Function

Description

Creating discussion groups (only for managers)

You can create a hierarchical structure of discussion groups. The menu item New ® Discussion Group is available for this purpose in the following places:

●      In the header of the iView for managing discussion groups

On the first structure level, you use this function to create a discussion group. Within a discussion group, you use this function to create a subordinate discussion group.

●      In the context menu for discussion groups

You use this function to create a subordinate discussion group.

Creating discussions

You can create discussions within discussion groups or separately. The following menu items are available for this: New ® Discussion (for managers) or New Discussion (for participants). You can launch these menu items in the following places:

●      In the header of the discussion groups iView
On the first structure level, you use this to create a separate discussion. Within a discussion group, you use this to create an associated discussion.

●      In the context menu for a discussion group
You use this to create a discussion within the discussion group in question.

When you create a discussion, you enter the discussion name and the text of your initial discussion post. 

Participating in discussions

To participate in a discussion, you click the discussion name.
You then reach the discussion structure. The following functions are available here:

●      Limiting the replies displayed according to their age (for example, since your last visit, since yesterday, in the last week, and so on) – see the Select Post menu item in the header of the discussion structure

●      Creating a reply
In the header area for the text in question, choose Reply and enter the following information:

○       Subject
The subject appears in the discussion structure. It contains the title of the initial post as a default value. In addition, Re: is entered before the subject (for each structure level).
If you want to enter another subject, overwrite this entry.

It is possible to configure the iView so that the subject is missing. In this case, the system automatically adopts the start of the reply as the subject.

○       Description
Enter your reply in the text editor.

●      Call up the text of the initial post or of a reply
To call up the text of post or a reply, click the corresponding structure node in the discussion structure. This results in the text appearing in the work area on the right of the structure with an orange background. The display comprises the following information:

○       Header area
Subject
User name of the poster
Date and time entered
Menu item Reply
Menu item More ® Edit or Delete (only for replies to the post)

○       Text area
Text of the initial post or reply

●      Editing a reply
In the header area of the text, choose More ® Edit and change the subject or the text.

●      Deleting the initial post or a reply
As a discussion group manager, you can delete other users’ replies. As a participant, you can only delete your own replies and you can only do so if nobody has replied to them yet.
In the header area of the text in question, choose More ® Delete and confirm the confirmation prompt.

●      Subscribing to a discussion
In the discussion header, choose More ® Subscribe.
You can manage your subscriptions in the Subscription iView.

●      Adding the discussion to your Favorites
In the discussion header, choose More ® Add to Portal Favorites.

Renaming discussion groups and discussions (only for managers)

In the context menu for the discussion group or discussion, choose Rename and change the name or the description.

Moving discussions to discussion groups (only for managers)

You can move both discussion groups and discussions to superordinate discussion groups. To do this, choose Move in the context menu for the discussion group or discussion that you want to move.
The system displays the available discussion groups.
Choose Move Here in the context menu for the target discussion group.

Arranging discussion groups (only for managers)

You can change the sequence in which discussion groups are displayed. To do this, Arrange ® Top or Up, or Arrange Bottom or Down in the context menu for the discussion group in question.

Permission management (only for managers)

Permissions control who is allowed to display and change objects. To edit permissions, choose Permissions in the context menu for the discussion group or discussion in question.

Once you have changed a permission, you become the permission owner and are responsible for managing this object, together with other users.

For permissions for discussion in rooms, the following prerequisites apply:

●      Navigation in the discussion group: Read permission for the discussion group is required

●      Participation in a discussion: Read permission for the resource is required

●      Management (Moderation): Write permission for the respective discussion or discussion group is required.

Permissions are passed on as in folder hierarchies. For example, if you give a user write permission for a discussion group, he or she can manage all discussions in that group and in subordinate groups.

Deleting discussion groups and discussions (only for managers)

As a moderator (with access to functions for managing discussion groups), you have permission to delete discussion groups and discussions.

To do this, you use the Delete menu item, which is provided in the following places:

●      In the header of the discussions iView
Caution: This allows you to delete all discussion groups and discussions that exist in the room.

●      In the context menu for the discussion group or discussion
This allows you to delete a single discussion or a discussion group together with all subordinate objects.

Adding a discussion to your favorites

You can add discussion groups or individual discussions to your favorites list (on the portal homepage).

To do this, you use the Add to Portal Favorites menu item, which is provided in the following places:

●      In the header of the Discussions iView
This allows you to add all discussion groups and discussions in the room to your favorites list.

●      In the context menu for the discussion group or discussion
This allows you to add a single discussion group or discussion to your favorites list.

Sending a discussion to other portal users

You can send discussion groups or individual discussions as a link to other portal users.

To do this, you use the Send to menu item, which is provided in the following places:

●      In the header of the discussions iView
This allows you to send all discussion groups and discussions in the room as a link.

●      In the context menu for the discussion group or discussion
This allows you to send a single discussion group or discussion to other users.

Feedback

You can enter feedback on individual discussions. To do this, choose Submit Feedback in the context menu for the resource in question.