How to Link to Documents

Owned by Ericca Rowe
Last updated: Nov 05, 2020
4 min read

There are several ways to add a document download link to your GovHub website. The method you choose may change depending on how you want the link to display and the context it needs to be in. The way you link to a Document will also determine whether it displays information that you enter on that page, or if it grabs data directly from the Document entity.

Content

WYSIWYG

The two most common ways to add a document download link are through the What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) text editor field. When you select the Document icon from the WYSIWYG toolbar, you’ll see two options:

  • Embed Document

    • Alignment options (Full width, Left, Right)

    • Link text and description pull from Document entity Title and Description fields

  • Link to Document

    • Displays in line with other text

    • Link text specified in the WYSIWYG

Learn more about adding document download links to the WYSIWYG: How to Create and Manage Documents

Listing Page

You can also create a Listing Page of document download links, using any of the following settings:

  • List Behavior: Automatic; List Type: “Documents”

    • Automatically includes and updates with Document entities that meet list specifications

    • Displays as a regular list

  • List Behavior: Automatic; List Type: “Documents – Datatables”

    • Automatically includes and updates with Document entities that meet list specifications

    • Displays as a 2-column table (links in the first column, descriptions in the second column) with a search filter at the top

 

  • List Behavior: Curated; List Type: “Documents”

    • Includes manually-selected Document entities

    • Displays as a regular list

Every type of Listing Page listed above will use the Title and Description from the Document entity. You won’t be able to adjust any of this information on the Listing Page itself.

“Related File” field

Finally, you can add document download links to a few content types with the specific “Related File” field. This option is available on Event and Press Release.

Related Files in an Event

Related Files in a Press Release

Micro-Content

Document download links can also be included in a few Micro-Content Types. You can embed these Micro-Content blocks in the WYSIWYG field of several Content types (learn how: Embedding Content in the WYSIWYG Text Editor), or in the Layout page of Landing Pages and Program or Service pages.

Link Collection

You can include document download links in a Link Collection. Just start typing the title of Document entity in the Link URL field, scroll to the “Media - Document” category in the auto-suggest dropdown, and select. The Link Text field will automatically fill with the Document entity title, but you can customize this text as needed.

Link Collections always have a couple display options:

  • Display: “Display as regular list”

    • Displays as a regular list

  • List Type: “Display as links DataTable (title, URL)”

    • Displays as a 2-column table (links in the first column, descriptions in the second column) with a search filter at the top

Link Collections embedded in a WYSIWYG

Link Collections placed on a Landing Page

Automatic List

Similar to the Listing Page, you can create an Automatic List block of document download links. Choose the display by selecting:

  • Display: “Documents”

    • Displays as a regular list

  • List Type: “Document - Datatable”

    • Displays as a 2-column table (links in the first column, descriptions in the second column) with a search filter at the top

Automatic List embedded in a WYSIWYG

Automatic List placed on a Landing Page

Both types of Automatic Lists listed above will use the Title and Description from the Document entity. You won’t be able to adjust any of this information in the Automatic List itself.