WebAdmin, Policy, and Category Templates WebAdmin

Template-driven WebAdmin and Policy management allows you to standardize Group settings using Group, Policy, and Category Templates. 

Category Templates let you assign specific Categories to a Template.  This Category Template can then be assigned to a Policy for assignment to a Group.  They can also be used by the Clients window when creating or editing new Clients.  In addition, Category Templates will also display in the Categories tab of the Profile Manager.

A Policy Template contains Categories assigned to the Template. It also contains a Policy Deny Page, Logging Mode, a Local and Shared Lists, and Language setting. One or more Policy Templates, with their Policy Events (time durations) and other components, can be assigned to a Group.  Policy Templates can also be applied to a Policy.

A WebAdmin Template contains Policies with their Categories, URL List entries and other settings. A WebAdmin Template also specifies a Policy Event (time duration), Deny Pages, Logging Mode, Client Thresholds, Group Language, Enforced Categories and IP Range Restrictions (when ‘Enabled Group Restrictions’ is applied).  WebAdmin Template are designated as WebAdmin Template and/or Profile Manager Templates. Together they are referred to as 'WebAdmin Template'.

·       A WebAdmin Template is a Template that is enabled as a 'WebAdmin Template' and can be used by the WebAdmin.

·       A Profile Template is a Template that is enabled as a ‘Profile Template’ and can be used by the ‘Profile Manager’.

WebAdmin Template Features at a Glance

·       You can create a WebAdmin Template from an existing Group.

·       A Group can be designated as a Profile Manager and/or a WebAdmin Template

·       A Group marked as a Template is still a filtering Group.

·       WebAdmin Template can be ordered in a list and the order can be different in the WebAdmin and Profile Manager.

·       When applying a Template, these items are copied over:

o   Policies (Categories, Shared and Local Lists)

o   Policy Events (time durations)

·       Items not copied over are:

o   Clients

o   Reports

o   Managers (Accounts)

o   Authentication Redirect Settings

·       Changing a Groups Template from A to B will remove all A and apply all of B except for the items not copied over listed above.

·       If there are no WebAdmin Template, the Advanced tab in the Group Editor window does not display.

General Rules

If the following criterion is met, adding from a Template and the Advanced tab used to reset based on a Template will be available.

·       If there are at least two WebAdmin Templates

·       If there is at least one WebAdmin Template and the 'Copy Group from Existing Group' setting is enabled

Templates Diagram

In this diagram, we:

·       Create a Group

·       Assign that Group as a Template

·       Apply that Template to a New Group or assign the Template to an existing Group

Ø  The WebAdmin Template attributes shown in the box are copied over.

Ø  Clients, Reports, Managers, Group Tags, and Authentication Redirect settings are not copied over.

WebAdmin Templates

The WebAdmin Templates window is accessed by clicking the Templates tab in the ‘Groups' window.  It displays a list of all available WebAdmin Templates. WebAdmin Template can be designated as Profile Manager and/or WebAdmin Templates. Together they are referred to as 'WebAdmin Template'.  A WebAdmin Template can be applied when adding or modifying a Group. A WebAdmin Template defines one or more Policies and their Policy Events (time durations). It also defines Logging Mode, Enforced Categories, Language, Deny Page, Client Threshold Limiting and IP Range Restrictions (when ‘Enable Group Restrictions’ is applied). Clicking a template name in the ‘Name’ column opens the ‘Group' editor.

You can also edit the Group and remove the checkmark beside the Template options.

Removing a Template from the List

To remove a Template from either the WebAdmin or the Profile Manager list, select one or more Templates and click the Delete icon. A warning message displays.  Click OK. 

Set Default WebAdmin Template

When the WebAdmin Template selection is not displayed, the default WebAdmin Template is used if set.  In the Templates' tab, click the Set Default tab.

This tab allows you to set or unset the default WebAdmin Template.  This will also be the default selected WebAdmin Template when the WebAdmin Template selection is displayed.

Designating a Group as a Template

Any Group can be designated as a Template by opening the selected Group's edit window and checking the 'WebAdmin Template' or the 'Profile Manager Template' checkboxes.  The Group will then appear in their respective Templates lists.  De-selecting a WebAdmin Template will not delete the Group, it will only remove the Template designation.

Adding a New Group and Designating a Template

When creating a new Group, if available, choose from either the Templates in the ‘Based on WebAdmin Template’ section or, if the 'Copy Group From Existing Group' setting is enabled, a group in the ‘Copy Settings from Group’. A SysOp Account is only able to add new groups based on the groups managed by the SysOp Account or WebAdmin Templates. The same concept applies to the User Accounts when creating new profiles from the Profile Manager. For profiles only Profile Templates and the user's profiles can be selected (copy from profile template cannot be disabled).

This is the window with the options expanded.

Advanced Tab, Based on WebAdmin Template, and Copy Settings from Group

There are specific situations where WebAdmin Template and Copy Settings from Group options will display in the 'Add New Group' window.  In addition, certain conditions should be met for the Advanced tab to display in the Group Editor window. 

This section covers how these options are enabled or disabled.

Copy Group and Copy Policy from Existing

These options in 'General Settings' of 'WebAdmin Settings' control how and when the Advanced tab in the Group Editor window displays and how Templates are assigned.  See 'General Rules' below.

Group Advanced Tab

The Advanced tab in the 'Edit Groups' window allows you to reset the selected Group based on a WebAdmin Template or to copy settings from an existing Group if the 'Copy Group From Existing Group' setting is enabled in 'WebAdmin Settings'.  If there are no WebAdmin Template, the Advanced tab will not display.

About SysOp Accounts and the Advanced Tab

A SysOp Account is only able to modify a group based on the templates and the groups managed by the SysOp Account.  The image above shows all the Groups managed by the Admin.  The image below shows only the Groups available to the SysOp.  SysOps will require the 'Reset Groups' permissions to access the Advanced tab.

About Cloning a Group

You can Clone a Group, but it will not copy the Template settings.  SysOps need the 'Clone Groups' permissions to use the 'Copy Settings from Group' option when creating a Group.

Resetting a Group based on a Template

1.    Open the Group you wish to edit.

2.    Click the Advanced tab.

3.    Expand the ‘Reset based on Template’ arrow and select the Template.

4.    Click Submit.

5.    The ‘Successfully reset the group’ message displays.

Enforced Categories for Groups

You can apply 'Enforced Categories' for a WebAdmin Template.  The Categories will be merged with Account enforced Categories but override System-wide enforced Categories. 

Profile Manager Templates

The ‘Profile Manager Template’ setting in the WebAdmin Template lets you designate the template as a Profile Template to use in the Profile Manager.

You can use these Profiles Templates when creating and modifying a Profile in the Profile Manager. Click the Create Profile button to open the ‘New Profile’ window. You can base your profile on the available Profile Templates.

Profile Manager Templates Window

The Profile Manager Templates window is accessed by clicking the Templates tab in the ‘Groups' window and then on the Profile Manager tab.  It displays a list of all available Profile Manager Templates.  You can remove a Template from this list by placing a checkmark beside the name and clicking the Unset button.

Assigning WebAdmin Template to Profiles

Everything copied by WebAdmin Templates is copied by the Profile Manager Templates.

Warning: Only categories and allow/deny local list entries in the first policy deny and first allow will be visible through the Profile Manager.

Categories Tab in Profile Manager

The Categories tab in the 'Profile Manager' displays Categories assigned to the Default-Deny policy (Filtering policy) of the profile.  The Categories can be reset based on the Category Templates. By default, the account user can customize the categories for the filtering policy by manually selecting individual categories. The user can only reset categories using the given Category Templates if no customization template exists.

Policy Templates

The Policy Templates window displays a list of all available Policy Templates assigned to Groups.  You can access the 'Policy Templates' window by going to Policies > Policies and clicking the Policy Templates button.

The links for the individual Policies open the Policy editor.  The editor lets you view and modify the Policy Template’s Categories, Template assignments, Local and Shared Lists, Language, and Logging Mode as well as the name and description.  Display order can be set to order how the Policy Templates are displayed when adding or resetting a Policy.  The 'Default' radio button designates the Policy as Default.  The default Policy Template will display with an Unset button.  This can be used to deselect the Policy Template. 

Policy General Tab

The General tab can be used to modify the Policy Name and description.  It also allows users to reset the Policy based on other Policy Templates or Policies. If at least two Policy Templates are available or one Policy Template and 'Copy Policy from Existing Policy' is enabled, the 'Based on Policy Template' section will be displayed. If the 'Based on Policy Template' section is displayed and 'Copy Policy from Existing Policy' is enabled, the 'Copy Settings from Policy' section will be displayed. In addition, SysOps will need the Reset Policy permission.

Category Templates

Category Templates can be accessed from the Categories menu and Templates tab. 

The Category Templates window displays a list of all available Category Templates and is used to add, clone, delete, and modify Category Templates. Each Category Template defines a set of Categories recommended for the default filtering policies and these can be applied to Policies, Clients and in the ‘Profile Manager’. The ‘Custom' Template displays with a background colour and allows users to make custom category selections. When modifying a category selection, this template is checked by default, when no other category template matches the existing selection. You can modify a Category Template by clicking on its Edit link. This opens the Category Template Editor.

See ‘Category Template’ documentation for more information.