AEM 101
Before an author will be given access to the Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) Content Management System (CMS), they must complete this training series. This series of videos will give the new author the ground work to do the following:
Successfully sign into AEM
Navigate the CMS
Navigate and upload assets to the Digital Asset Management System (DAM)
Instances of AEM
This is a short video that will expose you to the different instances of AEM, Stage, PI, and Production, and what each one of them is used for.
Different Ways to View Content
This is a brief video that guides you through the three different ways to view content within AEM.
Templates
This is a brief video that describes the various types of templates available in AARP's AEM.
Components vs. Features
This is a short video that will expose you to AEM Components and Features, their differences, and how they are authored.
Content Fragments vs. Experience Fragments
This is a brief video that introduces you to Content Fragments and Experience Fragments, their key differences, and their practical applications.
Editing a Page
This is a short video that will walk you through the steps of editing an existing page within AEM.
Publishing a Page
This is a short video showing you how to publish an AEM page.
Digital Asset Manager (DAM) VS. Digital Asset Hub (DAH)
This short video explains the differences between AEM's Digital Asset Manager (DAM) and the Digital Asset Hub (DAH), and how to upload an asset to the AEM DAM.
How to Perform a Filtered Search in AEM
(also known as a Path-Specific Search)
A filtered search in Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) lets you search only within a specific folder path, instead of scanning the entire system. This is faster, more precise, and ideal when working inside a defined content area. This can be done in any area of the CMS (Sites, Assets, or Experience Fragments).
Follow the steps below to perform a filtered search (or follow the video -->)
Step 1 — Navigate to the Content Area You Want to Search
- Example navigation path: Sites → AARP Everywhere → Advocacy
Step 2 — Open the Content Menu
- At the top of the interface, locate the Content Only dropdown menu. Click the dropdown to reveal additional options.
Step 3 — Select “Filter”
- From the dropdown menu, choose Filter, and a panel will open.
- You will notice the path field is automatically populated with the folder you navigated to in Step 1. This ensures your search is restricted to that location.
Step 4 — Enter Your Search Term(s)
- In the search field, type the keyword you want to find.
Step 5 — Review Results
- AEM will only return content that exists within the selected folder path and matches your search term(s).
- This avoids unrelated results from other areas of the system.
Why Use a Filtered Search?
Using the main global search scans the entire AEM environment, which can:
- Return too many unrelated items
- Slow down workflows
- Make content harder to locate
Filtered search is ideal when you want:
- Faster results
- Context-specific content
- Cleaner search output
Tips for Success
- Always navigate first — your folder determines the search scope.
- Use keywords thoughtfully — broader terms return more results.
- Verify the path field before running the filter to ensure accuracy.
Quick Reference Summary
Navigate to folder → Content Only dropdown → Filter → Enter keyword → Review results
Submit an Intake Form
If you have not done so yet, please submit an Intake form. Select Tool Access from the "What type of request is this?" dropdown and select AEM.
AEM 101: Questionnaire
After reviewing the AEM 101 content above, please complete this questionnaire to test your AEM knowledge. All authors must receive a score of 70% to be given access to AEM. This ensures that new authors have the basic skills to navigate AEM.
Setting Up Your User ID
To be given access to the AEM CMS, your Federated ID (aarp email address) needs to be generated on the backend of AEM. To begin this process, we will need you to attempt to sign in into the CMS by following the instructions below.
Approved Browsers & Network Settings
Please use Google Chrome to do all page updates as the AEM CMS will not work with other browsers. You must be connected to the AARP network in the office or via VPN if working remote.
Attempt to Sign In
- Ensure that you are on the AARP network. That is using the VPN if you are remote with an AARP computer or using the AWS Workspace if you are not using an AARP computer.
- Production (Prod) Environment: Visit https://cms.aarp.org/
- PI (aka Lower) Environment: Visit https://cms-pi.aarp.org/
- Click the "Sign in with Adobe" button
- Username: Your AARP email address
- Password: Your network password, which you use to sign into your computer
Once the steps above are complete, your Adobe Federated ID will be created in the AEM environment.
Important Note: Administrators are not notified when you complete these final steps. Please reach out to your assigned administrator after logging in for the first time, and they will be able to finish setting up your permissions.