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With a custom alphabet set up on your site, visitors will be more easily able to find what they are looking for – just like flipping quickly to the B or F W sections of a printed dictionary.
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When setting up the alphabet on your language site for the first time, you will need to submit your alphabet in the form of a spreadsheet (.csv file), which will then be uploaded by FirstVoices staff.
Read more about preparing and submitting how to submit your alphabet in the following articles:
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Manage your alphabet from the Dashboard
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Only Language Administrators can edit the site alphabet! Check with your FirstVoices team regarding what role and permissions you have on the site. |
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Once your alphabet letters are uploaded to FirstVoices, the Language Administrator can fill out further information and details from the Dashboard, such as:
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These details can be updated or customized at any time. It is recommended that each letter have an attached sound file and/or sample word.
Steps to manage your alphabet
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Only Language Administrators can edit the site alphabet! Check with your FirstVoices team regarding what role and permissions you have on the site. |
Log in as a Language Administrator and go to your Dashboard
Click “Edit” in the left sidebar
Click “Edit your Alphabet”
Choose the letter you wish to edit and click “Edit” (pencil icon)
Add any linked words/phrases, media files (audio, image, video), or text notes
Press “Save Changes”
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| title | Click here to read about options for carrying out a major alphabet conversion |
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Option A: Spreadsheet with spelling patterns (Recommended)Language team members create a spreadsheet mapping the existing spelling patterns to the new alphabet spelling patterns.  Image ModifiedThe FirstVoices development team will run a script to convert entries with the old spelling/alphabet to use the new spelling/alphabet. The development team will move previous spellings to an “alternative spelling” field, so that the Language Team can look at it when editing/checking entries. The FirstVoices development team will upload the new alphabet. Language team members will check entries for errors by going through the word and phrase list view on FirstVoices.
PROS | CONS | ROUGH TIME ESTIMATE |
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Less manual editing than Option B The public won't lose access "Old" spelling can remain published on the language site until the new spellings are checked and verified
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Option B: Change Alphabet First The FirstVoices development team will unpublish all entries (i.e. change to "Team Only"). The FirstVoices development team will upload the new alphabet. Your language team will manually change each word over to the new alphabet and publish as each word is ready.
PROS | CONS | ROUGH TIME ESTIMATE |
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Language team can get started quickly Editing the existing database means you can use existing audio files You can fix any pre-existing errors along the way
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Option C: Spreadsheet with Entries The FirstVoices development team will provide a spreadsheet template.  Language team members will map the existing entries to entries using the new alphabet (words, phrases, and audio titles). The FirstVoices development team will run a script to edit words, phrases, and audio titles. The FirstVoices development team will upload the new alphabet. Language team members will check entries for errors by going through the word and phrase list view on FirstVoices. Language team will manually update story and song entries to use the new alphabet.
PROS | CONS | ROUGH TIME ESTIMATE |
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Less manual editing than Option B Less chance of errors than Option A The public won't lose access
| The automation will likely result in some errors and will need to be reviewed More manual input (typing) than Option B Errors would be visible in the database until fixed
| Dev Team: 40 hours (Allow ~3 weeks)
Language Team: 150 hours |
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Spreadsheet suggested headings: WORD_OLD WORD_NEW RELATED_PHRASE_OLD RELATED_PHRASE_NEW AUDIO_TITLE_OLD AUDIO_TITLE_NEW
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