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Digital Experience Studio

University Communications and Marketing

  • Experience Program
  • Experience Design
  • Website Technology
  • Social Media
  • Analytics
  • News and Events

< Experience Program

  • Website Project Process
  • Working with a Vendor
  • Glossary
  • Taxonomy Data Dictionary

< Experience Design

  • Website Strategy
  • Website Structure
  • Information Architecture and Navigation
  • User-Centered Design Conventions
  • Common UX Issues
  • Enterprise Design System
  • Content Planning
  • Creating Accessible Content
  • Taxonomy and Filters

< Website Technology

  • Web Standards
  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Cascade CMS
  • Sitecore CMS
  • Content Hub Overview
  • Content Hub DAM
  • Content Hub Operations

SitecoreAI

Sitecore user login

< Social Media

  • Alt Text Bookmarklet
  • Meta Ad Pixel
  • Social Media and Web Integration
  • Sprinklr

Sprinklr

Sprinklr user login

< Analytics

  • Google Analytics (GA4)
  • Testing
  • Data Visualization

Google Analytics

Google Analytics user login

< News and Events

  • News and Updates
  • Events and Trainings
Digital Experience Studio > Website Technology > Sitecore CMS > Sitecore Component Guide >

People Directory

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People Directory

The People Directory feature provides a means for adding a staff directory to a website. Each Person Details item is a web page built on the Person Details Page template. The Person Details Pages within a website automatically are grouped into a filterable and searchable People Listing Page on the website. See the pages below for information on how to work with the People Directory feature in SitecoreAI.

Screenshot from the College of Education people listing page
Figure 1: Example of a People Listing Page.

Feature Information

  • Usage
    • The People Directory feature can be used to add a staff directory to a website.
    • All items use the Person Details Page layout.
    • Directory entries display in a listing view that can be searched and filtered by Employment Type, Area of Expertise, Area of Study or Department.  
  • Best Practices

    • Frequently Asked Questions

    How does a unit get People Directory added to a website?

    To request the People Directory feature be activated on a unit website, fill out and submit this form. 

    The digital experience program manager will generate a ticket, and a member of the University Communications and Marketing platforms group will activate the feature on the website. 

    Using People Directory in SitecoreAI

    Person Details Page

    Each directory item creates a Person Details Page. These pages have profile-specific data template fields to facilitate directory searchability and a cohesive design to support a quality user experience. 

    Explore the layout

    People Taxonomy

    Units can create custom taxonomy options to enable search and filters based on Area of Expertise and Backend Tags. Units can also use the global Area of Study and Employment Type filter options.

    Enable people tagging

    People Listing Page

    People Listing Pages are automatically populated listing views of the Person Details Pages on a website. These listing pages are filterable using the data template, enabling website visitors to search for individuals. As Person Details Pages are added to the website and published, they’ll automatically populate into the site’s People Listing Page. 

    Build a directory

     

    Documentation updated: June 10, 2026

    Is there an issue with this documentation? Report it here.

    • Assign open graph data to each Person Details Page in Content Editor. This ensures that person pages are optimized for display when they appear in web browser search results.
    • Fill out all relevant taxonomy fields for each person. This ensures that People Listing Page filters accurately represent the full available collection of directory content matching a selected filter parameter.
    • Ensure all staff are familiar with how taxonomy fields are to be used for the unit so that tagging is consistent.
    • Units should limit their selected options within a taxonomy category (e.g., Employment Type, Area of Expertise) to 10 selections across the site, when possible. 
  • Expected Behavior
    • People Listing Pages can be viewed in a list layout. There is not a grid view. This is intentional; grid views make for a challenging mobile user experience for directory content.
    • All directory items appear on the listing page. Pagination kicks in after a designated number of individuals, as selected in the people listing widget presentation settings.
    • The listing page can be filtered by Employment Type, Area of Expertise, Area of Study or Department.  
  • Related Information

    • Similar features:

    • News Contacts — News Contacts are a special category of Person Details Pages. These pages are built on the same page template, but individuals added as News Contacts can be listed as authors or media contacts on a Story Page.
    • Aside — The Aside component is sometimes used to feature an individual’s profile photo and contact information in the right-side column on a Two-thirds Column page layout. It is not a true replacement for directory functionality.
    Can a grid view be added to the People Listing Page?

    No, the People Listing Page would not provide a quality user experience on mobile devices when directory profiles are displayed in a grid. 

    How many people are listed on a People Listing Page?

    Content authors can adjust the number of people listed on a page using pagination controls in the People Listing presentation settings. 

    Can a unit customize the taxonomy (i.e., filter labels and options) for the people on the website?

    Yes and no. Units can customize the options within some filter categories, but not the categories themselves. This is because creating or modifying categories requires custom development. If a unit has a need for a new filter category, contact University Communications and Marketing to discuss your use case. There may be unit expense related to the custom development of additional category filters. University Communications and Marketing will discuss options with the unit prior to moving forward with any work that may lead to expenses. 

    Area of Expertise is site-specific and can be used as a filter. Backend Tags are site-specific and can support search results but cannot be used as a filter. 

    Name Prefix is a global standardized list. To suggest an additional prefix, contact University Communications and Marketing. Pronouns are a global standardized list corresponding to MSU’s Chosen Name and Pronoun Policy, but there is a Pronoun Override field for users who require a pronoun option not included in the list. 

    Area of Study is a global list corresponding to the career tracks used by Career Services and the Office of Admissions to assist prospective and current students in exploring educational and employment opportunities. Employment Types is a global list based on employment classifications and approved by MSU Human Resources. Both Area of Study and Employment Types can be used as filters. 

    Why is a specific option not appearing in a drop-down filter?

    The filters are contextual and additive. Options will only appear in the drop-downs if there is a person tagged that matches the applied filters. If multiple filters are in use, the available options in the second (or third, etc.) filters will automatically update to contain only what is available in content on the site that already meets the other applied active filters. 

    Why can’t a user see Person Details items in their site’s Content Tree in Content Editor?

    This typically occurs when “Hidden Items” and “Buckets” are not selected to display in Content Editor. 

    Screenshot of the View tab in the Content Editor navigation ribbon showing that Content Tree, Entire Tree, Hidden Items and Buckets are checked so they will display
    Figure 2: The “Hidden Items” and “Buckets” options are checked in the View tab of the Content Editor navigation ribbon.

    In Content Editor:

    1. Click the “View” tab on the navigation ribbon.
    2. Check Hidden Items and Buckets.
    3. Items should now be visible in the Content Tree.

    If you’re still experiencing issues, contact University Communications and Marketing to generate a support ticket. Include the website URL and details regarding the Person Details items you expect to see. 


    Where did a newly created Person Details Page move to?

    Person Details Pages are automatically bucketed by first letter of the last name. When a content author edits the last name field, the page will move to the corresponding letter bucket.

    Can Person Details Pages be scheduled to publish at a specific later date and time?

    Not currently. Users can set a timeframe for when a Person Details Page is “publishable” to ensure it isn’t accidentally published too early, but the Person Details Page must be manually published during the “publishable” window. 

    See “Publishing Restrictions” for instructions.