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Learning Centre

Grid Layout

The Grid Layout content component allows you to organize information into columns and rows on your page. This is a great replacement for tables and provides information in an accessible format to improve your website usability. Learn how to add a grid layout to your page and review the component settings.

Don't use this component

We are no longer supporting the Grid Layout component. Instead, we recommend using the Split component or Pods component to get the same layout and design for your page content. 

Add a grid layout

To add an Grid Layout component to a content page, you need to:

  1. Navigate to the page you'd like to add the grid layout to
  2. Select the 'Add content' button under the 'Main content' area of the page's 'Content' tab
  3. This will open the 'Add content' slide-out panel
  4. From here, select the 'Grid Layout'
  5. This will open the 'Grid Layout' slide-out panel
  6. From here you can add columns and rows to your page and insert content into the columns and rows
  7. Once you're finished, select the 'Create' button to complete the process

Complete the grid layout details

From the 'Grid Layout' slide-out panel, you can customize the number of rows and columns you'd like to add to your page. You can also select the type of content that you'd like to add to each row or column. Review the grid layout details for more information. 

There are a variety of layout options you can choose from in the Grid Layout component. You can select one of the following options:

  • 12 columns
  • 2 columns that are 6 + 6
  • 3 columns that are 4 + 4 + 4
  • 4 columns that are 3 + 3 + 3 + 3
  • 2 columns that are 8 + 4
  • 2 columns that are 4 + 8
  • 3 columns that are 1 + 10 + 1
  • 3 columns that are 2 + 8 + 2
  • 4 columns that are 1 + 5 + 5 + 1
  • 4 columns that are 2 + 4 + 4 + 2

Add a row

If you'd like to add another row of content to your page, select the '+' icon. You can only add a row after you've selected the layout for the first row. You will then need to select the layout for the second row. 

You can add as many rows to the page as you'd like. 

After you've selected the grid layout, you can add content to each content field. To do this, you need to:

  1. Select 'Add content' inside each grid
  2. This will open a 'Choose type of content' pop-up box
  3. Select the type of content you'd like to add from the options available
  4. Edit the content 
  5. Once you've added content to all of the grids, select the 'Create' button to finish the process

Content types

The following content types are available in the grid layout:

  • Embed code
  • Embed media
  • Form
  • Headline
  • Image
  • Macro
  • Quote
  • Rich text editor - a text field where you can add written content

 

If you'd like to delete a content type, you need to:

  1. Select the content type you'd like to delete
  2. Click the garbage can icon that appears when the content type is selected
  3. Press the green checkmark that appears 

This will remove the content type from the grid. You can replace with a different type of content or remove the grid completely from the page.

Delete a grid row

If you'd like to delete an entire row from the grid, you need to:

  1. Select the garbage can icon that appears when the row is selected
  2. Then, select the green check mark that appears

If you'd like to reorder the content in the grid layout, you need to:

  1. Select 'Reorder' located under the 'Content section of the 'Grid Layout' slide-out panel
  2. Then, select the piece of content you'd like to move and drag it to the new location
  3. Repeat this with each piece of content that you'd like to move
  4. Once complete, select 'I am done reordering' 
  5. Select the 'Submit' button to save the changes

Grid layout settings

You can customize the grid layout through the grid layout settings tab. To access the settings, select the 'Settings' tab located at the top of the 'Grid Layout' slide-out panel.

Review each of the grid layout component settings.

Design and layout

These settings will be available only if the component is contained within a split component.

Using the 'Column Width' sliders you can set the width of the component in split components. The slider allows for column widths from 1 to 12. A minimum width of 2 is recommended.

The total width settings for 'Split Section 1' and 'Split Section 2' should equal 12. If the sum of 'Split Section 1' and 'Split Section 2' is greater than 12, your split content will appear on two rows.

Separate options are available for desktop and tablet size screens. On mobile screens split components switch to a single column.

Component

You can customize the content colours of the component using the colours that are part of your website design. Depending on your website design, you can add a coloured background behind the component to create a hot spot on the page. 

Colour options

The colour options are based on the design of your website. You may be able to change the design colours depending on your Govstack plan. To get access to the website design features, speak with your GHD Digital Account Executive.

If you'd like, you can add an image to the background of your component. To do this, you need to:

  1. Select the "+" icon next to the "Background image" field
  2. This will open the 'Media' folder
  3. From here, choose the folder that contains the image you'd like to add
  4. Select the image you'd like to insert
  5. Press the "Select" button 

Please note

Background images ignore the focal point and cropping information added to your image in the media tab. Instead they use the settings provided under "Background image options".

Adding an image behind text can cause colour contrast issues for users with low vision or colour blindness. You should only add an image behind text if it meets the colour contrast ratio requirements associated with accessibility legislation in your region.

Background images do not use alternative text and are not called out for those using screen readers. Make sure that background images do not contain information critical to understanding the meaning or context of your content.

You can also set a few options for a background image, including the placement of the image, size of the image and whether or not the image repeats. 

Image Size

These settings replace the cropping and sizing settings added in the media section image editor.

Cover - The image will stretch to fill the available space. This is the most popular option for a single image background.

Full-Width - The image stretches to fill the full width of the available space. Depending on the characteristics of the image this may result in gaps at the top and bottom of the component.

Auto - The image displays at it's actual size. This may leave gaps around the edges of your component.

Repeat - The background image with tile vertically and horizontally. Use a smaller image or a tiling image for best results.

Repeat Horizontal - As repeat but the background image tiles in a single row.

Repeat Vertical - As repeat but the background image tiles in a single column.

Image Placement

This setting replaces the focal point setting added in the media section image editor.

Select the origin point of your background image. The image will fill the space behind your component starting from the selected point. You may need to experiment to find the best contrast and focal point position for each image.

This setting only applies if you are using a page with a 'Full' page layout. Typically, full page layouts are reserved for the home page of your website or any landing pages you've created.

Animation

You can add animation to the component by selecting the 'Animate' toggle. Once the 'Animate' toggle is selected, you'll have the option to customize the:

  • Animation style
  • Animation delay (seconds)
  • Animation duration (seconds)

From the 'Animation style' dropdown menu, select the type of animation you'd like to add to the accordion. There are a variety of different animation options in the following categories:

  • Attention Seekers
  • Bouncing Entrances
  • Fading Entrances
  • Flippers
  • Light Speed
  • Rotating Entrances
  • Sliding Entrances
  • Zoom Entrances
  • Specials

We recommend testing out a variety of animation styles to select the one you like the most. 

Please note

Animation styles can cause accessibility issues for some users visiting your website. For example, some users may experience motion sickness when viewing animated elements on your website.

Using the 'Animation delay' slider select the time in seconds that you'd like to delay the animation. 

Please note

Animation delay can cause accessibility issues for some users visiting your website. Certain animation styles and delays can combine to make your animated component invisible to screen readers. Please test your animations to make sure they are accessible.

You can select how long you'd like the animation to last on the component by using the 'Animation duration' slider. Select the number of seconds you'd like the animation to continue on the public website. 

Advanced

In the 'Name' field you can give a unique name to the component. This will make it easier to differentiate between components, both on your page as well as in your clipboard.

You can create an anchor link that will link a user directly to the top of this component. 

When linking to this page add the anchor to the "Anchor / querystring" field in the "Select link" dialogue box. The link will then jump to the top of the target component rather than to the top of the page.

Note that anchor names are case sensitive. For best results use lowercase characters, numbers, and dashes only. Avoid spaces and special characters.

In the 'Custom classes' field, you can add any custom CSS classes you may have. Custom CSS classes can be found in the Design node under the 'CSS' tab in the backend of Govstack. 

If you'd like to add more than one custom class, you'll need to leave a space between each class. 

Please note

Depending on your Govstack plan, you may not be able to access the Design node in the backend. If you'd like to be able to add custom CSS and get access to the website design, contact your GHD Digital Account Executive.

We cannot guarantee that future updates to Govstack will not break or negatively impact custom CSS.

You can select additional styles to the component, including:

  • Spacing
  • Visibility
  • Design

Spacing

You can remove the spacing around the component by selecting one of the following options:

  • Remove spacing
  • Remove spacing top only
  • Remove spacing bottom only

Visibility

You can customize the visibility of the component. Select one of the following options:

  • Hide on all screens
  • Hide on extra small screens
  • Hide on small screens
  • Hide on medium screens
  • Hide on large screens
  • Hide on extra large screens

Design

Select one of the following options if you'd like to customize the design of the component:

  • Show shadows - this will add a shadow effect to the component. Note that by default most Govstack websites do not have shadows. You can add these in the Design node
  • Sticky - the component will stay on the screen even as users scroll down the page

Turn on the 'Hide from website' toggle if you'd like to hide this component from the web page.

Preview and publish changes

Once you've added a grid layout to your page, make sure to preview and publish the page to complete the process. 

Contact Us

GHD Digital Support
Primary +1-866-691-5528
Secondary +1-519-884-2476
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