You can extend the functionality of BU WordPress through plugins. Some plugins are enabled on all BU WordPress networks, while others are only available by request. Some plugins load additional resources (scripts, styles) that should only be loaded if the plugin is being used.

The list below indicates all plugins available on the various WordPress-based networks at BU. Please see the tags under the heading of each plugin to determine whether the plugin is standard or requires a request, and for what WP networks the plugin is available. If an available plugin is not enabled on your site, please request the plugin via submitting a service request ticket to IS&T.

Akismet

  • Already enabled on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, sites.bu.edu, blogs.bu.edu
  • Filters out comment and track-back spam.
  • Boosts SEO and prevents spammers from bringing down your site’s PageRank.
  • Set it and forget it — Akismet gets smarter as it learns.
  • No user-defined settings; enabled on all BU WordPress-based websites.

BU Access Control

  • Already enabled on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, sites.bu.edu, blogs.bu.edu
  • Create “access groups” to specify who has access to your page(s).
  • Options include by campus, department, faculty/staff/student status, individuals, and others.
  • Control access on page-by-page basis, or site-wide.
  • Includes access controls for items in Media Library
  • View Documentation

BU Alert

  • Already enabled on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu
  • Enabled on all WordPress-based websites on www.bu.edu and www.bumc.bu.edu.
  • Displays “BU Alert” when there is an active message.
  • Custom styled at the top of all pages.
  • No user-defined settings.

BU Course Feeds

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Add live course information from BU’s course catalog directly in your website.
  • Uses simple shortcode syntax — no programming required.
  • Granular control by using include and exclude filters.
  • Note: some advanced options may require custom WP themes and special styling. Standard functionality works with all Flexi-based WordPress themes.
  • View Documentation

BU Custom CSS Editor

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Enables a custom CSS file for your website.
  • The custom CSS loads last in the cascade, allowing ultimate flexibility and control over styles.
  • Adds a Custom CSS item to your Appearance menu in the WP Dashboard.
  • Includes revision history for comparison and rollback.
  • View Documentation

BU Front-End Library

  • Already enabled on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, sites.bu.edu
  • Exposes a collection of shortcodes for various functions.
  • Collapsible content sections.
  • Floated divs (e.g. pull quotes).
  • List child pages.
  • Sortable tables.
  • View Documentation

BU Includes

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Embed the content of a page, post, text file or HTML file into another page or post on your site.
  • Uses a simple shortcode; define target content by ID (for pages/posts) or ID/URL (for media files).
  • Include content in multiple locations on your site, with only one location to edit when updates are required.
  • View Documentation

BU In The Media

  • Available for sites using Responsive Framework 2.x (version 2)
  • Quickly and easily create “In The Media” posts.
  • Promote articles and other news not within the current site.
  • Uses BU Filtering template to create a page containing a searchable list of media articles.
  • View Documentation

BU Landing Pages

  • Available for sites using Responsive Framework 2.x (version 2)
  • Quickly and easily build robust home and landing pages using a variety of preset content types.
  • Two Promo Space sections supporting 8 callouts each, and one Large Promo Section.
  • Automatically display a list of links to child pages using the Child Page Navigation section.
  • Automatically display or curate stories displayed in a News Section.
  • Automatically display events from your BU Calendar feed using the Events Section.
  • View Documentation

BU Learning Blocks (BULB)

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Create vibrant open educational lessons in WordPress’s easy-to-use editing environment.
  • Add new content blocks for student engagement: multiple choice, short answer, matching, and other question types.
  • Immediate feedback provides real-time self-assessment for online learners.
  • Flexible enough to create standalone lessons or a series of multiple lessons across an ordered sequence of pages.
  • View Documentation

BU Mobile

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu

BU Navigation

  • Already enabled on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, sites.bu.edu

BU Profiles

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Publish profiles on your WordPress-based site.
  • Creates a custom “Profile” post type in WordPress.
  • View Documentation

BU Section Editing

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Introduces the concept of section editing groups.
  • Create editing groups and add section editors to the groups — section editors can only edit content in defined sections.
  • Allows granular control (down to a per-page level) for who can edit what content.
  • This plugin is available as open source, so non-BU WordPress users can download and install it.
  • View Documentation

BU Sharing

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Allows your visitors to share pages or posts on your website via email, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and several other social media outlets.
  • You specify what services are displayed and whether the share options are available on pages, posts, or both.
  • Easy to use, easy to configure.
  • Requires Flexi-based theme or newer.
  • View Documentation

BU Slideshow

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Create slideshows for full page width, content width, or sidebar.
  • Easy-to-use interface — no HTML or Javascript experience is required.
  • Optional per slide: headline, caption, link.
  • Choose from slide or fade transitions; turn autoplay on or off.
  • View Documentation

BU Text Widget

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Adds a widget that allows content control on a page-by-page or by-section basis.
  • Option to include widget content on all child pages.
  • Define a CSS class name for the widget, and you can write custom style definitions against widget content.
  • View Documentation

BU Training Manager

  • Available for CUSTOM THEMES ONLY
  • Integrates the BU Training Manager web-based application with a WordPress-based website.
  • Display training course descriptions, calendar, and sign-up form.
  • This plugin requires custom development and styling to accommodate the various components and, therefore, is only available for custom themes. Cost-recovery charges apply.

BU Versions

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Creates “alternate versions” of pages to save for review/approval.
  • Save changes without replacing the original, published version.
  • Filter by “alternate versions” in your page listings.
  • When published, the “alternate version” automatically replaces the original page.
  • This plugin is available as open source, so non-BU WordPress users can download and install it.
  • View Documentation

Content Banner

  • Already enabled on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, sites.bu.edu
  • Enabled on all WordPress-based websites.
  • Add a content banner image directly above the page content area.
  • Integrated with Media Library.
  • Use existing image or use custom, hand-crafted HTML.
  • Supports content banners on page-by-page basis, or a site-wide content banner.
  • Future feature: will support integration with BU Slideshow.
  • View Documentation

Display Posts

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Easily list content from all across your website with a shortcode.
  • List popular posts by comment count.
  • Include thumbnails, custom image sizes, and excerpts in post lists.
  • Sort posts by title, menu order, relevance, content type, metadata, and more.
  • View Documentation

Enable Media Replace

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Replace an item in your WP Media Library.
  • Option to replace with a file of the same filename;
  • Or option to replace with a different filename and have WP automatically update links to the new Media item.
  • View Documentation

Gravity Forms

  • Already enabled on www.bu.edu and www.bumc.bu.edu
  • Available by request on sites.bu.edu
  • Easy, drag-and-drop interface for creating web-based forms.
  • Entries stored in WP-admin dashboard; access to entries and entry-related meta information.
  • Form entries can be exported as comma-separated value files for use in Excel, etc.
  • View Documentation

Link Lists

  • Already enabled on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Customize links in page footer (for Flexi and Classic themes).
  • Customize links in utility navigation (Flexi themes only).
  • Adds the BU Links widget.
  • Adds “Utility Navigation” and “Footer” links under the Appearance settings in the WordPress dashboard.
  • View Documentation

Post Details

  • Already enabled on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Tools and functions to improve your site’s SEO (search engine optimization)
  • Future feature: custom meta tags (to support micro formats, social media integration, etc.)
  • View Documentation

Random Image

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Enables a page/post to pull a random image from a list of available images.
  • Functions via an easy-to-use shortcode in the WordPress editor.
  • View Documentation

Safe Redirect Manager

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Create short URLs to redirect to deep content or redirect to pages outside your website.
  • You fully manage your redirects.
  • Free to use — no cost-recovery fees.
  • Creates redirects under your departmental home page URL.
  • This tool cannot be used to create top-level www.bu.edu redirects. Those still require a service request to IS&T.
  • View Documentation

Zotpress

  • Available by request on www.bu.edu, www.bumc.bu.edu, and sites.bu.edu
  • Displays your personal and group Zotero items.
  • Write scholarly posts with in-text citations and auto-generated bibliographies.
  • Supports thumbnail images through WordPress’s Media Library and Open Library.
  • Display a bibliography in the sidebar. Allow visitors to download your citations.
  • Support forum on wordpress.org