Publishing, Unpublishing, & Workflows

Publishing Workflow Steps

For AEM Authors

Step 1: Start Workflow from Page Options

• Select “Start Workflow” from the page options menu.

Step 2: Select TNC Basic Publishing Workflow

• A Start Workflow pop-up window will appear. In the first field, select “TNC Basic Publishing Workflow” from the dropdown menu.
  

Step 3: Title Workflow

• In the second field, enter a title for the workflow that specifically describes what the publisher should review. Please use the following format:
  • UPDATE: Use for updates to already published pages. Add a detailed description of what, specifically, was updated + Jira request number, if applicable.
    • Example: "swapped out link in second paragraph"; "changed hero image"; "fixed typo in fifth paragraph".
  • APPROVED CONTENT: Use for brand new, not previously published pages. Include the Jira request number (REQ-123).
  • TIME BOUND: All pages. Add a detailed description of the update and urgency. (Please use this judiciously. While we strive to offer an initial review in well under two business days as capacity allows, edits may be required before publication.)
  • NEW EVENT PAGE: Use for brand new, not previously published event pages. No further detail is necessary.
  • NEW PRESS RELEASE: Use for brand new, not previously published press release pages. No further detail is necessary.

Step 4: Start Workflow

• Click “Start Workflow” on the pop-up window. 
  

Content Unpublishing/Expiration

For AEM Authors

TWO WAYS IN WHICH A PAGE CAN BE SET TO UNPUBLISH/EXPIRE
 

Option 1: Page Properties

An off time can be included in the page properties (Basic Tab) when a page is built, or it can be added at any time. 

Any modifications to page properties have to go through workflow and be published.  When the page is published with an off time in the properties, the page will expire at that time and trigger expiration emails in the week prior.

This is the preferred method for adding a future expiration time.

Option 2: TNC Page Unpublishing Workflow

An off time can also be set in properties without submitting to a publisher by going through the unpublishing workflow. This is the preferred method for immediately unpublishing a page.

• Select Start Workflow from the page options menu (Do NOT select ”Request Unpublication”)
• Select “TNC Page Unpublishing Workflow” from the dropdown
• Click “Complete” in the blue bar at the top of the page. You can put a future off time here, but NEVER put an off time in the past. If you leave this blank, the page will set to expire in one hour from when you complete the workflow.

If the page is NOT linked to by other pages, an off time will be set in the page properties for one hour in the future and the page will unpublish. No emails will be triggered.

*If the page IS linked to by other pages, it will trigger link review emails and another  workflow step. An email will be sent to the person who triggered the workflow (you) containing the list of pages that link to the page you are unpublishing.

• *If the page is linked, there is one additional workflow step – you will again have to click “Complete” at the top of the page, then choose to “Continue to Unpublish” page, or “Cancel Workflow.”
• If you continue to unpublish a page that is linked to by others, the author, page creator, and business leads of the pages referencing the expiring page will receive Broken Link Notification emails, alerting them that a page has been unpublished. 
   

Below Left: Email sent to the person completing the unpublish workflow. 

Below Right: Email sent to the owner of a page linking to the page that will be unpublished. 

Why Governance?

In the past, there was not strong governance over the kind, quantity or consistency of content on nature.org. What are the benefits of instituting governance?

• Ensures that state and local content has a goal and audience that are in line with the overall goals and audiences of nature.org established at the organization-wide level.
• Makes sure content follows a consistent style in terms of writing quality, appropriateness for the audience, usage and formatting.
• Makes sure content is strategic, that it isn't redundant with other content, and that it isn't built for a very limited and short-term purpose and audience.

Content Workflow Review

Turnaround: 3 day maximum (less whenever possible)

How to Submit Briefs

Submission of a brief, and approval by publishers, is required for any new campaign page or article page. A brief is not required for a new event page or press release or for edits to an existing page (although large changes to an existing page might warrant updating the brief for that page). To submit a brief:

• Fill out this request form on the Digital Requests Portal. If you prefer to upload an attachment, you can attach it to your request.
• We’ll communicate with you about your brief via comments in Jiraa, and let you know there when your brief is approved. We may suggest updating an existing page instead of creating a new one. If we have not explicitly marked your brief as approved in Jira, or you have not answered our questions there, don't assume the brief is approved.
• Turnaround Time: We will review your brief within 1-2 business days and will try to approve it within 2-3 (or come to an agreement with you about an alternative approach).
  
  

How to Submit Drafts

We’ll review a draft of your content for adherence to style, web writing guidelines, etc., but the process for this review can be flexible depending on your preferences. We will be reviewing for clarity, compelling content, and other criteria from Part A of AEM training, so revisions may be necessary. Give some thought to how to incorporate this review into your usual review process so that you don’t run into issues (for example, science staff have approved and then we suggest a rewrite). We're happy to review drafts via emailed word documents, in Box, in AEM or in Jira—whatever works for you.
 

Approvals in AEM

Our goal will be to review pages in AEM within 2 workdays (less when possible). Please allow longer for us to review completely new pages for the first time. For pages that require a brief and draft review, total turnaround from brief to final approval should be 2 weeks or less except possibly for more complicated campaigns. 

No matter what the circumstance, ALWAYS write a comment when approving a page in AEM. For example:

• “First draft for style review. Goal is to have this live by next Thursday.”
• “Made suggested changes. Should be mostly final.”
• “Added text and photo about recent project (or recent volunteer workday, news, land deal, etc.).”
• “Press release for media push starting tomorrow. Please approve by COB.”
• “Event for promotion on social and in next week’s GPN.”
• ”Corrected species name for science staff”…”Updated preserve hours”…”Fixed typo”

Turnaround Times 

(from N.A. AEM Publishers)

New Article, Campaign, and PWP Pages, Step-by-Step

1. Author submits brief—publisher reviews and comments within 5 workdays (sometime the first comments will include approval and you’re done with the briefs process).
2. Author replies to comments and questions—publisher usually approves or rejects brief within 5 workdays.
3. Author submits draft via AEM or other method—publisher reviews and replies with comments and edits within 1 week. This is especially critical. Especially at high-volume times, we need time to do thorough edits and get everyone meaningful feedback.
4. Author revises content based on publisher comments—publisher reviews and publishes within 2 workdays.
    

Event Pages and Edits to Existing pages

1. Author creates or edits content based—publisher reviews and publishes within 2 workdays (this may include rejecting for edits and re-reviewing).
   
   

Emergency Approvals Outside Business Hours (please reserve for real emergencies)

• As soon as you know you will have an emergency please let us know. For example, if you have a press release that must go live at a specific time but you are waiting on approvals from others, give us a heads up that an emergency request is coming. This gives us the opportunity to prepare.
• We’re in different time zones and have different schedules, so trying all of us increases your chances that someone will see your request.