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What is Syndicated Content?

Syndicated Content is content that is shared throughout multiple http://pdx.edu sites. It is created on a single source site (Syndication), and then other http://pdx.edu sites import the content using filters that are setup by the Web Communications Team. Them, when the source content is updated, the imported content will automatically update as well. This helps remove both duplicate and outdated content from sites. 

At the moment, we have the following types of Syndicated Content:

• Profiles

• News

• Events

• Academic Programs

  • These are managed through the Registrar's Office and Admissions. To request an update to your department's Academic Program page(s), email appagemanagement@pdx.edu. 

Get access to Syndication

To get access to Syndication, submit the Syndication Access Request form. Not every site editor or content manager needs to be a Syndication user - be selective about who needs Syndication access. 

Important notes about Syndication

Getting access to Syndication

Completing the training does not automatically grant you access; access has to be requested. Because the training is available to anyone who has access to the general site editing training, anyone can take it. However, we will only give Syndication Access to people who have both completed the training and have an official access request form submitted.  

Import schedule

Imported content will not display immediately on your site. Due to settings in Syndication, it can take up to two hours for accurately tagged content to import to your site.

Images and Focal Point

Focal Point does not work. If you choose a focal point for any news, event, or profile images, it will not be retained when the content is imported to your site. As such, you want to manually crop and resize your images for each content type before uploading them to Syndication:

• News Article Image: 945 x 520 pixels 

• Event Image: 455 x 325 pixels

• Profile Secondary Image: 320 x 223 pixels

Two types of tags

For news and events, there are two types of tags - know the difference. There is are two tag fields in News and Events: a "Tag" field and a "Content Hub tag" field. 

• Tags: The field labeled "Tags" is a topic-based tag. This is visible to visitors on the event/news article itself. Visitors can also use this tag to filter news/events on a particular site to find the ones of interest to them.

  For example, check the news listing on the Web Training site (that area updates based on the tags used on news imported to the site). The options under "Filter News" are all tags from this field. You can have multiple tags of this type on a news article/events, just separate them with commas.  

• Content Hub Tag: The field labeled Content Hub Tag is where you determine which sites this content will display on. The Content Hub tag is invisible to visitors - its only purpose is to import content to sites. 

  You can have multiple Content Hub tags on a news article/event so that content imports to multiple sites. Just click "Add Another Item" to add another (separating tags with commas does not work). Learn more about these tags in the "Importing News, Events, and Academic Programs" section of this document. 

Importing Syndicated Content to your site

Remember: all news, events, academic programs, and profiles must be created and edited in Syndication (ondeck.pdx.edu/syndication). If you make or edit content outside Syndication then those changes will not import to other sites.

Importing News, Events, and Academic Programs

News, Events, and Academic Programs created and published in Syndication import to sites using the Content Hub Tag. 

Each site has its own Content Hub tag and related filter, based on the site name. This tag is not visible to the public; its only purpose is to import content to sites.

To import content to top-level pdx.edu (i.e. the main site), use the CH - Top Level tag in the list of Content Hub tags.  

You can review this slideshow on importing news & events, including handy troubleshooting tips, for more information.

Importing Profiles

Profiles created and published in Syndication are imported using filters associated with the Department tag.

Since each site has one of more departments associated with it, which may or may not be obvious to the Web Communications Team, there are no automatically created filters for each site. As such, you'll want to have one representative from your site request a filter that includes all the department tags for profiles you want imported to your site.

Request a tag or filter for news and events, or profiles

Request a Content Hub tag/filter for news & events

Since not all sites use Syndicated Content, the tags and filters are only being built for the sites that do use them. At the moment, that is the sites with Academic Programs and the sites that have requested a Content Hub tag/filter. 

Prior to requesting a tag/filter, please make sure your site does not already have one. You can do this by logging into Syndication (after being granted access), then viewing the full list of Content Hub tags.

In that list, look for a tag that has your site's name in it. It might start with "AP -" or "CH -"; there is no difference between those, that is a note for the Web Communications Team.

For example, "AP - Biology" and "CH - Currently" both exist. That means there are Content Hub tags and filters setup for both the Department of Biology site and the Currently site. 

If, after reviewing the list, you do not see a Content Hub tag for your site, you can request a Content Hub Tag and Filter. The Web Communications Team will then review the request and let you know when the tag and filter are ready. 

While waiting for the tag and filter to be created, you can still create new content. It just won't be imported to your site until after the tag/filter is created. At that point, you'll need to add the Content Hub tag to the content you've made so it will import to your site.

Request a Department filter

Complete the Profile Filter Request Form to request a filter for profiles tagged with particular department tags for your site.  

While waiting for the tag and filter to be created, you can still create new content. It just won't be imported to your site until after the filter is created. The tags already exist, though. So as long as you're adding them to your profiles appropriately, they will automatically import once the filter is created.

Accessing content imported to your site

Any Profiles, News Articles, Events, or Academic Programs imported to your site can be found in the Content listing for your site (where you can find all your other content).

If a piece of content is imported to your site that you don't want to have displayed on your site, you can un-publish it from that page.

Profiles on your site

Faculty and Staff listing

There is an automatically-built profile listing page - see example profile list. This page displays all published profiles imported to your site. You cannot control the order they're displayed or the grouping. 

You can create links to this page in the navigation menu by adding one in the PSU Primary Menu settings. You can also link to this page using CTA buttons or other links. 

The URL for the page will always be pdx.edu/SITE/faculty-profile-search.

Manual Faculty and Staff listing

You can manually create a profile list using a Landing Page and blocks, instead of using the automated one. 

To link to a person's profile or directory listing: 

• Imported profiles: Find the profile in your site's Content listing, then get the URL from the View tab of the profile. Example profile.

• Directory listing: If a profile has not been made, you can link to their directory listing. The URL is pdx.edu/SITE/profile/exists?id=ODIN - replace SITE with your site's URL and ODIN with the person's Odin.

Featuring a specific profile

You can feature an individual profile using the "Feature: Profile" block. Add that block to a page, then type the title of a published profile on your site into the text field. 

News on your site

News Listing page

There is an automatically-built news listing page - see example news listing. This page displays all published news imported to your site.

You can create links to this page in the navigation menu by adding one in the PSU Primary Menu settings. You can also link to this page using CTA buttons or other links.  

The URL for the page will always be pdx.edu/SITE/news - replace SITE with your site's URL to see your site's news listing.

Dynamic news block 

The block "Shared Content: Recent News" is a dynamic block that automatically updates with the most recent (by publish date) news articles imported to your site. There is a link at the bottom of the block to let visitors see all the news.

This block can be added to any landing page on your site. 

Featuring a specific article

You can feature an individual article using the "Feature: News Article" block, if there is a particular article you want to highlight. Add that block to a page, then type the title of a published news article on your site into the text field. 

Events on your site

Events Calendar page

There is an automatically-built events calendar page (see example event calendar). This page displays all published events imported to your site. It has three views: month, week, and day.

You can create links to this page in the navigation menu by adding one in the PSU Primary Menu settings. You can also link to this page using CTA buttons or other links. 

The URL for the (month view) page will always be pdx.edu/SITE/calendar/month - replace SITE with your site's URL to see your site's calendar page.

Dynamic events block

The block "Shared Content: Upcoming Events" is a dynamic block that automatically updates with the closest upcoming (by event date) events imported to your site. There is a link at the bottom of the block to let visitors see all events.

This block can be added to any landing page on your site. 

Featuring a specific event

You can also feature an individual event using any of the link blocks or CTA blocks, if there is a particular event you want to highlight. There is no automated block that can be used to highlight a specific event.

Creating new Syndicated Content 

Profiles

Profiles are used to provide biography and contact information for PSU staff and faculty. They are made using a combination of information from oam.pdx.edu and from Syndication. 

Video Walkthrough

You can check out a video walkthrough for making profiles that covers the same content covered in this resource article, in case you would like a video demonstration.

Profile vs directory listing

You can see all created profiles in the Content area of Syndication. This is different from finding directory entries in the Faculty & Staff Directory.

Every faculty and staff member has a directory entry they can manage using OAM. Directory entries might have contact information and a photo, but profiles have biography information. Use Syndication to determine if a profile exists.

Read more about managing OAM-based content in the Managing Directory Information documentation.  

Creating a profile

Remember to only build and edit profiles in Syndication (ondeck.pdx.edu/syndication). If you build a profile outside Syndication, it will not import to other sites, and changes made will not reflect on other sites.

Note: do not link to profiles using the URLs in Syndication. This is only for your reference; when creating the profiles you'll take steps to import them to your site. You will link to the imported profiles on your site.