The new app layout

Elium has a new layout. A narrow navigation bar replaces the wide menu on the left, and the list of spaces only shows on the homepage and in your spaces. Your pages get more room, and each item in the bar becomes an app that you can arrange.

Enlarge image

Why we are changing the layout

The old menu was open on every page, even when you did not need your spaces. The new navigation bar is about a third of the old menu's width. The rest of the screen goes to your pages, and later to apps that need the full width, such as analytics.

The second goal is to turn Elium into a set of apps. Each item in the bar opens one, for example your spaces or your tasks. In future versions, more apps will join the bar, such as approvals, analytics and the public portal. You will choose which apps your platform shows. These new apps will only be available in the new layout.

What changes in this first version

This first version keeps the items of the old menu, in the same order. As before, some items only show for the people who can use them. One label changes: "Article Requests" is now "Requests". The numbers next to "Tasks", "My Events" and "Requests" still show what is waiting for you.

When the bar is too short for all the items, for example on a small screen, the last items move under "More".

The list of spaces, with "Promoted spaces", "Favourite spaces" and "My Spaces", now shows only on the homepage, on the "Spaces" page and inside each space. On the other pages, such as "Tasks" or "My Contents", it is hidden and the page uses the full width. To show or hide the list, click the button on the left of the top bar. To change its width, drag its right edge.

Apart from the button that shows the list of spaces, the top bar does not change. On a phone, the browser version and the mobile app keep their current menu.

Prepare a square logo

Your logo shows at the top of the navigation bar, in a small square. The old menu had room for a wide logo, for example one with the full name of your company. In the square, a wide logo becomes very small.

The "Look & feel" settings have a new card for this: "Platform logo". Only the new layout uses the platform logo, so you can add it before you switch. It is available on the Corporate and Enterprise plans.

1. Click your profile picture in the top right corner, then click "Settings".

2. In the menu on the left, open "General" and click "Look & feel".

3. In the "Platform logo" card, click "Browse" or drop an image on it. Use a PNG or JPG file of at least 256 × 256 pixels.

   Enlarge image

4. Crop the image to a square, then click "Confirm".

   Enlarge image

5. Click "Save changes".

If you do not upload a platform logo, the navigation bar shows your current logo, made smaller to fit the square. On the other plans, the navigation bar always shows the Elium logo.

Switch to the new layout

When the new layout is ready for your platform, administrators see a banner in Elium. It explains the change and lets you switch. We plan to move every platform to the new layout before the end of 2026. Until then, you decide when to switch. Before you switch, we recommend that you upload a square logo and tell your users.

Arrange the navigation bar

1. In the navigation bar, click "Customise", under the last item.

2. Drag an item to change its position.

3. To hide an item, turn off its switch. Hidden items move to the end of the list. Turn the switch on to show the item again.

4. Close the window. Each change is saved immediately.

Enlarge image

Your changes apply to every member of the platform. "Homepage" always stays first and you cannot hide it. To go back to the default items and order, click "Reset".