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1M+ installs 4.9★ (2,036)
Custom Dashboard Help Widget
Add a custom widget to the dashboard to display announcements, help or other information users will see at login.
The facts
- Rating
- 4.8★ from 6
- Active installs
- 800+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 24 Feb 2014
- Added
- May 2010
- Requires WP
- 3.3
- Tested up to
- WP 3.8.41
- Downloads
- 12,703
Our analysis
AI-assistedCustom Dashboard Help Widget is a WordPress plugin that allows you to add custom text to the WordPress dashboard. It is designed for site administrators to display announcements, guidelines, or help information for contributors. The plugin includes a WYSIWYG editor for easy content formatting and is lightweight, loading minimal code for users who do not manage the plugin.
This plugin is suitable for those who want to provide clear instructions or important updates directly within the dashboard, making it easier for contributors to understand site usage and guidelines.
Best for: This plugin suits site administrators looking to enhance dashboard communication for contributors.
What it does well
- ✓Adds custom text to the WordPress dashboard
- ✓Includes a WYSIWYG editor for easy formatting
- ✓Lightweight with minimal code loaded for most users
- ✓Allows for site announcements and contributor guidelines
Where it falls short
- •Limited information on the premium version features
- •Last updated in February 2014, may not be compatible with newer WordPress versions
Verdict
Custom Dashboard Help Widget offers a straightforward solution for adding help and announcements to the WordPress dashboard. However, its age and limited updates may affect compatibility with newer WordPress versions.
From the developer
Jo Landers's own description of Custom Dashboard Help Widget, lightly tidied.
Do you want to add site announcements, contributor guidelines or help to the WordPress dashboard?
This plugin adds a widget with custom text to the dashboard. Great for Admin-only announcements or making a short README text block for your site contributors. You can display basic help or include links to more detailed information. The premium version has more options and allows you to disable/hide any or all default dashboard widgets.
Important! If you’re upgrading from Version 1.0, make sure you follow the correct installation procedure.
Suggested Use
- Display general site announcements
- Add guidelines for content, category usage, or image sizes that fit the theme
- Tell contributors when they should use pages, posts, or custom write panels
- Provide links to more detailed “contributor help” pages or posts
Features
- Includes the same WYSIWYG editor your posts do, so you can format your widget content more easily.
- Lightweight – For most users, only the widget display and help functions (less than 100 lines of code) are loaded. Management functions are only loaded if the user can manage the plugin.
Premium Version
- Selectively disable any or all default WordPress dashboard widgets, for all users (the widget list occasionally changes; the plugin can disable all default widgets for WP v. 3.1 to 3.8.2)
- Keep the widget visible, open, and above other widgets on the dashboard, regardless of user settings.
- Apply custom colors to the widget title bar to make it stand out.
- Restrict access to this plugin’s settings to site administrators, even if other roles can manage plugins.
Tagged as
purpose
Widgets & Sidebars
feature
Widgets
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