_School & student Hub.jpg

The Web Support Team reserves the right to change (or request changes to) filenames if they do not meet digital best practice. 

You also need to ensure that all files and images that are uploaded to the CMS are accessible and have been optimised for use on the web.

The following resources will help you:

• Description of the File Upload Content Type
• How to upload a file to the Filestore
• Using the Media Library
• Resizing and Optimising images
• Making your documents accessible

Sometimes HTML tables are copied from an external product such as Microsoft Word. This can often lead to problems with the display of the table.

To remedy this, you should rebuild the table properly in the CMS using the 'Table' option in the content editor.

The CMS team may need to provide support if you continue to experience the issue. Please log a support ticket and we will get back to you.

The web browser shows the correct orientation of the image when the photo was taken. This could be upside-down if the camera was held upside down when the image was taken. You will have to resave the image in the correct orientation.

To do this, you can open your image in an image editor and save the image in your preferred orientation. At this point, you can then upload your image to CMS.

Note: The CMS currently ignores the default orientation setting, so the image may look correct in the CMS thumbnail preview but look incorrect when published live.

• Learn more about image editing on our guidance page
• Find out how to upload files to the Media Library
  
  

It is our recommendation that Feeds from the X platform are not embedded within websites published via the Web CMS. There are two main reasons behind this recommendation which are as follows:

1. Visitors to your website will not be able to see any of the content within the embed unless they are logged into their own account on the X platform. They will instead see a message such as 'Nothing to see here' until they log into their X account and then visit your website.
2. The point of having an account on the X platform is to drive traffic to your website. It should be used to promote events, news articles and other information via links to the appropriate page(s) on your website.

We would recommend adding a link out to your social media profiles using appropriate icons on your website. Please log a call via the IT Service Desk if you require help adding or amending social media links on your website.  

For SEO purposes, it is important to give your sections relevant names and then assign key sections in your site Output URIs which follow the correct convention. The correct convention when entering a value into the Output URI field is to use a lowercase and hyphenated version of the section title. For example, the following site is located in the Schools Channel:

Section Name: Queen's Business School
Output URI: queens-business-school

This means that the published web address in the above example will be:

https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/queens-business-school/ 

• From the Actions menu, choose Create Section
• In the Name field, enter a relevant section name.  This will become the published page title.
• In the Output URI field, enter a lowercase, hyphenated version of the section name. This will become the final part of the published web address.

It is important to note that it is best to add an Output URI when you are first creating a new section. You can add an Output URI at any time, but adding an Output URI to alter the URL on a section that has been live for a while will affect any Google links, external links or bookmarks pointing to the old URL.

Add a metadata description to key sections in your site. This description should be a meaningful and concise sentence which summarises what the site is about.  A search engine then presents this description to the user in its search results. It should be between 120-158 characters in length.

• Click on the Actions menu beside the relevant section and choose Edit Section
• Click the More tab and choose Metadata
• In the Description field type a meaningful description of your site.  For example:

'Queen's Management School is one of the top business schools in the UK and Ireland and prides itself on offering a world-class range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in Accounting, Economics, Finance and Management.'

Add metadata keywords to key sections in your site.  Keywords should accurately reflect the content of the site or page.

• Click on the Actions menu beside the relevant section and choose Edit Section
• Click the More tab and choose Metadata
• In the Keywords field type a list of meaningful keywords highlighting key aspects of your site.  For example:

'Queen's University, Management School, Business School, UK, Belfast, Top Business School, Business degrees, Accounting degrees, management degrees, finance degrees, QUB Management School'

Don't forget to click Save Changes after making these updates.

The location of the Output URI field under the General Tab, using the correct convention

The location of the Description and Keywords fields under the Metadata Tab

You can find out about the latest Accessibility Regulations and guidance in the Accessibility area of our site.

You can learn about the key things you can do to help ensure your website is accessible.  You can also learn about Siteimprove, our digital governance platform and how you can register to receive fortnightly accessibility reports for your site.

Use SharePoint to Manage Files
Store and organise all materials for website content (e.g., news, events, photos, documents) on your area's SharePoint site for easy access and management.

Avoid Using the Web CMS as a Repository
Do not use the Web CMS for storing important assets. Instead, use SharePoint to maintain, manage, retain, and archive business-related materials.

What to Store in the Web CMS
Only the final versions of assets should be stored in the Web CMS. Ensure that all content adheres to the provided guidelines before uploading.

Images/Photos:

• Source responsibly and comply with copyright laws
• Prepare according to our guidance
• Resize and optimize
• Use correct filenames (File names need to be correct BEFORE uploading to the Web CMS)
• Follow accessibility guidelines

Documents:

• Upload only final, approved versions
• Ensure accessibility standards are met
• Optimize for web
• Use correct filenames (File names need to be correct BEFORE uploading to the Web CMS)

Note: Non-compliant media will be removed from the Web CMS until corrected.

We strongly recommend that website owners/editors establish a practice of frequently reviewing the website(s), section(s), and media for which they are responsible within the Web CMS. This review process should be conducted at least quarterly each year the website is live.

Website owners/editors should review their website or section structure within the Web CMS quarterly. A content report for your website(s) and/or section(s) will also help with your review process. Follow these steps for an effective review:

Visual Review

1. Use the 'Expand all' option in the 'Actions Menu' to view all sections and their hierarchy. This short guide outlines how to achieve this.
2. Refer to the Terminal Four documentation to understand section icons.

Pending Sections

1. Identify sections marked as Pending (orange name and folder icon).
2. Set Pending sections to Inactive to mark them for deletion from the system. This will streamline your site and improve manageability.
3. Read our guidance on reviewing Pending Sections.

Archived Sections

1. Review sections marked as Archived, which often hold older information or previous website versions.
2. Set Archived sections to Inactive to mark them for deletion from the system. This will streamline your site and improve manageability.
3. Read our guidance on reviewing Archived Sections.

Approved Sections

1. Review sections marked as Approved and ensure they are publishing accurate, relevant content.
2. Check for any content that contradicts or duplicates other information.
3. Verify all associated links and media are functional.
4. Read our guidance on reviewing Approved Sections.

Pending sections will not be published live as part of your website. They may include outdated information, work that was started but never completed, or old content.

General Advice
If a section and its content are no longer needed, delete them from the system.

Review Checklist:

• Preview the Section: Click 'Preview' to view the content in your browser and quickly determine if the content is outdated.
• Last Modified Date: If the content hasn't been updated in the last six months and there's no plan for future use, it’s likely unnecessary.
• Content History: View the 'History' tab for content creation and modification details. If the creator no longer works on the website, the content is probably redundant.
• Obtain Permission: If unsure about deleting content, consult the website owner for a decision.
• Archive: For content related to core events or institutional memory, ensure it's centrally stored (e.g., SharePoint/Intranet). If you have any queries relating to content marked as archive, please log a support request via the IT Service Desk.

Reviewing Archived sections follows the same steps as reviewing pending sections. Archived sections have a different icon in your Site Structure to set them apart from standard folders. Refer to the Terminal Four documentation to understand section icons.

General Advice
If an archived section is over a year old, it is typically no longer needed and can be deleted along with associated media. 

Review Process:

• Preview: Check the section to determine its age and relevance.
• Permission: Obtain permission if unsure about deletion.
• Contact Support: For further advice, log a support request via the IT Service Desk.

Importance of Content Review
Content on your website shapes audience perception of your area and the University. It is therefore very important that new and existing content is given careful consideration, and frequently reviewed to help ensure accuracy and relevance.

Approved sections will publish live if they contain at least one approved piece of content. However, not all approved sections need to remain live.

Review Recommendations
We recommend that you review your live website and Site Structure in parallel and consider the following:

• Check for 'hidden from navigation' sections and assess their relevance. Refer to the Terminal Four documentation to understand section icons.
• Remove outdated content and information such as past events, news, and projects.
• Merge or remove redundant content to enhance user experience.
• Fix broken links, replace missing media, or ensure the media in use is the latest version.
• Ensure all content meets accessibility guidelines. Content can be checked using the Siteimprove accessibility extension for Chrome.
• Add and review metadata for core pages to improve SEO.

If you require any advice or have questions relating to the restructuring or removal of approved content please log a support request via the IT Service Desk.

We can provide website owners / editors with content reports in Microsoft Excel format for the website(s) and section(s) they are responsible for. The report will contain the following information:

• Section pathway
• Content name
• Content type used
• Last modified date
• Content Status

A content report can be requested via the IT Service Desk. When submitting a ticket requesting a content report, please add 'Web CMS - Content Report Request' to the Summary field. Then in the description field, either provide the full live URL of your website, or the pathway within the Web CMS.

Request a content report for your website(s) or section(s) via the IT Service Desk.

Post-Content Review
After reviewing website content, the next step is to review the media stored in your Site Structure and Media Library. Documents and media should be Included in your quarterly website review.

File Store(s)

• Most websites have a 'File Store' section for uploading and storing documents.
• Users can link to these documents for visitors to download and view offline.
• It is important to review and delete old files from the File Store when they are no longer needed, especially if the content linking to them has been deleted.
• Website owners/editors can often overlook that documents in the File Store need deleted if not in use which will mean they continue to publish to the live website.
• Read our guidance on reviewing File Stores.

Media Library

• Every website or core section has a folder in the Media Library for managing media.
• Website owners/editors should regularly review and remove unnecessary documents and imagery from the Media Library.
• Read our guidance on reviewing folders in the Media Library.

We can provide website owners / editors with media reports in Microsoft Excel format for folders in the Media Library associated with website(s) and section(s) they are responsible for. The report will contain the following information:

• Media ID number
• Media name
• Media category
• Media type
• Usage information
• Content usage name

A content report can be requested via the IT Service Desk. When submitting a ticket requesting a media report, please add 'Web CMS - Media Report Request' to the Summary field. Then in the description field, either provide the full live URL of your website, or the pathway within the Web CMS.

Request a media report for your website(s) or section(s) via the IT Service Desk.

File Store vs. Media Library
Whilst a File Store can be set up for storing documents, we recommend storing website-related media, including documents, in the Media Library.

General Advice
If a document in the File Store is over a year old, not currently used in any content, and there is no plan to use it going forward, then it should be deleted. If any documents need to be retained, then please follow our guidance on storing website assets.

Request a Content Report

• Request a content report for the File Store or the entire website, including the File Store.
• Use the report, sorted by 'last modified' date, to identify and delete unnecessary content in the system.
• You can request a content report by following this guidance.

Review and Delete File Store Content

Please Note
If you require a copy of a file before deleting from the File Store, you can open each content item and click on the 'Download' button. At present there is no option to bulk download files from the File Store.

• Visual Review
  • Website owners/editors can visually review File Store content and make a decision as to whether the document is required based on the file name and modification dates.
  • Expand the site hierarchy, navigate to the 'File Store' section. Note: The File Store section may be named slightly differently i.e. 'Filestore', 'filestore', 'File Store'.
  • Begin reviewing the content in the File Store section.
• Individual File Deletion
  • In the Section Content tab, click on the "Actions" menu for the content item you want to delete and click on the 'Delete' option.
  • View this guide for individual file deletion from the File Store.
• Bulk File Deletion
  • In the Section Content tab, select each checkbox for each content item you want to delete, click on the 'Bulk Actions' menu in the section menu and select the 'Bulk delete' option.
  • Or, if you want to delete all files in view, select the first checkbox in the checkbox column, click on the 'Bulk Actions' menu in the section menu and select the 'Bulk delete' option.
  • View this guide for bulk deleting content items from the File Store.

If you have any queries or require any assistance with any of the above, please log a support request via the IT Service Desk.

Every website or core website section will have a corresponding folder within the Media Library. It is the website owners / editors responsibility to review and maintain the media content items in these folders on a quarterly basis.

As a first step, it is recommended that website owners / editors identify and review media content items that are more than a year old as part of a review. This information can be obtained via a Media Report and / or with a visual review.

Request a Media Report

• The Media Report helps website owners/editors in reviewing, finding, and deleting unused media.
• You can request a Media Report by following this guidance. 

Visual Review
Website owners / editors can perform a visual review of the media contained in the Media Library folders associated with your website(s). They can check the 'Last modified' column to determine the age of media files.

General Advice
If a Media Library file is over a year old, not currently used in any content, and there is no plan to use that media, then it should be deleted. If media files need to be retained, then please download them and follow our guidance for storing website assets.

A Few Notes to Consider

• We would advise that you do not delete the media library folder containing the content items and instead work your way through reviewing the media within those folders. This is because some of the media may be in use as outlined as part of the review steps below.
• There is no option to bulk download files from the Media Library.

Accessing the Media Library

• Go to the 'Media Library' via the Content Section of the Main Menu.
• Review the media content items in all top-level and sub-folders.
• You can use a Media Report to prioritize files/folders for review.

Organise Content Items for Review
In each Media Library folder, you can click on the 'Last modified' column and this will re-organise media assets in the folder to either ascending order (oldest to newest) or descending order (newest to oldest).

Downloading Content Items
If you require a copy of a media content item before deleting from the Media Library, you can do this by clicking on the 'Actions' menu beside each media content item and clicking on the 'Download' option. 

Deleting Content Items
Following the review of a media library folder, if you do not require some or all of the assets contained in the folder, they should be deleted. There are a few options for deleting content items from the Media Library.

• Individual Deletion
  • Within each Media Library folder, every content item has an 'Actions' menu associated with it. Click on the 'Actions' menu and then the 'Delete' option.
  • To confirm deletion, a modal dialogue box will load, click on the 'Delete' option.
  • The status of the content item will update and change from approved to 'Inactive'.
  • You can view this guide for deleting individual Media Content Items.
• Bulk Deletion
  • Within each Media Library folder, select each checkbox for each content item you want to delete, click on the 'Bulk Actions' menu in the Media Library menu and select the 'Delete' option.
  • Or, if you want to delete all files in view, select the first checkbox in the checkbox column, click on the 'Bulk Actions' menu and select the 'Delete' option.
  • To confirm deletion, a modal dialogue box will load, click on the 'Delete' option.
  • You can view this guide for bulk deleting Media Content Items.
• Content Item is in Use
  • If one or multiple files you have selected to delete are currently in use, a modal dialogue box will appear and provide information about the content the file is currently used in.
  • If the content is old, no longer publishing, or the file is not accurate, it should be deleted.
  • You can view this guide for Media Content Items that are in use. 

If you have any queries or require any assistance with any of the above, please log a support request via the IT Service Desk.

The following table shows the publish and transfer schedule of the main channels.

The publish time is the time you need to have approved your changes by, in order to make that publish cycle.

The transfer time is the time, later in the same publish cycle, when the approved changes will transfer and appear on the live site.  

For each piece of content on your website, the CMS offers you the option to set a specific date and time for that content to be published live.  For example, you can prepare content a few weeks or days in advance, planning its future release to the live site by creating the content, setting the required publish date and time options and then approving the content.

1. Open the piece of content.
2. Click on the Options tab.
3. Click in the Publish date field.  Today's date and time will automatically be displayed and selected.
4. Alter the date and time as required. 
5. Update and Approve the piece of content.

Make sure you set the publish time to be at least two hours before it needs to go live. Do not set the publish time for exactly when you want the content to go live. There is no way to precisely publish a piece of content for a specific time - you have to work within the scheduled publish cycles.

For example, if you want a piece of content in the Schools channel to go live at 1pm, you need to set the publish time to be approx two hours previous to this - 11am. This is because the Schools channel publishes every two hours at 22 minutes past the hour, so you are aiming for the content to catch the 11:22am publish cycle. The content will then publish to the live site at approx noon.

Other channels, such as Research Centres, publish at different times. View the full list of scheduled publish cycles.

1. Output URI field
2. QUB GO Short URL Service
3. URL Redirect

How do I remove content from the live site?

You can remove a piece of content from the live web page in two ways:

• Expire content
• Delete content

Expire Content

Expiring content means you apply a date and time to the individual piece of content using the Options tab.  Once this date and time are reached, the content is removed from the live web page but it is retained within the CMS site structure with an Expired status.  You can choose to publish the piece of content again at a later date if required.

To expire content:

1. Open the piece of content
2. Click the Options tab
3. Click in the Expiry Date field

1. By default, today's date and nearest time are selected (you can change this to set a different date and time, as required).
2. Click Save and Approve

Delete Content

Deleting content means you are permanently removing the piece of content from both the live site and the CMS itself. When you delete a piece of content from your site structure, its status changes to Inactive and it moves to the system recycle bin. In the next publishing cycle, the deleted piece of content will be removed from the live site. The recycle bin is purged every week (usually on a Friday) and the inactive content is permanently deleted from the CMS.

1. In the Site Structure screen, click on the section containing the piece of content you want to delete.
2. Click on the Contents tab.
3. Click the Actions menu beside the piece of content you want to delete.
4. Click Delete.
5. Confirm the deletion.

The status of the piece of content is now set to Inactive.

How do I remove a web page from the live site?

You can remove a web page (section) from the live site in two ways:

• Set the status of the page to Pending
• Set the status of the page to Inactive

Set the Status to Pending

Setting the status of a web page to pending means it will be removed from the live site but it is retained within the CMS site structure. You can choose to publish the page again at a later date if required by changing its status from Pending back to Approved. 

Once the status has been changed to Pending, the page will be removed from the live site in the next publishing cycle.

1. In your Site Structure screen, click on the section name
2. The properties of the section under the general tab are displayed.  In the Status drop-down options, click Pending.
3. Click Save Changes.

Set the Status to Inactive

This means you are deleting and permanently removing the section from both the live site and the CMS itself. When you delete a section from your site structure, its status changes to Inactive and it moves to the system recycle bin. In the next publishing cycle, the deleted section will be removed from the live site. The recycle bin is purged every week (usually on a Friday) and the inactive section is permanently deleted from the CMS.

1. Click the Actions menu beside the section you want to delete.
2. Click Delete Section
3. Confirm the deletion

The status of the section is now set to Inactive.

Section Status Infographic showing that Approved sections go live, Pending and Inactive do not go live.