CellCMS Studio -- Content Editor Guide

Welcome to CellCMS Studio, the place where you create, edit, and publish your content. This guide walks you through everything you need to know as a content editor. No technical background required.

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1. Logging In

Open the Studio at studio.cellcms.com.

You will see a login screen. Enter your credentials:

• Email: admin@cellcms.com
• Password: admin

These are the default credentials. Your administrator may have given you a different email and password. Change your password after your first login.

After logging in you land on the main Studio workspace.

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2. The Three-Panel Layout

The Studio is organized into three columns that sit side by side:

At the very top you will find the top bar, which contains:

• CellCMS logo -- click it to return to the start screen.
• Connection indicator -- a small green dot means you are connected to the server in real time. If the dot disappears or turns grey, check your network connection.
• Locale selector -- a dropdown to switch the editing language (see section 12).
• Dataset switcher -- a dropdown to move between datasets such as production and staging (see section 13).
• Your avatar -- shows who is currently logged in.

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3. Selecting Document Types and Viewing Lists

In the Sidebar on the left you will see every document type available in your project. Each type shows a badge with the number of existing documents of that type.

Click a type to load its documents into the Document List panel. The currently selected type is highlighted so you always know where you are.

At the bottom of the sidebar you will find:

• Settings -- opens Studio settings.
• Sign out -- logs you out of the Studio (see section 16).

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4. Creating a New Document

1. Select the document type you want in the sidebar.
2. At the top of the Document List panel, click the New button.
3. A blank document opens in the Document Editor on the right.
4. Fill in the required fields and save (see sections 5 and 6).

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5. Editing Documents

When you open a document, the Document Editor shows every field defined for that document type. Common field types you may encounter:

• String / Text -- a single-line or multi-line text input.
• Rich text -- a full text editor with formatting options (bold, italic, headings, lists, links, and more). Use the toolbar above the rich text area to apply formatting.
• Number -- a numeric input.
• Boolean -- a toggle switch for yes/no values.
• Date / Datetime -- a date picker.
• Image / File -- an upload area (see section 11).
• Reference -- a searchable dropdown that links to another document.
• Array -- a list of items. Use the Add item button to append entries and drag handles to reorder them.
• Slug -- auto-generated from the title, but editable if needed.

Each field shows its label and, when applicable, a short description explaining what the field is for. Required fields are marked with an asterisk.

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6. Saving Your Work

Auto-save

The Studio automatically saves your changes after 2 seconds of inactivity. You do not need to do anything -- just pause typing and the document is saved.

Manual save

If you prefer to save immediately, press Cmd+S (Mac) or Ctrl+S (Windows/Linux), or click the Save button in the document toolbar.

Unsaved changes indicator

When you have changes that have not been saved yet, a yellow dot appears in the document toolbar. Once the save completes the dot disappears.

A toast notification in the corner of the screen confirms that the document was saved successfully, or alerts you if something went wrong.

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7. Draft vs Published -- The Publishing Workflow

Every document has a status shown as a badge in the document toolbar:

How to publish

1. Make sure all required fields are filled in and the document is saved.
2. Click the Publish button in the document toolbar, or press Cmd+Enter (Mac) / Ctrl+Enter (Windows/Linux).
3. The status badge changes from Draft to Published.

Editing a published document

When you edit a document that is already published, your changes are saved as a new draft. The live version remains unchanged until you publish again. This means you can work on updates without affecting what your audience sees.

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8. Scheduling a Publish

Instead of publishing immediately, you can schedule a document to go live at a specific date and time:

1. Open the document you want to schedule.
2. In the document toolbar, look for the Schedule option next to the Publish button.
3. Pick the date and time you want the document to be published.
4. Confirm the schedule.

The status badge changes to Scheduled and shows the target date. The Studio will publish the document automatically when that moment arrives.

Cancelling a scheduled publish

Changed your mind? Open the scheduled document and click Cancel schedule. The document returns to Draft status and will not be published automatically.

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9. Unpublishing

If a document is currently live and you need to take it down:

1. Open the published document.
2. Click the Unpublish button in the document toolbar.
3. The status changes back to Draft and the content is removed from your website.

Unpublishing does not delete the document. The content is still in the Studio and can be re-published at any time.

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10. Revision History

Every time a document is saved, the Studio keeps a snapshot of that version. You can browse and restore earlier versions at any time.

Viewing past revisions

1. Open the document.
2. Click the Revision history toggle in the document toolbar (often a clock icon or "History" label).
3. A sidebar appears listing all past revisions with timestamps.
4. Click any revision to preview what the document looked like at that point.

Restoring a previous version

1. Find the revision you want to go back to.
2. Click Restore.
3. The document fields are updated to match that revision.
4. Save or publish as usual to make the restored version the current one.

Restoring does not delete later revisions. You can always go forward again if you change your mind.

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11. Working with Images and Files

Uploading

1. Locate the image or file field in the document editor.
2. Click the upload area or drag a file from your computer into it.
3. Wait for the upload to complete -- a preview will appear for images.

Image hotspot

For images, you may see a hotspot tool. This lets you mark the most important area of an image so that the website can crop it intelligently:

1. Click on the image preview to open the hotspot editor.
2. Drag the circle to the focal point of the image.
3. Optionally adjust the crop rectangle.
4. Confirm your selection.

The hotspot ensures your subject is always visible, even when the image is displayed at different aspect ratios.

Replacing or removing

• To replace a file, click the upload area again and choose a new file.
• To remove a file, click the Remove or Clear button next to the preview.

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12. Localization -- Switching Languages

If your project supports multiple languages, use the locale selector dropdown in the top bar to switch between them.

When you select a different locale:

• The Document Editor shows the fields for that language.
• Fields that are shared across languages (like a slug or reference) stay the same.
• Fields that are translated (like a title or body text) show the content for the selected locale.

Fill in each locale separately, then save and publish as usual. A document can be published in one locale while still being a draft in another.

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13. Dataset Switching

Datasets are separate pools of content. A common setup is:

• production -- content that powers your live website.
• staging -- a safe space to test changes before they go live.

Use the dataset switcher dropdown in the top bar to move between datasets. Everything you see in the sidebar, document list, and editor reflects the selected dataset. Changes in one dataset do not affect another.

Be mindful of which dataset you are working in. Check the top bar before making important edits.

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14. Real-Time Collaboration

CellCMS Studio uses a live WebSocket connection so you can collaborate with your team in real time.

Presence avatars

When another editor opens the same document you are working on, their avatar appears as a colored circle in the document toolbar. Each person gets a distinct color so you can tell collaborators apart at a glance.

What this means in practice

• You can see who else is looking at or editing the same document.
• Changes from other editors are reflected in near real time.
• If two people edit the same field at the same time, the most recent save wins. Coordinate with your teammates on large edits to avoid overwriting each other's work.

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15. Keyboard Shortcuts

These shortcuts work anywhere in the Document Editor:

The command palette

Press Cmd+K / Ctrl+K to open the command palette -- a quick-access search bar where you can jump to any document type, run actions, or navigate the Studio without touching the mouse.

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16. Signing Out

When you are done working:

1. Click the Sign out button at the bottom of the sidebar, or
2. Click your avatar in the top bar and choose Sign out.

You will be returned to the login screen. Any unsaved changes are saved automatically before you are logged out, thanks to auto-save.

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Tips for a Smooth Workflow

• Check the green dot. If the connection indicator is not green, your changes may not sync. Refresh the page if needed.
• Watch the yellow dot. It tells you there are unsaved changes. Wait for it to disappear before closing the tab.
• Use Cmd+K / Ctrl+K often. The command palette is the fastest way to jump around the Studio.
• Preview before publishing. If your project has a preview feature, use it to see how your content will look on the website before hitting Publish.
• Communicate with your team. The presence avatars show who is editing, but a quick message goes a long way when multiple people work on the same document.

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This guide covers CellCMS Studio as of March 2026. If your Studio looks different, your team may be running a customized version -- ask your administrator for details.