Community User Guide Introduction

We update the documentation to apply to AnswerHub version 1.8+. All documentation for the community user guide should always work with the latest version of AnswerHub. If you find this is not the case, then please file a bug on the success portal and we will update the documentation in a timely fashion.

Overview of AnswerHub

This guide will take you through an overview of the AnswerHub platform, then introduce you to being a standard user. It will give you both reference points and how-to information for performing any tasks associated with standard users on the AnswerHub platform. AnswerHub is a community-based content management platform made up of servers, networks, sites, and spaces that contain groups, users, and nodes. These components all interact with one another to create a hierarchy of resources that an admin can fully customize to present each user, or group of users, with only the information and options relevant to them.

AnswerHub Hierarchy

From the server down to a sub-space, each layer of the AnswerHub platform connects to, and nests within, the levels above it. Servers host networks that contain sites, which, in turn, contain spaces and sub-spaces. These sites, spaces, and sub-spaces are all containers. By layering these elements, the AnswerHub platform creates a container-based, hierarchical content management system (referred to in this document as the AnswerHub Hierarchy) that allows your site to be fully customizable at each level.

You can think of this hierarchy like the folder system on a computer, with each of the folders nested within a parent while, at the same time, holding other folders and files (content), of its own.

Users and Groups in the AnswerHub Hierarchy

While the system uses the AnswerHub Hierarchy to determine what a set of permissions affects, the admin grants the permissions themselves to either a specific user or group of users. This means, you, an AnswerHub User, get granted permissions individually (Explicit Permissions) or because of the group(s) you belong to (Inherited Permissions). These permissions allow, or prevent you from interacting with your community in specific ways.

The basic permissions your AnswerHub Administrator has granted, defines your role as a user in the community. These permissions can change from user to user, depending on their individual roles in the AnswerHub community. As a user, the system typically assigns you, by default, to the Users group, which has a very basic set of permissions granted. However, keep in mind, you may be a part of one or more groups, depending on how your site administrators configured your community.

Example Scenarios

Permissions Example: Permissions affect whether you can view a specific space or topic, or post Questions and Answers to the community.

Users & Groups Example: You may be a user in both the User and Marketing groups. This means the admin has granted you the permissions for both a basic user, and your marketing team. In this scenario, the Marketing group has access to an additional, marketing-only space. Without being a member of the Marketing group, a user will not have access to the Marketing space.

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NOTE:

Because the admin may assign you to many groups and sub-groups, there is a possibility your permissions may interfere with one another. If you find you cannot interact with your community as expected (or described in this guide), be sure to contact your site administrator.