diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/index.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/app/index.coffee
index 807944c39..4ec67da63 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/index.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/index.coffee
@@ -10,200 +10,6 @@
 #= require_tree ./lib/app_post
 
 class App extends Spine.Controller
-  helper =
-
-    # define print name helper
-    P: (object, attributeName, attributes, table = false) ->
-      App.viewPrint(object, attributeName, attributes, table)
-
-    # define date format helper
-    date: (time) ->
-      return '' if !time
-
-      timeObject = new Date(time)
-      d = App.Utils.formatTime(timeObject.getDate(), 2)
-      m = App.Utils.formatTime(timeObject.getMonth() + 1, 2)
-      y = timeObject.getFullYear()
-      "#{y}-#{m}-#{d}"
-
-    # define datetime format helper
-    datetime: (time) ->
-      return '' if !time
-
-      timeObject = new Date(time)
-      d = App.Utils.formatTime(timeObject.getDate(), 2)
-      m = App.Utils.formatTime(timeObject.getMonth() + 1, 2)
-      y = timeObject.getFullYear()
-      S = App.Utils.formatTime(timeObject.getSeconds(), 2)
-      M = App.Utils.formatTime(timeObject.getMinutes(), 2)
-      H = App.Utils.formatTime(timeObject.getHours(), 2)
-      "#{y}-#{m}-#{d} #{H}:#{M}:#{S}"
-
-    # define decimal format helper
-    decimal: (data, positions = 2) ->
-      App.Utils.decimal(data, positions)
-
-    # define time_duration / mm:ss / hh:mm:ss format helper
-    time_duration: (time) ->
-      return '' if !time
-      return '' if isNaN(parseInt(time))
-
-      # Hours, minutes and seconds
-      hrs = ~~parseInt((time / 3600))
-      mins = ~~parseInt(((time % 3600) / 60))
-      secs = parseInt(time % 60)
-
-      # Output like "1:01" or "4:03:59" or "123:03:59"
-      mins = "0#{mins}" if mins < 10
-      secs = "0#{secs}" if secs < 10
-      if hrs > 0
-        return "#{hrs}:#{mins}:#{secs}"
-      "#{mins}:#{secs}"
-
-    # define mask helper
-    # mask an value like 'a***********yz'
-    M: (item, start = 1, end = 2) ->
-      return '' if !item
-      string = ''
-      end = item.length - end - 1
-      for n in [0..item.length-1]
-        if start <= n && end >= n
-          string += '*'
-        else
-          string += item[n]
-      string
-
-    # define translation helper
-    T: (item, args...) ->
-      App.i18n.translateContent(item, args...)
-
-    # define translation inline helper
-    Ti: (item, args...) ->
-      App.i18n.translateInline(item, args...)
-
-    # define translation for date helper
-    Tdate: (item, args...) ->
-      App.i18n.translateDate(item, args...)
-
-    # define translation for timestamp helper
-    Ttimestamp: (item, args...) ->
-      App.i18n.translateTimestamp(item, args...)
-
-    # define linkify helper
-    L: (item) ->
-      if item && typeof item is 'string'
-        return App.Utils.linkify(item)
-      item
-
-    # define config helper
-    C: (key) ->
-      App.Config.get(key)
-
-    # define session helper
-    S: (key) ->
-      App.Session.get(key)
-
-    # define view helper for rendering partial views
-    V: (name, params) ->
-      App.view(name)(params)
-
-    # define address line helper
-    AddressLine: (line) ->
-      return '' if !line
-      items = emailAddresses.parseAddressList(line)
-
-      # line was not parsable
-      return App.Utils.htmlEscape(line) if !items
-
-      # set markup
-      result = ''
-      for item in items
-        if result
-          result = result + ', '
-        if item.name
-          item.name = item.name
-            .replace(',', '')
-            .replace(';', '')
-            .replace('"', '')
-            .replace('\'', '')
-          if item.name.match(/\@|,|;|\^|\+|#|§|\$|%|&|\/|\(|\)|=|\?|\*/)
-            item.name = "\"#{item.name}\""
-          result = "#{result}#{App.Utils.htmlEscape(item.name)} "
-        if item.address
-          result = result + " <span class=\"text-muted\">&lt;#{App.Utils.htmlEscape(item.address)}&gt</span>"
-      result
-
-    # define file size helper
-    humanFileSize: (size) ->
-      App.Utils.humanFileSize(size)
-
-    # define pretty/human time helper
-    humanTime: (time, escalation = false, cssClass = '') ->
-      timestamp = App.i18n.translateTimestamp(time)
-      if escalation
-        cssClass += ' escalation'
-      humanTime = App.PrettyDate.humanTime(time, escalation)
-      "<time class=\"humanTimeFromNow #{cssClass}\" data-time=\"#{time}\" title=\"#{timestamp}\">#{humanTime}</time>"
-
-    # define icon helper
-    Icon: (name, className = '') ->
-      App.Utils.icon(name, className)
-
-    # define richtext helper
-    RichText: (string) ->
-      return string if !string
-      if string.match(/@T\('/)
-        string = string.replace(/@T\('(.+?)'\)/g, (match, capture) ->
-          App.i18n.translateContent(capture)
-        )
-        return marked(string)
-      App.i18n.translateContent(string)
-
-    ContentTypeIcon: (contentType) ->
-      contentType = App.Utils.contentTypeCleanup(contentType)
-      icons =
-        # image
-        'image/jpeg': 'file-image'
-        'image/jpg': 'file-image'
-        'image/png': 'file-image'
-        'image/svg': 'file-image'
-        'image/gif': 'file-image'
-        # documents
-        'application/pdf': 'file-pdf'
-        'application/msword': 'file-word' # .doc, .dot
-        'application/vnd.ms-word': 'file-word'
-        'application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text': 'file-word'
-        'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document': 'file-word' # .docx
-        'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.template': 'file-word' # .dotx
-        'application/vnd.ms-excel': 'file-excel' # .xls
-        'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet': 'file-excel' # .xlsx
-        'application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.spreadsheet': 'file-excel'
-        'application/vnd.ms-powerpoint': 'file-powerpoint' # .ppt
-        'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.presentation': 'file-powerpoint' # .pptx
-        'application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.presentation': 'file-powerpoint'
-        'text/plain': 'file-text'
-        'text/html': 'file-code'
-        'application/json': 'file-code'
-        'message/rfc822': 'file-email'
-        # code
-        'application/json': 'file-code'
-        # text
-        'text/plain': 'file-text'
-        'text/rtf': 'file-text'
-        # archives
-        'application/gzip': 'file-archive'
-        'application/zip': 'file-archive'
-      return icons[contentType]
-
-    canDownload: (contentType) ->
-      contentType = App.Utils.contentTypeCleanup(contentType)
-      contentType != 'text/html'
-
-    canPreview: (contentType) ->
-      return false if _.isEmpty(contentType)
-      return true if contentType.match(/image\/(png|jpg|jpeg|gif)/i)
-      false
-
   @viewPrint: (object, attributeName, attributes, table) ->
     if !attributes
       attributes = {}
@@ -342,7 +148,7 @@ class App extends Spine.Controller
 
   @view: (name) ->
     template = (params = {}) ->
-      JST["app/views/#{name}"](_.extend(params, helper))
+      JST["app/views/#{name}"](_.extend(params, App.ViewHelpers))
     template
 
 class App.UiElement
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/lib/app_post/utils.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/app/lib/app_post/utils.coffee
index f4efa7891..89b87584f 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/lib/app_post/utils.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/lib/app_post/utils.coffee
@@ -952,6 +952,34 @@ class App.Utils
     path = if window.svgPolyfill then '' else 'assets/images/icons.svg'
     "<svg class=\"icon icon-#{name} #{className}\"><use xlink:href=\"#{path}#icon-#{name}\" /></svg>"
 
+  @fontIcon: (name, font) ->
+    @loadIconFont(font)
+    "<i class=\"icon\" data-font=\"#{font}\">#{String.fromCharCode('0x'+ name)}</i>"
+
+  @loadIconFont: (font) ->
+    el = $("[data-icon-font=\"#{font}\"]")
+    return if el.length # already loaded
+
+    el = $("<style data-icon-font=\"#{font}\">").appendTo('head')
+    woffUrl = "assets/icon-fonts/#{font}.woff"
+    css = """
+          @font-face {
+            font-family: '#{font}';
+            src: url('#{woffUrl}');
+            font-weight: normal;
+            font-style: normal;
+          }
+
+          [data-font="#{font}"] {
+            font-family: '#{font}';
+          }
+          """
+
+    el.text css
+
+  @loadIconFontInfo: (font, callback) ->
+    $.getJSON "assets/icon-fonts/#{font}.json", (data) -> callback(data.icons)
+
   @getScrollBarWidth: ->
     $outer = $('<div>').css(
       visibility: 'hidden'
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/lib/mixins/view_helpers.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/app/lib/mixins/view_helpers.coffee
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2fbf9aa73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/lib/mixins/view_helpers.coffee
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+# Top-level shortcuts for various view template helper methods,
+# to be included in view templates via
+#
+#     JST["path/to/template"](_.extend(App.ViewHelpers))
+
+App.ViewHelpers =
+  # define print name helper
+  P: (object, attributeName, attributes, table = false) ->
+    App.viewPrint(object, attributeName, attributes, table)
+
+  # define date format helper
+  date: (time) ->
+    return '' if !time
+
+    timeObject = new Date(time)
+    d = App.Utils.formatTime(timeObject.getDate(), 2)
+    m = App.Utils.formatTime(timeObject.getMonth() + 1, 2)
+    y = timeObject.getFullYear()
+    "#{y}-#{m}-#{d}"
+
+  # define datetime format helper
+  datetime: (time) ->
+    return '' if !time
+
+    timeObject = new Date(time)
+    d = App.Utils.formatTime(timeObject.getDate(), 2)
+    m = App.Utils.formatTime(timeObject.getMonth() + 1, 2)
+    y = timeObject.getFullYear()
+    S = App.Utils.formatTime(timeObject.getSeconds(), 2)
+    M = App.Utils.formatTime(timeObject.getMinutes(), 2)
+    H = App.Utils.formatTime(timeObject.getHours(), 2)
+    "#{y}-#{m}-#{d} #{H}:#{M}:#{S}"
+
+  # define decimal format helper
+  decimal: (data, positions = 2) ->
+    App.Utils.decimal(data, positions)
+
+  # define time_duration / mm:ss / hh:mm:ss format helper
+  time_duration: (time) ->
+    return '' if !time
+    return '' if isNaN(parseInt(time))
+
+    # Hours, minutes and seconds
+    hrs = ~~parseInt((time / 3600))
+    mins = ~~parseInt(((time % 3600) / 60))
+    secs = parseInt(time % 60)
+
+    # Output like "1:01" or "4:03:59" or "123:03:59"
+    mins = "0#{mins}" if mins < 10
+    secs = "0#{secs}" if secs < 10
+    if hrs > 0
+      return "#{hrs}:#{mins}:#{secs}"
+    "#{mins}:#{secs}"
+
+  # define mask helper
+  # mask an value like 'a***********yz'
+  M: (item, start = 1, end = 2) ->
+    return '' if !item
+    string = ''
+    end = item.length - end - 1
+    for n in [0..item.length-1]
+      if start <= n && end >= n
+        string += '*'
+      else
+        string += item[n]
+    string
+
+  # define translation helper
+  T: (item, args...) ->
+    App.i18n.translateContent(item, args...)
+
+  # define translation inline helper
+  Ti: (item, args...) ->
+    App.i18n.translateInline(item, args...)
+
+  # define translation for date helper
+  Tdate: (item, args...) ->
+    App.i18n.translateDate(item, args...)
+
+  # define translation for timestamp helper
+  Ttimestamp: (item, args...) ->
+    App.i18n.translateTimestamp(item, args...)
+
+  # define linkify helper
+  L: (item) ->
+    if item && typeof item is 'string'
+      return App.Utils.linkify(item)
+    item
+
+  # define config helper
+  C: (key) ->
+    App.Config.get(key)
+
+  # define session helper
+  S: (key) ->
+    App.Session.get(key)
+
+  # define view helper for rendering partial views
+  V: (name, params) ->
+    App.view(name)(params)
+
+  # define address line helper
+  AddressLine: (line) ->
+    return '' if !line
+    items = emailAddresses.parseAddressList(line)
+
+    # line was not parsable
+    return App.Utils.htmlEscape(line) if !items
+
+    # set markup
+    result = ''
+    for item in items
+      if result
+        result = result + ', '
+      if item.name
+        item.name = item.name
+          .replace(',', '')
+          .replace(';', '')
+          .replace('"', '')
+          .replace('\'', '')
+        if item.name.match(/\@|,|;|\^|\+|#|§|\$|%|&|\/|\(|\)|=|\?|\*/)
+          item.name = "\"#{item.name}\""
+        result = "#{result}#{App.Utils.htmlEscape(item.name)} "
+      if item.address
+        result = result + " <span class=\"text-muted\">&lt;#{App.Utils.htmlEscape(item.address)}&gt</span>"
+    result
+
+  # define file size helper
+  humanFileSize: (size) ->
+    App.Utils.humanFileSize(size)
+
+  # define pretty/human time helper
+  humanTime: (time, escalation = false, cssClass = '') ->
+    timestamp = App.i18n.translateTimestamp(time)
+    if escalation
+      cssClass += ' escalation'
+    humanTime = App.PrettyDate.humanTime(time, escalation)
+    "<time class=\"humanTimeFromNow #{cssClass}\" data-time=\"#{time}\" title=\"#{timestamp}\">#{humanTime}</time>"
+
+  # Why not just use `Icon: App.Utils.icon`?
+  # Because App.Utils isn't loaded until after this file.
+  Icon: (name, className = '') ->
+    App.Utils.icon(name, className)
+
+  fontIcon: (name, font) ->
+    App.Utils.fontIcon(name, font)
+
+  # define richtext helper
+  RichText: (string) ->
+    return string if !string
+    if string.match(/@T\('/)
+      string = string.replace(/@T\('(.+?)'\)/g, (match, capture) ->
+        App.i18n.translateContent(capture)
+      )
+      return marked(string)
+    App.i18n.translateContent(string)
+
+  ContentTypeIcon: (contentType) ->
+    contentType = App.Utils.contentTypeCleanup(contentType)
+    icons =
+      # image
+      'image/jpeg': 'file-image'
+      'image/jpg': 'file-image'
+      'image/png': 'file-image'
+      'image/svg': 'file-image'
+      'image/gif': 'file-image'
+      # documents
+      'application/pdf': 'file-pdf'
+      'application/msword': 'file-word' # .doc, .dot
+      'application/vnd.ms-word': 'file-word'
+      'application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text': 'file-word'
+      'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document': 'file-word' # .docx
+      'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.template': 'file-word' # .dotx
+      'application/vnd.ms-excel': 'file-excel' # .xls
+      'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet': 'file-excel' # .xlsx
+      'application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.spreadsheet': 'file-excel'
+      'application/vnd.ms-powerpoint': 'file-powerpoint' # .ppt
+      'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.presentation': 'file-powerpoint' # .pptx
+      'application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.presentation': 'file-powerpoint'
+      'text/plain': 'file-text'
+      'text/html': 'file-code'
+      'application/json': 'file-code'
+      'message/rfc822': 'file-email'
+      # code
+      'application/json': 'file-code'
+      # text
+      'text/plain': 'file-text'
+      'text/rtf': 'file-text'
+      # archives
+      'application/gzip': 'file-archive'
+      'application/zip': 'file-archive'
+    return icons[contentType]
+
+  canDownload: (contentType) ->
+    contentType = App.Utils.contentTypeCleanup(contentType)
+    contentType != 'text/html'
+
+  canPreview: (contentType) ->
+    return false if _.isEmpty(contentType)
+    return true if contentType.match(/image\/(png|jpg|jpeg|gif)/i)
+    false
diff --git a/public/assets/tests/html_utils.js b/public/assets/tests/html_utils.js
index 3d132e2a5..0294bd8f1 100644
--- a/public/assets/tests/html_utils.js
+++ b/public/assets/tests/html_utils.js
@@ -3151,6 +3151,59 @@ test("htmlImage2DataUrl", function() {
 
 });
 
+test('App.Utils.icon()', function() {
+  // When given no arguments,
+  //   expect @icon() to return null
+  equal(App.Utils.icon(), null, 'with no arguments')
+
+  // On a modern browser and when given a single argument,
+  //   expect @icon(name) to return an <svg> tag
+  window.svgPolyfill = false
+  svgTag = '<svg class="icon icon-foo "><use xlink:href="assets/images/icons.svg#icon-foo" /></svg>'
+  equal(App.Utils.icon('foo'), svgTag, 'with one arg / no SVG polyfill')
+
+  // On a modern browser and when given two arguments,
+  //   expect @icon(name) to return an <svg> tag
+  //   with second arg as add'l class name
+  window.svgPolyfill = false
+  svgTag = '<svg class="icon icon-foo bar"><use xlink:href="assets/images/icons.svg#icon-foo" /></svg>'
+  equal(App.Utils.icon('foo', 'bar'), svgTag, 'with two args / no SVG polyfill')
+
+  // On a browser requiring SVG polyfill and when given a single argument,
+  //   expect @icon(name, class) to return an <svg> tag
+  //   with pathless xlink:href attr
+  window.svgPolyfill = true
+  svgTag = '<svg class="icon icon-foo "><use xlink:href="#icon-foo" /></svg>'
+  equal(App.Utils.icon('foo'), svgTag, 'with one arg / SVG polyfill')
+
+  // On a browser requiring SVG polyfill and when given two arguments,
+  //   expect @icon(name, class) to return an <svg> tag
+  //   with pathless xlink:href attr and second arg as add'l class name
+  window.svgPolyfill = true
+  svgTag = '<svg class="icon icon-foo bar"><use xlink:href="#icon-foo" /></svg>'
+  equal(App.Utils.icon('foo', 'bar'), svgTag, 'with two args / SVG polyfill')
+
+  // For a left-to-right browser language and when given an argument containing '{start}' or '{end}',
+  //   expect @icon(name) to return an <svg> tag
+  //   replacing '{start}' with 'left' and '{end}' with 'right'
+  window.svgPolyfill = false
+  App.i18n.dir = function() { return 'ltr' }
+  svgTag = '<svg class="icon icon-arrow-left "><use xlink:href="assets/images/icons.svg#icon-arrow-left" /></svg>'
+  equal(App.Utils.icon('arrow-{start}'), svgTag, 'for ltr locale / name includes "{start}"')
+  svgTag = '<svg class="icon icon-arrow-right "><use xlink:href="assets/images/icons.svg#icon-arrow-right" /></svg>'
+  equal(App.Utils.icon('arrow-{end}'), svgTag, 'for ltr locale / name includes "{end}"')
+
+  // For a right-to-left browser language and when given an argument containing '{start}' or '{end}',
+  //   expect @icon(name) to return an <svg> tag
+  //   replacing '{start}' with 'left' and '{end}' with 'right'
+  window.svgPolyFill = false
+  App.i18n.dir = function() { return 'rtl' }
+  svgTag = '<svg class="icon icon-arrow-right "><use xlink:href="assets/images/icons.svg#icon-arrow-right" /></svg>'
+  equal(App.Utils.icon('arrow-{start}'), svgTag, 'for rtl locale / name includes "{start}"')
+  svgTag = '<svg class="icon icon-arrow-left "><use xlink:href="assets/images/icons.svg#icon-arrow-left" /></svg>'
+  equal(App.Utils.icon('arrow-{end}'), svgTag, 'for rtl locale / name includes "{end}"')
+});
+
 source = '<img src="/assets/images/avatar-bg.png">some test'
 $('#image2text').html(source)
 var htmlImage2DataUrlTest = function() {