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Managing a Bulletin Board

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Bulletin boards can be managed only by the person who added the portlet to a page, or by those people designated to do so by this person.
 
Customizing Bulletin Board Settings
 
You may take the following steps on the page where the portlet appears or on the main or full view of the portlet.  (You can get to the full view by clicking on the title of the portlet or the "Go to Main Screen" link in the bottom right corner of the portlet.)
  • Click on the (Customize) icon on the right hand side of the title bar of the bookmark portlet to open the Customize Portlet window.
  • There are three tabs in this window:  Preferences, Settings and Permissions.  The options are described below.
  • Make your changes.
  • Click Save.  NOTE:  In order for all changes to be saved, you must click Save on one tab before going to another tab. 
  • When you have finished making changes, click on Exit to return to the main view of the portlet.
Preferences Tab
 
These settings are related to your own personal view of the bulletin board and are not default settings for all users of the bulletin board!
 
Default Screen Topic - You may select one of the topics on the bulletin board to be displayed when you view the portlet on the originating page.  The portlet on the originating page will now display a View All Topics link beneath the list of posted messages for the default topic chosen.   You may also go to the main or full view to see all topics.
 
Messages per Page - For bulletin boards, this setting is for the number of messages you wish to view per page in your Search Results. 
 
Settings Tab
 
Maximum Days Active - Select the number of days (3, 7, 15, 30, 60, 120, No Limit) a message is retained before being automatically deleted.  The default is No Limit.
 
Permissions Tab
 
A bulletin board portlet on a page will, by default, be readable (only) by anyone who has access to the page.  Users with access to the page can also subscribe to a bulletin board.  In order for users to be able to post to a bulletin board, you need to grant them permissions on the Permissions tab.
 
When you will click on the Permissions tab, you will see one or possibly two categories of role types from which you may choose roles to grant permissions.  You will always see a Global User Roles section, listing the base roles which have been set up for myColby.  If you are managing a bulletin board for a group, you will also see a section for that group, listing the Leader role and Members role.
 
For every role in a category, you can select a checkbox for each of the following permissions:
 
All Operations - Allows members of a role to perform all the operations listed below.
 
Can Add Messages - Allows members of a role to post and reply to messages.  This must be checked for members of a role to see the Post a Message link when they click on a topic or the Reply link when they click on an individual post.
 
Can Edit and Delete Own Messages - Allows members of a role to edit (only) messages that they have posted.  (In bulletin boards, only roles that can Manage Messages can delete messages.)
 
Can Manage Categories - Allows members of a role to access the Manage menu when in the main or full view of the portlet.  The Manage menu options include adding/editing/ordering categories, adding topics, and managing subscriptions (for the user only).  The   (Add a topic - categories only),   (Edit) and (Delete) icons will now appear by each category and topic when the user is in the main or full view of the portlet.
 
Can Manage Messages - Allows members of a role to edit and delete any messages posted to the bulletin board, regardless of who posted them.
Using the Manage Menu
 
If you have permissions to manage a bulletin board, when you go to the main or full view of a bulletin board portlet, you will see a blue    Manage    tab, to the left of the   Search    tab at the top of the window.  Mousing over the Manage tab will display a menu with the following options:
 
Add a Category
  • Select Add a Category to open the Manage Category View.
  • Complete the following information:
    Label - This is the name or label of the category that will appear in the portlet.
    Description - This optional field allows you to enter a description of the category.  This text will appear in italics under the dotted line beneath the category name in the portlet.
    Position - The default position is First, but you may also choose to place your new category after any of the existing categories by selecting that category from a drop-down list.
    Delete Topics - The default setting is Never, but you may also choose to delete a topic after a selected number of days.  The choices are 3, 7, 15, 30, 60, or 120 days.
    Permitted Users - By default, a category can be viewed by all.  You may also choose to make the category viewable by only certain roles and/or users.  To restrict who can view the category:
                Click on the icon on the right side of the gray Selected Users bar.
                Click on the Advanced link on the right side, just above the "Roles in ..." box.
                The window will refresh (you may need to open the Selected Users section again) and there will now be a gray section on the left side of the "Roles in..." box with a list of tabs or groups to which you have access.
                Click on the Global Users and Roles link to get a list of the default roles for myColby.  If you want to restrict a topic to Leaders or Members of a group, click on the group's link.
                Select the role(s) you wish to be able view the Category.  
                If  you want to restrict the category to specific users, click on the Users in the Select By: section of the Roles in Portal section of the Roles box.  You may search by user name, or display a list of names by role (select the role from the Roles drop-down list).  Select the user(s) by clicking the checkbox next to their name.  
                You can select BOTH roles and users.
                At any time, you can go to the View By area just above the Role box and click the Selected link to see which roles and/or users you have selected.
  • Click on Save to add the category or Cancel, if you do not wish to save the category at this time.

Edit a Category

  • Select Edit a Category to display a list of categories.  Select the category you wish to edit to open the Manage Category View. 
  • The Category details will be displayed (see fields above), with the addition of a list of topics within the category at the bottom of the page.
  • Change any fields you wish to update.
  • You can reorder the topics in the category by renumbering them in the list at the bottom of the page.
  • You can also move, copy or delete a topic.  Move or copy a topic to a different category by selecting the checkbox for the topic you wish to move or copy, select Move or Copy from the action drop-down and selecting the new category from the drop-down list of categories.  You may select a checkbox for a topic and select Delete from the action drop-down list (or by clicking the trash can to the right of the topic you wish to delete.)
  • Click on Save to save your changes or Cancel if you don't wish to make any changes at this time.
Order Categories
  •  Select Order Categories to open the Order Categories window.
  • A list of categories will be displayed in the current numerical order.
  • To change the order of the categories, change the numerical order.
  • Click Save to save the new order or Cancel if you don't wish to reorder your categories now.
You may also add a new topic to a category by clicking on the (Add) icon beside the category name or a new category by clicking on the Add a Category link at the bottom of the screen.
 
Add a Topic
  • Select Add a Topic to open the Manage Topic View.
  • Complete the following information:
    Label - This is the name or label of the topic that will appear under the selected category in the portlet.
    Description - This optional field allows you to enter a description of the topic.  This text will appear under the topic name in the portlet.
    Category - Select from the drop-down list the category under which you want the topic to appear.
    List This Topic - The default position is First, or you may choose to list it Last.
    Start Date - The default is to Display Now.  Or you may choose to Display Later Manually (edit the topic later and change this field to Display Now) or  choose to Display On and select a date and time for the topic to appear.
    End Date - The default is set to End On 30 days from the date the topic is added.  You may change this date and time.  You may choose to have No End Date.  Or you may choose to End Now (if  you want to end a topic immediately).
    After End - By default the topic becomes Read Only after ending.  You may choose to Delete the topic after it ends, if you prefer.
    Delete Posts After- The default setting is Never, but you may also choose to delete a post after a selected number of days.  The choices are 3, 7, 15, 30, 60, or 120 days.
    Permitted Users - By default, a topic can be viewed by all.  You may also choose to make the topice viewable only by certain roles and/or users.  To restrict who can view the topic:
                Click on the icon on the right side of the gray Selected Users bar.
                Click on the Advanced link on the right side, just above the "Roles in ..." box.
                The window will refresh (you may need to open the Selected Users section again) and there will now be a gray section on the left side of the "Roles in..." box with a list of tabs or groups to which you have access.
                Click on the Global Users and Roles link to get a list of the default roles for myColby.  If you want to restrict a topic to Leaders or Members of a group, click on the group's link.
                Select the role(s) you wish to be able view the Category.  
                If  you want to restrict the topic to specific users, click on the Users in the Select By: section of the Roles in Portal section of the Roles box.  You may search by user name, or display a list of names by role (select the role from the Roles drop-down list).  Select the user(s) by clicking the checkbox next to their name.  
                You can select BOTH roles and users.
                At any time, you can go to the View By area just above the Role box and click the Selected link to see which roles and/or users you have selected.
  • Click on Save to add the topic or Cancel, if you do not wish to save the category at this time.
Subscriptions
  • Select Subscriptions to open the Manage Subscriptions window.  This option only appears if you have subscriptions in place for a topic. 
  • You will see a list of the topics for which you have selected "Subscribe to Topic". 
  • The two choices for subscriptions are All Messages in This Topic (the default) or First Message in a Thread, which does not apply to Bulletin Boards, only Forums.
  • You may delete subscriptions here (instead of going to the topic and clicking Unsubscribe to Topic) by clicking the checkbox for the topic(s) whose subscriptions you want to cancel and clicking Delete Selection.  Or you may delete all subscriptions by clicking Delete All. 
Edit or Delete a Topic
 
To edit or delete a topic, go to the main or full view of the bulletin board portlet by clicking on the portlet name or the Go to Main Screen in the bottom right corner of the portlet. 
 
If you have permissions to manage the portlet, you will see these icons by the category and topic names: 
  (Add a topic - categories only),   (Edit) and (Delete).

Edit a Topic (or Category) 
  • Click on the   icon to open the Mangage Topic View or Manage Category View window described above in the Using the Manage Menu section.  (If  you click on the  icon to add a topic in a category, the Manage Topic View window also opens.)
  • If you clicked on the  (Edit) icon, the details of the topic (or category) will be displayed in the field.  Make the desired changes.
  • Click Save to save your changes, or Cancel if you don't wish to save your changes now.
 Delete a Topic
  • Click on the  icon to delete a topic. 
  • A pop-up will display asking "Are you sure you want to delete this item?".
  • Click OK to delete the item or Cancel if you don't want to delete the item at this time.
    NOTE:  Deleting a topic will delete all messages in that topic.  This cannot be undone! 
Edit or Delete a Category
 
To edit a category, go to the main or full view of the bulletin board portlet by clicking on the portlet name or the Go to Main Screen in the bottom right corner of the portlet. 
 
If you have permissions to manage the portlet, you will see the blue    Manage    tab, and these icons by the category names:    (Add a topic),  and (Edit).

Edit a Category
  • Either click on the   icon by the category to edit OR go to the   Manage    menu, scroll down to Edit Category and select the category you want to edit. 
  • This will open the Manage Category View window described above in the Using the Manage Menu section and the details of the category will be displayed in the field. 
  • Make the desired changes.
  • Click Save to save your changes, or Cancel if you don't wish to save your changes now.
 Delete a Category
  • Go to the   Manage    menu and select Order Categories to open the Order Categories window.
  • Click on the  icon next to the category you want to delete. 
  • A pop-up will display asking "Are you sure you want to delete this item?".
  • Click OK to delete the item or Cancel if you don't want to delete the item at this time.
    NOTE:  Deleting a category will delete all topics and related messages in that category!  This cannot be undone!