Setup Govintra for the first time

Configure the settings

This is the first-run checklist for a new Govintra intranet. Work through it once, in this order, after you have activated the theme and installed the plugins. Each step says where the setting is and links to the page that explains every option on that screen.

1. WordPress settings

  • Settings, Permalinks: choose Post name and save. The theme’s addresses for staff profiles (/staff/username/), teams, news, tasks and the rest depend on it. If WordPress cannot write your .htaccess file it shows you the rules to add by hand.
  • Settings, General: set the Site Title (shown in the header and browser tab), the Tagline, the Administration Email Address, your Timezone (for example London) and the date and time formats. Leave Anyone can register unticked unless you want people to create their own accounts; most intranets create accounts centrally or through single sign-on.
  • Settings, Reading: once you have created your pages, set Your homepage displays to A static page and choose the page that uses the Home page template. This is what gives the homepage its emergency and campaign message boxes and stops anyone but an administrator editing it.
  • Settings, Discussion: decide whether comments are on by default and whether people must be logged in to comment.

2. Switch on the modules you will use

Go to Options, then Modules. Switch on the parts of the intranet you want: news, news updates, tasks and guides, events, blog, staff directory, teams, vacancies, projects, training, intraverts and so on. Each one you switch on adds its own admin menu and its own tab of settings, where you choose that module’s landing page. See Module settings and options and, for the directory, Set up the staff directory.

3. General options

Go to Options, then General. On the first visit, check these:

  • Style tab: a Login logo for the login screen, the Card image ratio, and the icon styles you want available.
  • Text and features tab: the Classic Editor is used unless you switch on Enable Block Editor; the wording of the 404 page; whether authors and editors can manage categories.
  • Header scripts tab: paste your analytics snippet (Google Analytics, Matomo or similar) into Tracking code.
  • Subscription tab: enter your Subscription key. Without it the theme and the Govintra plugins do not receive updates. See Download theme updates.

Every field is described in General intranet options.

4. Search

Install and activate Relevanssi Premium, build its index, then go to Options, Search to choose the search box wording, filters, spelling corrections and autocomplete. See Search options.

5. Logo, colours, header and footer

Go to Appearance, Customise. Upload your logo under Site Identity, set the Brand Colours, then the Header and Footer colours and images. Changes preview live and nothing is saved until you select Publish. See Theme customiser.

6. Menus, widgets and taxonomies

7. People

Create accounts under Users, or connect your single sign-on plugin, and decide who edits what: see Roles and capabilities. Ask everyone to complete their profile once the staff directory is live.