An upgraded version of the DesignPLUS sidebar has been released by Cidi Labs and is undergoing a phased rollout at UF. This phased approach to the sidebar release is designed to give users time to attend training and gain experience.
One of the main goals of the rollout plan, spanning about a year and eight months, is to help anyone at UF who has used the legacy sidebar to be aware of a few key points. They are:
- The legacy sidebar will be sunset on December 31, 2025.
- Existing legacy content will still function normally and retain its styling, but to make any edits using the new sidebar, the content must first be upgraded. To learn how to upgrade content, visit the Upgrade tool webpage.
- Legacy content that is used to build new content will also need to be upgraded before the new sidebar features can be used.
The monthly milestones are explained in the sections below.
May–December 2024
COIP Begins Testing the New Sidebar and Designing Templates
Beginning early 2024, COIP began testing the new DesignPLUS sidebar specifically for upgrading legacy course content and building out our internal templates. We then moved on to building the new institution templates, institution themes and colors, syllabus blocks, and more.
During this time, we also tested the new features offered in the new sidebar, such as the Columns tool, the Background tool, and many others. Along the way, we have noticed some issues/bugs with the tools and have been working with Cidi Labs to get those bugs resolved. This work is an ongoing effort.
January–April 2025
Upgrades, Toggles, and Trainings, Oh My!
The legacy sidebar will be the default sidebar during this time frame. However, a button, "Use the New Sidebar," will be turned on January 6, 2025, and can be found at the bottom of the legacy sidebar panel. This button will allow users to easily switch to the new sidebar from the legacy sidebar. To see more about using the "Use the New Sidebar" button, visit our FAQs page.
Page Upgrade Best Practices
We recommend upgrading your content during this timeframe. Upgrade best practices are located on our FAQs page.
CAUTION! Upgraded content cannot be edited with the legacy sidebar. Do not use the legacy sidebar to edit new content, and do not use the new sidebar to edit legacy content.
Trainings are being offered during this timeframe. Visit the New DesignPLUS Sidebar Training Dates page and stay tuned to hear about more offerings.
May–December 2025
The New DesignPLUS Sidebar Becomes the Default
The new DesignPLUS sidebar will become the default sidebar on May 7, 2025. You can still switch back to the legacy sidebar by going to the kebab menu, then User Settings, and then clicking the “Switch to the legacy sidebar” button to edit legacy content. However, even though legacy course content will remain editable with the legacy sidebar, we highly recommend upgrading any legacy content you need to edit during this time frame.
January 2026
Legacy Sidebar Retires, the New Sidebar is Here to Stay
Beginning January 1, 2026, the legacy sidebar will no longer be supported by the vendor, Cidi Labs.
This means users will no longer be able to access the legacy sidebar. However, the Upgrade Tool will still be available for you to upgrade legacy content. Existing legacy content will still function normally and retain its styling, but to make any edits that require using a sidebar, the content must first be upgraded and then edited with the new sidebar. Any legacy content that is copied to build new content will also need to be upgraded so the new sidebar can be used to edit it. The new DesignPLUS sidebar should be used to create all new course material.
About Upgrading Your Courses to the New DesignPLUS Sidebar
See the new DesignPLUS sidebar Course Upgrade page for information on upgrading your legacy course(s) to the new sidebar.