Sitecore Webinar Training Components Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can you build me a new website or redesign my site?
If you are requesting a new website or are seeking a refresh of your existing site, please create a HELP ticket by emailing help@usf.edu. All requests must be approved by the ADR (Authorized Department Representative). If you have any questions about obtaining approval from the ADR, please contact your supervisor or approval authority.

Can you create my USF Health faculty profile page?
Faculty profile web pages are generated from an active GEMS account. Once the GEMS account is established with the associated entitlements (i.e. job roles), the faculty profile is dynamically generated. Faculty members must login to the Health Faculty Directory (link below) using their NETID and password to update their profile information. Once an update is made in the application, it will be reflected immediately on the profile page.  

Login to the Health Faculty Directory: https://hsccf.hsc.usf.edu/facultyDirectory/

Can I add an external business or organization logo to my website?
Third-party logos of businesses or organizations that have an established relationship with USF and are approved by university leadership are permitted. Also, adding hyperlinks to third-party logos that point users back to the organization’s website are prohibited unless approved through university leadership.

Can you make my website look like this one (third party site, external site)?
All website design and layout must adhere to the approved site structure of USF Health web pages and must adopt the global, top-level navigation header and footer of the college or division. Custom web development requires USF-IT governance and approval.

Can you create a Vanity URL?
You may apply for a vanity/marketing URL by emailing webservices@usf.edu. USF Health marketing URLs are structured as [name].http://health.usf.edu or http://health.usf.edu/%5bname ]. While you can suggest a preferred name, review and approval is required to determine if the URL name is already taken or is reserved. Please email webservices@usf.edu with your proposed marketing URL to the Web Services team in USF-IT.  
Please be advised: USF-IT does not enable marketing web addresses or redirects for domains (i.e. www.(mywebsite).edu) that are not owned by the university. This would require you to purchase and manage the domain with a third-party vendor (e.g. GoDaddy).

Can I have a blog?
USF Health currently does not have a blog tool for department use. It is recommended to research third party solutions that can be linked on your website to the blog. Legacy WordPress blogs are no longer supported by USF-IT and are managed entirely by departments.

Can I have a Wiki site?
Please email help@usf.edu to request information on Confluence and SharePoint for a department Wiki site.

Can I delete a page or site section?
Page or site deletion requests must be approved by the ADR (Authorized Department Representative) in an email to help@usf.edu. Please specify in the request if you only wish to remove the link from your site (e.g. on a page or in site navigation), or if you would like to delete the page/site entirely from your website. Once the page or site is deleted, it will be removed and cannot be restored. It is recommended to identify and update any links or existing navigation to this page or site as well as any bookmarks in your web browser.

Can I embed a widget on my website? (third party script/code)
Requests for custom widgets requires USF-IT governance and approval. Third-party scripts or code poses an inherent security risk because the script has full access to the front end of the website and may not function as intended within the Sitecore web CMS.

Can I submit web requests using text highlights, strikethroughs, or bold text in the body of my email to the HELP desk?
When emailing revisions to the HELP desk please attach a Word file of the requested changes (e.g. data tables, webpages, etc.). The service desk strips out formatting from emails which makes it difficult for the web team to identify your changes. As always, please include the page links where the changes should be applied.

Can I add social media icons and links to my web page?
Social media icons are permanently positioned in the footer of all USF Health college and department sites. Please email help@usf.edu if you need to update the social media icon links in the site footer.

Can I add links to external websites in my navigation?
It is not recommended to link to external sites in navigation. Navigation links that point to external websites point users away from your site and can affect the user experience. Please email help@usf.edu if you need to link to an external website so that the web team can identify the best solution for your site.

Can I fix my pixelated and distorted images on my web page? (e.g. no digital retouch, only resizing)
Images provided for web requests are placed as-is on your website. The web team does not perform digital retouch but will resize images according to the page layout. It is recommended to supply images that are no smaller than 300 dpi for the best quality.

Can I have a hero video on my homepage as seen on USF Health and Morsani homepages?
USF Health college homepages use a custom page type that was approved by USF Health leadership and University Communications and Marketing. The custom design is not available to inner department sites.

Can I have multiple videos on my page?
Please email help@usf.edu to request a video component on your web page along with a share link to the video embed. Embedded videos must be linked from an approved USF Health YouTube or Vimeo account. For multiple videos, it is recommended that departments link to their YouTube channel.

Can I have a slideshow on my page with unlimited images?
Yes, though it is recommended to limit slideshows to no more than 4 images. Web users typically do not stay on a page long enough to view all images in slideshow. The average web user stays on a web page for as little as 4 seconds before navigating to a new page.

Can the title on my page be made into a link?
It is not a USF Health standard to hyperlink header text (e.g. page name). Links are normally placed in body content, global site navigation or footers.

Can you add embedded images from a document to a web page?
Embedded images in Word or PDF minimizes the image quality. Images for the web should be uploaded individually to a Box folder and a share link provided to the web team.

Can I add a document to the Left-Side Navigation?
It is not recommended to link to documents in site navigation. Navigation should be used to guide visitors to inner pages of your website. It is recommended to link to documents and/or external websites in the body of a web page on the site.

How big should the image in my hero banner be?
The recommended image Size for a hero banner is 760x400 px.

Will you please add this (extremely large/small) image to the page?
It is recommended to supply images that are no smaller than 300 dpi for the best quality.

I submitted a HELP ticket for my website that has recently been resolved. Can I reopen the ticket if I identify additional changes that I forgot?
Web service requests are completed based on the original requirements submitted per HELP ticket. Thus, if you identify additional changes, please submit them in a new email to help@usf.edu to create a new issue. It is recommended to compile your edits into a Word document or Box folder with content and submit it at one time. Responding to the same service ticket with new requirements after it has been resolved will not be added into production.

Will you please add web access permissions for my staff member?
Users must attend a web training and successfully pass a certification test to gain editor access to USF Health websites. The first step is to have your ADR (Authorized Department Representative) or the approval authority in your department submit an email to help@usf.edu to request web access and include the department’s website address.

 Sitecore training is offered through Microsoft Teams. The training is offered once a quarter and the next training date is to be determined. Attendees are added to a wait list and will be notified once a date/time is confirmed and space is available.

Can you please expedite this request?
Service issues (i.e. HELP tickets) are resolved in the order that they are received. Issues involving sites that are not loading; is related to accreditation, grant or research requirements; is out of compliance or requires an EMS emergency alert notification are prioritized first within the web team’s production queue.

Can you develop my requirements which are in PowerPoint format/handwritten?
The web team is unable to accept requirements in PowerPoint, scanned documents or handwritten notes. Content must be supplied in Word format with images provided in a shared Box folder link.

Can you organize my faculty page in alpha order by the last name?
Department faculty pages can be organized in alpha order if each entry is dynamically generated from the Health Faculty Directory database. Manual placements of faculty photos and information cannot be placed in alpha order.

Can you update my credentials, email, etc. on my department faculty page?
To add or change a provider photo, degrees/credentials, or email address, faculty members must update their profile in the Health Faculty Directory. Faculty members must login to the faculty directory (link below) using their NETID and password. To request to be a proxy administrator for faculty members, please contact Gina Rathbun at grathbun@usf.edu and, with her assistance, you will be able to select their profiles when logging in with your NETID and password.

Login to the Health Faculty Directory https://hsccf.hsc.usf.edu/facultyDirectory/

The faculty/provider page pulls dynamically from the Faculty Directory database. The majority of the information provided on the profile, including photos, academic phone numbers, positions, display names, education, organizational affiliations, etc, are all editable by the faculty/provider or a proxy. Once the change is made in the application, it will be reflected immediately on the profile page.

What do I need to provide to the web team to update my website?
Below are helpful suggestions for organizing your content for web requests: