Portal Widgets
  • 07 Aug 2024
  • 11 minute read
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Portal Widgets

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Article summary

Portals offer several widgets, depending upon the security type. A portal widget is an element that can be added to a portal view to display specified content. Some widgets include built-in logic, and all widgets can be conditionally shown with filters. Not all widgets are necessary, depending on the portal's function and role in your process.

All Default Portal Widgets

Static Content

The static content widget is a full HTML editor where users can add text, merge fields, embed videos, etc.

  1. Click Static Content.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Enter the desired text, merge fields, images, links, etc.

  4. Add any filters to conditionally display the content.

  5. Click Save.

  6. Drag the widget to the desired location.

Static Content Widget with Merge Fields

Merge Field Content

Similar to the static content widget, the merge field content widget is a full HTML editor where users can add merge fields/data points in their view.

  1. Click Merge Field Content

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Select which merge fields you would like to use under the Merge & Filters tab.

  4. In the Details tab, the merge fields in the WYSIWYG editor are now available.

  5. Click Save.

  6. Drag the widget to the desired location.

📝 Notes on merge fields

  • Selected merge fields should have computer friendly names (all lowercase, no spaces).

  • Merge field content can be utilized in all security type portals except for Anonymous/Guest. This is because Slate has not identified the logged-in record, so necessary data is not available.

Events

The portal events widget allows users to customize how events are displayed on public-facing pages. A more in depth article on this topic can be found here.

  1. Click Events.

  2. Give the widget a name under the Details tab.

  3. Add any merge fields or filters under the Event Selection tab. (Note: Default exports and filters are added automatically.)

  4. Configure how event information should be displayed on public-facing pages under the Event Format tab.

  5. Select the display type, list or calendar, under Event Display.

  6. Click Save.

  7. Drag the widget to the desired location.

Form

The form widget allows users to embed a form within the portal view, either on a main page or within a pop-up.

  1. Click Form.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Select the form from the list.

  4. Select if the form should reload the portal or if it is inside of a pop-up.

  5. Add any filters to conditionally display the widget.

  6. Click Save.

  7. Drag the widget to the desired location.
    Form Widget

Component

Adds a configurable component to the portal. Components are design elements that let end users choose from a range of pre-defined styling options.

  1. Select a component from the list.

  2. Click Continue.

  3. Configure component settings, if any.

  4. Click Save.

  5. Drag the widget to the desired location.

    Create component.png

📖 Further reading: Portal Components

Report

Embeds a report in the portal.

  1. Create a report within the portal.

  2. In the view, click Report.

  3. Give the widget a name.

  4. Select the report from the list.

  5. Add any filters to conditionally display the widget.

  6. Click Save.

  7. Drag the widget to the desired location.

Report Widget

📝 Notes on reports

  • To feature a report in a portal, the report must exist or be built within that portal's Reports section.

  • Reports that exist in the report builder outside of the portal will not be accessible.

Social Media

Social media accounts like Facebook or Twitter can be added through the social media widget, and no longer need to be embedded in a static content block with custom code. Instagram, however, must still be added by following the procedure in Embedding Social Media on Custom Status Portals.

  1. Click Social Media.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Select which social media you would like to use (Facebook or Twitter).

  4. Add your institution's account handle for either your Facebook page or your Twitter feed.

  5. Select your display options.

  6. Click Save.

  7. Drag the widget to the desired location.

Social Media

📝 Notes on social media

  • Facebook includes option for tabs as display photos, while Twitter offers a display option for light or dark mode.

  • Some school networks may block social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. In this case, you will be unable to see the widget within the portal. Check with your IT department to verify, or try viewing the portal using your personal network.

Table

The table widget returns a list of data from a portal query in a paginated table.

  1. Create a query in the portal that uses a node.

  2. In the view, click Table.

  3. Give the widget a name.

  4. Select the query from the list.

  5. Set the number of items per page.

  6. Click Generate Template.

  7. Adjust the header and text in Page Display.

  8. Adjust any table headers in Table Layout.

  9. Add any filters to conditionally display the widget.

  10. Click Save.

  11. Drag the widget to the desired location.
    Table Widget
    Table Widget Layout

Weather

The weather widget displays up to a seven day forecast using a five digit zip code.

  1. Click Weather.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Add in the desired five-digit zip code.

  4. Select the number of forecasted days to display.

    Weather

Application Security Portal Widgets

Activity

The activity widget displays application activities that are set to Public. Activities with a code of "Received" are excluded from this list, as well as activities associated with checklist items.

  1. Click Activity.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Add any instructions.

  4. Add any filters to conditionally display the widget.

  5. Click Save.

  6. Drag the widget to the desired location.

    Activity Widget

Recent Activities on Portal

📝 Note on activity

If an applicant has all of a payment waived, they will never see the Payment Due notification, but they will see a Payment Waived activity in their recent activity list.

Address

The address widget allows the applicant to view the addresses on their record and to edit and delete address if the option to do so appears.

  1. Click Address.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Select Show/Hide for allowing edits and deletion.

  4. Add any filters to conditionally display the widget.

  5. Click Save.

  6. Drag the widget to the desired location.

    Address Widget

Addresses on Portal

Application Proof

The application proof widget allows the applicant to download a PDF copy of their application.

  1. Click Application Proof.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Select the desired Download Application Proof setting.

    • Show always: The link to download the application proof appears with or without a custom /apply/application.pdf file in the File Editor. If there is no custom PDF, the auto PDF will be used.

    • Show when PDF exists: The link to download the application proof will only appear when there is a custom /apply/application.pdf file in the File Editor.

    • Hide always: Never display the download application proof link.

  4. Add any filters to conditionally display the widget.

  5. Click Save.

  6. Drag the widget to the desired location.

Application Proof Widget

Application Download Link on Portal

Application Selector

The application selector widget allows applicants with multiple applications to toggle between applications. When switching between applications, the portal will display the appropriate status page associated with the selected application's period or round. To adjust the text displayed in the application selector widget, refer to the information provided in the Application Header Rules Knowledge Base article.

  1. Click Application Selector.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Usually no filters are needed on this widget, because built-in logic ensures that the application selector widget only appears if the record has multiple applications.

  4. Click Save.

  5. Drag the widget to the desired location.

Application Selector Widget

Application Selector in Portal

Checklist

The checklist widget displays all non-form and non-internal checklist items on an applicant's record.  

  1. Click Checklist.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Add any checklist instructions.

  4. Add any checklist completed instructions.

  5. Select if the financial aid checklist should be shown or hidden.

  6. If showing the financial aid checklist, add any financial aid instructions, as well as any financial aid checklist completed instructions.

  7. Select whether to allow edits to recommenders. If showing, this allows applicants access to the /apply/ref page of their application, where they can send reminders, and exclude or add recommenders post submission.

  8. Add any filters to conditionally display the widget.

  9. Click Save.

  10. Drag the widget to the desired location.

    mceclip0.png

mceclip2.png

🔔 Important!

The checklist widget honors the Hide Checklist setting on Decision Codes. If an applicant has any decision on their record that is set to "Hide checklist when released," this widget will be hidden automatically.

Checklist By Section

The checklist by section widget allows users more granular control over checklist display.

  1. Click Checklist By Section.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Select Yes/No for Honor Decision Hiding. If set to "No," this widget will appear even if the applicant has a released decision code that is set to "Hide checklist when released."

  4. Add any checklist instructions.

  5. Use the section tabs insert to select the sections that should appear.

  6. Drag the sections into the desired order in section tabs.

  7. Select whether to allow edits to recommenders. If showing, this allows applicants access to the /apply/ref page of their application, where they can send reminders, and exclude or add recommenders post submission.

  8. Add any filters to conditionally display the widget.

  9. Click Save.

  10. Drag the widget to the desired location.

    Checklist by Section Widget

Checklist Sections on Portal

What if the applicant doesn't have any items in a section?

Only tabs that contain checklist items will display. If the above applicant did not have any checklist items in the Supplemental Items section, the tab would not display.

Decisions

The decisions widget automatically appears on the portal when the applicant has a released decision with an active and effective letter. If the decision has an expiration date, it must be in the future for the widget to appear.

  1. Click Decisions.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. The default text for the decisions widget is "View Update >>". To customize this text, enter the desired language for Status Update Custom Link Text.

  4. Usually no filters are needed on this widget because there is built-in logic to only appear where there is a released decision and letter available to view.

  5. Click Save.

  6. Drag the widget to the desired location.

Decisions Widget

Decision Link on Portal

Form Checklist

The form checklist widget displays form checklist items.

  1. Click Form Checklist.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Add any forms instructions.

  4. Add any filters to conditionally display the widget.

  5. Click Save.

  6. Drag the widget to the desired location.

Form Checklist Widget

Form Checklist on Portal

Why would I use a form checklist item?

Reply forms are excellent examples of form checklist items. To make a reply form more visible, it can have its own section.

Help

The Help widget allows users to include standard Slate ID instructions, if desired, as well as other instructional text.

Instructions in widgets do not support merge fields. If you would like to add instructions with merge fields, use Static Content.

  1. Click Help.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. The default text for Show Slate ID Instructions is: If you need to contact us regarding your application, provide your name and this reference number: XXXXXXXXX.

  4. The majority of the time, no filters are needed on this widget, as instructional text is often relevant to all applicants.

  5. Click Save.

  6. Drag the widget to the desired location.

Help Widget

Materials

The materials widget allows for the uploading of materials.

  1. Click Materials.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Material Upload - School-Scoped by Checklist will permit the upload of school-scoped materials that will fulfill checklist items. Select Show/Hide.

  4. Add any Material Upload Instructions.

  5. If any materials should be available for download, select the materials from Downloadable Materials Insert.

  6. Drag the materials selected in Downloadable Materials.

  7. Add any filters to conditionally display the widget.

  8. Click Save.

  9. Drag the widget to the desired location.

Material Widget

Upload and Download Materials on Portal

What materials appear in the widget?

Only materials that are set to "Available for upload through student self-service website" can be uploaded in the portal.

Payments

The payments widget displays payment due activities, broken out by account. The widget only appears when a record has payments due. The heading will display the total amount due across all accounts and will display links to the various payments below.

  1. Click Payments.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Usually no filters are needed on this widget because built-in logic ensures the payments widget only appears if the record has a payment due.

  4. Click Save.

  5. Drag the widget to the desired location.

Payment Widget

Payment Links on Portal

Portfolio

The portfolio widget allows the applicant to view a list of uploaded multimedia files (video, audio, slides, documents) and if enabled, to edit the portfolio post submission.

  1. Click Portfolio.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. By default, Portfolio Title will display "Portfolio." This can be changed by selecting "Custom Label."

  4. Select Show/Hide for Portfolio Edit. If set to show, applicants will see a list of their portfolio uploads and can return to the /apply/upl?portfolio page of their application to edit their portfolio. If set to hide, applicants will only see a list of their portfolio items.

  5. Add any Portfolio Instructions.

  6. Add any filters to conditionally display the widget.

  7. Click Save.

  8. Drag the widget to the desired location.

Portfolio Widget

Portfolio Options on Portal

Submission Confirmation

The submission confirmation widget displays text the first time the applicant logs into their portal after submitting or within 15 minutes of submitting their application.

  1. Click Submission Confirmation.

  2. Give the widget a name.

  3. Usually no filters are needed on this widget because built-in logic ensures that the submission confirmation widget only appears within the first 15 minutes of the applicant submitting.

  4. Click Save.

  5. Drag the widget to the desired location.

Submission Confirmation Widget

Person Security Portal Widgets

Slate Video

Slate Video is an Early Access Feature and is not yet a default for all provisioned instances of Slate. The Slate Video widget should only be used in conjunction with your Slate Video portal and Dynamic Content Snippets. For more information on how to configure your Slate Video portal, please review the Knowledge Base article Configuring Slate Video.


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