Overview
These notes provide information on creating a new website using the Web Engine content management system for how to create a new empty website from scratch. The following notes are for the ALPS or Adventist design, but should cover aspects for other designs as well.
If you already have a website, then you will want to read an article on adding website pages, creating menus, or another topic that provides details on adding the content and elements to your website.
How to
Create a new website
- Navigate to the Web Module and expand the module.
- Click on the Manage sites section title.
- Click on the Add website button on the upper-right.
- Click on the Add a new website option.
- Fill out the fields:
- Name: a name to identify in the backend of Web Engine
- Title: Official name of the website
- Primary domain:
- <your-website>.staging.web.adventist.cloud (<your-website> = your website name)
- Use "a-z", "0-9", "-" characters only
- Enable built-in analytics: Always set the checkmark, if someone needs website statistics
- Design: Select the design for this website.
- "Adventist design" (ALPS) for Division, Union, Conference, local churches
- "Adventisten.de design" for entities in German speaking countries (only with approval)
- "Base design" for special projects (only with approval)
- "Hope design" for Media library or Courses module websites
- Region: Select the closest region to the target audience (if field visible).
- Groups: Add a group if someone is supporting this website. If you add a group, you will see the optoin to add a user as well, skip Add user initially; add later after the website has been setup.
- Click on Create button to create the website
- The new website should open on the right-side, if not look for the name under the Web module and click on the name of the newly created website.
Web > website > Pages
Homepage
- Click on the name of the website. (there should be a Home page already created)
- Click on the Home page.
- Select a preset page template for the Homepage
- Some designs may have a preset for the homepage (Adventist design: ALPS - Homepage)
- Otherwise, select a preset and build the homepage as the design requires.
- See Additional information at the bottom of the page on how to add content to a page.
- Click button View online in the upper right corner of the backend
- The website homepage should appear.
- If an error occurs, review the steps above. (If a problem persists talk with your administrator)
Note:
When using the ALPS design for standard pages on the website, use the ALPS - Centered content page or ALPS - Content Page with sidebar. These pages are ready for displaying content in the proper padding across device sizes.
Web > Menus
- After pages are created, see the link at the bottom of the page to create menus.
Web > Layouts
- For most designs, no layouts are required
Web > Appearance
- Set logos, menus, etc. using the Appearance submodule (see link at the bottom of the page).
Additional Information
- To start building pages see Overview of developing webpages
- Creating Menus on the website
- Adjust the website by using the Appearance submodule
- Website Template used for setting up automated websites (ex: a local church website)
- Transparent Headers allow page header backgrounds to be transparent
updated 2025-12-23