Migrate a listing to Monocle Collections

A Monocle Collection can replace a listing built with Universal Filter or a native Squarespace Summary Block. Your posts, products, and other content stay where they are. You replace the browsing interface, not the content itself.

Collections are included in all Monocle plans, including the free one, so you can create a free replacement for a filterable listing, within the free plan's indexing limits. Core includes images and the full design editor; Professional adds product search and custom content. See what the plans include.

Moving from Universal Filter

Universal Filter adds filtering and sorting to existing Squarespace pages and blocks. Monocle creates its own searchable listing from the content it has indexed on your site.

You manage the Collection's filters in Monocle, rather than maintaining filter settings in your page code. Reuse native categories, authors, and dates, or combine existing values into custom groups. Tags such as Medium: Charcoal and Medium: Aquarelle automatically make a Medium filter available; turn on its switch under Filters in each Collection that should use it. AI can suggest groups for you to review. The Filters guide explains these options.

You also control the listing's design, rather than inheriting the layout of the Squarespace page or block underneath it. Use the Card designer to arrange fields and set typography, spacing, and images. Style the search and filter controls to match, and extend any Collection style with your own CSS.

Moving from a Summary Block

Squarespace Summary Blocks display content from one source page per block. They are useful for simple latest-post lists, related content, and product highlights.

Collections serve similar purposes without tying each listing to a single source page. You can mix posts from several blogs, combine articles with products or other indexed content, and decide what belongs in each Collection.

You have much more control over the design of individual cards, and visitors can search the listing and combine filters themselves. For example, a resource library could offer separate filters for topic, author, and format, rather than only showing the category you selected when setting up a block.

Make the move

1. Create a Collection and select the content that belongs in the existing listing.
2. Set up its filters. Reuse your existing tags and categories where they make sense; group or rename the visitor-facing choices where they do not.
3. Choose a design and embed the Collection on a test page using a standard Code block. Check searches, combined filters, item links, and the layout on desktop and mobile.
4. Once the Collection is ready, replace the old listing. Remove only the Universal Filter setup or Summary Block that it replaces. Keep plugin code that other listings still use, and keep the original content pages and item URLs.

Later changes to the Collection's design or settings appear through the same embed snippet. You do not need to replace the code on your site. Keep your sitemap and other links to the content too; see the SEO guide.