# CMS planning worksheet

Use this with Plainview Web's article:
https://plainviewweb.com/blog/when-your-website-needs-a-cms

This is an editable planning worksheet, not a CMS import or an implementation specification. Replace the fictional examples with your own decisions. Keep passwords, access tokens and private personal information out of this document.

## 1. Describe the publishing work

- Website/project:
- Main reader and task:
- Next three expected content updates:
- Who will prepare those updates:
- How often updates are expected:
- How soon an approved update must become public:
- What is difficult about the current process:
- Could ordinary pages and a documented update process meet the need? Why or why not?

## 2. Inventory representative content

The accompanying `cms-content-inventory-example.csv` contains eight fictional records from Sample Craft Library: four guides, two contributor profiles and two ordinary pages. All people are invented. All `example.com` addresses are demonstration addresses, not working destinations.

### CSV column guide

- `item_id`: a unique planning identifier. Preserve it while reviewing the inventory.
- `content_type`: the kind of item, such as Guide, Contributor or Page.
- `title`: the current or working title/name.
- `current_url`: the existing public address; blank for the new draft G04.
- `proposed_url`: the intended address after migration or publication.
- `topic`: an agreed topic label where relevant; blank for other content types.
- `difficulty`: an agreed reader-facing level where relevant.
- `contributor_id`: a reference to a Contributor item in this inventory; this is separate from the person responsible for maintaining the content.
- `content_owner`: the role responsible for keeping the item correct.
- `status`: the current editorial state, such as Published or Draft.
- `decision`: Keep, Revise, Merge, Remove or New, based on the review.
- `notes`: missing fields, special cases or migration actions. For a merge, record the destination item and URL.

Choose sample items that reveal differences: a long title, shared contributor, missing optional image, draft, older content and an address that must change. For a complete migration, extend the inventory to every affected item and asset before launch.

## 3. Define types, fields and relationships

Fictional starting model:

- Guide: title, unique URL slug, summary, instructions, topic, difficulty, contributor reference, review date and optional image with description/credit as appropriate.
- Contributor: name, unique URL slug and biography.
- Topic choices: Paper, Wood.
- Difficulty choices: Beginner, Intermediate.
- G01 and G02 reference contributor C01 (Riley Morgan). G03 and G04 reference contributor C02 (Jordan Lane).
- About and Contact remain ordinary pages; their editor and update process still need to be documented.

Your model:

- Content type:
- Required fields:
- Optional fields and their fallback display:
- Allowed labels/choices:
- Relationships to other items:
- What happens when a related item is a draft or is removed:
- Where this information appears publicly:
- Validation message or review required before publication:

Repeat this block for each content type. Test actual editing forms and public templates; a list of fields does not prove they are implemented.

## 4. Define reader discovery and acceptance checks

Fictional example checks:

- [ ] A title search for `paper` returns published guides G01 and G02.
- [ ] Topic Paper plus difficulty Beginner returns only G01.
- [ ] Draft G04 does not appear in public browsing or search.
- [ ] Clearing the selected filters restores the intended starting list.
- [ ] A query with no matches explains the empty result and offers a useful next action.
- [ ] Changing a published title updates the relevant page, lists and search results through the agreed publishing process.
- [ ] Keyboard users can reach, change and reset each control with visible focus.
- [ ] Controls, results and empty states work at a narrow phone width.

Your requirements:

- Browse routes readers need:
- Searchable fields:
- Example query and exact expected results:
- Filters and allowed values:
- How multiple filters combine:
- Whether a query keeps the current filter selections:
- Default and alternative sort order:
- Empty-result message and reset behavior:
- How public discovery excludes drafts:
- How soon a published update must reach all views:
- Who verifies the results:

## 5. Assign editorial responsibility

- Drafting:
- Source/image and content review:
- Approval/publication:
- Corrections:
- Archiving/removal:
- CMS account administration:
- Software updates/support:
- Recovery after an unwanted edit or outage:

Check with the intended account, not only an administrator account:

- [ ] Create and save a draft.
- [ ] See a clear response when a required field is missing.
- [ ] Preview the page and its related listings.
- [ ] Request/review a correction.
- [ ] Verify who can publish, delete content or change settings.
- [ ] Publish the approved sample and confirm its public state.
- [ ] Rehearse an agreed revision/recovery procedure.

## 6. Plan migration and ownership

In the sample inventory, G02 changes from `/posts/paper-repair` to `/guides/repair-a-paper-cover`; plan its redirect and update links. G04 is new and has no old address to redirect. Other published items retain their paths. These are fictional planning choices, not redirects implemented by this worksheet.

- Existing and proposed addresses recorded:
- Changed/merged/removed URLs and agreed actions:
- Internal links and navigation to update:
- Assets, descriptions and credits to transfer:
- Content relationships to check:
- Draft/private content handling:
- Staging reviewer and acceptance date:
- Launch responsibility and rollback procedure:
- Export format and contents, including whether media is included:
- What else a full restore requires (code, templates, settings, accounts):
- Where the owner can find accounts, documentation and billing:
- Ongoing costs and renewal/update responsibility:

## 7. Record the decision

- Selected approach and why it fits:
- Required for launch:
- Useful later, but outside this launch:
- Unanswered questions and their owners:
- Evidence that editors can complete their tasks:
- Evidence that readers can find the intended content:
- Owner acceptance and remaining actions:

Useful next steps:

- Website Project Planner: https://plainviewweb.com/tools/website-project-planner
- Website handoff checklist: https://plainviewweb.com/guides/website-handoff-checklist
- Changing existing URLs: https://plainviewweb.com/guides/changing-existing-urls