Introduction

With the Groups module you determine which types of groups exist on your platform. For each group category you set which features are available (such as messages, calendar and documents), who may create such groups and what the default privacy setting is. With ready-made templates you add a preconfigured category in a single click.

In this article you will read how group categories work, how to add, edit and delete them, and how to use templates.

How does the Groups module work?

You will find the module via the admin panel: click Modules in the menu and select Groups from the list. The module has two tabs:

• All groups: the list of all group categories. Here you add categories and set the features, permissions and privacy for each category.
• Templates: a gallery of preconfigured templates — for example for a department, project or community — that you use as a starting point for a new category.

When a user creates a new group, they choose from the categories you have set up here. The category then determines which features the group gets and which privacy setting the group starts with.

Adding or editing a group category

The All groups tab shows the Name, System name, the default Privacy, the enabled Features and the Status for each category. Search using Search categories... and drag categories to change the order.

1. 

   Click Add category, or click the edit icon behind an existing category.

2. Under General, enter the Category name (for example Department, Project or Community), optionally with a Description and an Icon.
3. Under Settings, configure the behaviour of the category:
   • Enabled — if this is switched off, no new groups of this type can be created.
   • Who can create — All users, Administrators only or Super administrators only.
   • Default privacy — Open, Closed, Private, Hidden or Secret.
   • Admin messages only — only group administrators can post messages (news group mode).
4. Under Features, enable which parts are available within this group type — for example Messages, Calendar, Documents, Pages or Chat. For each feature you use On by default to determine whether it is immediately switched on for new groups.
5. Click Save in the window and then Save at the bottom of the page to apply everything.

Deleting a category

1. Click the delete icon behind the category.
2. Read the confirmation carefully and confirm. Then click Save at the bottom.

Using a template

The Templates tab contains preconfigured group templates, organised by theme (such as Collaboration, Knowledge, Social, Organisation and Governance). Every template already contains suitable features, permissions and privacy settings — think of Department, Project, Community, Onboarding or Event group.

1. Open the Templates tab and browse through the templates by theme.

   

2. Click the template you want. The category is added to the All groups tab.
3. If required, adjust the new category (name, features, privacy) as described above.
4. Click Save at the bottom to apply the change.

Troubleshooting

Users cannot select a group type when creating a group

• Check whether the category is set to Enabled.
• Check Who can create: if this is set to Administrators only, regular users will not see the category.

I cannot delete a category

• The category is still being used by existing groups. Assign those groups to another category first.

A feature is missing in new groups

• In the category, check under Features whether the feature is enabled and whether On by default is switched on.
• Existing groups keep their own settings; group administrators can switch features on or off within their group.

I don't see the Groups module

• Check whether you have administrator rights.
• The self-service management modules may not be enabled for your environment.

Please contact support.plek@bcs-hr.com if the problem persists.