Content Type Definitions (CTDs) are fundamental building blocks in OpenText Content Server that enable organizations to customize their enterprise content management system. This comprehensive guide covers creating, configuring, and managing CTDs to meet your organization's specific content management needs.
What are CTDs?
Content Type Definitions define the structure, metadata, and behavior of content items within OpenText Content Server.
Core Components
- Metadata fields and attributes
- Relationships between content types
- Security and access controls
- Workflow associations
- Presentation templates
- Business rules and behaviors
Why Customize Content Types?
Benefits of custom CTDs.
Advantages
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Tailored metadata | Capture organization-specific information |
| Consistent structure | Enforce standards across content |
| Automated workflows | Trigger processes based on content type |
| Improved search | Better discovery through custom attributes |
| Compliance | Meet regulatory requirements |
Requirements Analysis
Before creating CTDs, understand your needs.
Questions to Answer
- What content will this type store?
- What metadata is required?
- Who needs access?
- What workflows apply?
- How will users find this content?
- What compliance requirements exist?
Content Type Design
Design your content type structure.
Design Elements
- Identification
- Name and description
- Category placement
- Icon selection
- Metadata Schema
- Required fields
- Optional fields
- Default values
- Relationships
- Parent types
- Child types
- References
- Behaviors
- Workflows
- Lifecycles
- Events
Accessing Administration
Navigate to CTD management.
Steps
- Log into Content Server as administrator
- Open Administration Console
- Navigate to Content Type Definitions
- Select Create New CTD
Basic Configuration
Define core CTD properties.
Configuration Options
- Name: Unique identifier for the content type
- Display Name: User-friendly name shown in interface
- Description: Purpose and usage guidance
- Category: Location in content type hierarchy
- Icon: Visual identifier for the type
Metadata Field Definition
Create custom attributes.
Field Types
| Type | Use Case | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Short strings | Document title |
| Text Area | Long text | Description |
| Integer | Numbers | Version number |
| Date | Dates/times | Expiration date |
| User | User references | Author |
| Select List | Predefined options | Status |
| Boolean | Yes/No values | Approved flag |
Field Configuration
- Field Name (internal)
- Display Label (user-facing)
- Data Type
- Required/Optional
- Default Value
- Validation Rules
- Search Configuration
- Display Order
Setting Default Values
Configure automatic field population.
Default Value Options
- Static values
- Current user
- Current date/time
- Calculated values
- Inherited from parent
Content Type Hierarchy
Organize types in hierarchies.
Hierarchy Benefits
- Inherit metadata from parent types
- Organize related content types
- Simplify administration
- Enable polymorphic queries
Defining Relationships
Link content types together.
Relationship Types
- Parent-child relationships
- Reference relationships
- Cross-reference links
- Compound documents
Inheritance Configuration
Leverage parent type attributes.
Inheritance Options
- Inherit All Metadata
- All parent fields included
- Selective Inheritance
- Choose specific fields
- Override Capability
- Modify inherited fields
- Extension Mode
- Add fields to inherited set
Access Control
Define permissions for content type.
Permission Levels
- None (no access)
- See (view in lists)
- See Contents (view metadata)
- Modify (edit content)
- Edit Attributes (change metadata)
- Add Items (create children)
- Delete (remove content)
Role-Based Security
Assign permissions by role.
Security Model
- Default Permissions
- Applied to all new items
- Role Assignments
- Content Creators
- Content Reviewers
- Content Managers
- Administrators
- Attribute Security
- Field-level restrictions
Security Inheritance
Propagate security settings.
Options
- Inherit from parent folder
- Inherit from content type
- Custom permissions per item
- Combined inheritance
Associating Workflows
Link workflows to content types.
Workflow Triggers
- On creation
- On modification
- On status change
- Manual initiation
- Scheduled events
Workflow Configuration
Set up automated processes.
Common Workflows
- Review and Approval
- Submit for review
- Reviewer evaluation
- Approval/rejection
- Publication
- Draft creation
- Review cycle
- Publish to production
- Retention
- Active period
- Archive trigger
- Disposition
Lifecycle Management
Define content lifecycle stages.
Lifecycle Stages
- Draft
- In Review
- Approved
- Published
- Archived
- Disposed
Template Configuration
Control content display.
Template Elements
- Layout structure
- Field arrangement
- Action buttons
- Related content display
- Navigation elements
Custom Views
Create specialized displays.
View Types
- Default view
- Summary view
- Detail view
- Print view
- Mobile view
Computed Fields
Calculate field values automatically.
Computation Options
- Concatenation
- Date calculations
- Conditional values
- Cross-reference lookups
- External data integration
Validation Rules
Enforce data quality.
Validation Types
- Required Field Validation
- Format Validation
- Email patterns
- Phone numbers
- Custom regex
- Range Validation
- Numeric ranges
- Date ranges
- Dependency Validation
- Field interdependencies
- Custom Validation
- Script-based rules
Event Handlers
Trigger actions on events.
Event Types
- Before create
- After create
- Before update
- After update
- Before delete
- After delete
Testing CTDs
Validate before production deployment.
Testing Checklist
- Create test content items
- Verify all metadata fields
- Test validation rules
- Confirm workflow triggers
- Check security permissions
- Validate search functionality
- Test presentation templates
Deployment Process
Move CTDs to production.
Deployment Steps
- Export CTD from development
- Review configuration
- Import to test environment
- Conduct user acceptance testing
- Deploy to production
- Verify functionality
- Train users
Version Management
Track CTD changes over time.
Best Practices
- Document all changes
- Use version numbers
- Maintain change log
- Test before deploying updates
- Plan migration for existing content
Naming Conventions
Establish consistent naming.
Guidelines
- Use clear, descriptive names
- Include category prefixes
- Avoid special characters
- Document naming standards
- Apply consistently
Documentation
Maintain comprehensive documentation.
Documentation Elements
- Purpose and use cases
- Metadata field descriptions
- Workflow explanations
- Security requirements
- User instructions
Performance Considerations
Optimize CTD performance.
Optimization Tips
- Limit metadata fields to necessary ones
- Index frequently searched fields
- Optimize workflow complexity
- Monitor search performance
- Regular maintenance reviews
Working with Innoworks
At Innoworks Software Solutions, we specialize in OpenText Content Server implementation and customization.
Implementation
- CTD design and development
- Migration services
- Integration development
- Performance optimization
Consulting
- Requirements analysis
- Architecture design
- Best practices guidance
- Training
Conclusion
Content Type Definitions are essential for tailoring OpenText Content Server to your organization's specific needs. By carefully planning, creating, and managing CTDs, you can ensure consistent content structure, automated workflows, and effective content governance.
Whether you're implementing a new Content Server instance or optimizing an existing deployment, well-designed CTDs are key to success. Partner with experienced ECM consultants like Innoworks to design and implement content types that drive business value.
Need help with OpenText Content Server customization? Contact Innoworks to discuss how we can help you create effective content type definitions.
