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WordPress Update Logging Procedure

Introduction

Every time the members of JSOM Web Services update a web page in WordPress, they need to log the following:

  • First name
  • Date (format: “Nov 13, 2019”)
  • Reason for update

The purpose of manual update logging is to ensure that we can accurately report when our Content Owners are maintaining their pages. (Using the update history in WordPress is not accurate because many updates are made without the Content Owner initiating them. For example, when we update meta info, correct a typo, etc.)

How to log your update

Make sure Custom Fields are visible

“Screen Options” is available in the upper right of your WordPress admin pages. Make sure that “Custom Fields” is checked.

check that the custom fields option is checked in Screen Options

Find the Custom Fields section and select “source”

On any WordPress editing page, the Custom Fields section is located below the content panel. If there is not already a custom field with “source” selected, create a new custom field and select “source.”

select source from the custom field dropdown menu

First name – Date – Reason

Before you click “Save Draft” in WordPress, make sure you’ve updated the “source” custom field. Use this format:

  • First name – Date (format: “Nov 13, 2019”) – Reason for update

Example of logging an update that came from a Content Owner meeting, or some other source than Atlas:

example of a custom field that James edited

Example of logging an update for SEO:

example of a custom field that Diana edited

Example of logging an update from a Atlas ticket. If you updated the page because of an Atlas ticket, please include the Atlas ticket number as the reason:

  • Shreyas – Nov 13, 2019 – Atlas 13874
example of a custom field that student worker edited

Always keep the last Atlas log

If the reason for the update is a Atlas, you can remove the old source and add yours: typically we need only one source at a time.

But, if you are updating a page for any other reason, you must preserve the last log that included an Atlas. Just add your reason above of the previous Atlas-related reason.

example of log if the reason was not an Atlas

Atlas tickets are the primary way that Content Owners make requests, so we always need an Atlas number in the log. This will make sure we don’t overwrite the last time a Content Owner made a request.