# Common Tasks and Workflows

This section provides step-by-step guides for common tasks you'll perform when managing destinations.

### Setting Up a New Destination from Scratch

**What you'll need:**
- Destination name and basic information
- Address and contact details
- At least one image (recommended)
- Categories or other classifications (recommended)

**Steps:**
1. Navigate to **Destinations** → **New Destination**
2. Fill in required fields:
   - Name
   - Slug (or let it auto-generate)
   - Address
   - City
   - Zip
3. Add contact information (email, phone, website)
4. Upload a main image
5. Write a description in the Content field
6. Select at least one category
7. Add experiences, activities, or amenities as relevant
8. Fill in any special features that apply
9. Check **Enabled** to make it visible
10. Check **Approved** (if you're an admin creating it directly)
11. Click **Save**

**Tips:**
- Start with the essentials, you can always add more details later
- Use a descriptive name that clearly identifies the destination
- Choose a slug that's readable and SEO-friendly
- Add multiple images to the gallery for better presentation

### Adding Multiple Destinations

When adding many destinations:

1. **Prepare your data** in a spreadsheet with columns for:
   - Name, address, city, zip
   - Phone, email, website
   - Categories, experiences, etc.
   - Image file names

2. **Create destinations one at a time** (or use bulk import if available):
   - Start with the first destination
   - Fill in all information
   - Save and move to the next

3. **Use consistent naming** for easier management later

4. **Batch upload images** if possible, then assign them to destinations

**Time-saving tips:**
- Create templates for common destination types
- Use the same categories and classifications for similar destinations
- Copy similar destinations and modify rather than starting from scratch

### Organizing Destinations with Categories

**Planning your category structure:**
1. List all the main types of destinations you have
2. Group them into broad categories (parent categories)
3. Break down into more specific subcategories (child categories)
4. Create the category structure in the admin panel

**Example structure:**
```
Dining
├── Restaurants
│   ├── Italian
│   ├── Mexican
│   └── American
├── Cafes
└── Fast Food

Shopping
├── Retail Stores
├── Markets
└── Specialty Shops

Entertainment
├── Theaters
├── Museums
└── Parks
```

**Assigning categories:**
1. Open a destination for editing
2. Find the Categories field
3. Select one or more appropriate categories
4. Save

**Best practices:**
- Don't create too many categories (aim for 5-10 main categories)
- Use subcategories for more specific organization
- Assign multiple categories if a destination fits in more than one
- Review and refine your category structure periodically

### Creating a Featured Destinations List

To highlight special destinations:

1. **Identify destinations** you want to feature
2. **Open each destination** for editing
3. **Check the Featured checkbox**
4. **Save**

Featured destinations will appear when using the featured destinations API endpoint and can be displayed prominently on your frontend.

**Tips:**
- Feature destinations that are particularly noteworthy or popular
- Rotate featured destinations periodically to keep content fresh
- Consider featuring seasonal destinations
- Limit the number of featured destinations for better impact

### Managing User Submissions

**Daily workflow:**
1. Check for new unapproved destinations
2. Review each submission:
   - Verify contact information is accurate
   - Check that images are appropriate and of good quality
   - Ensure descriptions are complete and well-written
   - Verify location information
3. Make any necessary edits
4. Approve and enable if ready, or contact the user for more information

**Communication:**
- Use the notes field to track review status
- Contact users if submissions need changes
- Provide clear guidelines for what makes a good submission

**Quality control:**
- Ensure all required information is present
- Verify images meet quality standards
- Check for duplicate submissions
- Verify business legitimacy

### Updating Destination Information

**When to update:**
- Contact information changes
- Hours of operation change
- New images become available
- Business adds new services or features
- Location information needs correction

**How to update:**
1. Find the destination (use search if needed)
2. Open it for editing
3. Make your changes
4. Save

**For user-submitted destinations:**
- Users can update their own destinations via the API
- Admins can update any destination
- Changes to approved destinations may trigger notifications

### Archiving or Removing Destinations

**Disabling a destination:**
1. Open the destination
2. Uncheck the **Enabled** checkbox
3. Save

The destination will no longer appear in public listings but remains in the system.

**Deleting a destination:**
1. Open the destination
2. Use the delete option (if available)
3. Confirm deletion

**Note:** Approved destinations are typically disabled rather than deleted to preserve data. Unapproved user submissions can be deleted.

**When to archive vs. delete:**
- **Disable/Archive**: Business temporarily closed, seasonal closure, or you want to keep the data
- **Delete**: Duplicate entry, test entry, or permanently closed with no need to keep data