Bitrix Site Manager - My views and experiences

The Bitrix Site Manager allows a user to add content dynamically with just a few clicks – so no more worrying about linking or loss of content!

As content continues to grow within a content management system, many times it’s important for the webmaster to create dynamic pages. Pages that draw content from other data sources. This is easier said than done in HTML – since all you need to do is add the code to each HTML Page.

But imagine if you have 30 pages that require dynamic content to be added – that too continuously. For example, user generated forms for each page. As a webmaster, you’ll go crazy trying to remember the nature of the code on each page ! Multiply this problem many times over when you are working with a database driven site.

This is where Bitrix Site Manager makes building and managing a website so much simpler and easier. Within the Bitrix Site Manager, you can seamlessly add dynamic content like news, articles, forms, blogs, etc just as easily as you would add static content. In fact, the Bitrix Site Manager has an intelligent engine that ensures your content automatically gets placed in appropriate sections once you decide to add content to that particular section. No more moving between the pages to edit any content.

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Bitrix highly intuitive user interface lets you create content in 3 clicks. Could it get any simpler?


I really admire any content management system’s approach to solving a portal’s woes. All content can be added, deleted, categorized and managed from a single web based console. This problem becomes even more evident for portals where new content is being generated rather quickly. And to top this list of challenges is the fact that many times the number of users multiply and the size of content continues grows rapidly.

To help address this problem, the Bitrix Site Manager uses a very innovative 3 step process to creating content, pages, sections or categories.

Users can create pages and sections in 3 simple steps: Use the Create Menu toolbar to create a page or a section.

Adding a page

Name the page and change its properties like section name, visuals, etc.

Specifying the properties of the page

Adding the content of the page

To create sections, the user can use the create menu tool to quickly create a section, link it with the menu and set its properties. The menus can be edited within the page for easier site management. New sections in the menus will automatically show up across all the pages of that section.

Modifying the menu

Of course, the problem really arises when you need to delete pages. Especially if they are linked together, or to the menu. Bitrix Site Manager has a unique feature of deleting pages with only 2 clicks – and still retaining the menu linking structure!

The moment each page is saved, the internal indexing engine automatically indexes the content and updates the index table. This allows an instant update into the site’s content searching facility.

Editing the menu sections

Finally, one of the handiest tools is the automatic site map creation. Users don’t need to update the site map, or even request a new map creation. Based on the created site menus – the site map is created in real time.

Having worked with the MS Office throughout my professional life, I only have one complaint from all applications – why can’t they make the UI so intuitive and friendly like that of MS Office?

Well, the Bitrix Site Manager is successfully achieved just that … and more !

Just like a regular Windows desktop, there is a START button that takes me to any section of the site including the various control panel tools and shows the recently visited pages of the control panel. I can even store my favorite or bookmarked sections here for easier tracing. The best part about this design is that when I am working on a particular page or a section, then edits on this page are restricted only to this page or section. Just like in MS Office, files of a particular folder are only restricted to that folder. Changing the files will only change the content of that folder, not the directory.

The WYSIWYG editor is amazing. I can make edits right into the HTML and CSS using a simple pop up window. Almost any part of the code can be edited. Just like MS Word, I can copy text and paste it again to prevent writing it again; I can do exactly the same for similar web pages, sections or even categories. And its as easy as Ctrl C + Ctrl V !

One of the most versatile features of the Bitrix Site Manager is that I can secure my content for the specified user groups. So I can prevent unauthorized viewing to sensitive content on the site. This same engine also allows me to give my premium users access to privileged content. Just like Windows creates a hierarchy of authorized individuals, the Bitrix site manger can create such authorization for users, content creators, authors, etc.

MS Office has always been very user friendly. Part of this lies in easy and intuitive answers to a user’s problem. Like when you move your mouse over a button, a pop up window displays the action that would happen if you click that button. The Bitrix Site Manager has something very similar, as you move your mouse over any button, it intuitively tells you the action and result. This makes the entire experience of using the software all the more simple.

An intricate aspect of any well designed Content Management System is the ability to distribute the different functions of the site vis-à-vis designing, content and browsing. Basically the site needs to have 3 fundamental layers of control.

The Bitrix Site Manager’s well designed framework allows site managers 3 levels of functional control. The first and the simplest is the Browser Level Control. This level is for site users and site testers to ensure the site is easily accessible and content linking and navigation is correct.

The next level is the Content Level Control. This gives your content team the browser based editing functionality. So content creation is no longer restricted by text editors like MS word. Content can be directly written into the page – via the browser. This dramatically saves bandwidth and risk of information loss. 

The utmost control is provided by the Design level. This level is ideal for site managers and web masters to have a holistic control over the site, its navigation, content placement, colors, themes, etc.

Let’s dig a little deeper into each level.

 Browser Level:

This is the face of your site. All users and site visitors see this aspect of your site. They see the menus, the theme, the colors and the navigation. Your site tester can use this level to imitate a user and his experience on your site. This is extremely beneficial since the tester can do nothing from this level that will jeopardize the integrity of your site and its content. However, he can stress test the site for errors and navigational faults.

However, if required, the tester can be given privileges for basic editing. This allows him to make changes quickly without much hassle. This level of control is most suitable for every day edits like news, forums, blogs, etc.

Content Level:

In this level, you can control the site’s content directly from each webpage you visit. This Level is excellent for Content editors who can review content before publishing it online. Special components and modules can be exposed to increase or decrease the level of authority over the site’s content. For each content management function, pop up menus are displayed and they allow a very simplified content editing facility.

All this can be done directly from each page, so the editor does not need to go into the control panel each time for any edit or change.

Design Level:

This is a comprehensive level of control that allows the user complete content and design editing facility. Component configuring is possible with a single drop down menu and there are special component editing modules for the site’s extra features and functions.

Components can be easily copied and replicated to reduce section creation time. In fact, the CSS files can be directly accessed from this mode to allow editing on the site’s design elements as well.

The Debugger gives a complete report on the performance, components used, page generation time, SQL Queries fired, etc. The cache can also be renewed for components.

Control Panel: