Overview

Many websites, and most department websites, include one or more directory pages.

The Directory feature in A UW Madison Theme allows you to create simple directory listings:

Directory List Photo

When viewers click the person’s name, a detail screen appears:

Directory Detail Sample

Prerequisites:

  • Your site’s theme must be set to “A UW Madison Theme.”
  • You must build the page using the Advanced Page Editor, and the row width must be set to full width.

What the Directory Includes:

Listing page:

  • first name
  • last name
  • title
  • email
  • photo, cropped in a circle

Detail page:

  • first name
  • last name
  • title
  • email
  • phone
  • office location
  • bio
  • publications
  • directory groups the person belongs to
  • photo (must be at least 200px wide)
  • LinkedIn Profile link

Limitations of the Directory

  • fonts, formatting, and colors of data fields can’t be changed
  • data fields can’t be rearranged
  • labels for data fields can’t be changed
  • records can’t be sorted
  • you can’t “sticky” a record like a department chair so the name appears at the top
  • photos need to be head shots like the ones show above

Click to expand the step-by-step sections below:

+Part One - Plan the Directory
  1. Consider what information you want to include in your directory:
  • Basic information – name, title, phone, email
  • Extended information – office location, profile photo, bio, publications, LinkedIn address
  1. If you decide to include photos, consider whether you want to send any portrait guidelines, e.g. head shots, professional dress, simple backgrounds, 72ppi in size, etc. Some departments pick a staff person who is comfortable with photography and assign them to take the photos so they are more consistent.
    Notes:
    – Portrait photos must be at least 200px or more in width.
    – If you choose not to include a portrait, an dummy avatar portrait will be displayed instead, unless you hide the profile photos.
  2. Gather the information you want to include. Allow extra time if you ask for photos.
  3. Consider whether you want to group the information. Examples:
  • Faculty, Emeritus Faculty, Affiliated and Associate Faculty
  • Instructors and TAs
  • Staff
  • Graduate Students
  • Service type – accounting, financial, student services, etc.

One person can be a member of multiple groups.

  1. For staff, consider whether you want to use a pure University title, or more of a working title that may reflect more of their duties. Examples:
  • University Spec I or Receptionist or Administrative Assistant
+Part Two - Create the Directory Categories (optional)
  • Login to your website.
  • On the WordPress Admin Dashboard (the black vertical menu at the left), locate and click Directory.  The Directory block expands to show the options – Directory, Add New, Group.  Click Group.  The Groups screen appears.
  • Enter a Name for the Group, e.g. Staff.
  • Enter a Slug for the Group, e.g research-staff (use dashes for underscores).
  • Enter a Description for the group.
  • Click Add New Group.  The new Group appears in the list of Groups on the right side of the page.
+Part Three – Create the Individual Directory Entries

On the WordPress Admin Dashboard (the black vertical menu at the left), locate and click Directory..Add New.  A new screen appears with settings at the left, and the homepage at the right. The Add New Post screen appears.

Required Information

  • In the title field at the top, enter a first and last names.
  • Enter a first name.
  • Enter a last name.
  • Click Publish.

Optional Information

  • Enter a Position Title.
  • Enter a Phone Number.
  • Enter an Email Address.
  • Choose one or more Groups.
  • Enter an Office Location.
  • Add a Profile Photo.
  • Add a Bio (you can copy and paste from Word if you wish).
  • Add Publications (you can copy and paste from Word if you wish).
  • Add the URL of a LinkedIn Profile.
  • Set the security on the listing by restricting it based on WordPress roles. This allows you to restrict the content so it can be viewed only by people who have current WordPress accounts on the site.  You can also set the error message shown to people who do not have enough security privilege when they try to view the list.
  • Click Update.
+Part Four - Create the Directory Listing with the Advanced Page Builder
  1. On the WordPress Admin Dashboard (the black vertical menu at the left), locate and click Pages..Add New.  The Add New Page screen appears.
  2. Enter a title for the new page.
  3. In the Advanced Formatting box, click Advanced Content Editor.  A Page Content Options box appears.  Click Select Content Layout to add a content row and choose Full Width from the popup menu.
  4. A Full Width content row appears. Scroll down and click Add Full Width Content.  Choose Directory Listing from the popup menu.
  5. A Directory Listing content block appears.
  6. Choose a Listing Option – List Full Directory, List Specific Groups, List Select Individuals, List All by Groups.
  7. Click Publish.

Optional Display Settings

Directory Filter – this displays a Search box above the directory.

Default setting: Allow Filtering (display the search box).

Allow Filtering - Display Set to ON Allow Filtering - Off
Listing Filter Set to On Listing Filter Turned Off

To change the setting, click the white triangle.

Show Profile Photos –  this displays or hides the profile photos, in the directory listing.

Default setting: Hide Profile Photos

(Al I think we should label this Display Profile Photos to make it more consistent)

Hide Profile Photos Turned On Hide Profile Photos
Show Profile Photos Hide Profile Photos

To change the setting, click the white triangle.