Simulator set-up requirements

There are a number of things we need to collect from you to be able to build your Simulator. This article gives you a checklist of items so that you can work through exactly what is needed.

Your Simulator URL

As each Simulator instance has its own web address (URL), you will need to have a URL set up for this purpose. There are two potential options for the type of URL that your Simulator instance can have:

• It can have a similar web address to your main site, or a project name, for example: 'budget.clientname.gov.zz' or 'clientnameprojectname.com'. If you would like this type of URL, you'll need to ask your technical team to register the subdomain and create a CNAME record (this is the technical name for something on our web server that points to another location). We will provide the CNAME address for your technical team to use for this. Please see our article explaining setting up a DNS CNAME record.
• If you prefer to use one of our Simulator domains, you will need to let us know what you would like the ‘clientname’ part of the address to be. For an English-language Simulator the options are:
  • For Budget Simulator: https://<your-org-name-here>.budgetsimulator.com
  • For Priority Simulator, either:
    • https://<your-org-name-here>.prioritysimulator.com  or
    • https://<your-org-name-here>.pointsimulator.com
• Note: If you are having a translated Simulator e.g. the same site in a different language, you will you need to provide a second URL. The format of the URL in a language other than English will be, for example: https://<your-translated-org-name-here>.budgetsimulator.com

Your organisation's logo 

Your organisation's logo will feature in the welcome page header. It also acts as a link back to your own website, for more information on how that works please read our article on editable content. You will also need to supply a version of your logo which can be easily scaled by width for use on mobile devices.

• Dimensions for normal desktop logo: recommended width is 500px and max height is 100px 
• Dimensions for mobile screen logo: 100px x 100px.   

Your theming colours

We have a theming guide article that acts as a visual back up to this list of deployment requirements, helping you identify which bits of the Simulator interface can be changed. In particular it will be useful to help you understand how many theming colours you can choose and where they go.

• Option 1. Choose from our preset accessibility tested colour options
• Option 2. Use your own corporate colours

If you chose your own corporate colours please be mindful that we will test them for accessibility, and may need to make some changes if they do not pass. Not to worry - we will consult you every step of the way to make sure the colours are on brand for your organisation.

Banner image

Your banner image needs to be supplied to us - sized ideally around: 3000 x 410 pixels. Keep in mind that this banner image can really stand out from the page so think of an image that will compliment the theming colours you have chosen and be visually appealing in this format.

Demographic questions 

You can add up to 10 custom demographics questions subject to formatting constraints. 

When you provide us with the questions please ensure they are the final approved version. 

For a Simulator in any other language than English don't forget you will also need to provide translations of your questions.

Widgets 

If you would like to place social media widgets on the welcome and/or thank you page, simply let us know.

• Option 1. Sharing widgets 
• Option 2. Follow Widgets 

If you are purchasing a multi-language Simulator we can create a widget on the welcome page that provides the user with links to the version(s) in other languages.