> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://buttercms.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Dashboard overview & navigation

> Overview of the ButterCMS dashboard and sidebar. Access Pages, Collections, Media Library, user management, multi-site, and integrations.

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![ButterCMS Dashboard](https://cdn.buttercms.com/IyDLXXFBQaQh6Zp0HxaA)

## Sidebar navigation

The sidebar on the left side of your dashboard is your primary navigation tool. Here's what you'll find:

### Main sidebar links

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Pages" icon="file-lines" href="../../../core-concepts/content-types/pages">
    Access all your Pages, organized by Page Type, or create new Pages.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Collections" icon="layer-group" href="../../../core-concepts/content-types/collections">
    View and manage your Collections (reusable data tables).
  </Card>

  <Card title="Blog Posts" icon="newspaper" href="../../../core-concepts/content-types/blog-engine">
    Access the built-in blog engine to create and manage blog posts.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Content Types" icon="shapes">
    View and configure Page Types, Collections, and Components.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Media Library" icon="image">
    Upload, organize, and manage all your images, documents, and files.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Users" icon="users">
    Add, invite, remove, and edit users and their profiles. Manage user roles and permissions.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Analytics" icon="chart-line" href="../../../build-your-app/performance/monitoring-api-usage">
    View usage metrics and request counts.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### User profile sections

Hovering over your profile icon or name in the top left corner of the sidebar launches a secondary menu, which has
access to the following account options:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Settings" icon="gear">
    Access organization-level settings, API tokens, integrations, and more.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Integrations" icon="plug">
    Connect third-party services like Cloudinary, Bynder, or Typeform.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Billing" icon="credit-card">
    Manage plans and payments.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Environments" icon="sitemap">
    Configure multi-environment setups.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Multi-site" icon="grid-2">
    Configure multi-site setups.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Log out" icon="arrow-right-from-bracket">
    Sign out of your ButterCMS account.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Editing and publishing interface

ButterCMS's intuitive interface makes it easy to add content, save drafts, schedule publishing, check status, and more.

{/* IMAGE_SOURCE: file_path="blog-posts/gsd/buttercms-vs-sanity.md" */}

![Content Editing Interface](https://cdn.buttercms.com/zpn9fZAXR42otrWKUlKn)

When you click on any content item, the main content area displays:

* **Content fields** - All the fields defined for that content type
* **Status indicator** - Shows whether content is Draft, Published, or Scheduled

<Info>
  Content in ButterCMS progresses through statuses like Draft, Scheduled, and Published. Learn more about the [content lifecycle](../../publishing-lifecycle/content-status).
</Info>

* **Action buttons** - Save, Preview, Publish, and more options

## Top navigation bar

The top navigation bar provides quick access to:

| Element                         | Description                                                                                                |
| ------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Environment & site selector** | Switch between different environments (e.g., Production, Staging) and sites if you have multi-site enabled |
| **Profile**                     | Access your account settings and log out                                                                   |

![Top navigation bar](https://cdn.buttercms.com/mfHZwOfZTBmkR9YGBuk6)

## Quick start tips

<Tip>
  **Use the search** - Looking for specific content? Use the search functionality within each section to quickly find what you need.
</Tip>