Symfoni

Low entry level

In Symfoni CMS users are defined with different task depending on what role they have in the production process of documents. Relevant roles are author, journalist, web editor, and web master and system administrator. Regardless of role, the entry level for using the system is low, since the system is intuitive to use.

A powerful text editor that behaves and looks a lot like Microsoft word is used in the production of documents. The system hence is based on a functionality known to nearly everyone, which makes it quite user-friendly. Symfoni CMS has a strong functionality for picture formatting as well; this function does not require the user to have knowledge about image formatting. This makes the application easy and self explaining to use, which reduces the need for training.

The system is designed in such a manner that one is able to design one’s own work surface. This makes the individual users able to only deal with their own working area. The user will for instance get an overview over the latest documents they have worked with when logging on to the system.

Work flow and Quality control

Symfoni CMS contains functionality that can activate and deactivate work flow with preparation of documents that are to be published. The roles, defined in the tool and that the users are allocated to, have an active importance to the work flow since different roles have access to different functions and different rights. The meaning of the work flow is to make sure that the content is of good quality, and that the documents comply with the organisations standards before they are published. 

Close integration with e-mail keeps the people involved in the publishing process updated on the status of the documents. Users defined with a quality control function will receive e-mails with a link to documents awaiting approval. Simply by pressing a button the document can be approved and published on the web site, at the same time the system sends a status report on the document to the author.

Consistent graphic profile

By using Symfoni CMS of a professional and thorough graphical image of the organisation and the site by using predefined templates for different types of documents and processes is achieved. The creation of templates for news letters, articles, course information, work shops etc, secures a consistent graphical profile across the organisation. The templates contain information about font, size, placement of images and image texts, use of introduction etc. The use of predefined templates contributes strongly to the reduction of the entry level for infrequent users that produce and publish documents.

Organisations with several web-sites, i.e. departments across countries, will perceive Symfoni CMS as an efficient tool for set up and maintenance of documents when content and design are required to be consistent across borders. The system has user-friendly functions that can cross publish on several sites.

Independent of Platform

Symfoni CMS is completely independent of platform. To be independent of platform means that the tool will behave equally on all types of computers, it is not influenced by the type of operating system the organisation is using. In other words it is not necessary to install software on every computer; the individual user can work from any browser.

Regardless of the user’s defined role, all necessary functions are available from the web.

Independent of size

Symfoni CMS is a publishing tool developed in order to make solid and flexible web sites for all organisations regardless of industry or size. The system has defined several differentiated roles, which one can choose to use or not, depending on size and needs. Larger organisations may have other requirements to work flow and approval processes than smaller organisation. In the same way some document types in smaller organisations may have a more complex work flow and approval process than other documents. The different needs and the flexibility required of the system in order to protect these needs, is implemented in Symfoni CMS. OT every document one can attach a work flow where the process can vary from one document type to the other. Since every role can have different functions and rights attached to them, the work flow is regulated and the documents shown will be regulated according to the organisations publishing policy.

Symfoni CMS has functionality which makes your publishing easier 

• Own resource database included with support for all file formats like picture files, PDF, MS Office document, Macromedia Flash etc. The resource library can be used as a common archive on several web sites or on one specific site.
• Easy and user-friendly interface which makes it easy to start using, and there is no special web knowledge required in order to publish in the portal
• Dynamic construction of the menu which makes it easy to build and change the structure of the menu when needed as well as avoiding problems with “dead” links
• Scheduled publishing of all types of documents. Preview supports both single pages and whole web sites.
• Optimized with search engines, such as Google sitemap etc. Accessibility; supports Dublin Core, Norge.no, WAI, W3C etc.
• Several built-in functions that are easy to activate and configure when needed, for instance search, short-cuts, print, versions etc.
• A powerful document editor where the user interface is constructed like for instance MS Word. Every necessary function is available, such as tables, spelling control, editing functions, removal of unwanted formatting, search and replace, colours, text formatting, lists, links and image handling.

Some of the additional modules available in Symfoni CMS

• Questionnaires
• Extranet
• Product catalogue
• Debate forum (advanced)
• External source module
• SMS and Chat
• Global Calendar (overview over the employees’ appointments and absence)
• Database integrator

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