Content Management System
A simple yet highly effective CMS solution is using Google Sheets [ie spreadsheets] as a "backend database", from which "data" is loaded into a web page, with all formatting provided by the website markup and styles.
The "data", once setup, can be easily edited/added by the client by using either their own Google Drive account OR be provided with a unique gmail from a created Google Drive.
This system has been developed and implemented into client websites to display, for example:
- Upcoming Events
- Staff Contact List
- Public Documents [PDFs]
- Private Documents [PDFs] behind a login only page.
To demonstrate, this website uses this CMS function for the loading of the client designed "Websites" and "Logos" pages.
The "Websites" web page loads from sheet 1, "All client websites", and just data from columns "client" and "livesite". Notice also the first column "showhide", which allows to either show or hide which row data is to be seen in the "Websites" page.
(see screenshot)
The "Logos" web page loads from sheet 2 "Logos", data from column B. A file upload system can be implemented if required for the uploaded of files, in this case would be the logo graphic files, or more usually PDFs as per the above examples list. (see
screenshot)
Get in touch if this may be of interest. For small business/organisations that do not require a dedicated full backend database, this is a very cost effective solution.
Note: Google Forms associated with a google account can also be used to populate a Google Sheet, if data was to be collected, like an event registration.