Getting Started

Freshly trained? Start with the basics.

If you've recently gained access or need to fill in knowledge gaps, this section provides essential information to help you navigate the Cascade interface and become familiar with it. This content covers the part of the intro of Basic Training and serves as a useful reference.

Access Cascade

Not trained yet? Sign up for the next Basic Training.

In This Section

• The Cascade Interface – A visual overview of the major areas of the Cascade screen
• Folder Navigation Tree – How to browse, expand and navigate your site's folder structure
• Dashboard – What you see when you log in and how to use it
• Starred & Recent Assets – How to bookmark your most-used assets and quickly return to recent ones
• Search – How to find assets quickly using Cascade's search

Important Note: Our references to the left pane and right pane are for the desktop layout. We recommend working in Cascade on a desktop/laptop, but it is responsive on smaller devices when needed.

The Cascade Interface

When you log into Cascade, your screen is divided into a few main areas:

• The Top Toolbar runs across the top of the screen. It includes the script letter C (which returns you to your Dashboard), the Add Content button, the Search icon and your account menu.
• After selecting your website by clicking the 'Go to a Site' button in the top left corner, the page will display the Left Pane. This pane features the Folder Navigation Tree, which outlines the detailed folder structure of your website. You can toggle the Left Pane's visibility by clicking the arrow icon at its edge, which is helpful when you need more space for editing.
• The Right Pane is your main workspace. When you select an asset from the folder tree, it is displayed in the Right Pane.

Folder Navigation Tree

The Folder Navigation Tree lives in the left pane and displays the folder structure of your Cascade Site. Use it to browse folders, pages, images, documents and other assets.

• Expanding vs. selecting a folder: the carat/triangle is for selecting the folder and expanding its contents into a larger view; it appears to the right of the folder name when you hover. Clicking the folder name text will expand or collapse it in the panel.
• Right-clicking: Right-clicking any asset in the folder tree opens a context menu with shortcuts for common actions such as editing, moving, copying and publishing. This can save you several steps compared to using the toolbar.
• Hiding the left pane: If you need more screen space while editing, click the arrow at the right edge of the left pane to collapse it. Click it again to bring the tree back.

Dashboard

The Dashboard is the first thing you see when you log into Cascade. You can return to it at any time by clicking the script letter C in the top-left corner of the screen. Your Dashboard includes:

• Your default Cascade Site – a quick link to the server your content lives on (such as www.wm.edu or law.wm.edu). Select your desired website under the Go to a Site button in the top left of the Dashboard.
  • The Cascade Site(s) you regularly visit may appear in a Dashboard widget titled My Sites for quick access.
• My Content (Dashboard widget, typically located in the middle, or the expanded view found in the top right of the Dashboard) –
  • Recent Assets – a list of assets you've visited recently, so you can pick up where you left off without hunting through the folder tree.
  • Starred Assets – shortcuts to the assets you've bookmarked for quick access.
• Sticky Announcements (Dashboard widget) – any workflow items, messages, or review reminders that need your attention. The University Communications' web team may post important messages through a Sticky Announcement.
• Content to Review (Dashboard widget) – trained editors who serve as the Point of Contact (POC) for their department or organization's Cascade website will see their assets with review dates populate under Content to Review. Current POCs can find more information on our Content Cleanup & Accessibility Compliance help section.

Starred & Recent Assets

• Starred Assets: You can bookmark any asset in Cascade (folders, pages, images or documents) by clicking the star icon near the Publish button in the right pane. Starred assets appear under My Content, Search, and in the asset browsing popout panel, making it easier to access frequently used items.
• Recent Assets: Cascade keeps a list of assets you've recently visited. Like starred assets, recent ones can be found under My Content, Search, and in the asset browsing popout panel. This feature allows you to quickly return to your recent work without navigating through folders.

Search

The Search icon appears in the top-right corner of the Cascade toolbar. Clicking it opens a panel that shows a search bar and your starred and recent assets. To find a specific asset, enter its name or folder path in the search field. Results will appear as you type. The search covers the entire Cascade Site, not just your website, so be specific with your search terms to narrow results.

Tip: The folder path starts after the first slash in a URL, such as offices/uc/index. Do not include file extensions such as .pdf, .php, or .jpg in your search terms.

For more introductory content, check out the Basic Training Cheat Sheet. Something missing? Submit a request to let us know.