Community Forums FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

FAQs
Why did Paciolan build a Community Forum?
Several clients inquired about developing an online location where they could share best practices, success stories and everyday solutions to their ticketing systems. Paciolan implemented the forums to enable these discussions in a safe, convenient, 24/7 environment.

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What is the purpose of the Community Forums? 

• The Community Forum is a place to:
• Share ideas and best practices with your peers to impact your bottom line
• Learn how to maximize the use of your Paciolan system by sharing tips and tricks with your peers
• Deepen relationships with your industry colleagues

Do the Community Forums replace or supplement customer service?

• No. What the forums don't supply:
• Customer support - for assistance with any technical support issue, please contact Paciolan Customer Support
• A repository to log enhancement requests - please continue to use Paciolan Support Online

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Who can use the boards?
Paciolan clients with an existing customer support contract in place.

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What is Paciolan's involvement?
Paciolan will observe the boards primarily to ensure they are running efficiently, with a few key members of Paciolan's product management team invested in fostering discussions on the Product boards. Though members from our support staff may be present, they will not generally participate, nor should you expect a response.

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What is a "moderator"?
A volunteer member of the community (a peer or Paciolan representative) who's goal is to seed and keep discussions on topic, welcome new participants to the community, and "float" hot threads to the top of lists. They may also take note of anyone "flaming" (i.e., using inappropriate language or being disruptive) and help them get back on track, and potentially redirect questions to other experts. Ultimately, they are here to help make the community the best it can be.

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What type of language can be used?
Like any community, we know you will use your good judgment. As one wise person once said, "Would you say that in front of your grandma?"

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How do I tell others about the portal?
If you have a peer in the Paciolan community, feel free to share our web address with them: www.community.paciolan.com. If they have an existing customer support contract, they should be eligible for access. 

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Community Participation
How does the Community Forum work?
The Community Forum provides a place for customers to discuss various support topics and share best practices. At its heart are the message boards, where members post questions and answers. Registered members can post messages, track discussions, and get email notifications on new posting activity.

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What is my role in the Community?
You are essential to the Community. By posting questions and sharing answers, not only do you contribute to a unique, customer-built knowledgebase, but you also become part of a virtual network extending across literally thousands of users.

We encourage you visit often and participate. Come with your toughest issues- chances are, someone has a solution or can point you in the right direction. If you find a solution that works, let others know, and pass along your own tips and insights- you just may have the answer someone else has been seeking!

Please remember to thank fellow users who have assisted you. Show your appreciation by rating helpful messages, posting thank you replies, or sending positive feedback to Forum management.

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What is my responsibility in the Community?
We want the Community Forum to be appropriate, friendly, informative, and fun for all users. The Community Forum Terms of Service sets forth Rules and Guidelines so that you know what is expected of you, and what you can expect from other participants, when using the Forum.

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Browsing and Searching
How are the message boards organized?
The community is divided up into different categories which are based on broad topics. Each category contains boards which get more specific about the topic or subject. Find the category and message board title that best describes your question or comment.

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How do I browse for information?
Many users like to get started by exploring the message boards. Choose a category that best fits your topic. Next, look over the list of boards, find one whose title pertains to your question or comment then click on its title. Take some time to read ones that look promising by clicking the message title, or subject. You can use the Previous/Next buttons to browse to other pages and messages.

Use the Jump To a Message Board pulldown menu to go directly to boards in any category of the Forum. (This menu is found near the top of most Forum pages.) If you can't find what you need by browsing, use the Search Forum tool, as described below.

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How do I search for information?
To search the Forum, type keywords for your topic into the Search Board text box and click the search icon. (This text box is found near the bottom of most pages.) A page of search results will be displayed. Browse the search results in the same manner you would a message board.

To perform a more in-depth search, click the Advanced link found on the left side of most Forum pages. This search allows you to limit your query to a specific board, specific parts of the message (subject vs. body) and other advanced parameters.

You can also search for Forum members by clicking the Users tab on any search results page and using the search options on this page.

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Personalization
How do I change the icon next to my name?
The icon (also known as an "avatar") is a way to personalize your user name. You'll get one as a default, but you can change it to something you like better.

1. Login to the Forum.
2. Click the My Profile link.
3. Click the Icons tab.
   A list of available icon categories will be displayed on the left side. When you click on a category, the icons in that category will display on the right.
4. Click on any icon to use it as yours. Your current icon always shows up at the top of the icons page.

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How do I create a signature for my posts?
Your signature is text that appears at the bottom of every message you post to the boards.

1. Click the My Forum Profile link.
2. Click on the Personal Profile tab.
3. On the Personal Profile tab, fill in the text you want for you signature in the Signature field.
   If the administrator allows it, you'll be able to use HTML in your signature. If not, you won't.
4. Click Save Changes.

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How do I tell other users about me?

1. Login to the Forum.
2. Click the My Forum Profile link.
3. Click the Personal Profile tab.
4. Find the Personal Profile section and fill in any fields you want to share.
   By default, any information you type in this section is shown to everyone. However, you can limit display to only members on your Friends List by choosing the Friends Only option in the Profile Privacy section at the bottom of the Preferences tab.

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What is my Friends List and how do I add users to it?
Your Friends List has three functions in the Forum:

If you have entered personal information on your Personal Profile page, and if you have checked the Friends Only option for Profile Privacy on your Preferences tab, then only people on your Friends List will be able to see your personal information.

Similarly, if you have checked the Friends Only option for Online Status on your Preferences tab, then only people on your Friends List will be able to see when you are online or not.

When you send a message in the Private Messenger, all your friends will appear in a dropdown menu that you can select from. You can then send one of them a message without having to type their user name into the Send to field.

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How do I set my Forum viewing preferences?
There are a number of display preferences you can set for your Forum experience. These are described in the table below. To modify:

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Click the My Forum Profile link.
3. Click the Preferences tab.
4. Make any changes you wish, as described in the table below.
5. Click Save Changes.

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Posting Messages
How do I post a message?
Go to the board you want to post on, and click the New Message link near the top of the message list.
On the Post Message page, you will see a Subject area and a Body area.

> See screen shot walk-thru

1. In the first field, the Subject field, type a title for you message.
   This is the only part of the message that shows up on the message listing page, so try to make it something that will be clear and concise. Use keywords about your topic.
2. In the second field, the Body field, type your message. Put details about your topic here. If you are posting on a technical topic, it is helpful to include all pertinent information regarding your inquiry in the body.
3. You can use the controls to change the fonts, colors, and other aspects of your message. You can add smiley faces using the smiley menu. And you can format the text at the character or paragraph level. Note: the message editing controls are only available in Internet Explorer, version 5.5 or later.
4. If you want, you can click Check Spelling to look for misspelled words, or you can click Preview Post to see what your post will look like on the boards. Note: the spell checking and preview features are only available in Internet Explorer 5.5 or later.
5. When you are happy with your message, click the Submit Post button.
   Your message will be added to board and everyone else on the board will be able to read it.

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How do I reply to a message?
Use the Reply button in a message to write a response to a particular post. You'll see a screen similar to the Post Message screen. There are a few differences:

• When you reply to a post, the subject line will be filled in for you automatically. You can change it if you want.
• You can use the Quote Post button to paste the message to which you are replying into the body of your reply.

Also, when you post a message as a reply, it will be added to the existing thread. It won't create a new thread.

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What is a "thread?"
When one or more people reply to a particular message, a "thread" is created. A thread is a series of posts that go together. If you've ever heard of someone "following the thread of a conversation," you get the idea.
If you post a new message, then that starts a new thread. If you reply to an existing message, then that message becomes part of the original message's thread.

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How do I use macros?
The Macros feature allows you to create boilerplate text that you can paste into any message with the click of a mouse. Note: macros are only available in Internet Explorer, version 5.5 or later.
To set up a macro:

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Click the My Forum Profile link.
3. Click the Macros tab.
   Fields for entering up to nine (9) macros will be displayed.
4. In the Macro 1 Title field, enter a short title for your first macro.
   The title should be short because it will show up in a pulldown menu. Make sure it is distinctive enough that you will remember which title belongs with which macro.
5. In the Macro 1 field, enter the text you want to be able to paste. If your boards allow HTML, you can use HTML tags in the field.
6. Enter any other macros you wish.
7. Click Save Changes.
   Your macros will be saved to your profile in the database.

Note: If there is particular text that you wish to appear at the bottom of every message you post, put the text in a signature instead of a macro.
To use a macro

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Navigate to a board where you want to post a message.
3. Click New Message.
   (Or, you can reply to an existing message by opening that message and clicking the Reply button.
4. Once the post message window has loaded, you will see a Macros menu.
5. Click in the Body field where you want to paste your text.
   If the text is short, you could also paste it in the Subject field.
6. Click on the Macro menu to open it.
7. Select the macro you wish to paste.
   The text of your macro will paste where you have your cursor.
8. Type any other text you wish in the message body.
9. Click Submit Post.

Note: If there is particular text that you wish to appear at the bottom of every message you post, put the text in a signature instead of a macro.

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Advanced Board Usage
How do I use bookmarks?
Bookmarks allow you to list boards, threads, and individual messages on a special page so you can easily find them again.
To Favorite a board:

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Go to the board you want to bookmark.
3. Open the Board Options menu and click Add this Board to my bookmarks.

To add a thread or message to your bookmarks:

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Open the message you want to bookmark.
3. Open the Message Options menu and click Add this Thread/Message to my bookmarks

To view your bookmarks, click My Forum Profile, and then click the Bookmarks tab.
To delete any of your Bookmarks, click My Forum Profile, and then click the Bookmarks tab. Place a checkmark in the bookmark you want to delete from the list and click the Remove option for that section.

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How do I use subscriptions?
If you add a board, thread, or message to your subscriptions, the system will send you an e-mail every time someone posts to the board, or replies to the message or thread.
To add a board to your Subscriptions

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Go to the board to which you want to subscribe.
3. Open the Board Options menu and click Add board to my subscriptions.

Add a message to your Subscriptions

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Open the message to which you want to subscribe to.
3. Open the Message Options menu and click Add this Thread to my subscriptions or Add this Message to my subscriptions.

To view or delete your Subscriptions, click My Forum Profile, and then click the Subscriptions tab.
To delete any of your Subscriptions, click My Forum Profile, and then click the Subscription tab. Place a checkmark in the subscription you want to delete from the list and click the Remove option for that section.

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How do I use the dashboard?
Your Dashboard is a little window that displays a lot of information. It is launched when you click your bolded screen name (link) that appears near the top of most Forum pages. The Dashboard displays:

• Your current icon.
  Click on it to choose anther one.
• Your current statistics.
• A link to the Web Instant Messenger.
  Click the envelope to launch the Instant Messenger and reply to your messages.
• Your Subscriptions and bookmarks, including recent activity.
  Click on a Subscription or bookmark to see what's new in those areas.
• Quick links to Search, Chat, your Profile, and other things.

To launch your Dashboard, then click on your username in the header bar, or click on Dashboard.

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Private Messenger
What is the Private Messenger?
The Forum Private Messenger allows you to send private notes to other members of the Forum. Private Messenger has two big advantages over e-mail:

1. You don't have to know the other member's e-mail address to send the note. (Also, you don't have to reveal yours.)
2. Private Messenger is more interactive than e-mail. It's easier to hold a quick conversation through it.

To use the Private Messenger, you have to have an account and you have to be logged in. If you're logged in, a Messages link will appear on the top of your page. If you have any new messages, a yellow envelope icon will appear next to the link and the number of new messages will be indicated.
If you click on the link, the Private Messenger window appears.

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How do I send a private message?

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Click the Messages Link
3. In the private messenger window, click Send a New Message.
4. If you have created a Friends List, and you want to send the message to a listed friend, select the friend from the Send to Friend pulldown menu.
5. If you want to send to someone not in your Friend List, type the person's user name in the Send to field.
6. Type the subject of your message in the Subject field.
7. Type the body of your message in the Note field.
8. Click Send Message at the bottom of the page.
   The message will be sent to the other user. The message will also appear in your Outbox.

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How do I read a private message?

1. Log into the Forum.
   If you have any new messages, a yellow envelop icon will appear next to the Messages link and the number of new messages will be indicated.
2. Click the Messages Link.
   The Instant Messenger window will be displayed.
3. Click the Inbox link.
   Your Inbox will be displayed.
4. Click the Subject of the message you want to read.
   The full message will be displayed.
5. After you have read the message, you can click on links to Reply to the message or Delete the message buttons at the bottom of the page.
   You can also click on the Add User to Friends List link to add the sender to your Friends List.
   Or, if you don't want this user to send you any more messages, you can click on the Add User to Ignore List link to add the person to your Ignore List.

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How do I reply to a private message?

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Click the Messages Link.
3. Click the Inbox link.
   Your Inbox will be displayed.
4. Click the Subject of the message you want to read.
   The full message will be displayed.
5. Click the Reply link at the bottom of the window.
   The Send Message window will be displayed with the Send to and Subject fields pre-populated.
6. Enter your message in the Note field.
7. Click Send Message.

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How do I delete a private message?
While reading a message, you can click the Delete link at the bottom of the window to delete the current message. While viewing your Inbox, you can delete several messages at once by checking the checkboxes next to the messages you want to delete, then clicking Delete Checked.

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How do I see private messages I've sent to others?
When in the Private Messenger, click the Outbox link to see all the messages you sent to others.

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What is my Friends List and how do I add users to it?
Your Friends List has three functions in the Forum:
If you have entered personal information on your Personal Profile page, and if you have checked the Friends Only option for Profile Privacy on your Preferences tab, then only people on your Friends List will be able to see your personal information.

Similarly, if you have checked the Friends Only option for Online Status on your Preferences tab, then only people on your Friends List will be able to see when you are online or not.

When you send a message in the Private Messenger, all your friends will appear in a dropdown menu that you can select from. You can then send one of them a message without having to type their user name into the Send to field.

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What is my Ignore List and how do I add users to it?
Most users in an online community get along very well. Sometimes, however, you might encounter someone you consider a nuisance. If such a user is sending you messages and won't stop when you ask them, you can tell the system to not deliver their messages to your Inbox by adding them to your Ignore List.
To add someone to your Ignore List:

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Click the Messages Link.
   The Instant Messenger window will be displayed.
3. Click the Find Users link.
4. Enter the user's screen name in the Search box.
5. Click Search.
6. When the user's name is displayed, click the Add to Ignore List link on the same line as the user's name.

You can also click the Add User to Ignore List link in any message the user has sent you to add that person to your Ignore List.

To see who's on your Ignore List, click the Ignore tab in your Private Messenger. You can remove them from your Ignore List if you've changed your mind.

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