Releasing changes to production for the new CMS
These are instructions for the new workflow needed to release changes to production in the Content Management System (CMS), Directus.
The workflow diagram, below, illustrates the general steps to releasing changes to production:
For more information about how to modify content in the CMS, please view our CMS user guide.
A change to the CMS is identified (via GitHub request or internal innovative effort), which indicates that you must change content within the CMS, then you take the following steps:
- First, navigate to the correct CMS page or collection.
- Make content changes that are needed within the CMS page or collection.
- If the change is within a collection, navigate to the appropriate collection and click on the plus button for a new entry.
- Click the purple check button at the top right of the CMS page, or after adding a new entry to a collection, to save your changes to the Development site or “dev site”. If you are making a change to a specific page block, you must click the purple check button at the top right for that specific page block and then again for the page that it lives under.
- Review the page's "Status":
| Status Name | Status Purpose | Additional Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Published | Allows CMS user to make an immediate change that will appear on the dev site. | Published status will be used for typical edits and changes that meet the immediate need of issue creator or innovative effort. Note: Published status will be used most of the time. |
| Unpublished | Allows CMS user to make gradual changes to a page or page block that will not be shown on the dev site, until status is changed. | Unpublished status can negatively impact the menu bar. If a page is present on the main menu bar and is selected as Unpublished, the menu bar may disappear. If specific elements of a page block are selected as Unpublished, it should not impact the website negatively. |
| Archived | Allows CMS user to store a press release within the archive tab on the website: https://onrr.gov/about/public-affairs?tabs=press-release-archive | Archive status is only used for the press releases collection. This status is used when the Public Affairs manager requests for older press release to move to the archive tab on the website. Note: this archived status is used differently than archiving a document or image, which is discussed in the CMS wiki about archiving a document. |
- Check the Dev site to make sure your changes are correct: https://dev-onrr-frontend.app.cloud.gov/ Note: your changes have not been published on the live site that is publicly available.
- If your task requires SME review and approval, send them the appropriate Dev site link.
- Once you get SME approval, you can publish your changes.
- Now that you know the page’s changes present on the Dev site are correct, in the CMS, find that page.
- Check the box on the left side that indicates that the page is selected. Note that by checking the box for the page, changes made in specific page blocks will be included.
- In the right panel, select the Flow tool and expand the drop down. Then, click the purple Publish button.
- Confirm that the changes appear on the live site: https://onrr.gov/
- If the changes appear on the live site correctly, notify the issue creator and close out the GitHub issue.
- After you know the changes to the collection are present on the Dev site are correct, in the CMS, find the page that the collection is located.
- Check the box on the left side that indicates that the correct page is selected. Note that by checking the box for the page, changes made in specific content areas where the collection lives will be included.
- In the right panel, select the Flow tool and expand the drop down. Then, click the purple Publish button.
A document or image within the CMS has been identified to be deleted or to be replaced, then you should take the following steps:
- Select the document and archive the document.
- Remove the document hyperlink from any page where it is featured or linked to.
A page, content within a page, or an entry to a collection has been identified to be deleted. An ONRR employee submits a GitHub issue to delete a page, then you should take the following steps:
- Navigate to the specific page related to the submitted GitHub issue.
- Check the box on the left side that indicates that the page is selected.
- Select the grey trashcan icon in the top right corner.
- Select the Delete button. Note: this action is permanent and cannot be undone; be certain that this is the correct page or page content.
