Drupal Training 6: LocalGov Drupal features out of the box

Here is a look at some of the features available in LocalGov Drupal core.

Subsites

Subsites is the name of the suite of modules we use for creating sections within your website, often called landing pages. For example, you might create a "Subsite Overview" (landing page) for your fostering service.

The Subsite Overview module is a fully-featured, experience page which has lots of options for banners, images, video, and other rich media to bring this section of the site to life.

Once you have created your subsite overview, you will then create "Subsite Pages" to place inside it. For example:

• The fostering process
• Top myths about fostering
• Types of fostering

Services

The services module is made up of four content types:

1. Service landing page
2. Service sublanding page
3. Service page
4. Service status

Service landing page

This is the main page of your service, e.g. "Council Tax". This content type will list sub pages within the service (either service landing pages or individual service pages).

Service sublanding page

If your service has a hierarchy of sections, you can use the service landing page to list subsections of the service. For example:

• Council Tax discounts and exemptions
• Get help paying Council Tax
• What happens if you do not pay your Council Tax
• Who pays Council Tax and how much 

Service page

The service page content type is used to display information about a specific service within your department. For example:

• Manage your Council Tax online
• How to pay your Council Tax
• Appeal a Council Tax bill or decision
• Trace a missing Council Tax payment 

Service status

At times there might be some disruption to a service. If so, you can use the 'Service Status' content type to let your site visitors know about this. The service statuses are displayed on the service landing page of that service, with options to display it on other pages of the site as well.

Read the LocalGov Drupal docs about the services suite.

Directories

We use the directories suite of modules to create listings (directories) of content. For example you might want a listing of parks within your council boundaries, or libraries. Perhaps you want to show a directory all all elected members of your council.

The directories suite has a number of modules:

• Directory Channel - the container for the directory (e.g. "Libraries")
• Directory Page - a directory entry for information (e.g. "Careers Service Northern Ireland")
• Directory Venue - a directory entry for a physical place (e.g. a specific careers service office)
• Directory Organisation - a standard organisation type for use as either as directory entry, or for other Open Referral compatible entries

Read the LocalGov Drupal docs about the directories suite.

Guides and Step-by-steps

LocalGov Drupal provides intuitive guide and step-by-step features that help users navigate complex processes or access important information. These guides are crucial for ensuring that residents can easily follow instructions for tasks such as applying for permits, accessing community services, or understanding local regulations.

Guides

Guides has two content types: Guide Overview (the container) and Guide Page (each individual page in the guide)

We use guides when the order in which the information is consumed does not matter. For example, if you wanted information about Blue Badges, it doesn't matter in what order you read about Blue Badges. 

• About Blue Badges
• Apply for a Blue Badge
• Blue Badges for organisations
• Blue Badge fraud
• Report changes, lost or stolen badges
• Who is eligible for a Blue Badge

Step-by-Step

When the order of tasks does matter, we use the Step-by-Step suite of modules. Step-by-Steps has two content types: Step-by-Step Overview (the container) and Step-by-Step Page (each individual page in the Step-by-Step).

For example, "Request support for an adult".

• Find out what support we offer
• Apply for financial support
• Choosing how to manage your care
• Contact the support team

• Read the LocalGov Drupal docs about the guides suite.
• Read the LocalGov Drupal docs about the step-by-step suite.

News

The news suite ensures that important updates reach the community efficiently. It comprises of two modules:

• Newsroom - A newsroom is a container for a set of news articles. Your LGD site can have as many newsrooms as you wish. For example, you might have a general newsroom where most of your news goes, but you may also have some newsrooms for press releases, road closures and updates, job advertisements, etc.
• News Article - The news article is used to create individual news posts, which are placed inside newsrooms. While creating an article you can also "feature" it in the newsroom so it stands out more at the top of the page.

Read the LocalGov Drupal docs about the news suite.

Events

The events module creates an event content type. Events can be once-off or repeatable, with an optional field for a call-to-action (e.g. "Get Tickets"). We also have an "Add to Calendar" feature built-in so events can easily be added to Google Calendar, Outlook, or any iCal enabled calendar.

Read the LocalGov Drupal docs about the events module.

Alert Banners

Often you will need to alert your visitors to specific information. We have created the Alert Banner module to allow you place specific alerts on all pages of your site (or just a subsection if you wish). Alert banners have a number of severity levels - announcement (e.g. this website will be offline for maintenance for one hour on Friday), minor (e.g. the high street will be closed for resurfacing on Monday), emergency (e.g. the local river has burst its banks, do not approach it), and death of a notable person. 

Read the LocalGov Drupal docs about the alert banner module.

Filed Under:

1. LocalGov Drupal
2. Drupal
3. Drupal Training