How to Upload a Microsoft Office Document

Objective

This guide explains how to upload a Microsoft Office document (such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) into Cascade CMS using 2 Add Images and Other Assets so it can be linked from a page.

When to Use This Process

Use this process when you need to:

Add a downloadable Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file to your site
Replace an existing Office document

Before You Start

You are logged into Cascade CMS
You have selected the correct site
Your Office document is saved and ready on your computer
The file name follows naming conventions (lowercase, hyphens, no spaces or special characters)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. In the Site Content tree on the left, click on the _assets folder. Then click on the documents folder. You can upload the file directly to the documents folder, or you may create a subfolder within the documents folder to upload the file.

2. Click the + Add Content button located in the top menu area of the CMS interface.

3. Inside the 2 Add Images and Other Assets folder, select Microsoft Office Document from the dropdown menu.

Ensure Office documents are accessible, and use web pages instead of files whenever possible.

Simple Rule of Thumb: Documents are for downloading. Web pages are for reading. If something is meant to be read online, it should almost always be an HTML page.

4. Drag and drop the document from somewhere on your computer into the browser window, or choose one from your computer. The File Name will automatically populate with the file name previously given to the document file.

Do not use spaces, capital letters, or other special characters in the name of the document.

5. Click Preview Draft. After previewing the draft, click Submit to save the document to the CMS.

6. The document has been successfully saved to the CMS. You should now Publish your file.

7. Click Publish. Select one or more destinations to publish to (Staging and Production).

Please make sure to select both destinations (Staging and Production).

Accessibility & Best Practices

If the document will be widely shared, consider exporting a PDF version that is more accessible across devices.
Avoid embedding critical content solely in Office files; provide text equivalents on the page when possible.
Ensure your Office files follow your department’s accessibility standards (headings, alt text, table structure, etc.) before uploading.