Training tasks
Below are some tasks to help you learn how to use our CMS. They increase in difficulty with each task number.
Before you begin, make sure you’ve read through the Contentful basics and checked out the FAQ around our image and asset management.
Still confused about the difference between components and assemblies? See our handy glossary of Contentful terms or give Linds Foley a shout.
Please see the Contentful hacks section for a few extra reminders of things the CMS can do to help make editing easier. Below are some tips to keep in mind before you get started.
Do
validate your slug for each new page by clicking Set on your slug – preview won’t work unless you do this
put each task in the Tests and demos section of the tree (the site navigation) – use Select a parent to put your page in the Tests and demos area (your full path should begin: https://preview-websiteassets.gtsb.io/tests_and_demos_for_tree/.....)
use the Preview button to generate a preview of your page and check your content looks right as you go through the task (please note that because of the current preview bug, you will need a dev to generate the first preview of any new page – to make this request, share the preview URL of your page in the contentful-users channel on Slack)
name your content by what it’s message or purpose is, not by what content type it is e.g. avoid naming components things like ‘Row 2’ or ‘Private renting two column block’
use your initials in the name field for any content you create e.g. ‘Vertical Rush – LF’ or ‘Sign up to be a HERO – LF’
clean your text to remove hidden formatting every time you copy and paste into the text editor – do this using ctrl+shift+V (Windows) or cmd+shift+V (Mac)
Don’t forget
it’s best to keep all test content in draft and not published!
if you get stuck building a page, find the entry for the live version of the page you are copying and compare it to your build to see where you’re going wrong
you can use the following shortcut to open the Contentful entry for any live Shelter URL, which should help you find the entry you are looking for: https://shelter.slack.com/archives/C015S4JKULW/p1648119158735709