Overview
As an administrator, you have full access to Zoo Arcadia’s management system. This guide covers all administrative tasks, from managing users and employees to configuring animals, habitats, services, and schedules.Dashboard Overview
The admin dashboard (/home/pages/start) provides a centralized view of recent activity across all system modules:
- Recent users and employees created
- Latest animal records and feeding logs
- Recent health reports from veterinarians
- New testimonials pending moderation
- Contact form submissions
- Service updates and content changes
User Management
Creating a New User
Fill in User Details
- Username: Unique identifier (can be an email address)
- Password: Initial password (deliver to user in person for security)
- Role: Select from Admin, Employee, or Veterinarian
- Employee Association: Optionally link to an existing employee record
If a username already exists, you’ll receive an error. Choose a different username or check if the user already has an account.
Editing User Accounts
Navigate to/users/gest/edit?id={user_id} to modify:
- Username
- Password (leave blank to keep current password)
- Assigned role
- Employee association
- VIP Permissions: Grant specific permissions beyond the user’s role
Managing User Status
You can activate or deactivate users without deleting them:- Deactivate: User cannot log in but data remains in the system
- Delete: Permanently removes user (use with caution)
/users/gest/start.
Assigning Accounts to Employees
If an employee doesn’t have a user account:- Create an unassigned user account first
- Navigate to the employee record
- Use “Assign Account” to link an existing user
- An email notification is automatically sent
Employee Management
Creating Employee Records
Navigate to/employees/gest/create and provide:
- Personal Information: First name, last name, birthdate
- Contact Details: Phone, email, address, city, zip code, country
- Additional Info: Gender, marital status
Employee records store human resources data. A separate user account is needed for system access.
Editing Employee Information
Update employee details at/employees/gest/edit?id={employee_id}. All fields can be modified to keep records current.
Deleting Employees
Before deleting an employee:- Check if they have an associated user account
- Unlink or delete the user account first
- Then delete the employee record
Role and Permission Management
Understanding Roles
Zoo Arcadia has three primary roles:- Admin: Full system access
- Employee: Animal feeding, testimonial moderation, service updates
- Veterinarian: Health report creation and management
Configuring Permissions
Administrators can:- View all permissions at
/permissions/gest/start - Assign permissions to roles
- Grant VIP (individual) permissions to specific users
Animal CRUD Operations
Creating Animals
Enter Animal Data
- Name: Animal’s name
- Category: e.g., Mammal, Bird, Reptile
- Species: Specific species (linked to category)
- Gender: Male or Female
- Habitat: Assign to a habitat
- Nutrition Plan: Select food type and quantity
Upload Images
Provide responsive images for different devices:
- Mobile image (required)
- Tablet image (optional)
- Desktop image (optional)
Managing Categories and Species
From/animals/gest/start, you can:
- Create/Edit Categories: Animal classification (mammals, birds, etc.)
- Create/Edit Species: Specific species within each category
- Delete: Remove unused categories or species
You cannot delete a category or species that is assigned to existing animals.
Creating Nutrition Plans
Nutrition plans define feeding requirements:- Nutrition Type: Herbivore, Carnivore, Omnivore
- Food Type: Meat, Fruit, Legumes, Insect
- Quantity: Daily food amount in grams
Editing Animals
Navigate to/animals/gest/edit?id={animal_id} to update:
- Basic information (name, species, gender)
- Habitat assignment
- Nutrition plan
- Images (upload new ones to replace existing)
Deleting Animals
Deletion removes:- Animal record
- Associated images from Cloudinary
- Media links
Habitat CRUD Operations
Creating Habitats
Create New Habitat
Access
/habitats/gest/create and provide:- Habitat name
- Description
- Responsive images (mobile, tablet, desktop)
Optional: Add Hero Section
Configure a hero banner for the habitat’s public page:
- Hero title
- Hero subtitle
- Hero images (separate from habitat images)
Editing Habitats
Update habitat details at/habitats/gest/edit?id={habitat_id}:
- Name and description
- Images
- Hero section (if configured)
Viewing Habitat Statistics
The habitat list shows:- Number of animals in each habitat
- Recent habitat suggestions from veterinarians
- Last updated timestamp
Deleting Habitats
Service Management
Services are featured offerings displayed on the public website.Creating Services
Navigate to/cms/gest/create:
- Service Title: Name of the service
- Description: Detailed information
- Link: Optional URL for more information
- Type: Service category
- Images: Upload responsive images
Editing Services
Update service information at/cms/gest/edit?id={service_id}. All changes are logged with your user ID and timestamp.
Service Visibility
Services can be:- Featured: Displayed prominently on the homepage
- Regular: Listed on the services page
Schedule Management
Editing Opening Hours
Zoo Arcadia’s opening hours are managed at/schedules/gest/start.
System Configuration
Content Management
Administrators can manage site-wide content:- Hero Sections: Large banner images for different pages
- Content Bricks: Reusable content blocks (“About Us”, etc.)
- Page Headers: Configure page-specific headers
/cms/gest/start.
Viewing System Logs
Service modification logs are available at/cms/gest/logs, showing:
- Who made changes
- When changes occurred
- What was modified
Managing Testimonials
See the Employee Guide for testimonial moderation, which administrators can also perform.Viewing Contact Submissions
Public contact form submissions are viewable by administrators. Check them regularly to respond to visitor inquiries.Best Practices
Regular Backups
While not directly managed through the UI, ensure database backups are scheduled and tested regularly.
Permission Audits
Periodically review user permissions to ensure employees have appropriate access levels.
Content Updates
Keep animal information, services, and schedules current to provide accurate information to visitors.
Monitor Activity
Use the dashboard daily to track system activity and identify issues early.
Troubleshooting
Email Notifications Not Sending
If user creation emails fail:- Verify the employee has a valid email address
- Check email server configuration
- Review error logs for specific issues
Permission Errors
If users can’t access features they should:- Check their role’s permissions
- Verify VIP permissions aren’t conflicting
- Ensure the user account is active
Image Upload Failures
If Cloudinary uploads fail:- Verify Cloudinary API credentials
- Check file size limits (max 10MB recommended)
- Ensure supported formats (JPEG, PNG, WebP)