Templates

This article will cover how to utilize EasyContent's templating system to its full potential. This way, you'll be able to create templates that makes it faster and easier to create high quality content.

Let's get started!

Templates Page

To access this page, select a project from the project dropdown in the left sidebar menu, then click Templates under Configuration. Here, you can see all of the selected project's templates.

Click on a template card's menu to access its options. You can set it as a default if it isn't already, duplicate it, change its name, copy it into another project, or delete it. Note that a template designated as the default template cannot be deleted. Set a different one so you'll be able to delete it.

The Default Templates

When you create a new project, there will be five starter templates: Article, Blog, Social Media, Newsletter, and Landing Page. You can use them as is or edit and tailor them to your needs.

For the purposes of this article, we'll create a new template from scratch. Note that depending on your plan, the starter templates may have already used up your project's template creation limit. If you want to follow along, you can delete one of them. Don't worry about losing them, you can create a new project and clone the deleted starter template from there.

When you create a new template, it will have two default tabs: Main Content and CMS Fields. Let's take a closer look at them.

Main Content Tab

The main text of your content item will be in the main content tab. It has three default fields: title, main content, and files. You may have noticed the "system field" tag in them.

System fields can't be deleted and you can't create new ones, but they can be disabled. They are a little bit special because they are tied to our API and CMS integrations, so if you plan to take advantage of those features, you will want to utilize them.

The other field category is general fields. Also known as custom fields, they can be deleted, but they can't be disabled. They can be added to system tabs and general tabs and you can create multiple copies of them.

You can learn more about field types here.

Title Field

The title field is usually what will be used as your article or page's h1 tag. It has multiple options, all of which are explained below.

• Set recommended length to - you can define a recommended length of n words or characters. Note that this doesn't prevent the user from submitting or approving the content item even if the recommended length is not met.
• Visible - when this is unchecked, this field is disabled. In that case, it won't appear in the content editor.
• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

Main Content Field

The main content field represents the main content editor.

You can add default content for this field. For example, you can add guidelines, writing tips, outlines, etc. When a content item or a brief using this template is created or claimed for the first time, the main content field will be prefilled with the default content you added.

• Set recommended length to - you can define a recommended length of n words or characters. Note that this doesn't prevent the user from submitting or approving the content item even if the recommended length is not met.
• Visible - when this is unchecked, this field is disabled. In that case, it won't appear in the content editor.
• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Add/edit default content - anything added here will be the default text for when a content item is created, assigned to, or claimed for the first time.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

Files Field

Finally, we have the files field. There aren't any customization options for this one aside from the option to add a field guideline. Note that you also can't disable or hide this field unless you're willing to disable the entire main content tab (more about disabling tabs later).

CMS Fields

The CMS fields tab is hidden by default. To unhide it, click the the dot menu next to its name and click "show". Once visible, you will see multiple system fields. Most of them are used for SEO and CMS integration.

Featured Image Field

When enabled, the featured image field allows assigned users (and any user with the right permissions) to attach a featured image to the content item. Note that to be able to attach an image here, it should be uploaded to the Files field in the main content tab. You can also use an external image URL, just paste the image URL in the featured image field. Make sure it's a direct image link and not a webpage with an image on it.

• Visible - when this is unchecked, this field is disabled. In that case, it won't appear in the content editor.
• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

When viewed in the content editor, the featured image field will have the alt text option. When you publish to WordPress, this alt text will be used for the post's featured image.

Excerpt Field

The excerpt field allows assigned users to add an excerpt text to the content item. When you publish to WordPress, this will be used as the post's excerpt.

• Set recommended length to - you can define a recommended length of n words or characters. Note that this doesn't prevent the user from submitting or approving the content item even if the recommended length is not met.
• Visible - when this is unchecked, this field is disabled. In that case, it won't appear in the content editor.
• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

The excerpt widget and any other widgets that accept text input will have a character and word counter visible. If a recommended length is set, it's displayed in the form of N/Limit, like in the example below.

Tags Field

The tags field allows users to add tags to a content item. When you publish to WordPress, this will be used as the post's tags.

• Visible - when this is unchecked, this field is disabled. In that case, it won't appear in the content editor.
• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

Custom Post Slug Field

The custom post slug field lets you define a custom post URL (example.com/this-is-the-custom-post-slug). When you publish to WordPress, this will be used as the post's permalink. Be sure to enable custom permalinks via Settings > Permalinks in WordPress for this field to be properly synced.

Making this a required field is a good idea to consider if you're looking to optimize your content for SEO and UX.

• Set recommended length to - you can define a recommended length of n words or characters. Note that this doesn't prevent the user from submitting or approving the content item even if the recommended length is not met.
• Visible - when this is unchecked, this field is disabled. In that case, it won't appear in the content editor.
• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

Meta Title Field

The meta title field allows you to set a custom meta title for your content items. It's a good idea to set a 60-character recommended length for SEO purposes.

• Set recommended length to - you can define a recommended length of n words or characters. Note that this doesn't prevent the user from submitting or approving the content item even if the recommended length is not met.
• Visible - when this is unchecked, this field is disabled. In that case, it won't appear in the content editor.
• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

Note that If you're using WordPress, you will need to have either Yoast SEO or All-in-One SEO Pack installed and activated for this to sync properly.

Meta Description Field

The meta description field allows you to set a custom meta description for your content items. It's a good idea to set a 160-character recommended length for SEO purposes.

• Set recommended length to - you can define a recommended length of n words or characters. Note that this doesn't prevent the user from submitting or approving the content item even if the recommended length is not met.
• Visible - when this is unchecked, this field is disabled. In that case, it won't appear in the content editor.
• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

Like the the meta title field, this also requires either Yoast SEO or All-in-One SEO Pack installed and activated for this to sync properly.

Hiding Main Content and CMS Fields

If you don't want to use the Main Content and/or the CMS fields tabs, you can hide them by clicking the dot menu and selecting "hide".

When a tab is hidden, it will not appear in the content editor and on a shared link. It will also not sync to WordPress.

⚠️Important note: while you can still publish an item to WordPress using a template with hidden system tabs, the resulting post will either have empty content or no SEO settings. Our WP plugin pulls these data from the system fields in the system tabs. If you intend to use a template on a content item that will be published to WordPress, it's required that you utilize these tabs and fields.

Custom Tabs

You can create as many custom tabs and add as many custom fields to them as you wish. However, you can't add system fields in a custom tab.

Custom Fields

Currently, there are ten custom fields available. Let's take a look at each of them.

Heading

The heading field is used for organizing your tabs. You can use this to mark sections of your tab especially if it contains a lot of other fields. Think of them as headers, just like the ones you use to separate different sections of your articles.

Guidelines

The guidelines field adds a standalone guideline text not attached to any fields. You can use this to describe what a tab or a tab section is for.

Single line text

This field adds a single-line text input field.

• Set recommended length to - you can define a recommended length of n words or characters. Note that this doesn't prevent the user from submitting or approving the content item even if the recommended length is not met.
• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

Paragraph text

This field adds either a rich text editor or a plain text editor.

• Set recommended length to - you can define a recommended length of n words or characters. Note that this doesn't prevent the user from submitting or approving the content item even if the recommended length is not met.
• Plain text - by default, this field adds a rich text editor. When this option is activated, it will become a plain text editor instead.
• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

File/Image upload

This field adds a file uploader, similar to the one in the main content tab. Note that you can't use images uploaded here as a featured image in CMS Fields tab. Use the Files system field in the Main Content tab instead.

• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

Single image ^NEW

This field adds an image uploader for a single image. It comes with advanced commenting capability, allowing users to add comments on specific parts of the image.

• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

Checkboxes

This field adds a checkbox input field.

• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Add option - use this to add choices. You can add as many as you want.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

Radio Buttons

This field adds a radio input field.

• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Add option - use this to add choices. You can add as many as you want.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

Date

This field adds a date picker.

• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor.

Dropdown Select

This field adds a dropdown selection field.

• Required - when checked, the user must fill out this field before they can submit, approve, or publish the content item. This means it cannot advance to the next workflow stage. Do note that this doesn't prevent a user with the manage content items permission to manually change an item's workflow status.
• Add option - use this to add choices. You can add as many as you want.
• Limit the number of selection options to - allows you to set a limit to how many items a user can select from the pool of available choices.
• Field guidelines (optional) - you can use this to add little helper text that will appear under the field in the content editor

Reordering and Deleting Template Fields

To reorder a template field, simply click and drag their handles or click the up or down arrow.

You can delete a non-system field by clicking its corresponding delete icon.

Creating New Templates

When you create a new template, it will automatically have the Main Content and CMS Fields tabs as well as their respective system fields.

To create new template, go to the template page and click the create template tile. If you can't see the menu item in the left sidebar, make sure a project is selected in the project dropdown.

Template Options

You can access various template options by clicking the dot menu in a template card. Through this, you can set a template as the default one (if it isn't already) as well as rename it, delete it, duplicate it or clone it to another project.

Keep in mind that when you set a template as the default, you won't be able to delete it. You'll need to select a new default template first before you can delete it.

Another way to access template options is through the dot menu next to the template name in the template editor.

Applying Templates to Content Items

There are several ways to apply your template to a content item (or a group of them). We'll cover three different ways to do that in the content items page.

1. Via actions bar - you can use this if you want to apply a template to multiple items at once. Select content items using the checkboxes. At the bottom of the page, the actions bar will appear. Click the three dots to display additional options and select change template.
   
   
   
   
2. Via template column - clicking the template name under the template column brings out the template selection window.
   
   
   
   
3. Via action column - similar to #1, but for single items.
   
   

You can also apply a template to a content item or brief as you create them: