Admin Dashboard Overview

The Total CMS Admin Dashboard is your central hub for managing all content, users, and system settings. This guide will help you navigate and utilize the dashboard effectively.

(This primarily serves as an outline for future docs…)

Dashboard Layout

The admin interface is organized into several main sections:

1. Navigation Menu

Located on the left side, the navigation menu provides quick access to:

• Dashboard - Overview and quick stats
• Collections - Manage your content types
• Schemas - Define and edit data structures
• Documentation - This help system
• Tools - Utilities like import/export, job queue
• Settings - System configuration

2. Main Content Area

The central area displays the current page content, forms, and data tables.

3. Top Bar

Contains:

• Search functionality
• User profile menu
• Quick actions
• System notifications

Key Features

Collection Management

Collections are the heart of Total CMS. From the dashboard, you can:

1. View All Collections - See all available content types at a glance
2. Quick Actions - Add new content, view collection, or edit schema

Example collections include:

• Blog posts
• Image galleries
• File repositories
• Custom business objects

Data Tables

Most collection views use interactive data tables that support:

• Sorting - Click column headers to sort
• Filtering - Search within collections
• Pagination - Navigate large datasets
• Bulk Actions - Select multiple items for operations
• Quick Edit - Inline editing for simple changes

Form Builder

The form system automatically generates input forms based on your schemas:

• Smart Field Types - Appropriate inputs for each data type
• Validation - Real-time and server-side validation
• File Uploads - Drag-and-drop media uploads
• Rich Text Editing - WYSIWYG editor for content
• Relationships - Link content between collections

Activity Feed

The dashboard homepage shows recent activity:

• Recently modified objects
• User login activity
• System events
• Job queue status

Common Tasks

Creating Content

1. Navigate to the desired collection
2. Click “Add New” button
3. Fill in the form fields
4. Save or Save & Continue

Editing Content

1. Find the content in the collection view
2. Click the edit icon or row
3. Modify the fields
4. Save changes

Bulk Operations

1. Select items using checkboxes
2. Choose action from dropdown
3. Confirm the operation

Media Management

1. Go to Media section
2. Upload files via drag-and-drop
3. Organize into folders
4. Use in content via media picker

Dashboard Widgets

The main dashboard page can display various widgets:

Statistics Widget

• Total objects across collections
• Storage usage
• User count
• Recent activity metrics

Quick Links Widget

• Frequently used collections
• Recent drafts
• Pending approvals

System Status Widget

• License status
• Job queue health
• Cache status
• System updates

Customization

User Preferences

Access your preferences from the user menu:

• Dashboard layout
• Default collection view
• Items per page
• Date/time format
• Language settings

Collection Views

Customize how collections display:

• Choose visible columns
• Set default sorting
• Configure filters
• Save view presets

Performance Tips

1. Use Filters - Filter large collections before sorting
2. Pagination - Adjust items per page for performance
3. Bulk Actions - Process multiple items at once
4. Keyboard Shortcuts - Learn shortcuts for common actions

Getting Help

• Tooltips - Hover over icons for explanations
• Field Help - Click (?) icons for field descriptions
• Documentation - Access full docs from the menu
• Support - Contact support from the help menu

Security Notes

• Sessions expire after inactivity
• All actions are logged
• Sensitive operations require confirmation
• Regular backups are recommended

Remember: The dashboard is designed to be intuitive. Don’t hesitate to explore and experiment - most actions can be undone or have confirmation prompts for safety.