Creating a Group
Please note: Group creation is restricted to members who have friends, the idea being we’d like you to get involved in the site before you actually set about creating groups.
To create a group, click on the groups page and select “Create a Group” on the right hand side of the grey groups menu bar.
The first thing to do is enter a Group name and description, then select “Create group and continue”.
Public or Private Group?
The next page asks you to select if the group is public, private or hidden, who is allowed to invite other members and the email notification default for the group – group members can change this selection for themselves after they join and also if you want to disable the group gallery (For images and videos).
There is also an option to disable Blog Categories for the group. This feature if enabled will allow you to associate specific blog categories as being applicable to the group. Disabling this removes the “Blog” button within the group.
Once you have chosen these options you con continue to the next step.
Group Forum?
Next you will select if the group is to have a forum. Most groups will have one of these since a separate group forum is at the core of most groups. As will all options, if you choose not to have this feature, it can be added later. Your group can have members, moderators and administrators.
Group Chat Room?
Other options include if you want to have a group chat page.
Collaborative Documents
Next you get to choose if you want a collaborative document creation/editing area and who can edit these documents. Currently all groups get a file library for uploading PDF’s and other files.
Group Avatar
Next you will upload an image for the group. Note that square source images are better.
Document Library Permissions
Next you get to choose who can upload documents to the group library
Group Background image
Next you get to choose to upload a background image for the group pages, this helps you customise the group wisually
Blog Categories for the group
Following this, if you have enabled Blog Categories for the group, you will be able to set up the blog categories applicable to the group. If the correct category is not available, skip this step and ask Admin to set up a category for you, you will be able to complete this association once the group is created by going back to the group settings.
Group Cover Image
Next you have the option of loading a cover photo for the group.
Invite Members to Join
Next you can choose to invite people into your group.
Finally the email group members dialogue appears, however since you do not have any group members yet you can skip this.
Congratulations, you have created your group!
Following group creation, you will be the group admin and you will have various management options, including adding features not created during initial setup and making group members moderators and admin.
If you do choose to have a gallery, make sure you create one after setting up the group otherwise members will not be able to upload photo’s. Normally the first image uploaded will become the Avatar for the gallery.
Also notice that each group has it’s own RSS feed. RSS is an Internet system for automatically updating changes and updates to people who use RSS readers, it may come in useful.
You might like to view the help page on creating a great home page for your group.
