What is a custom sheepApp menu navigation?
A custom sheepApp menu navigation is entirely optional and allows sheepCRM admins to have full control over what links show in the main navigation of the sheepApp. This should be used when you need additional control over the link labels, what links actually appear, the ability to link to external websites and who can see and access specific links in the menu itself.
Who can control the custom navigation?
Only sheepCRM administrators can access and manage a custom navigation.
Changes apply immediately for end users in the sheepApp once saved.
How to enable a custom navigation
Go to Settings > Self-service App > sheepApp settings
Under Menu Navigation
Toggle Custom Navigation to yes
Once enabled, your custom menu will replace the default sheepApp navigation.
When disabled, sheepApp uses the default menu based on the modules in your license
💡 If this is your first time enabling custom navigation, the menu will be pre-populated with recommended default items based on your licence. If you were already using a custom navigation that we set up for you please see this section below.
Managing navigation items
Each navigation item represents a link in the sheepApp menu.
You can:
Add new navigation items
Edit existing items
Reorder items using drag and drop
Remove items you no longer need
Changes are reflected instantly in sheepApp once saved.
Adding a new menu item
To add a new navigation item:
Click Add menu item
Enter a title — this is what users will see in the menu
Choose a link type:
Internal sheepApp page
External URL
Configure visibility and behaviour options (see below)
Save your changes
Linking to internal pages
When linking to an internal sheepApp page, you can select from available pages based on your existing license modules and sheepApp content.
From the sheepApp page field, just find the existing index page, page, news item, document you want to link to. You can also select from many of the default pages for things like Events, Teams etc.
The menu item will automatically use:
The page title
The correct sheepApp path for your flock
Adding a custom link
You can also link to external resources or other types of links where you need full control over the URL.
To do this under the sheepApp page field, select Custom Link. You can then provide the full URL. This can be useful for:
Pages on your website
Community forums
Controlling visibility
Each menu item includes visibility controls so you can tailor the experience for different users.
Available options:
User only - Only visible to logged-in users
Member only- Only visible to logged-in members
These indicators are shown clearly in the Menu Builder so you can see at a glance who each item applies to.
Opening links in a new tab
You can choose whether the item should:
Open in the current tab
Open in a new tab
This is especially useful for keeping users in sheepApp while linking to external pages.
Reordering menu items
You can reorder menu items at any time by dragging them into your preferred order.
The order you set here is the order users will see in sheepApp.
Removing menu items
To remove a navigation item:
Open the item
Select Delete
Removed items will no longer appear in sheepApp menu navigation.
Notes and considerations
Enabling custom navigation replaces the default sheepApp menu
Disabling will use the default navigation based on your license and modules
Menu changes apply immediately after saving
Only administrators can manage navigation
Member-only visibility depends on membership status
Please note: If you are using custom index pages that rely on a path that has something like org-directory/(?P<uid>.*)/ you will need a custom link and you will need to use the full correct path. Please contact support if this is required.
What happens to existing custom menus?
If your flock previously used a custom navigation configured via support or onboarding:
Existing configurations will be migrated.
Once the Menu Builder is enabled, navigation can be fully managed via Settings
Support requests are no longer required for menu changes
Need help?
If you’re unsure which navigation items to include, or need advice on structuring your menu, contact Support and we’ll be happy to help.