Basic settings #
Basic settings is used to make the basic settings for the group.
Group logo #
Adding a group logo is optional. If added, the group logo is displayed in the group profile and appears in the group directory, the group promotion or also in the group chat. To upload, you can either click on ‘Select new image’ or select an image directly from your own computer using drag & drop.
Brief description #
This field can be used to enter a short teaser for the group. The brief description appears in the group directory and the group promotion.
Full description #
The full description appears in the group profile. You can provide a more detailed insight into the group here.
Delete Group #
Underneath the basic settings, you can find the option to delete the group.
Please note: Deleting a group also deletes all content. If the content should be retained, you can use the ‘Archive group‘ function.
Archive group #
Archived groups no longer appear in the context bar and can only be found via the ‘Search archive’ filter in the group directory. They can still be viewed by members. New members are not able to join a deleted group.
Archiving a group
Joining groups #
In the second tab of the group settings, Joining groups, the group admin can configure whether and how groups can be seen and joined by users.
Membership & visibility #
A group can be open, closed or hidden.
Open #
Open groups can be found and joined by all network users (excluding guest users) in the group directory. There is a ‘Join’ button in the group directory.
An open group available to everyone can be helpful to serve as a “playground” for users who have recently joined and who want to try out all functions. This group can be offered to users to test every option without having to “clean up” an actual feed afterwards manually. We recommend to include this group in the “group promotion” during the registration phase, so that as many users as possible can access it.
Closed #
Closed groups can be found by all network users (excluding guest users) in the group directory, but cannot be joined immediately. If a group admin selects the ‘Closed’ option, a box with more options appears at the bottom of the screen:
Closed – Users can apply for membership that you have to approve #
If the admin selects this option, users can find the ‘Request membership’ button next to the group in the group directory. The group admin then receives a notification by email and in tixxt.
If the admin removes the tick on this option, the ‘Request membership’ button is no longer displayed next to the group in the group directory. New members can then only join the group by invitation.
Closed – Members may invite other users #
If the admin selects this option, members of the group without admin status can also invite other users to the group. This requires, however, that the user to be invited is already a member of the network. The option to invite members can be found in the member directory at the top right next to the search bar.
Hidden #
Hidden groups are only displayed to existing group members and network admins in the group directory. Users cannot join a hidden group on their own initiative. Instead, members must be invited by the group admin. There is also the option that members may invite other users.
If the admin selects this option, members of the group without admin status can also invite other users to join the group. This requires, however, that the user to be invited is already a member of the network. The option to invite members can be found in the member directory at the top right next to the search bar.
Confidential groups #
Confidential groups have a special protection status in the network. Groups that have thematically or organisationally confidential information can be blocked from access even for network admins and can no longer be viewed by users outside of the group.
This requires that the groups have already been created. A group can only be classified as a ‘confidential group’ by tixxt customer support so that this level of protection can also be maintained within the organisation.
Further details on confidential groups:
- Users cannot simply join confidential groups themselves (this applies to moderated, closed and hidden groups). Confidential groups are configured as ‘closed’ by default.
- Network admins cannot manually control membership of confidential groups by editing group memberships in the administration.
- However, group admins of a confidential group may invite people to join.
- This type of group has to have at least one group admin at all times, otherwise it can no longer be managed!
Confidential groups are particularly valuable for content that requires confidentiality and should not be viewed by others. This may include communications between members of the Work Council, the Board of Directors or other work groups, whose group stream should not be visible to other users or even network admins.
Common use cases
A group chat can be useful for spontaneous communication, for example during an event or a meeting. This could eliminate the need for ad-hoc, in-person discussions.
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