What is a sandbox site?
Your sandbox site is your pre-launch Beanstack site. It is your actual site and contains all of the same settings and options as any live Beanstack site, but we keep "sandbox" in the URL while you are still picking your site's options, building your landing page, and creating your first challenge so that it stays hidden from your patrons until you're ready to go live.
What do I do after I get my sandbox site?
Your Client Success Manager will send you a welcome email all about getting started with Beanstack. This email will include a link to a pre-launch info form, which helps you and your CSM set your launch date, and a link to sign up for a virtual New Client Kickoff session, which is a required introduction to using Beanstack and setting up your site. Your CSM will also send detailed steps about how to log in to your site, participate in the Welcome to Beanstack Challenge, and gain administrator access to start working through the New Client Admin Setup Checklist.
How do I complete the New Client Admin Setup Checklist?
The Admin Setup Checklist walks new library administrators through a list of initial tasks to get your site ready to launch to the public. The checklist contains five steps:
- Configure your site setup
- Give your staff access
- Build your reading challenges
- Customize your landing page
- Test and launch your site
Completing the steps in order is recommended, but you can always skip around and revisit certain steps later, or exit the checklist and come back to it.
How do I revisit my New Client Checklist after I finish it?
If you exit the checklist during setup or after finishing setup, you can always navigate back to it by clicking the heart icon in the upper left corner of your dashboard screen and then clicking the "Return to Setup" button in the upper right corner of your dashboard screen.
What will my public Beanstack site URL be?
Your Beanstack site URL will be the same as your training site, minus the "sandbox." So, if your sandbox site is bestlibrarysandbox.beanstack.org, your live site will be bestlibrary.beanstack.org. Remember to share your live site URL, and not your sandbox site URL, with your community on any marketing materials you develop! If you would like a different URL, contact your Client Success Manager.
How do I go from sandbox site to live site?
When you have finished the New Client Checklist and are ready to launch, contact your Client Success Manager to let them know you are ready to go live! They will enact all the necessary steps on the backend to change your URL.
How do I promote my live site?
Once you go live, make sure to spread the word about your site and every new reading challenge on it to your community! You can find editable promotional materials, year-round challenge templates, and more in our Help Center.
Have more questions about the launch process?
Write to your Client Success Manager if you still have questions!