Like shared content, Variable data allows you to place custom variables across the site and when it comes to updating a variable it gives you a centralized location to edit all instances of it at once. This can be used for items such as fees, faculty names, school years, etc. that are repeated across the site.
Please note that Variable data can only be used in conjunction with the Text widget, it cannot be used with anything else.
Create and Manage content variable data
It is easy to create and manage Variable data in SchoolStatus, from your dashboard, click on Tenant Settings under Site Settings. On the following screen click on Content Variables. There you will be able to find all of the content variable data for your site.
- How do I add a new content variable, the values associated with variables, or notes?
To enter a new variable, the values associated with the variables or notes navigate to Content Variables and place the cursor in the window located there, and when you are done entering click on Save at the bottom of the screen.- To enter a new note type in '#' followed by the note. For example, #Fees and Scholarships. While it is not necessary to enter any notes We recommend entering notes in the Content Variable window for such things as what section of variables or even what a single variable is for. To add a note, enter the pound sign and then the note.
- To enter a new variable, type in its name using underscores for any spaces followed by a colon. For example, sophomore_yearly_fees:
- To enter the value of a value, you can enter it directly after the colon. Blocks of text do not have to be in quotes, but we do recommend it for large sections of text.
- How do I remove a content variable, their values, or notes?
To remove any variables, their values or notes navigate to Content Variables, select what you would like to remove, and delete when you are done click on Save at the bottom of the screen. Please remember that once any variables are deleted, their values or notes are deleted and cannot be recovered. - What does the different colored text mean?
- Gray - a note
- Red - name of a variable
- Yellow - text value of a variable in quotes
- white - text value of a variable that is not contained within quotes
- Purple - numeric value of a variable
Using variable data on your site
After creating the variable data you can now use it on your site. To start using the variable go to the page that you would like to have it on, either edit the proper widget or add a new Text widget, under the Advanced tab click on the Pre-processing toggle. This tells the system to look for and render the variables in the widget. Now all you have to do is enter the name of the variable, inside double curly brackets, where you would like it to be displayed in the widget. For example, . Which will display the value of sophomore_yearly_fees in place of the variable's name.
Please note when used on a page variable data can be styled like other elements in the Text widget.