Implementation Map:
Localist for Higher Education
Scheduled Calls
The following calls are staples in the implementation process and are integral to your organization’s success with Localist.
| Host | Customer Success Manager | Implementation Specialist | Implementation Specialist |
| Who should attend? | Main point of contact (required) + second in command (optional) | Main point of contact (required) + key decision makers (tech/design or lead calendar admins – optional) | Main point of contact (required) + only those who also attended the Kickoff Call |
| What will be covered? | Org/dep insight, past event marketing/calendar experience, Localist goals and implementation resources. | High-level information about the platform in order for you to devise a game plan for launch. | Thorough platform review, suggestions and actionable feedback following best practices, promotion strategies and metrics to track. |
| What should you prepare? | Scope of Services questions & Year #1 goals | Browse your new platform & admin dash | Send support a list of remaining questions & double check your Implementation Tracker. |
Timelines
The following are recommended timelines for implementation. While the exact time dedicated to each task may vary, the order in which you implement the platform must follow the “Order of Events” as outlined below.
| Week 1 | Welcome Call + Kickoff Call | Welcome Call | Welcome Call | Welcome Call |
| Week 2 |
1. Classification > Events 2. Technical Setup |
Kickoff Call | Kickoff Call | Kickoff Call |
| Week 3 | Platform Review Call + Final Touches | Classification & Start Technical Setup | Classification & Start Technical Setup | Classification & Start Technical Setup |
| Week 4 | Launch | Complete Classification + Start Adding Events | … | … |
| Week 5 | Complete Event Transition + Technical Setup | Start Adding Events | … | |
| Week 6 | Platform Review Call | … | … | |
| Week 7 | Final Touches | Complete Technical Setup | Start Adding Events | |
| Week 8 | Launch | … | … | |
| Week 9 | Platform Review Call | … | ||
| Week 10 | Final Touches | … | ||
| Week 11 | … | Complete Technical Setup | ||
| Week 12 | Launch | … | ||
| Week 13 | … | |||
| Week 14 | Platform Review Call | |||
| Week 15 | Final Touches | |||
| Week 16 | Launch |
Order of Events
Implementation steps are split into two categories: Content and Technical. Each section has an order of steps, but the sections as a whole can (and should) be worked on in parallel.
| 1. Classification | 1. Brand Template Development |
| Filters | 2. Theme Editor Updates & Additions |
| Custom Fields | 3. CSS Customizations & Clean up |
| Places + Groups/Departments | |
| Tags & Keywords | Custom Domain + SSL |
| 2. Add Events | Single-sign On |
| Submission Form | |
| Feeds | Global Options |
| Bulk Add | |
| 3. Promotion | |
| Channels | |
| Widgets
– Custom Widget Templates |
|
| Featured & Sponsored |
Fast Track
In a time crunch? Below you’ll find each Implementation feature and task designated as “need to have” or “nice to have” when it comes to launching your platform in the fastest time with the least amount of work as possible.
That said, once your “need to haves” are checked off, you will need to continue to work on the “nice to haves” as once your platform is out in the wild, these features will still be absolutely essential to the overall long term success of your platform.
NEED to have for a launch
- Classifications: Setting up your Classifications is the first step to setting up your platform. This introductory guide covers the benefits of Landing Pages and a concise, user-centric Filter list.
- Setting up your Landing Pages for Places, Groups and Departments.
- Setting up your Filters to include our best practices.
- Homepage Widget: Widgets allow you to curate events based on already existing Classifications (Groups, Departments, Filters, Tags, Keywords) to display on an external site. Having a Widget on SOU’s homepage will drive traffic back to your new calendar!
- Promoting Events: Featured and Sponsored events are a great way to help promote your coolest and most unique events. Featuring an event puts it in the Featured Events Carousel at the top of your platform and Sponsoring an event gives it a boost in trending and different branding.
- User and Admin Permissions: Our permissions are non-hierarchical, so if you want an Admin to be able to do everything, they need all boxes checked.
- Custom Domain: Make sure to set up a CNAME to get a Custom Domain.
- Branding: You’re able to make changes to Fonts, Colors, and CSS to adopt your unique branding without your Brand Template.
NICE to have for launch
- Channels: Channels are a Promotion tool for short-term events or a topical theme. Events like Welcome Week, Graduation, Homecoming, or Athletics are great examples of channels.
- Widgets: Widgets allow you to curate events based on already existing classification (groups, filters, tags, keywords) to display on an external site.
- Custom Fields: Custom Fields allow you to collect any additional information that your organization needs.
- Custom Submission Form Guidelines: Provide instructions for your users when submitting events.
- Brand Template: This is your main tool for branding, and this guide will help you set it up.
- Theme Editor: This is our guide to using the Localist Theme Editor for any HTML changes you want to make to the design of the platform.
- SSO: We support CAS, LDAP/AD, and Shibboleth/SAML/ADFS. More information on how to get set up here.