CMS Verification Checklist

This checklist enables the editor to independently verify all CMS functions work correctly.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Authentication Verification (VRFY-01)
3. Content Collections Verification (VRFY-02)
4. Navigation Management Verification (VRFY-03)
5. Media Management Verification (VRFY-04)
6. Editorial Workflow Verification (VRFY-05)
7. Troubleshooting (SUPP-01)

1. Introduction

Purpose

This checklist provides step-by-step verification that all CMS (Content Management System) functions work correctly. Use it to confirm you have full editorial control over site content without needing technical assistance.

When to Use This Checklist

• After site updates - Verify CMS still works after major changes
• Periodically - Monthly check to ensure all functions remain operational
• After issues - Diagnose problems with content management
• Initial setup - Confirm CMS is properly configured for new users

Accessing the CMS

URL: https://bibleteachingprogram.com/admin/

To access the CMS:

1. Navigate to the admin URL above
2. Click "Login with Netlify Identity"
3. Enter your registered email and password
4. You should see the collections sidebar on the left

2. Authentication Verification (VRFY-01)

Login Checklist

• [ ] Navigate to CMS

  • Go to: https://bibleteachingprogram.com/admin/
  • Expected: Login screen appears with "Login with Netlify Identity" button
  • If fails: Clear browser cache, try incognito mode, or check if site is deployed

• [ ] Complete login

  • Click "Login with Netlify Identity"
  • Enter your email and password
  • Expected: Successfully logged in, CMS dashboard loads
  • If fails: See Troubleshooting - "Can't log in"

• [ ] Verify identity

  • Look at the user menu (top right corner)
  • Expected: Shows your logged-in email address
  • If fails: Try logging out and back in

• [ ] Verify collections visible

  • Check the sidebar on the left
  • Expected: All collections appear (Posts, Courses, Books, Blog Posts, etc.)
  • If fails: Contact administrator to verify your user permissions

Logout Checklist

• [ ] Log out successfully
  • Click your email in the top right
  • Click "Log out"
  • Expected: Returned to login screen
  • If fails: Clear browser cache and close all browser windows

3. Content Collections Verification (VRFY-02)

The CMS manages 13 content collections and 2 file collections. Verify each one can be accessed, items created, and items edited.

3.1 Posts (Demo Posts)

Location: Sidebar > Posts Purpose: Demo posts for testing CMS functionality

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Posts" in sidebar
• [ ] Expected: List of existing posts appears (or empty state if none)
• [ ] If fails: Refresh page, check browser console for errors

Create New Item

• [ ] Click "New Post" button
• [ ] Fill in required fields:
  • Title: Enter a test title (e.g., "Test Post - Delete Me")
  • Publish Date: Select today's date
  • Draft: Leave checked (keeps post hidden)
  • Content: Enter some test content
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Post saves successfully, "Saved" status shown
• [ ] If fails: Check for validation errors, ensure all required fields filled

Edit Existing Item

• [ ] Open an existing post from the list
• [ ] Modify the title or content
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Changes saved successfully
• [ ] If fails: Check if another user has the item locked

Key Fields to Test

• title (required) - The post title
• date (required) - Publish date picker
• draft (boolean) - Toggle visibility
• featured_image (optional) - Image upload
• attachment (optional) - PDF upload
• body (markdown) - Rich text content

3.2 Courses: Foundation

Location: Sidebar > Courses: Foundation Purpose: Foundation category course lessons

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Courses: Foundation" in sidebar
• [ ] Expected: List of lessons grouped by course title
• [ ] If fails: Refresh page

Create New Item

• [ ] Click "New Lesson" button
• [ ] Fill in required fields:
  • Lesson Title: Enter test title
  • Course Title: Enter course name (e.g., "The Cross")
  • Course Slug: Enter URL-friendly name (e.g., "the-cross")
  • Lesson Number: Enter a number (e.g., 99)
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Lesson saves successfully
• [ ] If fails: Verify course slug uses lowercase and hyphens only

Edit Existing Item

• [ ] Open an existing lesson
• [ ] Modify the content or description
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Changes saved successfully

Key Fields to Test

• title (required) - Lesson title
• course_title (required) - Parent course name
• course_slug (required) - URL-friendly course name
• lesson_number (required) - Ordering number
• pdf_notes (optional) - PDF file upload
• pdf_slides (optional) - PDF file upload
• body (markdown) - Lesson content

3.3 Courses: Christian Life

Location: Sidebar > Courses: Christian Life Purpose: Christian Life category course lessons

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Courses: Christian Life" in sidebar
• [ ] Expected: List of lessons grouped by course title

Create New Item

• [ ] Click "New Lesson" button
• [ ] Fill in required fields (same as Foundation courses)
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Lesson saves successfully

Edit Existing Item

• [ ] Open an existing lesson and make a change
• [ ] Expected: Changes save successfully

Key Fields to Test

• Same fields as Foundation courses
• category field is hidden and defaults to "christian-life"

3.4 Courses: History

Location: Sidebar > Courses: History Purpose: History category course lessons

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Courses: History" in sidebar
• [ ] Expected: List of lessons grouped by course title

Create/Edit Verification

• [ ] Create a test lesson with lesson number 99
• [ ] Edit an existing lesson
• [ ] Expected: Both operations succeed

Key Fields to Test

• Same fields as Foundation courses
• category field is hidden and defaults to "history"

3.5 Courses: Languages

Location: Sidebar > Courses: Languages Purpose: Languages category course lessons (Greek, Hebrew)

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Courses: Languages" in sidebar
• [ ] Expected: List of lessons grouped by course title

Create/Edit Verification

• [ ] Create a test lesson
• [ ] Edit an existing lesson
• [ ] Expected: Both operations succeed

Key Fields to Test

• Same fields as Foundation courses
• category field is hidden and defaults to "languages"

3.6 Books

Location: Sidebar > Books Purpose: Book chapters for various authors

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Books" in sidebar
• [ ] Expected: List of chapters grouped by book title

Create New Item

• [ ] Click "New Chapter" button
• [ ] Fill in required fields:
  • Chapter Title: Enter test title
  • Book Title: Enter book name
  • Book Slug: Enter URL-friendly name (e.g., "higher-calling")
  • Author: Enter author name
  • Chapter Number: Enter a number
  • Chapter Type: Select from dropdown (Introduction, Chapter, Conclusion, etc.)
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Chapter saves successfully

Edit Existing Item

• [ ] Open an existing chapter
• [ ] Modify content
• [ ] Expected: Changes save successfully

Key Fields to Test

• title (required) - Chapter title
• book_title (required) - Parent book name
• book_slug (required) - URL-friendly book name
• author (required) - Author name
• chapter_number (required) - Ordering number
• chapter_type (required) - Type dropdown
• accent_color (optional) - Color picker
• pdf_attachment (optional) - PDF upload
• body (markdown) - Chapter content

3.7 Blog Posts

Location: Sidebar > Blog Posts Purpose: Blog entries and messages

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Blog Posts" in sidebar
• [ ] Expected: List of blog posts

Create New Item

• [ ] Click "New Post" button
• [ ] Fill in required fields:
  • Title: Enter test title
  • Publish Date: Select date
  • Draft: Leave checked
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Post saves successfully

Edit Existing Item

• [ ] Open and edit an existing post
• [ ] Expected: Changes save successfully

Key Fields to Test

• title (required) - Post title
• date (required) - Publish date
• draft (boolean) - Visibility toggle
• scripture_reference (optional) - Scripture citation
• scripture_text (optional) - Scripture quotation
• speaker (optional) - Speaker name
• video_url (optional) - YouTube URL
• featured_image (optional) - Image upload
• body (markdown) - Post content

3.8 Messages

Location: Sidebar > Messages Purpose: Standalone sermons and messages

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Messages" in sidebar
• [ ] Expected: List of messages

Create New Item

• [ ] Click "New Message" button
• [ ] Fill in required fields:
  • Message Title: Enter test title
  • Publish Date: Select date
  • Draft: Leave checked
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Message saves successfully

Edit Existing Item

• [ ] Open and edit an existing message
• [ ] Expected: Changes save successfully

Key Fields to Test

• title (required) - Message title
• date (required) - Publish date
• draft (boolean) - Visibility toggle
• description (optional) - Brief description
• scripture_reference (optional) - Scripture citation
• scripture_text (optional) - Scripture quotation
• speaker (optional) - Speaker name (default: Steve Dulwich)
• video_url (optional) - YouTube URL
• featured_image (optional) - Image upload
• topics (optional) - Comma-separated topics
• body (markdown) - Message content

3.9 Sermon Series

Location: Sidebar > Sermon Series Purpose: Multi-part message series

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Sermon Series" in sidebar
• [ ] Expected: List of series entries grouped by series title

Create New Item (Series Overview)

• [ ] Click "New Series Entry" button
• [ ] Fill in fields:
  • Content Type: Select "Series Overview"
  • Title: Enter series title
  • Series Title: Same as title
  • Series Slug: URL-friendly name
  • Description: Series description
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Series overview saves successfully

Create New Item (Sermon)

• [ ] Click "New Series Entry" button
• [ ] Fill in fields:
  • Content Type: Select "Sermon"
  • Title: Enter sermon title
  • Series Title: Parent series name
  • Series Slug: Same as series overview
  • Sermon Number: Position in series
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Sermon saves successfully

Key Fields to Test

• content_type (required) - Series Overview or Sermon
• title (required) - Entry title
• series_title (required) - Series name
• series_slug (required) - URL-friendly series name
• sermon_number (optional) - Position in series
• accent_color (optional) - Color picker
• video_url (optional) - YouTube URL
• draft (boolean) - Visibility toggle
• body (markdown) - Content

3.10 Daily Verses

Location: Sidebar > Daily Verses Purpose: Daily devotional verses by month and day

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Daily Verses" in sidebar
• [ ] Expected: List of daily verses

Create New Item

• [ ] Click "New Daily Verse" button
• [ ] Fill in required fields:
  • Devotional Title: Enter title (e.g., "Running for the prize")
  • Month: Select from dropdown
  • Day Number: Enter day (1-31)
  • Scripture Reference: Enter reference (e.g., "Philippians 3:14")
  • Scripture Text: Enter the verse text
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Daily verse saves successfully

Key Fields to Test

• title (required) - Devotional title
• month (required) - Month dropdown
• day_number (required) - Day 1-31
• scripture_reference (required) - Bible reference
• scripture_text (required) - Verse text
• draft (boolean) - Visibility toggle
• body (markdown) - Devotional content

3.11 Journal Entries

Location: Sidebar > Journal Entries Purpose: Date-based journal content (e.g., Isaac Sharp's Journey)

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Journal Entries" in sidebar
• [ ] Expected: List of journal entries

Create New Item

• [ ] Click "New Entry" button
• [ ] Fill in required fields:
  • Entry Title: Enter date title (e.g., "April 23, 1862")
  • Book/Journal Title: Enter journal name
  • Book Slug: URL-friendly name
  • Author: Enter author name
  • Year: Enter year (e.g., 1862)
  • Month: Select from dropdown
  • Day: Enter day number
  • Entry Type: Select type (Journal Entry, Notes, Index)
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Entry saves successfully

Key Fields to Test

• title (required) - Entry title
• book_title (required) - Parent journal name
• book_slug (required) - URL-friendly name
• author (required) - Author name
• entry_year (required) - Year number
• entry_month (required) - Month dropdown
• entry_day (required) - Day 1-31
• entry_type (required) - Type dropdown
• location (optional) - Geographic location
• featured_image (optional) - Image upload
• body (markdown) - Entry content

3.12 Bible Pages

Location: Sidebar > Bible Pages Purpose: Bible section navigation pages

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Bible Pages" in sidebar
• [ ] Expected: List of Bible section pages

Create New Item

• [ ] Click "New Bible Page" button
• [ ] Fill in required fields:
  • Page Title: Enter title
  • Page Type: Select type (Main Bible Index, Testament Index, Category Index, etc.)
  • Testament: Select testament if applicable
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Page saves successfully

Edit Existing Item

• [ ] Open an existing Bible page
• [ ] Modify content or description
• [ ] Expected: Changes save successfully

Key Fields to Test

• title (required) - Page title
• page_type (required) - Type dropdown
• testament (optional) - Old/New Testament
• category (optional) - Category slug
• description (optional) - SEO description
• icon (optional) - Emoji icon
• book_range (optional) - Range of books
• book_count (optional) - Number of books
• body (markdown) - Page content

3.13 Pages

Location: Sidebar > Pages Purpose: Root informational pages (Contact, Resources, Privacy Policy, etc.)

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Pages" in sidebar
• [ ] Expected: List of informational pages

Create New Item

• [ ] Click "New Page" button
• [ ] Fill in required fields:
  • Page Title: Enter title
• [ ] Optional fields:
  • Description: SEO description
  • URL Slug Override: Custom URL path
  • Show Breadcrumb: Toggle
  • Page Style: Standard, Resource List, or Contact
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Page saves successfully

Key Fields to Test

• title (required) - Page title
• meta_title (optional) - SEO title
• description (optional) - SEO description
• slug_override (optional) - Custom URL
• show_breadcrumb (boolean) - Breadcrumb toggle
• page_style (required) - Style dropdown
• body (markdown) - Page content

3.14 Site Settings (File Collection)

Location: Sidebar > Site Settings Purpose: General site configuration

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Site Settings" in sidebar
• [ ] Click "General Settings"
• [ ] Expected: Settings form loads

Edit Settings

• [ ] Modify the Site Title (or note current value)
• [ ] Click "Save"
• [ ] Expected: Settings save successfully

Key Fields

• title - Site title

3.15 Navigation (File Collection)

Location: Sidebar > Navigation Purpose: Main navigation, footer, and mobile nav configuration

Access Verification

• [ ] Click "Navigation" in sidebar
• [ ] Click "Site Navigation"
• [ ] Expected: Navigation configuration form loads with multiple sections

Key Sections to Verify

• Main Navigation: Top-level nav items with mega menu configuration
• Footer Link Columns: Footer organization columns
• Quick Start Cards: Featured footer cards
• Social Links: Social media profiles
• Mobile Navigation Bar: Bottom mobile nav icons

4. Navigation Management Verification (VRFY-03)

Main Navigation

• [ ] Access navigation settings

  • Sidebar > Navigation > Site Navigation
  • Expected: Form loads with Main Navigation section

• [ ] View existing nav items

  • Expected: See list of main nav items (Home, Courses, Books, Bible, etc.)

• [ ] Add new nav item

  • Click "Add mainNav" button
  • Fill in Label, URL, Icon Code
  • Click "Save"
  • Expected: New item added to list

• [ ] Reorder nav items

  • Drag items to reorder
  • Click "Save"
  • Expected: Order saved, reflected on live site after deploy

• [ ] Remove nav item

  • Click delete button on item
  • Click "Save"
  • Expected: Item removed

Mega Menu Configuration

• [ ] Edit mega menu columns

  • Open a nav item with "Has Mega Menu" enabled
  • View/edit the Columns configuration
  • Expected: Can configure column titles, types, and content

• [ ] Configure column content types

  • Columns can be: visual-cards, link-sections, author-list, link-list
  • Expected: Each type has appropriate sub-fields

Footer Configuration

• [ ] Edit footer columns

  • Scroll to "Footer Link Columns" section
  • Expected: Can add/edit/remove column titles and links

• [ ] Edit Quick Start Cards

  • Scroll to "Quick Start Cards" section
  • Expected: Can configure title, description, URL, icon, link text

• [ ] Edit Social Links

  • Scroll to "Social Links" section
  • Expected: Can add/edit social platform links

Mobile Navigation

• [ ] Edit mobile nav bar

  • Scroll to "Mobile Navigation Bar" section
  • Expected: See 5 mobile nav items

• [ ] Configure mobile nav items

  • Each item has: Label, URL, Icon Name, Page ID
  • Expected: Can edit all fields

5. Media Management Verification (VRFY-04)

Image Uploads

• [ ] Upload image via featured_image field

  • Open any content item with featured_image field (e.g., Posts, Blog Posts, Messages)
  • Click on the image field
  • Click "Choose an image" or drag and drop
  • Select an image file (JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP)
  • Expected: Image uploads and preview displays
  • If fails: Check file size (should be under 10MB for most providers)

• [ ] Verify image storage location

  • Images are stored in collection-specific folders:
    • Posts: /images/posts/
    • Blog: /images/blog/
    • Messages: /images/messages/
    • Courses: /images/courses/
    • Books: /images/books/
  • Expected: Path shown matches expected folder

PDF Uploads

• [ ] Upload PDF via pdf_notes field

  • Open a course lesson
  • Scroll to "PDF Notes" field
  • Click "Choose a file" or drag and drop
  • Select a PDF file
  • Expected: PDF uploads successfully
  • If fails: Verify file is valid PDF, check file size

• [ ] Upload PDF via pdf_slides field

  • Same process for PDF Slides field
  • Expected: PDF uploads successfully

• [ ] Upload PDF via pdf_attachment field

  • Open a book chapter
  • Use the "PDF Attachment" field
  • Expected: PDF uploads successfully

• [ ] Upload PDF via attachment field

  • Open a post
  • Use the "PDF Attachment" field
  • Expected: PDF uploads successfully

Supported Formats

6. Editorial Workflow Verification (VRFY-05)

The CMS uses an editorial workflow with draft/publish functionality.

Draft Status

• [ ] Create draft item

  • Create new content item (any collection)
  • Ensure "Draft" checkbox is checked
  • Click "Save"
  • Expected: Item saved as draft

• [ ] Verify draft not visible on live site

  • After saving draft, visit the live site
  • Navigate to where the item would appear
  • Expected: Item NOT visible (draft = true hides it)
  • If visible: Check if draft checkbox is actually checked, wait 2-3 min for deploy

Publishing

• [ ] Publish item

  • Open an existing draft item
  • Uncheck the "Draft" checkbox
  • Click "Save"
  • Wait 2-3 minutes for site to redeploy
  • Expected: Item now visible on live site

• [ ] Unpublish item

  • Open a published item
  • Check the "Draft" checkbox
  • Click "Save"
  • Wait 2-3 minutes for site to redeploy
  • Expected: Item no longer visible on live site

Preview Functionality

• [ ] Preview unpublished changes
  • Open any content item in the CMS
  • Make a change (but don't save)
  • Look for "View" or preview button in editor toolbar
  • Expected: Opens preview of the item
  • If fails: See Troubleshooting - "Preview not loading"

Editorial Workflow States

The CMS may show workflow states:

• Draft - Item is in draft status

• In Review - Item submitted for review (if workflow enabled)

• Ready - Item approved and ready to publish

• [ ] Verify workflow state transitions

  • Check if your items move through expected states
  • Expected: Can see and manage workflow states

7. Troubleshooting (SUPP-01)

Can't Log In

Symptoms:

• Login button doesn't respond
• "Invalid credentials" error
• Login loop (keeps returning to login screen)

Solutions:

1. Verify Netlify Identity invitation

   • Check email for Netlify Identity invitation
   • Click the invitation link to set up your account
   • If no invitation received, contact site administrator

2. Clear browser cache

   • Clear cookies and cache for bibleteachingprogram.com
   • Try again in incognito/private browsing mode

3. Check browser compatibility

   • Use modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
   • Disable browser extensions that might block scripts

4. Reset password

   • Click "Forgot password?" on login screen
   • Check email for reset link
   • Set new password and try again

Changes Not Appearing on Live Site

Symptoms:

• Saved changes not visible on website
• Old content still showing
• New items not appearing

Solutions:

1. Check draft status

   • Open item in CMS
   • Verify "Draft" checkbox is UNCHECKED for items you want visible
   • Save again if needed

2. Wait for deployment

   • Changes take 2-3 minutes to deploy
   • Check Netlify dashboard for deploy status
   • Look for green "Published" status

3. Clear browser cache

   • Hard refresh the page (Ctrl+F5 or Cmd+Shift+R)
   • Try viewing in incognito mode

4. Check editorial workflow

   • If using workflow, item may be in "Review" or "Draft" state
   • Move to "Ready" state and publish

Media Upload Fails

Symptoms:

• Image won't upload
• PDF upload error
• "Upload failed" message

Solutions:

1. Check file size

   • Reduce image size to under 5MB
   • Compress PDFs using online tools
   • Try smaller file first to confirm uploads work

2. Check file format

   • Images: Use JPG, PNG, GIF, or WebP
   • PDFs: Ensure file is valid PDF (not corrupted)
   • Avoid special characters in filename

3. Check internet connection

   • Ensure stable internet connection
   • Try uploading on different network

4. Try alternative method

   • Instead of drag-and-drop, use the file picker
   • Clear browser cache and retry

Preview Not Loading

Symptoms:

• Preview shows blank page
• Preview shows wrong content
• Preview button doesn't work

Solutions:

1. Check preview_path configuration

   • Preview paths are configured per collection
   • If preview shows wrong page, contact administrator

2. Wait for draft save

   • Ensure changes are saved before previewing
   • Preview shows last saved state

3. Check browser pop-up blocker

   • Preview may open in new tab/window
   • Allow pop-ups from the CMS domain

4. Try direct URL

   • Copy the expected URL from preview_path
   • Manually visit that URL on the live site

Editorial Workflow Stuck

Symptoms:

• Can't move item to published state
• Workflow state won't change
• "Pending" status won't clear

Solutions:

1. Check workflow status

   • Open item in CMS
   • Look for workflow status indicator
   • Try manually changing state

2. Force save

   • Make a small edit to the item
   • Save again to trigger workflow update

3. Check for conflicts

   • Another user may have the item locked
   • Refresh and check for lock indicator

4. Contact administrator

   • If workflow is truly stuck, may need backend intervention
   • Note the item title and current state

General Tips

1. Always save before navigating away

   • Unsaved changes will be lost
   • Look for "Unsaved changes" indicator

2. Use specific, descriptive titles

   • Makes items easier to find in CMS
   • Helps with SEO on live site

3. Test changes before publishing

   • Use preview when available
   • Check draft first, then publish

4. Regular backups

   • Content is stored in Git
   • Major changes are version controlled

Quick Reference

Collection Locations

Media Folders

Last updated: 2026-02-04 CMS: Decap CMS with Netlify Identity Site: https://bibleteachingprogram.com