{"id":40397,"date":"2026-09-22T12:20:46","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T16:20:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/?page_id=40397"},"modified":"2026-09-25T20:56:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-26T00:56:24","slug":"feature-packs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/products-and-tools\/nc-state-web-platform\/feature-packs\/","title":{"rendered":"Feature Packs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Feature Packs let site administrators choose which blocks appear in the WordPress editor. Each pack groups related blocks together and comes with an on-demand training, so your team sees the tools they need and learns them on their own schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Feature Packs are in beta<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Feature Packs are <strong>in beta until February 1, 2027<\/strong>. During the beta, using them is <strong>optional<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Nothing changes on your site unless an administrator turns on a Feature Pack.<\/strong> Until then, every block stays available in the editor, just as before.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You can try Feature Packs and turn them off again.<\/strong> Turning a pack off brings back the full block list.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Trainings are available now,<\/strong> whether or not your site uses Feature Packs yet.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The beta ends on <strong>February 1, 2027<\/strong>. On that date, Feature Packs will be turned on for every site, and site editors will need to complete a pack&#8217;s training before they can add its blocks. <strong>If your site administrator hasn&#8217;t chosen any packs by then, only the Base pack will be active.<\/strong> Blocks from the other packs will no longer appear in the editor until an administrator turns them on. Using the beta to choose your packs and complete trainings now means there are no surprises for your team later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Feature Packs?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The NC State Web Platform has more than 40 content blocks and many post types. That range lets the platform meet the needs of almost any university website, but it can also be overwhelming. Most sites use only some of these tools, and a long block list makes it harder for editors to find the right one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Feature Packs help in two ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A shorter, more focused block list.<\/strong> Site administrators turn on only the packs their site needs. Editors see standard blocks plus the blocks from those packs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Training that matches what you use.<\/strong> Each pack has an on-demand training with short videos, hands-on tasks and links to the documentation. Editors learn the features they&#8217;ll actually use, when it suits them, without waiting for a live workshop.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Available Feature Packs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are five Feature Packs, with more planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-red-heading-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th>Feature Pack<\/th><th>What it covers<\/th><th>Training<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Base<\/strong><\/td><td>The fundamentals of WordPress and the NC State Web Platform<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/get-support\/on-demand-workshops\/basics\/\">Base<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Advanced<\/strong><\/td><td>Building pages that work<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/get-support\/on-demand-workshops\/advanced\/\">Advanced<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Storytelling<\/strong><\/td><td>Creating news content and telling NC State&#8217;s story<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/get-support\/on-demand-workshops\/storytelling\/\">Storytelling<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Engagement and Events<\/strong><\/td><td>Lead generation, events and RSVP management<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/get-support\/on-demand-workshops\/engagement-and-events\/\">Engagement and Events<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Dynamic Content<\/strong><\/td><td>Content that updates on its own, so your site works while you sleep<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/get-support\/on-demand-workshops\/dynamic-content\/\">Dynamic Content<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To see which blocks are in each pack, browse the <a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/blocks\/\">Blocks<\/a> listing. Each block&#8217;s documentation also lists its Feature Pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Turning on Feature Packs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You need to be a site administrator to change these settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In the WordPress dashboard, go to <strong>NC State Settings -&gt; Feature Packs<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Set each pack your site needs to <strong>Active<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Under each active pack, review its blocks. Every block is <strong>On<\/strong> by default. Turn off any block your site doesn&#8217;t use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Save your changes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As soon as any pack is active, the block list in the editor shows WordPress&#8217;s standard blocks plus the blocks you&#8217;ve turned on. You can come back and change these settings at any time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What happens to blocks already on my pages?<\/strong> Turning a pack or block off only removes it from the list of blocks editors can add. Blocks already on your pages stay in place and keep working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">On-demand training<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Feature Packs also change how NC State Web Platform training works. Most training now happens through <a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/get-support\/on-demand-workshops\/\">on-demand trainings<\/a>, one for each Feature Pack. Anyone who edits an NC State Web Platform site can start them at any time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prefer to learn with others? You have two more options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Monthly labs:<\/strong> Join an in-person lab session each month. Each lab focuses on one subject, with a short presentation and group discussion. <a href=\"https:\/\/reporter.ncsu.edu\/link\/courseview?courseID=UCOM-WEB-000&amp;amp;deptName=UCOM\">Register for a lab in REPORTER<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Office hours:<\/strong> OIT Design and UComm Web Services hold drop-in office hours on Zoom every other Friday from 10 a.m. to noon. No registration is needed. See <a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/get-support\/#office-hours\">upcoming office hours<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rollout timeline<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-red-heading-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th>When<\/th><th>What changes<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Version 4.18, September 2026<\/strong><\/td><td>The Feature Packs beta begins. Site administrators can choose to turn on Feature Packs.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Version 4.19, November 2026<\/strong><\/td><td>Site administrators can choose to require trainings. When turned on, editors must complete a pack&#8217;s training before they can add its blocks.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>February 1, 2027<\/strong><\/td><td>The beta ends. Feature Packs and the training requirement are turned on for every site. Sites that haven&#8217;t chosen packs will have only the Base pack active.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Do I need to do anything right now?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. During the beta, nothing changes unless your site administrator turns on a Feature Pack. It&#8217;s a good time to explore the packs and start the trainings, so your team is ready by February 1, 2027. If no packs are chosen by then, your site will have only the Base pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>I can&#8217;t find a block I used to have. Where did it go?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your site probably has Feature Packs turned on, and that block&#8217;s pack, or the block itself, is turned off. Ask your site administrator to check <strong>NC State Settings -&gt; Feature Packs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Can a block be in more than one pack?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. For example, the Email Signup block is in both the Storytelling and the Engagement and Events packs. It&#8217;s available if it&#8217;s turned on in either one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Who do I contact with questions?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reach out at <a href=\"https:\/\/go.ncsu.edu\/ucomm-dev-request\">go.ncsu.edu\/ucomm-dev-request<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Feature Packs let site administrators choose which blocks appear in the WordPress editor. Each pack groups related blocks together and comes with an on-demand training, so your team sees the tools they need and learns them on their own schedule. Feature Packs are in beta Feature Packs are in beta until February 1, 2027. During&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":35,"menu_order":-1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"pageIntro\":\"Feature Packs allow site administrators to streamline what functionality is activated.\"}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-40397","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40397","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40397"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40397\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40494,"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40397\/revisions\/40494"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40397"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}