Here you can find some of the most commonly asked questions about how to use your pages - if your questions are not answered below, then please do get in contact by emailing CEHwebsupport@ceh.ac.uk or calling 692456.
General questions
Q: Why have we created a new website?
A: The old website was over a decade old and no longer reflected the cutting-edge research of CEH. This new website is designed to better represent our science, be more accessible, and allow staff to have control of their presence on the website.
Q: What is different on this new website?
- A Content Management Platform (Drupal 7) facilitating more dynamic content through CEH-wide staff content generation.
- Cross-browser/device compatibility, responding to smart phones, iPads and tablets.
- Systems integration: NORA, CEH image catalogue and social media.
- Staff and project databases: staff have control over their external profile page and can produce project pages.
- On-site blog.
- Rapid set-up of science projects websites, termed multisites.
- Integrated search across CEH corporate website and multisites.
- Consistent site hosting and technical support (security, server & software maintenance), ensuring CEH’s websites remain secure and maintained.
Q: How do I log in?
A: You will be emailed your username and password by cehwebsupport@ceh.ac.uk. You will then be able to active your profile by going to www.ceh.ac.uk/user. Subsequently you can use those login details to login either by going to 'Login' link in the footer of www.ceh.ac.uk, or www.ceh.ac.uk/user.
Q: Why didn't CEH use the same default login for the website?
A: This is something we wanted to do as it is easier for you as a user. However, for security reasons NERC do not want to share your network login details with any third parties.
Q: What can I do on the website?
A: Staff members can now update their own individual profiles, create project pages if you are a Principal Investigator, and write blog posts. Please see the tutorial videos for more information.
Q: Does everything I add immediately go live?
A: Not immediately - a workflow will be put in place that will send all new content through to the communications team before being published. This allows the comms team to check the new content for look and feel, ensure that all the links work, etc. Once it has been approved by the communications team the new content will go live.
Q: Who do I contact if I spot a bug or need help?
A: If your question is not answered by these FAQ or the video tutorials, then please either call 01491 692456 during 9-5, Monday to Friday or email CEHwebsupport@ceh.ac.uk.
Project pages
Q: How do I set up my own project website?
A: Principal Investigators will be given the permissions to create and manage project pages. To request this elevated permissions level please contact web support. Once set up you will be able to add and edit the page content, contact details, collaborating information, pictures, etc., as well as update it with any changes that may be made in the future.
Q: My new project needs its own website. Can you help?
A: Yes, new project sites can be set up quickly. You will have full control and can undertake bespoke development. The standard charges is $240 per year (for up to 10,000 monthly page views). $960 per year for up to 100,000 pages monthly page views (charges correct as of April 2018). Please speak to the head of your project first as those costs will come out of the project's funds. You will need to fill out a site request form and send it through to the communications team who will start setting it up.
Q: CEH has a lot of old legacy projects - will they be moved to be hosted on the new CEH site?
A: Once the new CEH site has gone live a plan is being developed to identify sites and determine their future management. If you want to migrate this now please speak to Johnny Kam or CEH comms team.
Q: Can I have multiple project pages?
A: Each project can have its own unique page.
Q: Is there a way to search by keyword? Not everybody will already know the name of the project they're looking for.
A: Currently you can search by title or Science Area. If you have suggestions on how to improve this, send them to cehwebsupport@ceh.ac.uk
Q: How long will a project page stay on the website?
A: There are no set guidelines, and we understand that a project page can still be very useful even after the project has finished. This will be a joint decision between the Principal Investigator and the communications team.
Staff pages
Q: Do I have to fill out my individual external profile page?
A: The choice to publish your staff page is completely up to you, although CEH expects senior scientists and project leaders to have a web presence. You will be sent an email by cehwebsupport@ceh.ac.uk with information on how to activate your account, but unless you decide to publish it, your profile won't appear on the website. There are numerous benefits to having a staff profile, however, including:
- allowing the website to access NORA and bring through all your publications to your staff page
- increasing your public profile
- allowing you to have control over how to represent your research and interests
- facilitating opportunities for collaboration.
Q: How do I make my staff page visible on the internet?
A. You will need to tick a box on your profile page "Display my profile on ceh.ac.uk" to make it go live. Not everyone will need to have a visible staff page, but most scientists will wish to display their research interests and publications and CEH encourages this. If you don't want an external profile then just don't tick the box.
Q: Do I need to fill out my contact information?
A: By default, the profile will be populated with your name, site, email and direct dial. You can modify these as you see fit, so, for example, you may wish to put your site's telephone rather than a direct line. There is a general 'Contact us' page on the website which gives the site reception number, but there is the slight risk that they are not always available.
Q: Is it possible to have academic public profiles, such as ResearchGate or Academia.edu, as well as Twitter and Facebook?
A: At the moment the only way to add academic profile pages is in the main body text or related links.The site is under development and we are considering changing this in response to staff demand.
Q: How do the publications get pulled through to my staff page?
A: Outputs, such as papers, are automatically pulled through from NORA and appear on your staff profile page. If an output is not in NORA, it will not appear on your staff page.
Q: I can't work out how to delete a 'Selected publication'
A: Use the delete key in the text box where the selected publication appears
Q: What about publications I did before coming to CEH, and therefore aren't in NORA?
A: These publications won't appear. You could add those publications in the main body text.
Q: The formatting isn't right on some of my publications - why?
A: Currently all publications are pulled through from NORA and then formatted by the website - we are aware that there are some issues, so please bear with us as we get them fixed.
Q: Is it possible to include a link directly to my NORA page?
A: There is currently no box specifically for this, but you are of course free to put a link in your main body text to your NORA page.
Q: How do I link to other pages on the CEH website from my staff profile?
A: When editing your staff profile, first write the text that you wish to link to another page on the CEH website. Then highlight that text and hit the icon that looks like a paperclip, which allows you to link to other pages. A pop-up will appear with two drop-downs, 'Link Type' and 'Protocol'. Leave the Link Type as is, but change the second drop-down,'Protocol', to say '<other>'. Then insert the url of the page you wish to link to, but minus the 'www.ceh.ac.uk'. If you wished to link to the Ecological Processes Science Area, for example, you would insert /our-science/science-areas/ecological-processes-resilience, not https://www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/science-areas/ecological-processes-resilience. Then click okay.
Blogs
Q: How do I publish a blog?
A: We encourage you to write blog posts relating to your science, but please speak to the communications team first so that we can help with scheduling. After speaking with us, you can add a new blog post by going to the top of the page and hitting 'Content' > 'Add Content' > 'Blog entry'. You can then write the blog, adding in pictures, links, maps, etc. Once you've finished it will go through to the comms team so we can have a quick look over (double-checking links, pictures, etc.). We will then either publish it directly, or send it back to you to agree any suggestions.
Q: Is it possible to edit a blog after I've written it?
A: Yes, you can edit anything that you've written. The blogs are ordered in terms of publication date, however, so unless you edit the publication date as well your blog won't come through to the top.
Q: Does this mean that the communications team won't help me write blogs any more?
A: The communications team are here to support communication of your science, so continue to use us.