Our current templates and field types are pretty basic, and so we plan to add some functionality to make them a lot more flexible. This should make it really easy to create more flexible content structures, and also save some time when you have the same kinds of structure used on multiple items in your project.
The idea is to make it possible to create custom components out of a group of fields (or even a single field), and then have these accessible in a component library so they can be quickly added to items on the fly. This means you could have a component that's used inside templates and custom structures, and which can be easily updated from a single place. Which should save a bunch of time!
We're also keen to make it possible to say that a component should be repeatable on an item. This should be useful for things like galleries, or lists of things, where you're not sure how many you need from the outset.
Finally, we're also keen to review our field types themselves, and look into more specific field types to support more structured content. Also just improving the validation on fields, so you could say a field is required, or has to include a certain format of content.
This is in the very early stages of planning, so please let us know your thoughts.
Out of the entire gathercontent product, this has to be the number 1 issue I have with the platform. We should definitely have the ability to set a template after doing a mass csv import without losing data when the fields match up.
It really should be possible to add standard text to a template field. It is a monumental waste of time having to find, and then copy and paste standard text into individual pieces of content - product descriptions for example - instead of having the text contained within a template field or fields. This would apply to wording for thing such as safety instructions, copyright, recycling, size guides etc
Losing this functionality was a real backward step and has caused our writers to complain their time is being wasted. As a result our costs have risen.
I am afraid that without the ability to put standard, editable, formatted text in a text field on a template we will not be renewing in July and we will stop using GatherContent before that.. The removal of this functionality was nonsensical. There are other tools out there that allow this - so there no point in wasting our time here if this won't change.
I agree this would be useful for content managed as a database (we have a lot of this), but just a caution ... please don't make it harder to do the current, simple templates. We need those too.
For my use case, we just need repeatable fields. Most websites I build have worked this way
Another field type that would be useful for us is a button/CTA field. As a web agency, this is something we encounter frequently. Currently we denote a button with brackets (for example: [LEARN MORE]), but we're concerned that this may not be clear to all of our clients.
UniSuper has several disclosure documents that share identical content. Can GatherContent allow a user/owner to manage a block of text that is linked to one or many documents? So that when the text is updated and published, the updated text appears in the related/linked docs?
If this was introduced, then it would save the users a considerable amount of time, reduce risk of errors and increase confidence in the documents.
We've been waiting for something like this to integrate with more modular templates.
A more flexible approach to content would be ideal as we build modern products. The key requirements for me are the updates are compatible with Advanced Custom Fields _Repeater_ and _Flexible Content_ fields as well as the native WordPress Gutenberg blocks.
The GC platform is fantastic, but it is painful to try and mimic current WP functionality within in a way that is easy to use.
I am afraid that without the ability to put standard, editable, formatted text in a text field on a template we will not be renewing in July and we will stop using GatherContent before that.. The removal of this functionality was nonsensical. There are other tools out there that allow this - so there no point in wasting our time here if this won't change.