How To - Adding, Editing, & Scheduling Topics

Topics are free form content blocks that can be displayed on your site, either embedded within other pages, or on a page of their own. These are often used for 'FAQ' pages, policy pages, special instructions, or for smaller bits of content embedded throughout your site. Topics are embedded in several areas throughout our responsive templates & homepages. 

Instructions to Add, Edit, & Schedule a Topic

Step 1: Create a Topic

• From the Admin Console, select Content > Manage Topics
• From the Topic landing page, select Create Topic (right side of landing page). 
• Assign the Topic Name. We recommend not including spaces within the topic name but instead, leave them together or include  '-' or '_'  between the words. As an example, say you would like to use 'Rental Returns' as the topic name. We would create this topic name as one of these three options:

1. rentalreturns
2. rental-returns
3. rental_returns

• Create the Topic Title. The is the topic's formal title and will be used for the page title displayed in the browser tab. Use the description box (editor) in either Design or HTML to create your Topic content.
• Below the text editor, check the box for "Published" (if ready to display) and Save your changes. 
• Click the "Refresh Store" button in the upper right of your admin console. 

Step 2: Edit a Topic 

• From the Admin Console, select Content > Manage Topics
• From the Topic List landing page, filter for & select the Topic you want to edit
• Once on the Editing Topic page, you may edit the selected Topic as desired in either Design or HTML code. If you no longer want the contents of this Topic visible on the site, simply uncheck the box for "Published" and click Save. 
• After making the desired changes, click Save. 
• Refresh Store

Step 3: Schedule a Topic

• From the Admin Console, select Content > Manage Topics
• From the Topic List landing page, filter for & select the Topic you want to schedule
• Click on the "Schedule New Version" button
• Enter a Version Name
• Edit the "Publish On" & "Unpublish On" values for the date and time you wish to begin and end displaying this version 
• Edit the Topic Version in the editor as desired & click Save
• Refresh Store

GENERAL NOTES:

• While on the Topic Scheduling grid view, you can choose to edit the Parent Topic by clicking on the Parent Topic name in the "Topic Name" column, or edit an existing Topic Version by clicking on the Topic Version name in the "Topic Version Name" column.
• While editing a Topic Version, the editor’s "Restore from Backup" button on the Design tab is for the non-version Parent Topic! The Topic Versions are NOT backed up like the Parent Topics. Using this option while editing a Topic Version will display the contents of the selected parent version backup. It is initially displayed for review and will not be permanent unless you click Save.
• When editing a Topic Version, all Topic options below the editor (Published checkbox through Frequently Used checkbox), and the Topic TITLE, are not editable, as they are only set on the Parent Topic. Topic Versions will use these fields as the Parent Topic has them set.
• Topic Versioning can be confusing. It is prudent to only use Topic Versions when you plan to have a topic contain different content for a specific period of time, such as seasonal billboard banners. Otherwise it is easier to edit the Parent Topic, keeping in mind that it is backed up and can be restored from every Save you make.
• If two versions of the same Parent Topic overlap their dates/times, the most recently created Version will display until it Un-Publishes.

WARNING: The Topic Versions are NOT backed up like the Parent Topics. Deleting one will permanently destroy the Version. Keep in mind though that all deletions in the admin are "soft", and will not be removed permanently until the Configuration - Database Maintenance routine is run with the "Purge all records that are marked as Deleted" option enabled.