Commonplace Migration - Quick Guide to News and Updates

This article provides some quick guides for actions you may be used to doing in Commonplace, and how to do them in Zencity.

If you have any further questions, please get in touch with us at support@zencity.io. You can also view other articles relating to the migration here.

How do updates work in Zencity?

Updates in Zencity work a little differently to how news posts worked in Commonplace.

In Zencity, an Update is a standalone page - more like a 'proposal tile' in Commonplace. Rather than just text and images, it can include any type of content you like - documents, maps, accordions or interactive iFrames.

Unlike Commonplace, where news posts were the only way to send communications out to residents, in Zencity anything can be shared via email - including Updates, but also Surveys, Project pages and Collaborative Activities.

How do I create an update?

To create an update, navigate to the 'Updates' tab of Content Pages - then click 'Create New Update'.

Next, you'll be asked to set a title for your Update, which project it belongs to and a release date.

You can then build your Update - use the drag and drop editor to add any content you like. Once you're happy with it, click 'Publish' - this will move the update into an 'Upcoming' stage until the release date arrives, at which point the Update will become publicly visible.

How do I share an update?

Once the Update is 'Open' (meaning that it has been published and the release date has arrived), the email sharing option will become available in the 'Share' tab.

You'll then be able to customise the email, including:

• The contact list(s) it will be sent to
• Any extra recipients you'd like to add
• The subject, heading and email body
• The call to action button text

At the bottom of the email builder screen you'll see a 'Preview email' button, allowing you to see exactly how the email will look before you send it.

How do I get my update to appear on my project page?

For projects that were migrated from Commonplace to Zencity, an 'Update Pages' feed has been added to the project page to replicate the News feed on Commonplace. This feed has a Tag Filter applied set to include Updates with the 'News' tag.

In order to make your update appear in this list, you'll need to add the News tag to your Update. You can do this by editing the Update, opening the 'Teaser' section at the bottom and selecting the News tag - don't forget to save and republish.