Ideas Checklist

Essential Ideas Module Tasks for Administrators

Before users can use the Ideas module, the module must first be configured. See Setting Up Modules before proceeding.

Foundation Setup

☐ Configuring Ideas Security Permissions Administrators must first configure security role permissions for users to access, post, vote, comment, and manage ideas within the Ideas module. Idea create permissions are required for posting ideas, adding comments, and reporting inappropriate content. Idea edit permissions allow users to modify their ideas within the configured editing time limit. Configure granular permissions for different user types including employees, partners, and customers based on organizational requirements.

☐ Managing Idea Categories Create and configure Idea Categories to organize and group similar ideas for easier navigation and content discovery. Categories serve as organizational tags that help users find relevant ideas and filter content by topic areas. Set up categories that align with organizational structure, product lines, or functional areas. Category names are limited to 80 characters and must be unique to prevent duplicate entries and maintain clear organizational structure.

Content Creation and Management

☐ Posting Ideas Enable authorized users to create detailed idea posts with rich text descriptions, multimedia content, and category assignments. Configure the idea submission process including title requirements, description formatting options, and category selection. Set up the system to show related ideas during submission to prevent duplicate suggestions and encourage users to build upon existing ideas rather than creating redundant posts.

☐ Collaborating on Ideas Configure community engagement features that allow users to vote on ideas, add detailed comments, and report inappropriate content. Set up voting systems with permanent vote tracking where users can express support or disagreement but cannot modify their votes once cast. Enable comment threading and discussion capabilities that foster constructive feedback and collaborative idea development while maintaining community standards.

Administrative Management

☐ Managing the Ideas Module Configure administrative tools for idea evaluation, review status updates, and abuse report processing. Set up the idea review workflow that allows administrators and users with appropriate role permissions to update idea status from "Not Reviewed" through various stages including "Under Consideration," "Not Planned," "Planned for Delivery," and "Delivered." Establish processes for handling reported content through the moderation system, including options to mark reports as resolved or archive inappropriate content.

☐ Configuring the Ideas Module Configure comprehensive Ideas module settings including voting parameters, display options, banner customization, and notification systems. Set up idea vote weight values, idea retrieval limits for page display, and editing time periods that control how long users can modify their submissions. Configure banner sections with custom images (recommended 1920x400 pixels), headings (40 character maximum), and messages (90 character maximum) for branded user experience. Establish email notification workflows for idea owners and community members regarding comments, votes, and status changes.

Advanced Configuration

☐ Configuring the Ideas Layout Customize the layout and structure of idea posts by configuring available fields and content organization. Add custom fields to enhance data collection including checkboxes, currency fields, dates, date/time fields, email addresses, multi-select picklists, number fields, percentage fields, phone numbers, picklists, text fields, long text fields, time fields, and URL fields. Configure the content layout by organizing field placement and visibility to support organizational data collection requirements and user experience optimization.

Best Practices for Implementation

Initial Setup Considerations

• Start with core categories that reflect primary organizational focus areas and expand based on user engagement patterns
• Test security permissions thoroughly across different user roles and access scenarios to ensure appropriate content visibility
• Configure banner elements and visual branding for professional, consistent portal appearance
• Validate email notification workflows and template effectiveness before full deployment

Ongoing Management

• Monitor idea submission patterns and adjust category organization based on usage analytics and user feedback
• Regular review of security permissions and access control effectiveness to maintain appropriate content governance
• Community engagement analysis to optimize module features and encourage continued participation
• Periodic evaluation of custom field effectiveness and layout optimization based on data collection needs
• Systematic review of idea review status workflows and administrative processes for efficiency improvements

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