Configuring the Ideas Module

Configure the Ideas module to control how the Ideas Tab handles and displays idea posts. The Ideas module provides comprehensive configuration options that enable administrators to customize voting systems, display parameters, visual branding, and notification workflows. These settings determine how community members interact with ideas and how the module supports organizational innovation processes.

Requirements

To configure the Ideas module, users must be assigned a security role with the following permissions:

• Administrator System Role

Accessing Ideas Configuration

Navigation to Settings

1. In the Setup Home page, click Manage > Community Settings
2. Click Idea Exchange Settings
3. The Ideas configuration interface provides four main tabs:
   • Settings: Core module configuration including voting, display, and banner settings
   • Categories: Category creation and management (see Managing Idea Categories documentation)
   • Moderation: Abuse report processing (see Managing the Ideas Module documentation)
   • Layout: Custom field and content layout configuration (see Configuring the Ideas Layout documentation)

Core Module Configuration

Voting and Display Parameters

Configure numerical values in the following fields to control idea submission and voting behavior:

Idea Edit Period:

• Enter the number of minutes a user has to edit an idea post before it becomes locked
• After the Idea Edit Period expires, only administrators and users with appropriate role permissions can edit idea posts
• Balances user flexibility with content integrity by providing reasonable editing windows
• Recommended range: 15-60 minutes depending on organizational workflow preferences

Ideas to Retrieve:

• Enter the number of idea posts that appear on an Ideas Tab page at one time
• The Ideas module loads idea posts according to this pagination value
• Higher values show more content but may impact page loading performance
• Recommended range: 10-50 ideas per page based on user experience preferences

Idea Vote Weight:

• Enter the point value an idea post gains or loses when users vote on it
• Determines the scoring impact of each thumbs up or thumbs down vote
• Higher values create greater differentiation between popular and unpopular ideas
• Standard recommendation: 1-10 points per vote depending on community size

Number of Related Ideas to Display:

• Enter the number of related ideas that appear when users enter titles for new idea posts
• Related ideas help prevent duplicate submissions by showing similar existing ideas
• Recommended value is 5, though this can be set to 0 to disable related ideas display
• Higher values provide more duplicate prevention but may overwhelm the submission interface

Vote Decay Configuration

Vote Decay Amount:

• Enter the number of points an idea post loses after the period specified in Vote Decay Rate
• Enables time-based scoring that prevents old ideas from permanently dominating rankings
• Set this value to 0 if you do not want ideas to lose points over time
• Typical values: 1-5 points depending on voting weight and desired decay rate

Vote Decay Rate:

• Enter the number of days before an idea post loses the points specified in Vote Decay Amount
• Controls the frequency of automatic score reduction for aging ideas
• Set this value to 0 if you do not want time-based point decay
• Common configurations: 30-90 days depending on organizational innovation cycles

Visual Customization Configuration

Banner Settings

Show Banner:

• Enable this checkbox to display a customizable banner on the top of the Ideas home page
• When disabled, no banner appears on the Ideas homepage
• Banner provides branding opportunities and can include calls-to-action for idea submission

Banner Image Configuration:

• Banner Image: Select a banner image from the Static Assets library or upload new images using the modal interface
• Recommended Image Size: 1920 x 400 pixels for optimal display across devices
• Fallback Behavior: If no image is selected, the hero image from the system theme will be applied

Banner Content Elements:

• Banner Heading: Enter a custom banner heading with a maximum of 40 characters
  • Supports custom labels for multi-language implementations
  • Appears prominently at the top of the banner section
  • Example: "Your Ideas Help Improve Magentrix"
• Banner Message: Enter a descriptive message with a maximum of 90 characters
  • Appears below the heading within the banner area
  • Supports custom labels for multi-language support
  • Example: "Make a suggestion or vote and comment on your favorite ideas!"

Visual Styling Options:

• Text Color: Select or enter the HEX value for banner text color
  • Ensures proper contrast against banner background images
  • Standard format: #ffffff for white text, #000000 for black text
  • Consider accessibility requirements when selecting colors

Banner Call-to-Action Buttons

First Button Configuration:

• First Button Label: Enter the first button's label text with a maximum of 30 characters
• First Button URL: Enter the destination URL when users click the first button
• Conditional Display: Button only appears if both label and URL are populated
• Multi-Language Support: Custom labels can be added for international implementations

Second Button Configuration:

• Second Button Label: Enter the second button's label text with a maximum of 30 characters
• Second Button URL: Enter the destination URL when users click the second button
• Conditional Display: Button only appears if both label and URL are populated
• Multi-Language Support: Custom labels can be added for multi-language support

Content and User Experience Settings

Category and Status Configuration

Category Required:

• Check this checkbox if you want users to be required to select a category when posting new ideas
• When enabled, the category dropdown becomes mandatory during idea submission
• Helps ensure consistent content organization and improves filtering capabilities
• Recommended for organizations with established category structures

Show Idea Status:

• Check this checkbox if you want the Idea Review Status to be visible to all users
• When enabled, users can see whether ideas are "Not Reviewed," "Under Consideration," "Not Planned," "Planned for Delivery," or "Delivered"
• Provides transparency about administrative evaluation and implementation progress
• Recommended for organizations committed to transparent innovation processes

Social Sharing:

• Check this checkbox if you want to allow users to share idea posts on social media platforms
• Enables integration with external social networks for broader community engagement
• Consider organizational policies and content sensitivity when enabling social sharing

Home Page Configuration

Home Page Message:

• Enter a welcome or instructional message using the rich text editor
• Appears on the Ideas Tab homepage to orient users and provide guidance
• Use to communicate community guidelines, submission tips, or organizational innovation priorities
• Supports rich formatting including links, images, and structured content

Email Notification Configuration

Internal Notification Recipients

Internal Notification Email Recipients:

• Search for users and add them to receive internal notifications about idea activity
• Type email addresses directly and click Add for external recipient inclusion
• Recipients receive notifications about new ideas, comments, votes, and status changes
• Email templates are not used for these internal notifications, providing direct communication

User Notification Email Templates

Configure email templates for various idea-related activities to ensure consistent communication:

User Notification Email Template for Comments:

• Select template for notifying idea owners when comments are posted on their ideas
• Default Template: "Idea New Comment Email for User"
• Note: Display names may differ from system template names during selection

User Notification Email Template for Votes:

• Select template for notifying idea owners when their ideas receive votes
• Default Template: "Idea Vote Email for User"
• Note: Display names may differ from system template names during selection

User Notification Email Template for Review Status Updates:

• Select template for notifying users who voted on ideas when review status changes
• Default Template: "Idea Review Status Updates Email for Voters"
• Note: Display names may differ from system template names during selection

Idea Owner Notification Email Template for Review Status Updates:

• Select template for notifying idea owners when their ideas' review status changes
• Default Template: "Idea Review Status Updates Email for Idea Owner"
• Note: Display names may differ from system template names during selection

Standard Email Templates

Magentrix provides standard email templates for Ideas module notifications. The following table shows the relationship between configuration settings and default templates:

Configuration Best Practices

Voting System Optimization

Balanced Scoring: Configure vote weights and decay parameters that encourage ongoing participation while preventing score inflation over time.

Edit Window Balance: Set edit periods that allow reasonable corrections without enabling extensive post-submission changes that could affect voting integrity.

Pagination Strategy: Choose idea retrieval numbers that balance comprehensive content display with page loading performance.

Visual Design Strategy

Brand Consistency: Ensure banner elements, colors, and messaging align with overall portal branding and organizational identity.

User Experience Focus: Design banners that enhance rather than distract from core idea submission and collaboration functionality.

Accessibility Considerations: Choose text colors and images that provide sufficient contrast for users with visual impairments.

Mobile Responsiveness: Consider how banner elements and content appear across different device sizes and screen resolutions.

Email Notification Balance

User Preferences: Configure notifications that keep users informed without overwhelming them with excessive email communications.

Template Consistency: Select or customize email templates that match overall organizational communication style and branding.

Internal Monitoring: Set up appropriate administrative notifications for effective community management and response times.

Multi-Language Considerations

Custom Labels: Implement custom labels for organizations serving multiple language communities to ensure inclusive user experiences.

Content Localization: Ensure banner messages, button labels, and email templates are appropriately localized for international user bases.

Template Management: Consider creating localized versions of email templates for different regional user communities.

Saving Configuration Changes

Finalizing Settings

1. Review Configuration: Verify all voting parameters, banner settings, and notification configurations meet organizational requirements
2. Click Save Changes: Apply all configuration changes to make them active for all Ideas module users
3. Testing Validation: Test banner appearance, voting functionality, and email notification delivery to ensure proper operation
4. User Communication: Inform community members about significant changes to Ideas module functionality or appearance

Ideas Module configuration provides comprehensive control over the innovation and feedback collection experience, enabling administrators to create professional, engaging community spaces that support effective idea generation, evaluation, and implementation processes.

Jump to Ideas Checklist

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