5.9.2023 | Scheduled Discussion Topics
Wisr's new Scheduled Discussion Topics feature allows admins to draft discussion topics in advance and schedule them to go live at a specific date and time. Upon the scheduled time, any new discussion topics will automatically post within their corresponding communities.
This feature allows admins to:
- Create a new topic from the admin site: This makes it easier to craft, track, and schedule discussion topic posts all from one place. This view also helps your team ensure there’s a healthy stream of content planned for consistent engagement over time.
- Schedule a date and time for a topic prior to posting: This allows for more flexibility to plan ahead.
- Make edits to already posted or scheduled topics from the admin site: This enables you draft discussion topics and continue to iterate them as new questions or additional content that supports them emerge.
Note: Only administrators have the ability to schedule discussion topics through the admin site.
How does it work?
The ability to draft and schedule a discussion topic has been added to the Admin > Discussions > Topics view. While in the Topics view, you can create a new discussion topic by following these steps:
1. Go to the "Create Topic" button in the upper right hand corner
2. Once selected, a new window with topic details will open. You can make edits to the "Title" and "Description" and select a "Community" for the new discussion topic to live in.
Note: You cannot assign discussion topics to multiple communities. If you want to post the same discussion topic to multiple communities, you will have to copy/paste the content in a separate discussion topic.
3. Then, you can choose to schedule this discussion topic for a later date and time or publish the discussion topic immediately. If you decide to schedule a date and time for the discussion topic, you will have the ability to make edits before it publishes.
4. Finally, you can chose to pin the discussion topic. This will ensure that the discussion topic is pinned at the top under the Discussions section on the member-facing side of the site.
Here is a quick video highlighting how to get started with this new feature.
FAQS:
Can I make edits to a scheduled topic that has not been posted yet?
Yes. Prior to publishing, you have the ability to make as many edits as you need to any scheduled discussion topics. To do this:
1. Find and select your scheduled discussion topic within the "Active" tab on the admin site.
2. Once selected, a new window with topic details will open. You can edit any of the fields, including changing the scheduled date and time.
Warning: If you decide to remove the scheduled date and time for the discussion topic, your topic will post immediately within the community, and members can view this topic after it has been posted on the member-facing site.
Can I make edits to a scheduled discussion topic that has already been posted?
Yes. You can make edits to a topic that was previously scheduled but has now been posted. To do this:
1. Find and select the topic within the "Active" tab on the admin site.
2. Once selected, a new window with topic details will open. You can make edits to the "Title" and "Description" of the topic and/or pin the topic.
Note: Once a discussion topic has been posted, you will not be able to change the community in which this topic has been posted in.
How can I delete a topic I've created?
1. From the "Active" tab in Discussion > Topics, click the ellipsis (...) on the far right of the topic you'd like to delete.
2. Select the delete option.
Note: You will have a chance to confirm you'd like to delete.
3. This will remove the post from the "Active" to the "Deleted" tab
How do I undelete a topic I've created?
1. From the "Deleted" tab in Discussion > Topics, click the ellipsis (...) on the far right of the topic you'd like to undelete.
Topics that have already been posted on the member-facing site will immediately return to the Active tab once they have been undeleted. If you are undeleting a topic that has been previously scheduled but not yet posted, you will need to update the date and time to a new timeframe before the topic returns to the Active tab.
My student ambassadors usually manage the posting of discussion topics within communities. Since this feature is available to admins only, how can I use this feature and simultaneously have the ambassadors continue managing the discussion topics?
Admins can use this feature while ensuring that ambassadors continue to manage the discussion topics by utilizing the impersonation functionality. An admin can impersonate a student ambassador before creating and posting a topic, regardless of whether the topic has been scheduled. To impersonate a student ambassador:
1. The admin must grant the student ambassador(s) admin privileges.
2. When the student ambassador(s) has admin rights, go to the Members tab on the admin site and click on the ellipsis (...) for the specific member.
3. Once the admin is impersonating that member, the admin can create, edit, and schedule discussion topics.
If admin privileges are revoked from the student ambassador, the topic will still be posted by the student ambassador(s), and they can continue to manage the discussion topics.
Tip: Use impersonation for scheduling discussion topics from student ambassadors.