Creating Custom Sitecore Ribbon Buttons with PowerShell Extensions (SPE)

Modernizing Ribbon Customization in Sitecore

When building admin tools in Sitecore, customizing the Content Editor ribbon can significantly improve authoring efficiency. Traditionally, modifying ribbon items required manual editing in the Core database. But with the Sitecore PowerShell Extensions (SPE), we can create and manage these custom buttons entirely via script.

In this blog post, we'll walk through how to create a custom ribbon section and a button that executes a PowerShell script. We'll also look into how SPE handles this behind the scenes, reducing manual effort and improving maintainability.

Why Use PowerShell for Ribbon Customization?

Before SPE, customizing the Content Editor ribbon involved:

• Navigating to the core database
• Creating items under /sitecore/content/Applications/Content Editor/Ribbons/Chunks
• Manually linking commands

With PowerShell Extensions, we eliminate this manual process. Instead, we:

• Define integration points through a script module
• Use SPE to sync these scripts into the ribbon UI

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Custom Ribbon Button

1. Navigate to PowerShell Script Library

In Sitecore master database:

• Go to /sitecore/system/Modules/PowerShell/Script Library

Create a new Script Module:

• Right-click on Script Library → Insert → PowerShell Script Module Folder
• Name it e.g., Custom

• Right-click on PowerShell Script Module Folder → Insert → PowerShell Script Module
• Name it e.g., Custom Export

2. Add a Ribbon Integration Point

Right-click the module:

• Choose Insert → Integration Point Libraries
• Select Content Editor Ribbon
• Click Proceed

This will scaffold a structure like:

Custom
└── Custom Export
    └── Integration Points
    └── Content Editor
        └── Ribbon
            └── View
            └── Home
            └── Navigate

You’ll now see all existing ribbon tabs like Home, Navigate, Review, and View under the Ribbon item.

3. Selecting a Ribbon Tab and Command Button

Under Ribbon > Home, do the following:

• Right-click Home → Insert → PowerShell Script Library (e.g., Data Export)
• Inside Data Export, Insert → PowerShell Script (e.g., Data Export)

Configure your script item:

• Set an icon for visibility (Configure → Appearance → Icon)
• Add your script body in the Script field. You might have to Elevate Access by providing the credentials for accessing the Script field

In my case, I have created a button for a data export of items within a date range. You may have any script functionality embedded with the new button

4. Enable the Script Module

Once scripts are added:

• Go back to the Custom Export root
• Check Enable Rule checkbox or use the context menu to Enable Module

5. Sync to Content Editor Ribbon

Open PowerShell ISE (Start Menu → Development Tools → PowerShell ISE)

• Go to Settings tab
• Click Rebuild All or specifically Sync Library with Content Editor Ribbon

This will:

• Generate the corresponding ribbon items in the Core database
• Delete obsolete buttons without scripts
• Add your new button to the Home tab

Go back to Content Editor → Home tab → Confirm your button is visible.

Demo: Custom Ribbon Button in Action

Serializing the Powershell Generated Ribbon Button

When serializing the PowerShell-generated items, it's a good idea to remove any unnecessary ribbon items and keep only the relevant ones such as the Home ribbon item shown in the image below. Also, don’t forget to serialize any related items from the core database that may have been automatically created during this process. This ensures a clean and consistent deployment across environments.

PowerShell: Your Ally for Sitecore UI Enhancements

Customizing the Sitecore Content Editor ribbon with PowerShell Extensions (SPE) is one of the easiest and most effective ways to streamline admin workflows—without having to dig into the Core database manually. With script modules and integration points, developers can quickly build tools that boost author efficiency, reduce the risk of errors, and are much easier to maintain over time. Whether you're creating export utilities, batch actions, or quick diagnostics, SPE gives you a clean, scriptable way to bring those tools directly into the authoring experience. And it doesn’t stop at ribbon buttons—SPE unlocks a lot more power under the hood, letting you extend Sitecore in ways that were once tedious or time-consuming. Happy Sitecoring!!!