Managing public portals

Presentation of the public portal

The public portal is an extension of an organization's information management system, opening it up to the outside world. The portal aims to strengthen and energize the relationship between an organization and its partners, customers, suppliers and the general public;

The Constellio public portal is a platform for accessing the documents in the Constellio collection to which the portal is linked for the public concerned.

1. Managing public portals

The "Manage public portals" option lets you manage the portals you've created. It gives access to a list of portals in table form, defining for each portal: code, title, status (active: yes/no), creation date, modification date, and all possible actions (Consult, Modify, Publish, Deactivate/Activate, Delete);

In Constellio, public portal management is assigned to clearly defined roles. By default, the administrator (ADM) and the document management manager (RGD) have the required permissions to manage the public portal;

The "Manage roles" option lets you create a new role and assign responsibilities and action rights on the public portal in Constellio accordingly. (See section Role management).

2. Add a portal

To create a public portal, please follow these steps: 

1. Click on Administration in the navigation menu ;
2. Go to Collection management ;
3. Then click on Manage public portals ;
4.  In the Manage public portals window, click Add.

After clicking on the Add button, a form will appear on the screen to configure a public portal.  

3. The tabs

3.1 Definition

This tab is used to define your portal model. These are the default Constellio metadata;

Once you have entered all the metadata indicated in the Definition tab, you can choose between two actions:

• Save as draft: this option will save the portal in a draft version not visible to the public; changes made in this way will only be visible to the portal administrator, and will remain in draft form until the portal administrator has put it online for the general public.  
• Publish: this option allows you to publish the portal directly with the data as entered.

You can cancel registrations at any time if you wish to make changes to the portal.

3.2 CSS

This tab lets you customize the portal's graphic display using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).  

This customization can be done in two ways: 

-    Uploading a CSS file: by adding a previously edited CSS file;

-    Customized portal CSS editor: edit directly on the portal. 

This customization of CSS code will change the graphic appearance of the portal, in terms of colors, fonts and field layout;

3.3 Theme

This tab lets you define and customize the portal's display themes, text and title fonts, as well as background and hyperlink colors;

The themes and fonts available in Constellio are detailed in the table below.

• All customizable colors can be defined according to three color bases: RGB, HSV, Swatches.
• You can also choose the color tones: Red, Green, Blue.

3.4 Saved/relevant search

In this tab, you can add saved searches that you want to display at portal level. These searches, called in the portal Relevant searches, are considered to be targeted thematic searches, which will facilitate access to information for portal users. These searches can be pinned and displayed directly on the portal home page. 

3.4.1 Save a search 

This option allows you to search your Constellio collection using search criteria, and save the desired results for display in the public portal. It is important to note that if new items are added to Constellio with the same initial saved search criteria, these results will not be added to the search save. 

To save a search, follow the steps below:

1. Perform a search with the desired search criteria ( via advanced search see "Advanced search")
2. From the search results, select the results you wish to save, then click on Save this search;
3. A Save this search window appears, with the "Title" field to be filled in to identify this search;
4. You have to choose after the registration context; for our case, we have to choose Public Portal;
5. Click on Next, and a new window appears to link the search to be saved to the portal in question; you can then click on the magnifying glass icon to select the portal to which your saved search will be linked;
6. Once you have selected your portal, you can check the Frozen facets option or leave it blank. Activating frozen facets will restrict the search filters to be applied to your saved portal search;
7. Click on Complete if you want to validate your saved search, or Previous if you want to make changes. A message is displayed to confirm that your search has been successfully saved. A link to your saved search is generated and ready to use. You can then copy it to consult your search in the public portal.

3.4.2 Adding a relevant search to the portal

• Add a saved search

In order to add a relevant search to the portal, you need to add a saved search to the public portal configuration tab. To perform this action, please follow the steps below:

1. Click on Administration in the navigation menu;
2. Go to Collections management ;
3. Then click on Manage public portals ;
4.  In the Manage public portals window, click on edit then move to the registered searches tab
5. You have a drop-down list of all saved searches, choose the ones you wish to add to the portal from the list then click on add;

• Pin a saved search 

Once you've added your saved search, you can now pin it to your portal home page at the top of the page. To pin your search, click on the icon to the left of your saved search.

Once you've made the necessary changes, you have the choice of keeping them in draft form or publishing them, if all the changes you've made are in order.

On the portal home page, your relevant search is displayed with the title it has been assigned.

By clicking on a relevant search, you'll be taken to the results of the search originally saved in the collection in the chosen language. You can also apply search filters to further refine the results.  

After adding a saved search, you can restrict the addition of other search filters at portal level, by checking the frozen facets box; this will allow the portal user to use the relevant search as defined in the collection, without applying other search filters at portal level. Activating frozen facets will remove the portal's search filters for this relevant search.

3.5 Pinned/relevant documents

In this tab, you can add pinned documents that you want to display in the portal. These documents called in the portal relevant documents, are considered essential documents that facilitate access to information for portal users.

To add relevant documents to the portal, follow these steps in the pinned documents tab of the portal configuration: 

1. Click on Administration in the navigation menu;
2. Go to Collection management ;
3. Then click on Manage public portals ;
4.  In the Manage public portals window, click on edit then move to the pinned documents tab
5. You can search, select and add the documents you want to pin.

Once you've made the necessary changes, you have the choice of keeping them in draft form or publishing them, if all the changes you've made are in order.

On the portal home page, your pinned documents are displayed as relevant documents.

3.6 Overview

This section gives you an overview of actions in the tab being created or modified during portal configuration;

4. View a portal

You can view your portal from the Constellio platform by pressing the magnifying glass button;

A page is displayed with the url to access the portal home page;

Two Url are available for consultation:

-    A draft URL :  visible and accessible only by portal administrators. 

-    A main URL : represents the official version of the portal and accessible to the general public. 

5. Modify a portal 

You can modify a portal by clicking on the modify icon Modifications made in this way are available in a "Draft" version of the portal, which is only visible to administrators. You can therefore make the necessary changes without affecting the main version of the portal.

6. Publish a portal

There are two ways to publish your portal:

• Via the  icon in the action menu, at portal bulletin board level. This allows you to publish the portal with the changes you've made, available in the Draft version. A confirmation message is displayed to confirm or reject your modifications for the new portal version.

• Via the modification form: you can publish the portal directly after modifying it. A confirmation message is displayed to confirm or reject your modifications for the new version of the portal;

7. Deactivating/Reactivating a portal

This action deactivates a portal. You can deactivate your portal at any time using the icon  or reactivate it using the icon

If you choose to deactivate your portal, a confirmation message appears to confirm your action. You can then confirm or deny your choice.

If you choose to reactivate your portal, a confirmation message appears to confirm your action. You can then confirm or deny your choice.

8. Delete a portal

This action deletes the portal. You can delete your portal via the red icon

 A confirmation message will appear to confirm your action. You can then confirm or deny your choice.

9. Role Management

The creation and configuration of the public portal functionality is assigned by default to the roles of Administrator and Document Management Manager who manage the RM module at the Constellio level. To activate this feature, follow these steps:

1. Click on Administration in the navigation menu;
2. Click on Manage Roles;
3. Go to the RM Module Management at the Constellio level;  
4. Check the Manage public portals box, which is linked to the different roles available. Then click "Save" to confirm the changes.

Three distinct roles are assigned to the management of the public portal:

1. Manage Public Portals allows the user to create and configure a public portal.
2. Manage searches to public portals allows the user to add searches to the public portal, without giving other management access.
3. View Configurations of the Public Portals allows the user to go and view the configurations related to the Public Portal.

RGD Role: Document Management Managers

10. Search Filter Management

At the level of the public portal, search filters are search refinement criteria to be used by pressing the Filter Search icon, and whose objective is to refine the search results according to the desired criteria.  They are actually metadata that is used to describe an item. It is through the selection of one or more of them that a refinement of the results is carried out. 

The configuration of the portal's search filters is done at the Constellio level, in the search configuration (Facet Management). It is also possible to quickly access it via the Edit facets action in the consultation page of the portal.

10.1  Add a search filter

Search filters at the public portal level are configurable at the Search Configuration level in Constellio. In order to be able to add filters, it is important to set up the facets. 

1. Click on Administration the navigation menu;
2. Then click on Search Configuration;
3. Click on Facets management;
4. In the Facets window, click on Add a facet on the right side of the screen;
5. Check the box corresponding to the Public Portal context of use in order to activate this 
6. In the Facets management window, fill in the metadata and click Save.

After clicking on the Add button, a form will be displayed on the screen.

Adding facets at the Constellio level involves creating portal-level search filters. This allows you to check or uncheck the search filters, depending on your search needs.

10.2 Consult a search filter

Consulting the search filters available at the level of the public portal can be accessed through the search configuration at the level of Constellio. In order to view the details of each search filter, follow these steps: 

1. Click on Administration in the navigation menu;
2. Then click on Search Configuration;
3. Click on Facets management;
4. In the Facets window, click on the magnifying glass to the right of the name of the facet you want to view.

In this viewing window, all the characteristics of this facet are visible (title, elements per page, type, order of results, context of use, etc.). In addition, you can edit, delete, disable, or enable the facet.

11. Search Results Metadata Management

11.1 Document metadata in search results

This is the metadata to be displayed for each document found, following a search done at the portal level. The metadata to be displayed must be configured at the Constellio level. You can access it via Metadata schemas, or simply via the Configure search results action in the consultation page of the public portal.

When you choose the Configure Search Results action, a window appears to instruct you to select your document schema (default document or specific document schema).

On this page you will find a list of the metadata displayed

• The left-hand column represents the active metadata that is not displayed.
• The right-hand column represents the active metadata, which will be supported by the display mode.
• The left and right arrows to remove or add metadata in the display mode.
• The up and down arrows are used to control the order in which metadata is displayed in the display mode. 
• Once you have finished setting up a display mode, you need to save the changes. 

Configuring the display of document search results involves these changes at the portal level.

11.2 Metadata of the document being viewed

This is the metadata to be displayed for the retrieved document, after it has been viewed at the portal level. The metadata to be displayed must be configured at the Constellio level. You can access it via Metadata schemas, or simply via the Configure document display action in the consultation page of the public portal. 

When you choose the Configure Document Display action, a window appears to instruct you to select your document schema (default document or specific document schema).

On this page you will find a list of the metadata displayed.

• The left-hand column represents the active metadata that is not displayed.
• The right-hand column represents the active metadata, which will be supported by the display mode.
• The left and right arrows to remove or add metadata in the display mode.
• The up and down arrows are used to control the order in which metadata is displayed in the display mode. 
• Once you have finished setting up a display mode, you need to save the changes. 

Configuring the display of document metadata involves these changes at the portal level:

In order to view this metadata, click on information via the icon . The metadata configured in this way will be displayed.

11.3 "Sort by" action of search results

In order to be able to sort through the portal's search results, a configuration of the metadata in question is mandatory at the Constellio level. It's a matter of making the metadata by which you want to sort "sortable". To be able to configure this option, you need to go to the metadata level and check the box below.

Configuring this action on document metadata involves these changes at the portal level. 

12. Management of the bilingual portal

12.1 Configure Portal Languages

The public portal can be in multiple languages through the language configuration at the Constellio collection level. 

In order to configure the languages in the collection linked to the public portal, you must follow these steps:

• Click on Administration in the navigation menu;  
• Click on Collection management;  
• In the Collection management  window, click on Add (for a new collection) or Edit a collection, for an existing collection;
• Check the desired languages for the multilingual collection;  
• and click Save.

Portal metadata such as title and greeting must be entered in the chosen languages of the collection. A configuration is required to allow this entry. 

Once the languages of the portal collection are configured, the portal will be displayed, depending on the language chosen. You can now view the portal in the language of your choice. 

12.2 Adding translated documents to the Constellio collection

Constellio allows you to link a document with its version translated into another language. In order to be able to link the translated documents, you must follow these steps: 

• Place yourself in one of the two documents;
• View the document and click on theTranslated Versions icon ;
• Click Add to add a translation to the document;
• A window will appear with the language and title of the current document;
• Click on the magnifying glass to search for the corresponding translated document;
• Then add the document;
• Choose the language of the document;
• Click Save.

You can view the translated versions of a document by clicking on it. 

You can edit the document's translations at any time by clicking on "Edit translations" at the top right of the Translated Versions window. 

In this case, the translated document can be deleted by pressing the red  cross and replaced by the new document in the same way as described above. The language can also be changed.

Then press save to save your changes. 

12.3 Searching for translated documents in the portal

The addition of translated documents at the Constellio level allows the portal user to have access to the same document in several languages. All you have to do is choose the language in which the portal is displayed, and the document you are looking for will be displayed in the chosen language. Thus, if the user chooses French as the language of the portal, he or she will have access to the document in French, while if English, the user will have access to the document in English.

View in French 

View in English

12.3 Uploading Documents to the Portal

You can upload a document to the public portal in two ways:

1. By clicking on the icon  that corresponds to the document(s) in the search results.
2. By clicking on the icon at the top right , after viewing the document.