How to test the Siteimprove CMS Plugins

Summary

Testing the Siteimprove CMS Plugins involves creating a test environment, connecting it to Siteimprove, configuring users, installing the plugin, validating its functionality, and then deploying it to live sites once testing is complete. The test site should be removed from the Siteimprove platform after testing is finished.

Answer

To test the Siteimprove CMS Plugins, set up a test CMS environment, add the test site to Siteimprove, configure user access, install the plugin, validate functionality, and then enable the plugin on production sites after successful testing. The testing process helps ensure that the plugin is functioning correctly before deployment to live environments.

Prerequisites

Before you begin:

• A test CMS environment with pages published to a test website.
• A test site that can be crawled by Siteimprove.
• Appropriate Siteimprove user accounts configured for testing.
• At least one user with an Account Owner role in Siteimprove.
• Access to install and configure the CMS plugin.
• Any required firewall, login, or password-protection configurations addressed before testing.

Steps

1. Set up a test CMS environment

Set up a test CMS environment and make sure the pages are published to a test website. We recommend using a staging, development, QA, UAT, or other lower environment instance of a website for this. Do not test on a local environment (i.e. local to your machine only) for which the live published version of the pages cannot be crawled.

2. Add the published test domain to Siteimprove

Add the published domain for the test CMS environment to Siteimprove so the site is crawled and checked. See Adding a Site - Tips & Tricks. We do not need to crawl the CMS editing environment URLs where your content is managed by site editors.

Note: If the site is password-protected or if it's behind a firewall, please ensure that you understand our requirements to check sites behind a login. For sites behind firewalls, you can allow the IPs used by the crawler access. If the site is a login or password-protected site, we may be able to set up authentication as a part of the site configuration.

Before a non-public website behind a login is crawled, customers must sign and return the Siteimprove indemnification statement. If you have not submitted the signed statement, please do so before you give access to Siteimprove. Reach out to your Siteimprove contact or technical support for a copy of the indemnification statement. Please ensure you receive the appropriate authorization from your organization before proceeding.

3. Configure users

Configure the users who will test the integration in the Siteimprove Platform. Make sure they have access to the test site. At least one of these users must have an Account Owner role in Siteimprove. For more information, see How do I add a user? and How do I edit user access to Sites and Groups in Siteimprove?.

4. Install the plugin

Install the plugin as described in the CMS specific plugin installation guide which can be found via the Siteimprove CMS plugin page. In most cases this will require someone with admin rights in the CMS to access the plugin configurations, advanced technical knowledge of the CMS, and knowledge of how to use the Siteimprove Platform.

5. Log in as the Account Owner

The Siteimprove Account Owner should be the first one to log into the plugin in the CMS with their Siteimprove platform credentials and agree to the terms and conditions.*

6. Test the plugin

Now you can navigate the installed CMS Plugin to test that it works as expected. See: How to navigate the Siteimprove CMS Plugin.

7. Enable the plugin on live sites

If the CMS plugin works as expected you can now enable the Plugin on the live sites that are being crawled by Siteimprove. See CMS Plugin: How to set it up.

8. Remove the test site

Please ensure that the test site is removed and deleted from the Siteimprove platform once you have completed testing.

Expected Outcome

After completing these steps:

• The Siteimprove CMS Plugin has been successfully installed and tested in a non-production environment.
• Testing users can access and validate plugin functionality.
• The plugin is ready to be enabled on live sites if testing is successful.
• The temporary test site has been removed from the Siteimprove platform after testing is complete.

Additional Notes

• Some CMS plugins require an API username and API key (password) during the set-up to access Prepublish check capabilities. See: How to connect to the Siteimprove API for further information on creating an API Key. 
• You’ll need a subscription to Prepublish in order to use the feature. 
• Contact Siteimprove if you have any questions regarding your subscription.
• To learn more about the Prepublish feature, review Prepublish content check: How to ensure quality content on your site.
• You can also read the Siteimprove CMS plugin terms and conditions under Integrations > CMS Plugin Setup.