Group Item Information

Table of Contents

         1. What is a Group?
         2. The Group Leader and Members
         3. Access Levels Within Groups
         4. Group Only Items
         5. Group Edit Access For Items
         6. Group Email
         7. Organizing Your Groups
         8. Creative Group Ideas
         9. Upgraded Memberships

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1. What is a Group?

A Group is a number of Users assembled together for a common purpose on Writing.Com. Groups can be used to form clubs, gather students in a classroom, congregate friends and family online; the possibilities are endless!

Only Upgraded Members may create groups, but anyone within Writing.Com may become a member within a group.

2. The Group Leader and Members

The creator of the Group is considered the Group Leader. The Group Leader is responsible for the initial creation and delegation of access levels to the other group members. A Group Leader’s access level within the group can never be changed and that Leader can never be deleted.

Groups may consist of up to 3,000 members for Enterprise Members, 1,000 members for Professional Members, 250 members for Premium Members and up to 50 members for Upgraded Members, including the Leader. Leaders enter each member into the group using that member’s username. Each group member is assigned an access LEVEL within the group. This allows the group's management to delegate and share responsibilities.

New members to groups are automatically emailed upon their addition. Group Leaders can create a Static Item containing the welcome email for the new members. The email will appear identical to the Static Item. There is a location on the Group Item create/edit form for the Item ID of the welcome Static Item.

3. Access Levels within Groups

Access levels determine the amount of responsibility held within the Group. As the number of the access level increases, the responsibilities and functionalities of that access level also increase.

Access levels range from 1 to 15 with 15 being the highest and reserved for the group's leader only; 14 is the highest, most powerful level that can be given to a member of the group. The default access level is 4. This level will be held by most members and allows them to receive emails and access Group Items. The following is a description of the various access levels:

          1. Receives Emails To Group
          2. No Additional Privileges
          3. Access To All Group Items
          4. Default Level; No Additional Privileges
          5. No Additional Privileges
          6. Ability To Create Items With Group-Only Access
          7. No Additional Privileges
          8. No Additional Privileges
          9. Ability To Mail The Entire Group
         10. No Additional Privileges
         11. Ability To Add New Group Members
         12. No Additional Privileges
         13. Ability to Edit/Delete Group Members
         14. No Additional Privileges
         15. Group's Leader

Access level benefits build and add onto each other as the list goes on. For example, a group member given a level of "1" may ONLY receive emails to the group while a member with a level of "9" may receive group emails, access all group items, create items with group-only access and mail the entire group.

Levels that provide "No Additional Privileges" may be used at a later time for tools created in the future.

Group list sorting is ordered by numerical group access level, with the highest levels displayed first. While a level may have no additional privileges, it will affect the order of the group. For example, if one member is given a level access of 11 and another member is given the access level 12, both members hold the same Group abilities, but the member with #12 access level will be displayed higher within the Group member list.

4. Group Only Items

After a Group has been created, Items may be assigned to that Group only. Group members with an access level of 6 or higher will be able to set any Item’s access level to that Group. After any item has been assigned to that Group, the item link will display within the Group’s display page (which is available from within the Leader’s portfolio).

Group Items will only be viewable by the members of the Group. For example, If a Message Forum is set to a Group, only members of that group may view and post in that forum.

5. Group Edit Access For Items

Writing.Com also provides the functionality to allow members of groups to easily work together. You may give members of groups that you belong to the ability to edit items of your choosing. When creating or editing an item in your portfolio, you can set the Group Edit Access setting to the Writing.Com Group you wish to grant access to. For more information on that, please see "Group Edit Documentation" .

6. Group Email

Each Leader and members with a level 9 or higher will have access to mail the Group. An email link will be available from within the Group’s display page. Members who do not have access to email the entire group will not be able to view this feature.

7. Organizing Your Groups

View a complete list of the groups that you are a member of by choosing "My Groups" from within the "Member Tools" pulldown menu. This tool provides quick access to and useful information about each group, including the number of members, your level and the leader.

Also available from within "My Groups" is the ability to leave any group. Leaving a group removes you and automatically emails the leader a quick note. Remember; never take offense to a member who leaves a group that you lead!

8. Creative Group Ideas

Invite Publishers directly to a Private viewing of your best items! For those of you who are working toward professional publication, create a Group specifically for you and your publishing contacts. Items that you feel are ready for publication can then be set to "Group Only" access. Invite your publishing contacts to this Private Group for exclusive viewing of your best work!

This is a great tool for teachers! Teachers may set up Groups for each of the classes he or she teaches. Set up one group for Period One: English and another for Period Six: Writing 101. Teachers then enter the students into a Group using the Writing.Com username of each.

Students with an access level of 4 would receive any emails sent to the Group and have access to any Group Items. If there is a Teacher’s Assistant for that class or Group, the Leader may assign a higher access level to that person so he or she may send emails and create Group Items.

A few of the benefits for teachers and students are:

         ... bulletins to announce new assignments to the Group. If a student misses class, he or she has easy access 24/7 to classroom assignments and updates.

         ... message forums to discuss topics within the Group. This is a centralized area where Group members may respond to a topic or bring up their own.

         ... group email to send updates or new assignments quickly. Leaders have the ability to get emails out quickly and efficiently with one click of the mouse.

         ... consistency within student work. If each group member (student) posts his or her work on Writing.Com within his or her portfolio, checking and reviewing the work is made easy! Students (group members) use WritingML to post assignments and teachers use the review text box at the bottom to give feedback.

Groups make planning an event easy! Do you have an event coming up that you are involved in? Create a group specifically for that event and use it to keep track of your schedule and members! Groups make it easy to keep in touch with everyone and keep the ball rolling while staying organized.

Groups make it easy to form clubs! Gather your friends and fellow Authors in a club of your choice. Usually clubs are made of members with a common interest such as a favorite genre or topic, writing style, member age or goal. Be creative!

Bring your friends and family online! Create a group for those friends and family members who haven't yet visited Writing.Com. They'll feel at ease being in your group and you can show them the ropes! Post pictures from your latest high school reunion or Aunt Betty's favorite cookie recipe; the friends and family will love it!

Keep your Group organized! We suggest that the Leader keep all of the Group’s listings and Items within one folder. This keeps both the portfolio and the Group organized and easy to find. Name the folder according to the Group name for consistency and accuracy.

9. Upgraded Memberships

Groups may only be created by Upgraded Members. If you would like to support Writing.Com and purchase an Upgraded Membership, please visit our online store:

http://www.Writing.Com/main/store.php

For more information on Upgraded Memberships, please read "Memberships @ Writing.Com" .