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Getting Started with ShortPoint Theme Builder - Classic SharePoint Sites (Part 2)

In Part 1, you learned how to launch ShortPoint Theme Builder for Classic pages. Here, we will explore the variety of customizations you can apply to your classic team sites using our theme generator tool.


Note: This article focuses on Microsoft SharePoint pages with the Classic experience in Microsoft Office 365 (SharePoint Online) and SharePoint 2019 environments. If you have a SharePoint 2013 or 2016 (On-Premise) farm solution, please watch out for indicators as there may be some differences in functionalities and experience.
Also, if you are looking to customize sites with a Modern experience, please check out our support article on Getting Started with ShortPoint Theme Builder - Modern SharePoint Sites (Part 1). It details how ShortPoint Theme Builder works to customize modern pages.

TABLE OF CONTENTS


Step 1: Apply Customizations


The Classic Theme Builder menu provides you with an overview of what you can customize for your SharePoint intranet pages. While making changes to your site, you will be able to preview the result in real-time. 

Let us learn about the functionality of each menu item and the options you can choose from to modify your classic pages.



General Settings


Apply general site layout and other site elements changes under the General Settings options:

  • General Layout

You can customize page layouts by adding a box or a frame and make adjustments to its width and shadow depth. Check out our article on General Layout for more details.


You can also make the whole site responsive when viewed on mobile devices. Follow this link to know the steps on how to Make SharePoint Classic Sites Responsive in One Click.


  • Elements

You can take control over common SharePoint Elements by making them hidden from your user’s view. You can also choose which intranet sites, subsites, or pages you want your customization applied to. 


  • Background

You can also modify your page’s Background by selecting a new background color, insert an image that makes your page come alive, and add a color overlay to your liking.


  • Move to Top

Build on your site page’s user interface by adding a scroll-back-to-top button. 


  • Dividers & Corners

You can also change Divider sizes and colors at will and make sharp Corners softer by adjusting the corner radius on elements that have borders.


Here is an example of how you can customize your SharePoint site pages using the General Settings in Classic ShortPoint Theme Builder:



Branding


Set a custom theme or company Color Palette that you can use when editing theme colors with ShortPoint Theme Builder. Choose your preferred primary, secondary, highlight, and other alternate colors that will display as your main color palette when selecting theme colors for web parts on your page. 


You can view different shades of your selected primary color to add to your color palette automatically in one-click and choose your main Body Text and Body Background Color and generate or manually select secondary colors to choose from.


Note: Features in this section can be found under General Settings > Color Palette for SharePoint 2013 and 2016 (On-Premise) environments.



Fonts & Typography


Customize fonts across all elements of your SharePoint Classic pages or make changes on only a few depending on the design you want to achieve. This section allows you to select a Base font to apply across your classic SharePoint site content. 


You can also configure font, font styles, font colors, hover colors, text size, line heights, and line spacing to Headings, BodyTexts, Page Titles, Web Parts Titles, Menus, and Sub Menus


Follow this link to an article in our Knowledge Base to get more details about Fonts and Typography options.




If you wish to modify the layout of your SharePoint site’s header so that it does not resemble what it looks like out-of-the-box, you can make some adjustments in this section of ShortPoint Classic Theme Builder. 


You can:

  • Change the header width, height, and shadow to your preference. 
  • Add a favicon and adjust spacing for your Logo. Make your home page link an icon as well. 
  • Add dividers and set your desired spacing Before & After your header. 
  • Use an image for your header Background and apply some advanced settings to make it pop. 
  • Control spacing for your Site Title and customize your Search Box text, background color, border, icon, and many more.


Here is an article on How to Design a Beautiful Header (Inspired by ShortPoint Demos Website) to get you started.




You can select a footer to complete the look of your intranet page and customize it to suit your requirements best:

  • Add dividers and adjust spacing Before and After your footer. 
  • Incorporate an image and color overlay to its Background 
  • Change its Paddings & Margins sizes to your liking.
Note: You will need to set up your footer web part from the ShortPoint Generator to be able to activate a footer in ShortPoint Theme Builder. Check out our support article on Getting Started with ShortPoint Footer for SharePoint to learn more.


Feel free to check our full folder dedicated to utilizing footers in the Knowledge Base.




Modify how your SharePoint site’s menu appears by choosing its alignment, apply animation, and select from home link styles. Make changes to your menu spacing by adding dividers Before & After and configuring Paddings & Margins sizes. 

Have the menu stand out by customizing Background & Colors. Put in hover and active menu text and background colors for a smooth user experience.



Mobile Settings


Make your intranet pages easy to navigate and view on mobile devices. Choose how your menu, logo, and other mobile elements are displayed when accessed via mobile.


Open a separate window to view what your site pages look like on mobile devices by clicking the mobile icons in Classic Theme Builder and see any changes you apply in real-time:



Themes


When you are done with all your desired customizations in Theme Builder, you can designate a theme name and Save as a theme. This will save your new theme, and it will be added to your Custom Themes gallery. Effortlessly switch from one custom theme to another with this functionality.


Note: Your new theme will not be added to the Change the look SharePoint Site Settings options for classic pages.



Utilities


For more advanced customizations for your SharePoint site, go to the Utilities section of the Classic Theme Builder.

  • Preloader

You can generate a Preloader code which you can paste into your master page. 

Check out our detailed article on how to Add a Preloader to SharePoint Classic Sites.


  • Custom CSS, Theme CSS, Custom JavaScript, and Theme


You will be able to apply custom and theme CSS and JavaScript you have written through ShortPoint Theme Builder Utilities.


Check out our How to Apply Custom JavaScript/CSS article for more detailed steps.



  • Import/Export


We have a number of SharePoint theme templates you can use from our demos library. Simply copy settings from your selected template and import them into the Import/Export section. 

You can also export your ShortPoint Theme Builder settings to import into your organization’s other SharePoint site collections or tenancies. Find out how to do this by checking our Export and Import Customizations article.


  • Custom Fonts


Use Custom Fonts from your trusted web fonts providers by adding their embed codes. Once loaded, your custom font will appear as one of the options in the font dropdown list. 

Access the Knowledge Base folder dedicated to Custom Fonts to know more.


  • Reset


ShortPoint Theme Builder also provides you the power to Reset your site settings. You have two options: 

  • The first one is to reset to the last published configuration which discards all recent changes that were unpublished. 
  • The second one is to restore the site to its default settings.



Information and Get Support


Find the ShortPoint version that is installed on your SharePoint site and other details under Information and get help when you need it with one press of the Get Support button.



Step 2: Publish your Theme


When you are satisfied with how your SharePoint pages look after customizing in ShortPoint Classic Theme Builder, just hit the Publish button and all your changes will be applied to all published sites:



With ShortPoint Theme Builder for Classic pages, you are armed with so many features that will allow you to create the ultimate SharePoint intranet pages for your needs.


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