Use the TerminusCMS Dashboard to Curate Data & Content

The TerminusCMS dashboard features a data and content editing section called the Document Explorer. It is here where users can add, edit and delete content and data directly into the backend.

In this example, we've cloned the Star Wars demo project.

First, select the Star Wars project (or an existing project of your own) and navigate to the document explorer section by selecting the third icon on the left, the document with a tick.

The screen displays a list of documents that are included within the project's schema and the number of documents within the database. It also includes a list of the documents on the left with a + symbol to add a new one.

View and filter documents

Click on film (from the left or on the main screen). This will produce a list of the Star Wars films.

If it is a long list, you can use the filter to narrow down the results. In this example, we have added a rule to filter the films using the director property of the document specifying it equals George Lucas.

Depending on the property you filter by, you can use these filter parameters -

• Equals
• Does not equal
• Starts with
• Contains
• Greater than
• Greater than or equal to
• Less than
• Less than or equal to

You can also group filters to combine multiple properties.

There is also a GraphQL query tab that displays how the document can be queried and the structure of any filters applied.

To view a document, click on it from the table view. This will open up that document where you can edit it.

Editing, adding, and deleting content and data will first create a change request.

Change Requests

To edit, add, or delete a document you must first create a change request. A change request creates a branch of the database at that moment and lets you make any changes to this branch, safely away from live data. This process happens automatically. When selecting to edit, add, or delete a document you will be prompted to open a change request.

In this example, we're going to add Even Piell, a character in The Phantom Menace, to the People documents. We choose either the plus next to People on the left, or select Add new People from the top right.

You will then be prompted with a popup.

Give the change request and title and description. If you're working with others, provide a good title and description so they have some context if they review the request.

Select Start a change request. You'll then be in the change request branch to make changes.

The screen looks like this now. You will notice on the left, and in the top bar, there is a notice that informs you that you're in a change request with the title given. We have expanded the top bar using the dropdown arrow to show the options available. You can -

• Exit the change request - Come back at a later date to pick up your changes.
• Ready for review - This sends the change request for review to either be accepted and merged, or rejected and deleted. Make sure you are finished with your changes before sending it for review.

For this how-to guide's flow, we'll skip adding the document here and continue it in the next section. We will continue with the change request and hypothetically make some changes to show you how change requests work.

Change Request Home

For open change requests, ones sent for review, and approved or rejected change requests, you need to navigate to the change request section by clicking the last icon on the left, with the merge symbol.

There are four tabs on this screen:

• Open: These are change requests that have been exited rather than submitted for review. You can click keep editing to carry on with your changes or submit it for review.
• Review: Change requests submitted for review are added here.
• Merged: Accepted and approved change requests go here. On this screen, you can see past change requests and view the details to see what changed.
• Rejected: Change requests that have been rejected.

Reviewing Change Requests

A user has added some documents and made some changes and submitted the change request for review.

The requests are listed in chronological order. To review the change request, select the Review button.

The review screen will tell you who has made the change request and allow you to add notes and accept or reject the change request.

Further below the comments section, there is a diff view to display all of the changes that have been made to make reviewing faster and easier.

To accept or reject the change request. Press the corresponding button.

Conflict Checking

In some cases when a change request has been opened and worked on, other users may have merged change requests. This results in your change request becoming out-of-date as it was a snapshot of before the recently merged change requests took place.

TerminusCMS checks the commit history when you begin to review a change request to ensure it includes the latest data. If it is out-of-date it flags a message and prompts you to update it to ensure no past changes are stomped.

Adding, Editing, & Deleting Documents

Adding, editing, and deleting documents is straightforward.

Adding a document

Navigate to the Document Explorer by clicking on the document with a tick icon on the left.

Either -

1. Click the plus symbol next to the document you wish to add from the left, or
2. Click into a document and on the top right, click the Add New Document button.

Create a new change request, see the section above for details.

Go ahead and fill in the form. The fields of the form will provide detail about what format is required. Any field with an asterisk denotes that it is mandatory.

Submit your changes by pressing the Submit button.

You will need to submit and review the change request for the changes to be applied.

Editing

Let's assume you're in a change request.

Find the document you want to edit and click on it.

Press the Edit button.

Make your changes.

Ensure to press Submit to commit the changes to the change request.

You will need to submit and review the change request for the changes to be applied.

Deleting

Find the document you want to delete and click on it.

Select the red bin icon.

Confirm you wish to delete the document.

You will need to submit and review the change request for the changes to be applied.