Ever have WordPress clients who were confused about how to do something? Ever have backend users who needed reminders about X, Y, or Z set up in strategic places?

If so, then you’re not alone. And the Admin Dashboard Site Notes plugin might be just what you need.

This site notes plugin lets you set up notes or instructions to be placed in various spots in your site’s administrative area – on the post-new page (where new posts are made), on the edit page (where a user views all posts), on the dashboard, etc.

You can also control who sees individual notes by user roles (administrators, editors, authors, contributors, subscribers).

Site Notes in Action

Let’s take a look at the Site Notes plugin in action.

The first thing to know about this plugin is that you add new notes in much the same way you would add a new post. A new section called “Site Notes” is added to your sidebar menu, and from there you can create new notes or access your previously created notes.

Previously Created Notes

Creating Notes

It’s important to note that the editor for creating notes is the same editor you use for creating post or pages.

At the bottom of this editor, however, you have your selections for where to place the note and which user roles they should be visible to.

Testing

For my test, I wanted to display the message on the post-new page (i.e. the page where a user writes a new post).

I simply typed in some text and hit publish to see where my message would display.

It then occurred to me that since I was working with a full-fledged editor, I might be able to spice the message up a little and make it stand out a little more. And so I did by making my text bold and setting the color to red.

When that worked, I decided to see if I could stretch it a little more by adding line breaks. It did the trick without problems.

It then occurred to me that sometimes a visual note would be what some would need most, and so I tried inserting an image.

Next I decided to try some links. Often your clients or users may need a lot of explanation, more than would be practical for a note, and so some well placed links would be just the thing.

It then occurred to me that if I could do all this, then I could probably insert a video if I wanted to.

And if I could insert a video, then I could probably insert several

Inserting Anything

While calling in five videos may be overdoing it, this plugin clearly gives you the power to construct your notes in a way that will give your users more clarity.

This space can be used for whatever you like, of course: common instructions for newer users, important reminders for slightly more experienced users, or even news or announcements for all users.

Because you can style your message as you like, and the plugin puts the message clearly at the top in a yellow box, you can be sure that your users will see whatever it is you want them to see.

I have tested message plugins before, and none of them quite fit the bill the as this one. In fact, after testing it, I went straight over to a site of my own and installed it. I’m depending on it to cut down on the constant reminders I need to give my users.

You can download the Admin Dashboard Site Notes plugin here.

Photo: Postit_forget2 from BigStock