Here you find a list of all the common content management related terms.
Glossary of Content Management Terms
Check-in/Check-out is an activity of version control that allows a user to record access to a content asset. In many cases the access to the content asset (eg a document) may result in the asset being 'locked' so that other users don't update it concurrently. Check-in is the activity of re-enabling the asset to be used by others.
Collaboration is the process of two or more people working together on a common goal, document, content asset, process, work flow or function. The parties involved can be work colleagues, partners, customers, subject matter experts, or even just interested members. Collaboration is the process in which they interact and engage.
A Collaboration platform is a technology that facilitates the interaction and involvement people on a shared goal or task. Collaboration platforms are often web based and allow real-time sharing of thoughts and ideas as well as concurrent input on documents, conversations and content assets.
Content Management is the practice of organizing and ordering all the content assets of a person, business, company or enterprise. It can relate to documents, web, intranet, portals , products, media and more.
A content management system is a way of effectively organizing the content assets of a person, company, business or organization. The content assets can be documents, web pages, images, videos, records, staff details, and other items of information. Content management systems are usually software based and utilised in a collaborative environment. They usually provide controls for managing access and update of the assets as well as version control for controlling history of the changes.
A content manager is a person who's role is to ensure content is produced, managed and made available to the appropriate audience. The role can be focussed internally (eg content for staff) and externally (eg content on a web site, links on social media, etc)
A corporate intranet is an enhanced version of an intranet that usually includes additional controls for staff management, scheduling, online learning & training, as well as advanced search capabilities.
Digital Asset Management is a component of content management that typically focussed on larger sized content assets including video, image and audio. DAMs include tools for searching within these digital assets, efficiently versioning them and distributing them to users.
Gartner defines a digital experience platform (DXP) as “an integrated and cohesive piece of technology designed to enable the composition, management, delivery and optimisation of contextualised digital experiences across multi-experience customer journeys.” A digital experience platform starts with a sophisticated CMS that can be used to deploy different solutions across different devices, and offers to ability to integrate to multiple business systems. This provides a fully integrated and seamless digital experience for the audience. For more information, see our blog post on How to Deliver a Great Employee Experience.
Document management is a specific form of content management that pertains to documents including text based documents, PDFs, emails, spreadsheets and project plans. It usually includes key functionality for checking-in and checking-out documents so that a 'source of truth' can be maintained.
A digital workplace consists of a holistic set of platforms, tools and environments for work delivered in a usable, coherent and productive way. This definition gives focus on the experience of the employee or the individual as well as the environment in which they work. A good digital workplace can be tailored to what your organisation needs it to be. For more information, see our blog post on Understanding the Digital Workplace and the guide on How to Build an Engaged Digital Workplace.
Ecommerce (or electronic commerce) is the general term for transaction between purchaser and seller. It includes consumer purchasing, B2B and B2E transactions. Ecommerce can be facilitated via online shopping, extranet portals, share trading sites, and many other channels.
Elcom is a globally recognized content management systems vendor, providing intranet, extranet and web content management solutions.
Enterprise content management is the practice of managing the content and processes of an enterprise. It includes use of a content mangement system, but usually extends to more than just the content assets to encompass workflow, collaboration on content, messaging, advanced searching and custom reporting of content related activities.
Enterprise Search is an advanced form of content search, to enable larger companies quick location of key assets. It usually includes detailed taxonomy and asset tagging, and the ability to search within a large number of content formats (Eg documents, video, XML files, etc).
An extranet is a system, typically accessed via a web browser, that allows a company to provide information, products and services to external parties (eg customers, partners and other companies). Extranets typically require a secure login process to access. Some extranets offer integration points for partner companies to interface with (eg automatic interfacing to sales ordering processes).
An extranet portal is a personalized view of a company's extranet, typically integrated with access to other applications.
HTML 5 is the latest web standard for presenting content in the web. The standard is still under development, but even in its draft form it has been embraced by many web developers due to its focus on improved drawing, media playback and offline storage.
Information architecture is both a verb: the act of designing efficient systems for managing complex data, and a noun: the result of the information architecture act. Within content management systems it is used to enable efficient structure of information and content assets.
An intranet is a software system, typically used via a web browser, for managing content and company information within an organization. Intranets are usually private and require a login to access (and are this not viewable publicly). Some intranets may not even be accessible externally from a company's network. Intranets are usually restricted to employees of a company due to the sensitivity of the information provided.
An intranet portal is a personalized view of a company's intranet and other company systems (eg links to a legacy system used within the organisation). Intranet portals often integrate with other systems to provide users with single sign-on access to those systems.
The Intranet-in-a-box or out-of-the-box (OOTB) intranet is a 'ready to use' or pre-built intranet platform that has base features that allow it to quickly be deployed. It comes with common functionality most organisations require of an intranet such as decentralised publishing, security permissions, document management, news centre and social tools, accessible via a user-friendly interface. The benefit of an OOTB intranet is that organisations do not have to wait months or years to built their intranet from scratch.
Knowledge management is the practice of ensuring insights, results and learning within an organization is captured and made available for staff to find, use, update, adopt and integrate into company processes. Knowledge management often aligned with training and learning, as well as innovation and research initiatives.
Learning management systems (LMS) allow companies to efficiently distribute training, learning and re-skilling content to staff, partners and customers. They are typically provided via web based software systems and viewed using a web browser. A feature of learning management systems is they capture user progress and allow training programs to be paused and resumed easily. Based on user interactions (such as completing items, tests and assignments) the content presented can be tailored to the user.
The Mobile web is the umbrella term for all mobile based web activities including browsing a web site on a mobile device, providing web based applications that target mobile devices and the usability design for sites experienced on mobile devices.
Online shopping is the activity of viewing company products on a web site or portal, and allowing the products (or services) to be purchased via secure transactions if desired.
The semantic web is the consolidation of data that can be interacted with by machines. It was coined by Tim Berners-Lee and is generally used to refer to the technologies that enable machines to process the data.
Single Sign-On (SSO) is an authentication schemes that enables a user to log in with a single ID to multiple integrated platforms. For example, you can automate the user creation for new staff and deletion process for outgoing staff in your Elcom intranet. This means when you add a new user in Active Directory and assign them to a group such as the HR department, an account for that user will automatically be created in your intranet and they will be placed in the related group, ensuring they see the right content and have the right permissions and access level. Each user record is automatically refreshed (synchronised from Active Directory) whenever the user logs in. You can also provide SSO from your Elcom intranet to other business systems so your staff do not have to remember multiple username and password combinations for connected applications.
Taxonomy refers to the classification of content assets including how documents, images, web content, videos, staff details, training materials etc are tagged, structured and organized.
Version control is the process of managing changes to content assets including documents, images, audio, video and text content. Version control can include functionality for locking assets when they are checked-out, as well as merging tools for incorporating multiple changes back into a single source. Tools for categorizing, commenting and highlighting changes are provided on advanced version control systems.
A web CMS is a web based content management system (CMS) that is focussed on maintained web based content assets including HTML, images, documents, video, audio and user information. A web CMS maintains a centralized template structure for consistent look-and-feel across the system, freeing users to concentrate on adding, editing and maintaining the content itself.
A web content management system is the full name for a web CMS. See: Web CMS
The process of building relationships with customers that result in them becoming ambassadors for your brand or product. It is the process of ensuring that a site presents the right content, to the right person, at the right time.
A wiki is a web based system for creation, updating and searching of simple HTML content. A wiki is usually collaboratively edited, and is often open to public access. Some wikis allow anonymous access and updating of wiki pages.
A workflow automates the processing time of information, documents and/or forms using rule-based logic. For example, when a user fills in and submits an online form, it can trigger a workflow where the form is sent to a manager for approval. Then once it is approved, it is automatically send to the finance department to process and so on. Check out our article on forms and workflows for more information.