Sitecore 7New Features for Users

An Overview of New Features and Functionality in Sitecore 7May 3, 2013

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Sitecore Enterprise Web CMS

• Popular .NET Web Content Management System for mid-to-large organizations

• Provides friendly tools for non-technical Content Authors and Marketers

• Can be customized and extended to meet almost any conceivable business need

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Sitecore 7 Can Find Moved Items

Sitecore 7 adds support for users moving items• Datasources specify a source of data for renderings• This reduces the renderings required for a site• Sitecore 7 uses IDs instead of Paths for datasources• A path changes, but not the ID, when items move

Sitecore 7 has less errors when users move items• Renderings continue to work when users move an item

that contains a datasource• Sitecore displays a warning when users try to delete an

item that contains a datasource3

Larger Numbers of Content Items

Previous Sitecore versions placed items in a tree• Restrictions set limits on immediate child items to 100

Sitecore 7 has new items called Item Buckets • Lifts restrictions on number of direct children • Can contain tens of millions of child items• Users use a search box to locate and update content• Sitecore does not display children of buckets by default• Users don’t need to organize items in the Content Tree• Users don’t need to remember where items are located 4

Organizing Items in Buckets

Sitecore 7 items can be arranged in item buckets• Any parent item can be converted to an item bucket• Users can now manage large numbers of content items• Search boxes have been added to many Sitecore tools• Content Editor Edit Pane• Page Editor Ribbon• Insert Link dialog box• Insert Media dialog box

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Alternatives for Pick Lists

Pick Lists were used on previous Sitecore versions • Sitecore displayed a Treelist or Droplist of items• Users would have to navigate through the list of items

Sitecore 7 includes new field types• Users can now perform searches for list items• New fields that provide search contain “Bucket”• Bucket Rich Text • Bucket Tree List, etc.

• Previous list types still available 6

Sitecore 7 Quick Actions

Quick Actions are links in Search Results pages• Each link activates a command• Each command takes an action on the associated item• Applies to all items that appear in Search Results pages

Sitecore 7 Quick Action Definitions• Some Quick Actions are included with Sitecore 7• Add a Version, Lock for Editing, etc.

• Additional Quick Actions can be created for users• Quick Action access can be restricted to specific users 7

Sitecore 7 Search Features

Users search content, not just item names• Search through Word, PDF and other documents• Perform complex searches (sorts, dates & wildcards)• Faster search retrievals• Search results can include files and external databases

Lucene Search (enhanced in Sitecore 7)• Useful for searching less than 100 million documents

Solr Search (new to Sitecore 7)• Useful for searching through billions of documents

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Sitecore 7 Search Results

Boosting• Some results can be displayed more prominently

Facets• Search results can be further refined by users

Quick Actions• Each Search Results item can display specific actions

Bulk Operations• Search Results Page lists all available operations

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Sitecore 7 Boosting Options

Search Results can be boosted six different ways• Field Boosting gives more weight to a particular field• Field Type Boosting gives more weight to a field type• Item Boosting gives more weight to a particular item• Rules-Based Item Boosting sets specific ranking rules • Global Rules-Based Item Boosting defines general rules • Query-Time Boosting uses context for personalization

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Search Results Bulk Operations

Content Authors can apply bulk changes to items• Add Tags• Search and Replace• Copy or Move• Delete Results• Publish Items• Apply Security• More…

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Custom Search Results Display

Sitecore 7 offers multiple views for Search Results• List View• Grid View• Custom Views• Tabs for retrieving saved searches

Sitecore 7 allows field values in Search Results• Specific fields of an item can be displayed in the results• Content Authors do not need to click links to see fields

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Sitecore 7 Content Editor Features

Content Tree (left side of Content Editor)• A Search command appears when you right-click items• Search appears directly below Insert command

Edit Pane (right side of Content Editor)• Hourglass with a plus (+) icon added to the tab strip• Clicking Hourglass tab is same as clicking Search in Tree• Users can open any number of search tabs • These tabs stay open as users move from item to item

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Sitecore 7 Support for Media

Sitecore 7 Media Library• The content of documents can now be searched• A Download Quick Action exists for media items

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In Summary

• Sitecore 7 has removed all quantity restrictions• Content can now be organized in Item Buckets• Sitecore 7 users use search tools to manage content • The Search Results page is now a primary CMS tool• Field values can appear on the Search Results Page• Search results can be refined with facets• Use Quick Actions to implement commands on items• Use Bulk Operations to apply bulk changes to items

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Caveat Emptor

This slide deck is based on data available at the time• The data came from well-intentioned bloggers• Review your Sitecore 7 needs with your Sitecore partner• Review proposed upgrades with all stakeholders• Implement new versions or Sitecore on a test system firstThis presentation is intended to be academic• To enhance public knowledge of Sitecore 7 features• To promote a better understanding of Sitecore 7Author cannot guarantee accuracy or fitness for your site• Author makes no representations or warranties• Author disclaims any liability if you act on this information

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More Topics from TICAll Sitecore-related SlideShares from TIChttp://www.slideshare.net/cwnelson/presentations

How to Assure Success for a New Sitecore Site (full slide deck)http://www.slideshare.net/cwnelson/creating-new-sitecore-sites-full

How to Avoid Shooting Yourself in the SEOhttp://www.slideshare.net/cwnelson/sitecore-seo-tipsImplementing Routine Sitecore Maintenancehttp://www.slideshare.net/cwnelson/sitecore-maintenance-tips

Performance Tips for Sitecore Mobile Usershttp://www.slideshare.net/cwnelson/sitecore-mobile-performance-tips

Sitecore Performance Tips for Visitor Engagementhttp://www.slideshare.net/cwnelson/sitecore-performance-tips

Troubleshooting Sitecore Performancehttp://www.slideshare.net/cwnelson/troubleshooting-sitecore-performance

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The Inside Corner, Inc.

• The Inside Corner, Inc. (TIC) is owned by Craig Nelson• TIC is a Sitecore partner & web consultancy• A U.S. point of contact for teams of Sitecore specialists • We create new Sitecore sites & enhance existing ones

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Primary Developer - Craig Nelson

• Sitecore Specialist certified for Sitecore 7• 10 years of system administration experience• 10 years as a Microsoft Certified Trainer• 5 years of ASP.NET web development experience• 4 years of Sitecore development experience• 3 years as a Sitecore technical instructor• Sitecore architecture & configuration expert• Performance & SEO optimization specialist• Workflow configuration specialist 19

Get Help with your Sitecore Site

Follow TIC on LinkedIn• http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-inside-corner-inc.

Add TIC to your Circles on Google Plus• http://google.com/+Theinsidecorner

Follow TIC on Twitter • https://twitter.com/TheInsideCorner

Contact Craig Directly• Craig Nelson - Certified 7.0 Developer and Sitecore Partner• cwnelson[at]ticdevs.com• Mobile - 707.319.7446

Visit the TIC website• http://ticdevs.com

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Bibliography

• A Peek at Sitecore 7• Apache Solr website• Sitecore 7: More Search• Sitecore 7: Quick Actions• Sitecore 7: Six Types of Search Boosting• Sitecore 7: Your content authors will love the search

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May 3, 2013

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