Content Federation System
| Document Title | Content Federation System |
|---|---|
| Document Number | SD-001 |
| Version | 2.1. |
| Author(s) | Analyst, Governance |
| Reviewer(s) | Solution Architect, Employee |
| Approved by | Head (Research, Technology and Development) |
| Last Update Date | August 1st, 2026 |
Introduction
The Content Federation System (CFS) is a centralized content management module of the SAMARTH eGov platform that enables institutions to create, manage, review, and publish website content efficiently. It provides a structured workflow for content creation, approval, and publishing while ensuring consistency and accuracy.
The module supports role-based access, allowing authorized users to manage content according to their responsibilities. It also helps maintain version control and streamline collaboration among multiple contributors. This document serves as a comprehensive guide to the features, configuration, and usage of the Content Federation System.
Key Features
The Content Federation System (CFS) offers the following key capabilities:
Centralized Content Management – Manage all website content from a single platform through a structured and organized workflow.
Role-Based Access Control – Assign different roles and permissions to content creators, reviewers, publishers, and administrators.
Content Creation and Editing – Create, edit, update, and organize web pages, articles, notices, and other digital content efficiently.
Approval Workflow – Route content through predefined review and approval stages before publication.
Content Publishing – Publish approved content immediately or schedule it for future publication.
Version Management – Maintain version history of content and track modifications made by different users.
Category and Menu Management – Organize content using categories, menus, and navigation structures for easy accessibility.
Draft and Preview Support – Save content as drafts and preview it before publishing to ensure accuracy.
Search and Filtering – Quickly locate content using search and filtering options based on title, category, status, or author.
Audit Trail – Maintain a complete log of content creation, modification, approval, and publishing activities.
Multi-User Collaboration – Enable multiple authorized users to collaboratively create, review, and manage website content.
Content Scheduling – Schedule content to be published or unpublished automatically on specified dates and times.
Document and File Attachment – Attach supporting documents, PDFs, images, and other files to web pages or announcements.
Secure and Controlled Publishing – Ensure that only authorized users can approve and publish content, maintaining content quality and security.
Dashboard
The Dashboard provides a centralized overview of website content, publishing status, pending tasks, and content distribution. It helps users monitor content activities and take necessary actions from a single screen.
Dashboard Sections
- Live Content – Displays the total number of published and live content available on the website.
- Pending Approval – Shows the number of content items waiting for review and approval.
- Expired Content – Displays content that has passed its expiry date.
- Archived Content – Shows the number of archived content items.
- Draft Content – Displays content saved as drafts but not yet published.
- My Pending Actions – Lists content assigned to the logged-in user along with its current status and provides quick access to view or take action.
- Content by Publishing Head – Displays the distribution of content based on publishing categories, such as Recruitment, Advertisement, Events, Tenders, and Examination Circulars, using a chart.
- Content Status Distribution – Provides a graphical summary of content based on different statuses, such as Published, New Content Added, Modified, Submitted for Review, Approved, and Expired.
- Content Added by College/Department – Displays the number of content items contributed by each college, department, or organizational unit using a bar chart.
Available Roles in CFS Module
| Role | Description |
|---|---|
| cfs_admin | Assigned to the administrator of the Content Federation System. Users with this role have full administrative privileges, including reviewing, approving, and rejecting content across the module. |
| cfs_ou_admin | Assigned to users from different Organizational Units (OUs) who create and manage content for their respective units and submit it for the approval workflow. |
| cfs_ou_reviewer | Assigned to users who review content submitted by content creators within the same Organizational Unit (OU). They can approve the content or return it for corrections before forwarding it to the cfs_reviewer for further review and approval. |
| cfs_reviewer | Assigned to users responsible for reviewing content forwarded by Organizational Unit (OU) reviewers and approving or returning it before final publication. |
| cfs_user | Assigned to content creators who create, edit, and submit content for review and approval. |
Settings
Before using the Content Federation System (CFS) module, the cfs_admin must configure the required settings. To configure a setting, click the Gear icon corresponding to the desired option. Only users with the cfs_admin role are authorized to access and manage these settings.
The available settings are:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Publishing Category | Used to create and manage the main content categories, such as News, Notices, Recruitment, Events, Tenders, and Advertisements. |
| Sub-Publishing Category | Used to create and manage subcategories under a selected publishing category for better content organization. |
| Mail Configuration | Used to configure email notifications for the content approval workflow, ensuring that content creators and reviewers receive status updates automatically. |
Publishing Categories
Publishing categories help organize website content into appropriate sections, making it easier for users to find information and for administrators to manage content efficiently. In this section, the cfs_admin adds the details of the publishing category, e.g., Notice/Circular.
Sub-Publishing Categories
A sub-publishing category is a subdivision of a publishing category that helps organize content more specifically. It allows administrators to classify content into detailed sections, making it easier to manage and display information on the website.
Mail Configuration
Mail configuration in the Content Federation System (CFS) is used to send automatic email notifications to users during the content approval workflow.
When a content creator creates new content and submits it for approval, the system automatically sends an email notification to the assigned reviewer, informing them that a new content item is awaiting review. Similarly, email notifications are sent to the content creator whenever the content is approved, returned for corrections, or rejected by the reviewer.
How to Add a Content
In this section, cfs_admin and cfs_ou_admin can view various types of content. An admin can also view which user has added a particular category.
Steps to Add Content
- Click on the Add Content button provided at the top right-hand side.
- Fill in the required details — Type of Content, Title, Description, Start Date, End Date, and Post Expiration Date.
- Click on the ADD button.
Reports
The Reports feature in the Content Federation System (CFS) is available to users with the cfs_admin and cfs_ou_admin roles.
| Role | Access |
|---|---|
| cfs_admin | Can view, filter, and download reports for all content across the system. |
| cfs_ou_admin | Can view, filter, and download reports only for the content belonging to their respective Organizational Unit (OU). |
Reports include details such as the content title, publishing category, content status, content creator, reviewer, publication date, and approval status, enabling administrators to monitor and manage content efficiently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the Content Federation System (CFS)?
Answer: The Content Federation System (CFS) is a centralized web content management module that allows authorized users to create, review, approve, and publish website content through a structured workflow.
Q2. Who can access the CFS module?
Answer: Users with assigned CFS roles — cfs_admin, cfs_ou_admin, cfs_ou_reviewer, cfs_reviewer, and cfs_user — can access the module based on their permissions.
Q3. What is the purpose of the CFS Dashboard?
Answer: The dashboard provides an overview of live content, pending approvals, draft content, expired content, archived content, pending actions, and content distribution to help users monitor content activities.
Q4. What are the roles available in the CFS module?
Answer: The module includes five roles: cfs_admin, cfs_ou_admin, cfs_ou_reviewer, cfs_reviewer, and cfs_user, each with specific responsibilities in the content management workflow.
Q5. What settings can be configured in the CFS module?
Answer: The administrator can configure:
- Publishing Category
- Sub-Publishing Category
- Mail Configuration
Q6. What is a Publishing Category?
Answer: A Publishing Category is used to organize website content into different sections, making it easier to manage and display content on the website.
Q7. What is a Sub-Publishing Category?
Answer: A Sub-Publishing Category is a subdivision of a Publishing Category that helps classify content into more specific sections.
Q8. What is the purpose of Mail Configuration?
Answer: Mail Configuration sends automatic email notifications during the content approval workflow, notifying reviewers and content creators about content status changes.
Q9. Who can add content in the CFS module?
Answer: Authorized users can add content by clicking the Add Content button, filling in the required details, and submitting it for review.
Q10. What information is required while adding content?
Answer: Users must provide details such as:
- Type of Content
- Title
- Description
- Start Date
- End Date
- Post Expiration Date
before submitting the content.
Q11. Who can view content in the CFS module?
Answer: Users with the cfs_admin and cfs_ou_admin roles can view content. The administrator can also see which user added a particular content category.
Q12. Who can access CFS reports?
Answer: The cfs_admin and cfs_ou_admin roles can access reports. The cfs_admin can view reports for all content, while the cfs_ou_admin can access reports only for their respective Organizational Unit (OU).
Q13. What information is included in the reports? Answer: Reports include details such as:
- Content Title
- Publishing Category
- Content Status
- Content Creator
- Reviewer
- Publication Date
- Approval Status
Glossary
| Term | Definition | Module Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Action | Features that allow users to approve, reject, or hold content. | Content Federation System » Content » Click on the Action option |
| Content | Section where users can add new content by providing details such as title, description, and publication dates. | Content Federation System » Content |
| List of Categories | A predefined list of content categories (e.g., Notices, Circulars) that the cfs_admin can manage for organizing published content. | Content Federation System » Settings » Publishing Categories |
| Publishing Categories | A setting where the admin can configure the publishing categories under which users can create content. | Content Federation System » Settings |
| Settings | Configuration section where the cfs_admin can customize module settings, including defining publishing categories. | Content Federation System » Settings |
| Sub Publishing Categories | A setting where the admin can define sub-publishing categories under the main publishing categories configured in the Publishing Categories setting. | Content Federation System » Settings |
| Tracking | Feature that allows users to monitor the status and lifecycle of content submissions, including stages like Submitted, Approved, and Published. | Content Federation System » Tracking |
| View | A feature that allows users to access and view content details without making modifications. | Content Federation System » Content » View |