Using The Listing Template Feature

The eDirectory application utilizes design frameworks known as listing templates for the Detail View of Showcase listings. They hold style definitions for font, border, and background color as well as the layout for the content placeholders. The templates also hold the input field definitions for the content of the listings.

eDirectory includes premade templates or the Site Manager may create his/her own. Existing templates may also be customized so that the Site Manager may make a universal change to the listings that use them.

DOCUMENTATION_CONVENTIONS_img3If the existing template background is color blue, it may be changed to green. Once the template is changed, the application automatically pushes that change out to all listings with this template.

The premade templates span a range of format with a variety of business concepts. There are templates for Auto Part Supplier, Dentist, Doctor, Golf Course, Hotel, Lawyer, Real Estate, and Restaurant. They vary on the input fields they use. Additional templates may be created when the Site Manager wants to provide more relevant fields to what the Members normally post in their listings.

DOCUMENTATION_CONVENTIONS_img3You may want to create a special template for Members who sell computers in the directory site.  By this, you will be able to provide fields such as Manufacturer, Processor, Hard Drive, and Memory to Members who create listings of this type.

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To create a listing template, do the following:

  1. In the left navigation panel, click on Listings (under Modules). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

    ADDING_OR_EDITING_A_LISTING_img1

  2. Click on the Templates sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a new page will appear like the one shown below:

    USING_THE_LISTING_TEMP_img1

  3. Click on the Add sub-menu on the top of this page.
  4. In the Listing Template – Information area (image shown below), do the following:

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    1. In the Title box, type the name of the template that you are adding. Most often, it is a business field name (e.g., Real Estate). After doing this, the Page Name box will be automatically filled out.

      DOCUMENTATION_CONVENTIONS_img1Page Name is text that appears in the browser as the template’s friendly URL. Friendly URL is the feature available in eDirectory which allows Site Manager and Members to create search engine URLs.

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      The Template “Real Estate” with Page Name “real-estate” will be available through the URL: http://demodirectory.com/listing/type/real-estate

    2. Select the Enabled status to make the template available to Members.
    3. If you don’t want to make the template free of charge, type the price in the Additional Price box. Otherwise, leave the box blank.
  5. In the Listing Template – Detail Layout area (image shown below), select the layout that you want to apply to the listings that will use the template.

    USING_THE_LISTING_TEMP_img3

  6. In the Listing Template – Colors area (image shown below), type the color code (also known as hex) that you want to use for the Background, Border, Label, Text, Title Background, Title Border, and Title Text of the listings that will use the template.

    USING_THE_LISTING_TEMP_img4

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    You can use image editors like Adobe Photoshop to get the color codes or hex that you need.

In eDirectory version 7.0.15, a color picker is added in this exact area (image shown here). This new feature helps the Site Manager pick a color easily without having the need to copy and paste the color value. Just click on the color picker icon beside the text box and it will automatically place the color value.


  1. Select the categories that will be available for this template in the area provided (image shown below).

    USING_THE_LISTING_TEMP_img5

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    Listings that will use this template can only select from the categories you pick here. If you do not select any categories, all categories will be available to them.

  2. In the Common Fields area (image shown below), the text that you want to use as substitute for the field names displayed in the Field column. You can also provide some tool tips to help the Members know what data they should input in those boxes.

    USING_THE_LISTING_TEMP_img6

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    Tool tip usually appears on the left of a textbox.

  3. In the Extra Checkbox Fields, Extra Dropdown Fields, Extra Text Fields, Extra Short Description Fields, and Extra Long Description Fields areas, type the input fields that you want to add in the existing form. Examples of the input fields that can be added are shown below:

    USING_THE_LISTING_TEMP_img7

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    The input fields in the image above are part of the form that Members fill out when adding a listing with Auto Part Supplier template.

  4. Click on the Submit button.



Editing is necessary when there is something in the listing template that you want to change. Any change you make will be automatically applied to all listings that use the template.

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To edit a listing template, do the following:

  1. In the left navigation panel, click on Listings (under Modules).
  2. Click on the Templates sub-menu on the top of the page.
  3. Click on the edit icon of the corresponding template that you want to edit.
  4. Do Steps 4 to 10 of the procedure that you perform when creating a template. (Refer to the previous How To)

Using The Claimed Listing Feature

As discussed earlier, listings with no owner are also displayed in the directory front. They occur when the Site Manager creates or imports listings with no owner. If you can recall, there’s an option that says “Disable claim feature for this listing” when you are adding a listing. If you do not choose this option and you do not assign the listing to an Owner, a claimable listing will be produced. Another instance when a claimable listing might come in existence is when you import listings with no owner and the Import Setting is set to “Enable all imported listings as Active”.

When listings with no owner are activated and displayed in the directory front, the Members can adopt them. The process that a Member performs when adopting a listing is called claim. Every time a new claim is made, the application prompts the Site Manager by displaying a message (example shown below) in the To Do Items of the Home page.

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Clicking on this message takes the Site Manager to the Claims page (shown below) from where he/she can perform the decision whether to approve or deny the claim.

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Observe that the claim displayed in the page above has a Complete status. Status indicates the current state of a claim. It can be any of the following:

  • Progress/Incomplete – the claim is unsuccessfully completed because the Member did not pay for the listing that he/she is claiming
  • Complete – the claim is successfully completed and is waiting for an approval
  • Approved – the claim is accepted by the Site Manager
  • Denied – the claim is rejected by the Site Manger

Claims with Complete status are the only ones than can be approved by the Site Manager. Those with Progress or Incomplete status should be immediately denied to make the claimed listing visible in the directory front again. When a listing is claimed by a Member, the listing’s visibility is automatically put on hold. This avoids the Members to claim the same listing at the same time.

DOCUMENTATION_CONVENTIONS_img1To see the complete list of claims in the directory including those with Progress, Approved, and Denied status, click on the Listings menu in the left navigation panel, then go to the Claimed Listings sub-menu.

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To approve/deny a claim, do the following:

  1. On the page displayed above, click on the Listing name. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

    USING_THE_CLAIM_FEATURE_img3

  2. Review the Claim Details shown on this page. If the claim is okay to you, click on the Approve This Claim button. Otherwise, click on Deny This Claim.

    DOCUMENTATION_CONVENTIONS_img1After approving a claim, the next thing to do is to activate the claimed listing in the Listing module for it to become visible in the directory front. To learn how to activate a listing, click here.


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Changing The Claim Setting

Using The Review Feature

A review is an evaluation of an item in the directory site. It is written by the customer who has sufficient experience to comment on reliability and whether or not the product, service, or information delivers on its promises. Usually, a review is composed of the following:

  • a star rating
  • a comment not longer than 5 sentences
  • a Site Manager’s or Member’s reply to the review

This is how a review appears in the directory front:

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eDirectory uses the Review feature to allow the site visitors see both the negative and positive feedback of customers to some listings and articles in the site. This feature should be enabled and configured first in the Site Manager account before it can be used. Once this feature is enabled, the Site Manager can manage all the reviews created in the directory front. By the word “manage”, we are referring to the privilege given to him/her to preview, edit, delete and approve reviews, and to approve the Members’ replies to the review authors.

Unlike Site Manager, the Members can only preview reviews and reply to their authors. They are not given full control over reviews to avoid having bias.

DOCUMENTATION_CONVENTIONS_img1eDirectory application has the ability to trace the IP Address of a review author (the customer who created the review). Because of this, a review author with a static IP can only create one review for one particular listing or article.

Every time a new review is created, the application prompts the Site Manager by displaying a message (example shown below) in the To Do Items of the Home page.

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Clicking on this message takes the Site Manager to the Reviews page shown below:

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Observe that the review records displayed in the page above use different Status icons. These icons and their uses are discussed below:

SM_review1 – This icon shows up in the reviews that have not been approved yet by the Site Manager. When a review is not approved, it will not appear in the directory front and the Member (or the owner of the listing or article to which the review is added) cannot use the Reply-to-Review-Author feature of the application.

SM_review2 – This icon shows up in the reviews that are approved already. These reviews are the ones currently displayed in the directory front.

SM_review3 – These two icons come together as one. They indicate that a reply to the review author is made by a Member. This reply will only be sent to the review author’s email address if it is approved by the Site Manager.

SM_review4 – These two icons come together as one. They indicate that a reply to the review author is already approved.

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To preview a review, do the following:

  1. In the left navigation panel, click on the item type under Modules where you think the review falls under (Listings or Articles). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

    USING_THE_REVIEW_FEATURE_img4

  2. Click on the Reviews sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a new page will appear like the one shown below:

    USING_THE_REVIEW_FEATURE_img5

  3. Click on the view icon of the corresponding review. After doing this, a page containing the review content will appear like the one shown below:

    USING_THE_REVIEW_FEATURE_img6

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To approve a review, do the following:

  1. In the left navigation panel, click on the item type under Modules where you think the review falls under (Listings or Articles).
  2. Click on the Reviews sub-menu on the top of this page.
  3. Click on the SM_review1 icon of the corresponding review.

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To approve a Member’s reply to the review author, do the following:

  1. In the left navigation panel, click on the item type under Modules where you think the review falls under (Listings or Articles).
  2. Click Reviews on the top of this page.
  3. Click on the SM_review6 icon of the corresponding review. After doing this, an area will appear like the one shown below:

    USING_THE_REVIEW_FEATURE_img7

  4. Click on the Send button.


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Enabling/Disabling The Review Feature

Using The Promotion Feature

A promotion (also called promo) is a marketing strategy used by Members to inform and convince the site visitors to purchase a listing. It might be a short-term price reduction, contest or sweepstakes, package giveaway, or free sample offer. Like Members, the Site Manager can also create or edit a promotion, and associate it with a listing.

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The Promotion feature is only available for Showcase listings.

A promotion appears in the directory front as follows:

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It shows up in the directory front in two manners:

  • Within the Promotion section, the area where site visitors can find all on-going promotions
  • Within the Listings section. Under a Showcase listing’s Detail and Summary View (example shown below), you will see a clickable “promotion” text. This lets the site visitors know that your listing is currently offering a promotion.

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To create a promotion, do the following:

  1. In the left navigation panel, click on Promotions (under Modules). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

    USING_THE_PROMOTION_FEATURE_img3

  2. Click on the Add sub-menu on the top of this page.
  3. In the Account area (image shown below), look for the Member who will own the promotion. You can do this by hitting the Click here to select an account link.

    USING_THE_PROMOTION_FEATURE_img4

    In this same area, do the following:

    1. In the Username box, type the login ID of the Member. Then, click on Search button.
    2. Choose the Member by clicking on the Select button.
  4. In the Information area (image shown below), do the following:

    USING_THE_PROMOTION_FEATURE_img5

    1. In the Headline box, type the name of the promotion that you are adding. The headline is the text that will appear on the top most part of your promotion. Be sure to make it descriptive and catchy.
    2. In the Offer (English) box, type the general description of the promotion. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

      DOCUMENTATION_CONVENTIONS_img1We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the offer will also change in accordance with it the selected language.

  5. In the Description area (image shown below), do the following:

    USING_THE_PROMOTION_FEATURE_img6

    In the English textarea, provide the scope and limitation of the promotion. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

    DOCUMENTATION_CONVENTIONS_img1We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the description will also change in accordance with it the selected language.

  6. In the Condition area (image shown below), do the following:

    USING_THE_PROMOTION_FEATURE_img7

    In the English textarea, provide the parameters that the customers should observe for a promotion to take effect. Do this also for all the enabled languages in the directory. The default text that you see there is the Promotional Condition Text that you set in the top navigation panel’s Settings > Promotions.

    DOCUMENTATION_CONVENTIONS_img1We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the condition will also change in accordance with it the selected language.

  7. In the Keywords for the search area (image shown below), do the following:

    USING_THE_PROMOTION_FEATURE_img8

    In the English textarea, type the keywords with which the promotion will be indexed for a search. Add one keyword/keyword phrase per line. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

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    We advise you to have the keywords available in all enabled languages. This will allow the site visitors to search using keywords in foreign languages.

  8. In the Promotion Date area (image shown below), do the following:

    USING_THE_PROMOTION_FEATURE_img9

    In the Start Date and End Date boxes, input the exact date when the promotion will be valid. Do this by clicking on the calendar icon.

  9. In the Promotion Layout area (image shown below), do any of the following:

    USING_THE_PROMOTION_FEATURE_img10

    1. If you want to incorporate all the details you provided above into a ready-made layout, select the Our HTML template based promotion option. Then, click on the Browse button to select the image that you want to use for the promotion.
    2. If you want to use a customized image with your own promotion details embedded on it, select A promotion provided by you instead option. Then, click on the Browse button to select the image that you want to use as your promotion layout.

      DOCUMENTATION_CONVENTIONS_img1If you select the A promotion provided by you instead option, the details you provided above such as the Offer (Step 4b), Description (Step 5), and Condition (Step 6) will be disregarded.

  10. Click on the Submit button.



After creating the promotion, the next thing to do is to associate it with the showcase listing that will use it. If you do not proceed to this process, the promotion that you have created will be useless.

A showcase listing can only have one promotion at a time. When the Site Manager deletes a listing with promotion, the promotion can be re-associated with the other listings created by the same Member or those with No Owner.

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To associate a promotion with a showcase listing, do the following:

  1. In the left navigation panel, click on Listings (under Modules). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

    USING_THE_PROMOTION_FEATURE_img11

  2. Click on the promotion icon of the corresponding item. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

    USING_THE_PROMOTION_FEATURE_img12

  3. In the Promotion dropdown list, select the promotion that you have created earlier.
  4. Click on the Submit button.

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    A promotion automatically appears in the directory front once associated with an activated and paid showcase listing.


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Setting Up Your Promotional Condition Text

Using The Photo Gallery Feature

A photo gallery is a collection of photos that can be associated to an item.  When customers browse the directory site, they usually look for items with photos. This is one of the contributing factors as to why a customer ends up liking and reading an item. A photo gallery appears in the directory front as follows:

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The photo gallery feature is not available in all item types and levels. There is also no fixed number of photos that a gallery can hold. To give you a better idea of this, refer to the following table:

photogallery

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To create a photo gallery, do the following:

  1. In the left navigation panel, click on Galleries (under Modules). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

    USING_THE_PHOT_GALLERY_FEATURE_img3

  2. Click on the Add sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

    USING_THE_PHOT_GALLERY_FEATURE_img4

  3. In the Account area, look for the Member who will own the gallery. You can do this by hitting the Click here to select an account link.

    In this same area, do the following:

    1. In the Username box, type the login ID of the Member. Then, click on the Search button.
    2. Choose the Member by clicking on the Select button.
  4. In the Gallery Title box, type the name that you want to give to the gallery.
  5. Click on the Next button. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

    USING_THE_PHOT_GALLERY_FEATURE_img5

    At this point, the gallery has been created successfully but you still need to add the images that you want to display.

  6. Click on the Add image link.
  7. In the new form shown below, do the following:

    USING_THE_PHOT_GALLERY_FEATURE_img6

    1. Click on the Browse button to select the image file on your local PC.
    2. In the Thumb Caption (English) box, type the text that you want to appear when the mouse pointer is moved over the thumbnail image in the directory front. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.
    3. In the Image Caption (English) box, type the text that you want to appear when the thumbnail image is clicked and viewed in a separate window. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

      DOCUMENTATION_CONVENTIONS_img1We advise you to have the Thumb and Image Captions available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the captions will also change in accordance with the selected language.

    4. Click on the Submit button.
  8. A page will appear like the one shown below:USING_THE_PHOT_GALLERY_FEATURE_img7

    If you want to add more images, click on the Add Image link and repeat Step 7. Otherwise, click on the Galleries Home sub-menu on the top of this page.

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To add more images to an existing gallery, do the following:

  1. In the left navigation panel, click on Galleries (under Modules).
  2. Click on the gallery icon of the corresponding gallery.
  3. Do Steps 6 to 8 of the procedure that you perform when creating a gallery. (Refer to the previous How To)



After creating the gallery, the next thing to do is to associate it with the item (listing, event, classified, or article) that will use it. If you do not proceed to this process, the gallery that you have created will be useless.

An item can only have one gallery at a time. When the Site Manager deletes an item with gallery, the gallery can be re-associated with the other items created by the same Member or those with No Owner.

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To associate a gallery with an item, do the following:

  1. In the left navigation panel, click on the item type (Listings, Events, etc.) under Modules where you think the item falls under.
  2. Click on the gallery icon of the corresponding item. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

    USING_THE_PHOT_GALLERY_FEATURE_img9

  3. Select the gallery that you have created earlier (e.g., Dental Health).
  4. Click on the Submit button.

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    A photo gallery automatically appears in the directory front once associated with an activated and paid item.