How to set up a Collaboration Forum

Firstly, start by creating a Forum Profile to configure key settings such as various navigation buttons, layout, rules, key icons and line colours. You can have different types of forums as part of the same profile, for example, a Project and Issues forum alongside your Collaboration forum.

 

Control > System > Forum Profiles

 

Here are some of the key fields, with help text, that you will need to configure on the Forum Profile:

 

• Name - Enter the Name that you wish to call this Forum Profile. This will not be reflected on the display side (more for admin purposes).
• [ ] Auto-Subscribe To Threads - Select to auto-subscribe users who create or reply to a thread. This is by default on, but it may be desirable to turn it off for some communities.
• Suggest Thread Link - For users who do not have permission to create a new thread, you can add a link to direct the user to a dynamic form to request access or suggest a thread topic.
• Popular Topic Count - Enter the number of popular topics to display on the Topics Filter menu. There is a maximum limit of 100. Popular Topics are determined by the total interest score for all full member contacts. It will only list the topics if there are threads that have been assigned to them. If left blank, popular topics will not be displayed
• Topic Filters -Select up to two topic lists to filter the thread results. This will allow the users to refine their thread search.

 

Key icons for Collaboration Forums:

 

• Create Thread Icon
• Search Icon
• Filter By Topic Icon
• Subscribed Icon

 

When using a Collaboration Forum type, you could build an Influencer Channel where the page will reflect a leaderboard with most active and engaged users participating on your Collaboration Forum.

 

Key settings to set up the influencers page:

 

• Exclude Security Groups -Select the Security Groups you want to exclude from the influencer listing. e.g. exclude your staff, non-members, sponsors or suppliers.
• No. Of Contacts Leaderboard -Enter the number of contacts to display on the Leaderboard tab within Influencers channel.
• No. Of Contacts My Topic - Enter the number of contacts to display on the My Topics tab within Influencers channel. The My Topics tab reflects users who are engaged or experts which matches with your Topics.
• No. Of Contacts Company -Enter the number of contacts to display on the Company tab within Influencers channel. The Company tab reflects users who are engaged or experts within the same company.
• No. Of Contacts Topics - Enter the number of contacts to display when filtering by topics within Influencers channel.
• Ranking Refresh Timeframe - Enter the timeframe in days when the ranking should be recalculated, e.g. Refresh the ranking every 7 days.
• Ranking Active Timeframe - Enter the timeframe in days to select Contacts for ranking on Influencers channel, e.g. Rank users who have contributed in the past 30 days. Maximum is 180 days.
• Thread Creation Weighting - Enter the weighting for creating a thread, this is used in determining the influence of the contact.
• Thread Response Weighting - Enter the weighting for responding or replying to a thread, this is used in determining the influence of the contact.
• Thread Like Weighting - Enter the weighting for liking a response or reply to a thread or post, this is used in determining the influence of the contact.

 

Notifications settings:

 

• Own Member Notifications - Select to always send forum notifications to the poster as well as other subscribers when posting to the forum. If not selected then members are not sent notifications when they post.

 

Send a Daily and/or Weekly Summary which includes the new post and thread activities.

 

• Daily Summary Subject - Enter a subject line for the Daily Summary.
• Daily Scheduling Time -Select the time when the daily notification is to be sent.
• Weekly Summary Subject - Enter a subject line for the Weekly Summary.
• Weekly Scheduling Day -Select the day weekly notification is to be sent.
• Weekly Scheduling Time -Select the time the weekly notification is to be sent.
• Summary Introduction - Enter the summary introduction text for the main body of the email. The following placeholders are available for use: [_Forum_Name_], [_Thread_Name_], [_Recipient_First_Name_], [_Recipient_Last_Name_].
• Summary Item Listing - Enter the text to display a list of threads within the main body of the email. The following placeholders are available for use: [_Forum_Name_], [_Thread_Name_], [_Poster_First_Name_], [_Poster_Last_Name_], [_Poster_Job_Title_], [_Poster_Company_], [_Item_Message_].
• Summary Item Limit - Insert the number of thread items to display from the Forum into the message.
• Item Word Limit - Insert the number of words from the thread to display into the message. This is used for the summary as well as the alerts.
• Summary Footer - Enter the summary text footer for the realtime alert email. The following placeholders are available for use: [_Forum_Name_], [_Thread_Name_].

 

Also set up several real-time alerts based on responses.

 

When a comment is made to the thread:

 

• Comment Alert Subject - Enter the subject line for the real-time alert when a comment is made. The following placeholders are available for use: [_Forum_Name_], [_Thread_Name_].
• Comment Alert Detail  -Enter the main body text for the real-time alert email when a comment is made. The following placeholders are available for use: [_Forum_Name_], [_Thread_Name_],[_Recipient_First_Name_], [_Recipient_Last_Name_], [_Poster_First_Name_], [_Poster_Last_Name_], [_Poster_Job_Title_], [_Poster_Company_], [_Item_Message_].

 

When the user replies to the comment:

 

• Comment Reply Alert Subject -Enter the subject line for the real-time alert email when a reply to a comment is made. The following placeholders are available for use: [_Forum_Name_], [_Thread_Name_].
• Comment Reply Alert Detail -Enter the main body text for the real-time alert email when a comment is made. The following placeholders are available for use: [_Forum_Name_], [_Thread_Name_],[_Recipient_First_Name_], [_Recipient_Last_Name_], [_Poster_First_Name_], [_Poster_Last_Name_], [_Poster_Job_Title_], [_Poster_Company_], [_Item_Message_].

 

Receives a notification when a thread is created with user matching topics:

 

• Interest Alert Subject -Enter the subject line for the interest alert email. The following placeholders are available for use: [_Forum_Name_], [_Thread_Name_].
• Interest Alert Detail - Enter the main body text for the interest alert email. The following placeholders are available for use: [_Forum_Name_], [_Thread_Name_],[_Recipient_First_Name_], [_Recipient_Last_Name_], [_Poster_First_Name_], [_Poster_Last_Name_], [_Poster_Job_Title_], [_Poster_Company_], [_Item_Message_].

 

When the user subscribes to the thread:

 

• Join Alert Subject -Enter the subject line for the join alert email. The following placeholders are available for use: [_Forum_Name_], [_Thread_Name_].
• Join Alert Detail -Enter the main body text for the join alert email. The following placeholders are available for use: [_Forum_Name_], [_Thread_Name_],[_Recipient_First_Name_], [_Recipient_Last_Name_], [_Subscriber_First_Name_],[_Subscriber_Last_Name_], [_Subscriber_Job_Title_], [_Subscriber_Company_].

 

When the user likes the comment:

 

• Like Alert Subject -Enter the subject line for the like alert email, sent out to posters when their response or reply is liked. The following placeholders are available for use: [_Forum_Name_], [_Thread_Name_].
• Like Alert Detail - Enter the main body text for the like alert email. The following placeholders are available for use: [_Forum_Name_], [_Thread_Name_], [_Recipient_First_Name_], [_Recipient_Last_Name_], [_Poster_First_Name_], [_Poster_Last_Name_], [_Poster_Job_Title_], [_Poster_Company_].

Once the Forum Profile is set up, the next step is to create the Channel to display it on your site by using your desired Skin and other profiles.

 

Control > Structure > Channels

 

When creating a new Channel, Affino will ask you to pick the Channel's type, choose Forum.

 

Here are some of the key fields, with help text, that you will need to a Forum Channel:

 

• Name - Enter the Name you wish to call this Channel
• Skin - Choose the Skin which will give the feel and look to the Channel.
• Forum Profile -Choose the Forum Profile you have previously created.

After you have created the Forum Channel, the next step is to create your Forum. Remember you can have multiples Forums as part of the same Profile and Channel, although they can be different types, Discussion, Issue, Collaboration and FAQ. On this guide, we are focusing on 'Collaboration' alone.

 

Control > CRM > Forums

 

Here are some of the key fields, with help text, that you will need to configure for the Collaboration Forum:

 

• Name - Enter the Name you wish to call this forum; note this will be reflected on the display side (admin only).
• Section - Select the section you would like this item to appear in. When you create the Forum Channel, by default it also generates a Section with the same. You can use that Section.
• Forum Type -Select the type of forum you wish to create. Issue forums will add options to assist with issue tracking. Project forums will enable you to assign tasks to particular users and the question and answer forum will enable voting on threads. You will need to select the voting images on the Forum Profile to enable users to vote. For this guide, we will pick Collaborations Forums
• Accounts -Select the Account associated with this forum, e.g. when a forum has been created for a specific client / company. This is useful if you are creating a collaboration space for a specific Account, giving them privacy.
• Moderator - Select the moderator(s) for this Forum.
• Close - Select the preferred option for who can select threads as being closed. Here we advise to set it so that only moderators can close threads.
• [ ] Allow Media - Select to allow users to post media items to forum threads. Each post can have one image and one media item.
• Media Library Section - Select the target media library section where media items are uploaded and stored for the forum. Must be in the same Zone as the Forum channel.
• Permission - Select the permission statement to be displayed when a user selects a forum or collaboration thread. This is essential due to the new GDPR legislation if you have set up notifications to be sent to users, you need their permission.

Forums can be locked down so that only certain users can send (forum posters) and receive emails as well as those who are set as moderators.

 

The following options detail how you can assign the different security levels.

 

Reference Thread Content Security Right

Select the Content Security Right to be able to access the Reference Thread field.

 

If not selected, Posters will be able to see this field.

 

Note: this field only applies to the Issue type forum.

 

View Thread Content Security Right

Select the Content Security Right to be able to view this forum. Users will not be able to Create/Edit/Reply to threads.

 

Post Thread Content Security Right

Select the Content Security Right to be able to post to this forum.

 

Users will be able to Create/Edit/Reply to threads.

 

Note: If Create Thread Security is also selected, posters will not be able to Create new threads, just Edit/Reply to post.

 

Users who cannot Create/Edit/Reply to threads will see the forum as such.

 

Users who can Create/Edit/Reply to threads will see have these options available.

 

Create Thread Content Security Right

Select the Content Security Right to be able to create new threads to this forum.

 

If selected, users with Post Thread Content Security Right will not be able to create new threads.

As we have mentioned previously on this guide, you can create a leaderboard of your influencers to promote your experts and score them. Before proceeding with creating the Influencers Channel, you need to configure the correct settings in the Forum Profile.

 

Control > Structure > Channels

 

When creating a new Channel, Affino will ask you to pick the Channel's type, choose Influencers.

 

Here are some of the key fields, with help text, that you will need to a Forum Channel:

 

• Name - Enter the Name you wish to call this Channel
• Skin - Choose the Skin which will give the feel and look to the Channel.
• Forum Profile -Choose the Forum Profile you have previously created.

Forums also support Affino MCP Tools alongside the manual moderation flow described above:

 

• MCP Forum Tools - agents connected via the Affino MCP service can read forum threads and posts, post replies on behalf of a designated forum-bot identity, and modify thread state (e.g. move, close, lock). Useful for automation workflows that should react to forum activity without exposing the full Affino REST API to a third-party tool.

 

MCP access is opt-in and gated by API Profile permissions; the agent identity model is described in the Affino MCP Guide.

Keep collaboration forums scoped to one project or working group. Cross-project forums become hard to moderate and notification settings become noisy for participants.

 

Use the moderator escalation flow for sensitive posts rather than ad-hoc emails. The forum's audit trail captures the decision; email threads don't.

 

For external collaborators (clients, partners), grant Security Group access through Account Lists rather than per-contact assignments. List-based access scales; per-contact assignments drift.

 

Pair the forum with a KB folder of the same scope. Forum threads capture decisions; the KB folder captures the durable artefacts that come out of those decisions.

Member-only forums still show in search if Security Group permissions allow it. The thread title and snippet appear; click-through to the post body requires membership. Keep titles non-sensitive.

 

Adding a moderator does not auto-grant membership. Moderators need to be in the linked Security Group as well. The platform doesn't auto-promote.

 

Audit the AI Profile's KB scope.