Forums

The Forums feature is a platform for informal discussions between Service Desk Users, and if enabled, between Users and Customers.

 

Forum List Features

The Forum List displays a list of Forums that are currently active in the system. Within this screen the User has the ability to:

 

Creating a Forum Topic

A Forum can consist of an over-arching header with sub-categories or Topics.

To create a Forum:

  1. Select Knowledge>Forums

  2. Click New
    forum_new.png

  1. Enter the Forum Name

  2. Select the Forum Moderator from the drop-down list
    This list is generated from Users that have been assigned the Moderator privilege in their User Details form.

  3. Define the Visibility:

    Visibility Options

    Description

    Users

    Viewable by internal Users only (i.e., not Customers).

    Users & Customers

    Visible to internal Users and Customers logged into the

    application.

    Everyone

    Available publicly, without logging into the system.

  1. Enter a Description for the Forum

  2. Click Save

  3. Click Done to return to the Forum list.

 

Editing Forum Details

Users with Moderator privileges can edit Forum details and delete them.

 

To edit a Forum:

  1. Select Knowledge>Forums

  2. Click forum_msg_edit.png to open the Forum
    The Forum Editor screen is displayed.

  3. Click Edit
    Fields within the screen move into Edit mode.

    edit_forum.png

  4. Enter the required changes
    Or, select Delete to discard the Forum.

  5. Select Save
    The updated information is saved.

 

Joining a Forum

Users can participate in a Forum by adding sub-categories for discussion called Forum Topics. Or, they can reply to an existing Topic by adding Posts.

 

To participate in a Forum:

  1. Select Knowledge>Forums

  2. Click on the Forum name link
    The Topic Title screen is displayed.

    forum_topics.png

    Inside a Forum the following Topic options are available:

    Topic Title Buttons

    Description

    new_lge.png

    Allows User to add a Forum sub-category called a Topic.

    forum.png

    Allows the User to return to the Forum list.

    forum_topic_high.png

    Indicates that the Topic has posts that are no older than 2 days.

    forum_topic_medium.png

    Indicates that the Topic has posts that are no older than one week old.

     

    forum_topic.png

    Indicates that the Topic has no posts or that the posts are older than one month.

    forum_msg_edit.png Edit

    Allows the User to edit Topic details.

    Filters

    Description

    Active Topics

    Only displays all the Active Topics.

    All Topics

    Displays all Topics within the Forum, including Cancelled and Moved Topics.

    Cancelled Topics

    Displays only the Cancelled Topics.

    Moved Topics

    Displays the Topics that have been moved to another Forum.

  1. Click on a Topic Title to view the thread
    The following buttons are available:

    forum_thread.png

    Topic Screen Buttons

    Description

    new_lge.png

    Allows the User to reply to the topic by adding a new post. Enter reply and Save.

    topics.png

    Returns User to the Forum's Topic Title listing.

    bookmark.png

    Lists the forum on the Forum Bookmarks page. Click Bookmark and the Forum is automatically recorded within the Forum>Bookmarks screen. If a forum has been bookmarked, the Bookmark button is not available.

    forum_msg_show.png Show forum_msg_hide.pngHide

     When selected the option forum_msg_show.png  displays post content to User. When forum_msg_hide.png is selected the post content is collapsed and no longer visible on the screen.  

     

    forum_msg_move.png  Move

    Allows the User to move the current topic to another Forum.

    When selected the option to move just the current post or all trailing posts is displayed. Select the appropriate option, select the new Forum Category, enter a reason for the relocation  and select  Move.

     

    forum_msg_del.png Delete

    Allows the User to delete the Topic title. This option is only available to Users with Forum Moderator permissions, which is configured within the User Information screen.

    When selected, the system prompts for the User to enter a reason for erasing the topic before selecting Delete.

     

    forum_msg_edit.png Edit

    Allows User to modify a post to the Forum. When selected, the Comments field is opened in edit mode, which allows the User to make amendments before clicking Update.

 

Forum Search

To search the Forums:

  1. Go to Knowledge>Forums

  2. Click Search
    The Forum Search screen is displayed.

    forum_search.png

  1. Enter the relevant search option
    For more information regarding using the Keyword search option, see Full Text Search information.

  2. Click Search
    The table of results will be displayed with related Forum details.

  3. Click on a Forum Topic name to display the Topic screen.

 

Forum Bookmarks

To view a list of Topics that have been flagged for easy access use the Bookmarks button within the Forums list. Within the Flagged Topics list, Users can set the Email Notification option to Yes for the system to send an email when a new post is added to a Topic.

 

flagged_topics.png

 

The Delete option link allows the User to remove the Topic from the Flagged Topics list.