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Mapping interaction and suggested content for easier content creation from GOSS

mike-johnston Profile

Today sees the launch of GOSS iCM (intelligent Content Management) version 9.1.0.1, the latest upgrade to the market leading Web Content Management system built by GOSS Interactive.

The solution allows public, private and third sector organisations to drive efficiency savings into their business. GOSS clients can deliver more services online and gain a better understanding how website visitors use a website. For some clients, this has resulted in savings of up to £3 million.

Suggested external links and media
Users of GOSS iCM could always search for external content, like links and media, from within the Web Content Management system. Additionally, users have been able to use iSuggest, a tool that suggests related content from the website database. The tool can even add related content to pages without users having to look through the suggested content.

Now the software engineers at GOSS have combined both technologies. Users can now enter copy into a web page that iSuggest will “read” and decide what the content is about. It will then search the internet, as well as internal libraries. It then finds relevant links and media that it thinks will enrich the page. You don’t have to just direct the software to libraries within GOSS iCM, extensions can be easily created to allow searching of other content repositories and document management systems. Examples are provided for various systems including Microsoft SharePoint.

If you pick any of the suggestions, it is automatically added to the GOSS iCM library and related to the page with a one click operation. To help users, external and internal links and media have different icons so that users can quickly see what is stored where and the external source.

Users need to be careful when selecting external media and ensure they have the correct permissions and understand the copyright implications, as outlined in this blog post, re-using web content and copyright.

Google maps picker
Website users often want to indicate the location of something, be it an event, their favourite cafe or an abandoned vehicle. GOSS iCM now has the ability to offer website users a Google map onto which they can add a pin, to indicate a postcode or named location. Controls in the forms designer, that come free with GOSS iCM, allow administrators to set:

  • Default location
  • Whether the map is displayed or not
  • The type of map displayed (hybrid, terrain, roadmap or satellite)
  • The zoom level
  • The size of the map (height/width)
  • The text on the buttons
  • The label text above the map

The latitude and longitude is stored in GOSS iCM for administrator use. Within the forms package are simple workflow tools to allow staff to process a request and feedback to the customer. Watch this video showing the location picker.

Rob McCarthy, CEO at GOSS Interactive comments; “Our active community of users regularly suggests and vote on functionality that they would like to see in GOSS iCM. These two features come directly from that engagement. One creates a really powerful tool to make content contribution as easy as possible. The other equips website users to interact with organisations geographically.”

The upgraded software is free to all clients with a support contract.
For further information about the release, go to http://www.gossinteractive.com/v9-1-0-1