Creating and managing News Items (for Reporters and Editors).

2. News Categories 

News Categories are required. They provide descriptive labels to your News Items so they are easy to identify.

Categories are a great way to identify the different types of content your organization may publish on a regular basis, like CEO Blog, Workplace Updates, or New Employees.

Categories are also available as one of the sorting options when you click on the filter icon that is at the top right of News view.

Once published, a News Item's colored Category label will appear above the Title of the News Item.

News Editors can manage News Categories to add, remove, rename, and arrange them. Learn more here.

3. Using the Block Editor

To add a new block to your item, News Editors and News Reporters can click the “+” on the left side of the editor and select the type of block they want from the menu. Repeat for every different and/or additional piece of content you wish to add.

Tips:

• You can reposition any block by holding down on its arrows icon, and dragging the block up or down to its new location.
• Click the three dots to the right of a block to open its Action Menu. You can also delete any block via this Action Menu.

3. News Block guides

The sections below provide full guidance on how News Editors and News Reporters can use each of the News Blocks:

Text Block

Image Block

Poll Block

Video Block

Link Preview Block

File Attachment Block

Embed Block

Text Block

Along the top of the News Editor are the formatting options and text options (such as bold and italics).

News Editors and News Reporters can access the formatting options, such as headers or bulleted lists, by first selecting Text Block and then clicking on the arrow on the formatting tool bar to open the dropdown menu.

Tips:

• These format options aren't just for headings. For example, if you want your overall font size to be larger than the default size of Paragraph, you can type your whole Text Block in Heading 3 instead.
• When using a Text Block, your Return or Enter key will create a new block. To start a new paragraph within your current block, hold down Shift + Return.
• If you have an empty block you want to remove, simply click into it and hit your Backspace key.
• If you want to include a list in your block, change the block format to Bulleted List or Numbered List (you can do this before or after typing the first item on your list). You'll then be able to hit "Return" after each item and populate your list within that block.

Image Block

With the Image Block, News Editors and News Reporters can drag and drop images directly into it or browse for files and select the images they want to insert. Once added, you can add a caption (character limit: 255) to the field directly below the image.

Click on the three dots to the right of the block to open its Action Menu, where you can initiate actions like Edit Image, Replace Image, Add More Images, Reorder Gallery, and Delete Block.

Click on Edit Image if you want to rotate, crop, and/or fill the image to the frame.

If you add more images to your Image Block, it will automatically turn it into a gallery and display the additional images in a scroll above the main image. To change the order of the images in the gallery, tap the "three dots" to the right of the Block and then select Reorder Gallery.

Tips:

• If you want to add multiple full-sized images to your News Item, use a separate block for each image.
• For the best results, use images with aspect ratios close to 16:9 (e.g. 960 x 540 px).
• If you want to insert a smaller image that's square-shaped, like an icon or logo, with a 1:1 ratio (e.g. 400 x 400 px), the editor will automatically enlarge it until it fills the width of the article.  So, to avoid this you can try this workaround:

Adding 1:1 images without them being resized:

1. 1. Place your 1:1 image in the center of a blank Google or PowerPoint slide 
   2. Download/export that slide as an image
   3. Insert the slide image into an Image Block in your News Item

Since the ratio of the slide image will be 16:9, it won't be resized. And because the background of the slide won't be visible, you'll only see the original image at its original size (as shown below).

 

Poll Block

A poll is a powerful tool to engage your audience, understand their interests, and foster participation. 

When a News Editor or News Reporter adds a Poll Block, they'll see the settings where they can customize details like the number of options participants can select, the poll’s closing time, and whether votes will be anonymous.

Once you’ve configured these settings, you can revisit them any time by tapping the three dots located to the right of the Block and selecting Poll Settings. 

After saving your settings, the News Editor or News Reporter can proceed to input the poll question and provide various options for participants to choose from during the voting process. (You need to include a minimum of two options in order to publish a poll.)

Poll Options can feature both text and images, or they can be exclusively text-based or image-based. To add an image to your Poll Option, simply click the image icon.

Additionally, you can rearrange your Poll Options (answers) by dragging the arrow icons.

To remove or replace an Poll Option’s image or delete an Option, tap the "three dots" to the right of the Option to access the Replace Image and Remove Image actions.

Once a poll closes, News Editors and the person publishing the poll will have the option to download a CSV file of the results by selecting Download Poll Results from the Action Menu of the News Item it was included in.

Video Block

News Editors and News Reporters can use the Video Block to either upload video files or to insert an online video by entering its link/URL.

If you're uploading your own video, click Browse for File in the Video Block, or drag the video file over from your desktop and drop it in the block. You can continue creating your article while the video is processing.

If you’d like to add your video using a link, tap Link to Video and paste the link into the input below. Once you’ve entered your link, click Save to add the video to your News Item.

Once you’ve added a video to the block, you’ll be able to replace the video file or edit the link by clicking the three dots to the right to open its Action Menu.

Tip: If you want to add a video from Library to a News Item, use the Embed Block.

Link Preview Block 

The Link Preview Block is an ideal way for News Editors or News Reporters to share links in a way that allows their audience to see more details about the link before clicking on it. Some links shared via the Link Preview Block will even allow users to do everything they need to without having to navigate away from your News Item to the link.

Simply insert the link you want to include in the field provided and click Save. Your link will now appear as a preview with a thumbnail image and info blurb (if applicable).

To edit the link or change the layout of the Link Preview, hover over the Link Preview Block and tap the three dots to open its Action Menu.

File Attachment Block

News Editors or News Reporters can add up to six files (of any type) into each File Attachment Block.

To replace or remove a particular file that has been added to the File Attachment Block, tap the Action Menu of that file and select the desired action.

After your News Item has been published, users will be able to tap on any of the files to preview it in the viewer, then return to your News Item by clicking the arrow in the top left corner of the viewer.

Using the File Attachment Block to feature a single file in situ

By default, all files in the block will be in compact layout, but when only one file has been added to the block it is possible for News Editors or News Reporters to Change to Full Layout. 

Full Layout allows the file can be viewed in situ right in the News Item itself. If the file is a multi-page PDF, users can click through and view its pages right in the News Item, without needing to open it separately in the viewer.

Tip: This is a great way to republish a workplace poster.

Embed Block

News Editors and News Reporters can use the Embed Block to add videos, as well as any embeddable content, such as forms, tables, or charts (for example, use the "Share" option on tables created in MicroSoft or Google products to retrieve an embed code and use that with the embed block to insert the table into your News Item). The format and options are nearly identical to those of the Video Block, except you’ll be entering embed code instead of a link.

After adding the block, paste your embed code in the given area and select Save to embed your content. 

As with the Video Block, you can only edit the code you entered, not the embedded content itself. 

Note: Due to security policies regarding iFramed content, some embedded videos may not display properly—most notably, if the video is hosted on OneDrive or if the user is on the Safari browser. In cases like these, inserting a "You can also view this video here" link in your News Item to the video's location will ensure your readers can view the video.

Embedding electronic forms in News

When you embed an electronic form (Microsoft Forms, Google Forms, Wufoo, Survey Monkey, JotForm, etc.), users will be able to fill in the form right in News view. The data is collected directly in the form platform.

Embedding Library videos in News

News Editors and News Reporters can embed a video from Library in News Items. To do this, open the Library Item's Action Menu and select Copy Embed Code. Paste this code into the Embed Block. 

Keep in mind that videos embedded from a Library Volume will retain the visibility restrictions of the Library Volume it is in, so if someone doesn't have permission to view a Volume, they won't be able to play a video embedded from that Volume either.

Embedding tables/charts

News Editors and News Reporters can embed tables or charts created in Microsoft (Word/Excel) and Google (Docs/Sheets) by using the Share > Publish function to provide an embed code that can then be inserted into an Embed Block (Google Docs shown below).

Once embedded, a table can't be edited through the News Item. However, any edits made to the original table will be automatically reflected in the embedded table.

4. News settings

In the column to the right of the block editor News Editors and News Reporters find all the optional settings available for their News Item.

Tile Cover

The Tile Cover is where you set the image you want displayed for your article on the News view. News Editors or News Reporters can tap Change Cover to select another option from:

• The Item’s content
• An uploaded image
• AI-powered image suggestions
• A search of an integrated image library

Note: In order to use the last two, your organization must have Tile Cover Suggestions in News enabled by a System Administrator at Administration Settings > Views and Functions > Manage AI Features.

Visible To  

The Visible To setting allows News Editors and News Reporters target your News Item at a particular audience using the List Selector (see more below).

Feature in Banner 

Feature in Banner lets News Editors and News Reporters draw attention to a News Item by displaying it for a set duration in a carousel that stretches across the top of the News view. 

Sign Off

Sign Off requires each reader to sign off that they have read and understood this News Item (see more below). 

Commenting 

News Editors and News Reporters can toggle comments on or off for a particular News Item. They can also set whether they want to be notified of new Comments or not (this depends on the user's settings in My Preferences).

Publish Date and Auto-Archive 

These options allow News Editors and News Reporters to schedule a time and date to publish and/or remove their Item from the News view (see more about auto-archiving in the Managing your items section).

Pin (so new users see) 

Allows News Editors and News Reporters to pin must-read News Items (policy changes, employee guides, etc.) at the top of your News feed for all current and future users, until read.

Your Publishing Role

News Editors and News Reporters that belong to more than one Reporter Group may be prompted to select their Publishing Role in order to access certain features.

5. Targeting

6. Using Sign Off 

News includes a Sign Off feature. Use this when you need to ensure that a particular News Item has been read and understood by everyone in its audience, such as an article that detailing upcoming changes to your company's benefits policy.

To activate this feature on a particular News item, News Editors and News Reporters check the box under Sign Off in the settings panel when creating your News Item:

When activated, users are prompted to sign-off once they've read the article. If they don’t, when they try to close the News Item, they will be presented with a pop-up reminder. They will have to select one of the following options in order to sign off:

• I confirmed I have read and understood this: which confirms they've read and understood the News Item. The message will not appear anymore to this user for this item.
• I will read this item later: will close the News Item. The user will be prompted to sign-off again when they re-open the News Item.
• I will read this item now: will return to the News Item so the user can read it and then sign-off.

For platforms that have the Tasks view enabled, enabling Sign Off on a News Item will automatically generate a Sign Off task for each user in the target audience. 

At the bottom of the News Item, those with edit rights will see a summary of how many users have signed off on the News Item.

The News Editors and the Author can click on Sign Off Report to download a CSV file. This file specifies when each user was asked to sign off (normally the day they joined), when they signed off (if they did), their Location, email address, and more. Use this to speed up compliance audits.

Note: Sign Off for Library is also available, but only on platforms that have both Library and Tasks enabled.

7. Publishing

Publishing News Items

When News Editors or News Reporters have finished creating their News Item, you can click Publish at the top of the screen or Publish and Notify, if applicable (learn more about Notify below).

Scheduling News Items

News Editors and News Reporters can set a Publish Date for their item on the Settings Panel. When they do, the Publish button is replaced with a Schedule button. Clicking this button (or Schedule and Notify) will send your item to the Scheduled List and then automatically post it at the time you set.

Saving draft News Items

If they're not ready to publish, then News Editors and News Reporters can open the drop down menu in the Publish button and select Save Draft so they can come back to it later. You can also view any items you have saved to the Drafts List if you want to see what they will look like when published (see Managing your items).

8. Using Notify

All News Items include the option that allows News Editors to send an "Important Notice" to everyone that the Item is published. This can be triggered when publishing or at any time after that.

The intent of this feature is to draw attention to the item when it is urgent to do so. For it to be effective in this way, it's important that you don't overuse it, such that employees learn to ignore these important notifications. Use Feature for routine promotion of News Items. Use Sign Off to help ensure that everyone has seen a particular Item. Only use Notify when its critical that uses see the News Item ASAP.

Unlike other notifications, users cannot opt out of Notify. But they do see who triggered the Notify, and that person needs to provide a bit of context. This context also helps this special notification communicate in a potent way.

News Editors (and News Reporters if it is permitted by their Reporter Group) can enable Notify: 

• When publishing: Instead of selecting Publish, click the arrow next to it and select Publish and Notify.
• After publishing: Open the News Item, click on the Action Menu in the top right corner, and select Notify.

Whichever method you choose, you will receive an alert where you:

• Can customize the title of your notification (click Use a Custom Title)
• Must enter a message to share context about why this is urgent

Clicking Send will close the alert and notify all viewers via email and a mobile notification.

The notification will include:

• Sender's name (your name)
• Sender's notice (your message)
• Link to the related News Item
• Publishing info (Category and original date posted)

Note: Notify is also available for Events and Library updates.

9. Revising a published News Item

To edit a published News Item, News Editors and Authors can open it in News view and then click Edit in the upper right corner. After making your edits, scroll up to the action bar and click Publish to post the revised item back to the main News view.

Republishing does not create fresh Red Dots or generate an "All new News items" notification to users.

You can also edit an Item via your Manage tables (Drafts, Scheduled, Published, and Archived).

10. Duplicating News Items

News Editors can Duplicate a News Item, by either of these methods:

1. Open the News item in the viewer and select Duplicate in the action menu top right.

2. From the action menu of the main News view, select any of the management tables (Published, Drafts, or Scheduled). Find the item of interest and select Duplicate in its Action Menu.

When a News Editor selects Duplicate, an alert opens where they can set the Title for the duplicate, which opens in a new tab and is saved to the Drafts Table until it is published. All of the content and settings are copied, except for any time-related settings.

Tip: If you regularly publish News Items with the same format, such as a monthly project summary or a new employee welcome, either:

• Duplicate the prior article as your starting point for the next version, or
• Always start by duplicating an item in Drafts that you use as a template.

11. Ghostwriting

The Duplicate function that News Editors have access to in News provides an effective way to ghostwrite an article on behalf of someone else. For example, if a CEO wants someone to publish an article under their name, then a News Editor can just go to any item that was previously published by the CEO, duplicate it, and then use that as a template for the new article. When they go to publish the new item, they can opt to keep the CEO as the author and then publish it on their behalf.