Terminalfour (T4) content management system upgrade (UPDATED 17 October 2024)

17 Oct 2024

The planned T4 upgrade on 21 October 2024 is postponed.

Update from IT Services (17 October 2024)

"Due to previously undiscovered data processes, we have found a significant fault preventing reliable publishing. As this is the system's prime purpose, we must resolve that before upgrading to V8.

We do not have a forecast date yet as we must upgrade systems outside of T4 and test them before proceeding.

Any training and testing you have done remains valid, as this is a technical problem unrelated to the T4 functionality.

Please continue to use the system and keep an eye out for more announcements.

This is as disappointing for us as it is for you, and everyone is working to resolve this as soon as possible.

It's important to note that there is NOT a freeze on Monday 21 October 2024. Please continue with your regular operations."

Original news article

IT Services will upgrade the Terminalfour (T4) Content Management System from Version 7.4 to Version 8.3.20 on Monday, 21 October 2024, to enhance usability and functionality.

T4 is used to maintain content on many of the Library's websites, including:

• The University of Manchester Library website
• The John Rylands Library website
• The Office for Open Research website
• The AIU RACE Centre website
• Library StaffNet

All instances will be upgraded to the latest version across the Library and University. Colleagues currently publishing content on these websites via Terminalfour SiteManager will benefit from the upgraded environment.

Key points

• Enhanced usability: Version 8 brings improvements in usability and functionality for content editors.
• No impact on users: The upgrade will not affect the user experience for website visitors.
• Go-live date: The scheduled go-live date for the Terminalfour upgrade is Monday, 21 October 2024.
• Content freeze: Please refrain from making any web updates on the day of the upgrade.
• Stay informed: Look out for detailed information, reminders, and instructions in the days leading up to the upgrade.

Training materials

If you are a T4 contributor or moderator, we recommend reviewing the following training materials before the upgrade:

• T4 training manual (Version 8)
• Contributors (video training session)
• Moderators (video training session)

Get in touch

If you have questions or require further clarification, please contact Kristian Scott, Senior Digital Communications Developer.

For IT issues or support, please contact the IT Support Centre.