FAQs

General Contacts/Connections Communities/Discussions Library

General | Top

Q: What is my username/password?
A: You will use the same username and password that you use to log in to the International Foundation main site. If you have forgotten your log-in credentials or need assistance with your log-in information, click here.

Q: How do I update my contact information?
A: From your "My Community Profile" page, click the pencil icon next to "Contact Details." This will take you to your International Foundation profile. Click on the "Update" button. Your information will be updated in both your Foundation profile and your community profile next time you log in.

Q: How do I control what information is visible in "My Community Profile"?
A: Go to "My Community Profile” > “Privacy Settings.” This will let you control what information is visible and to whom. After you’ve made changes, click the “Save” button at the bottom of the page.

Contacts/Connections | Top

Q: How do I add contacts to my contact list?
A: If you click through and view an individual’s profile, you can click the "Add as Contact" link to the right of his or her profile picture.

Q: Why should I add contacts to my contact list?
A: Creating this virtual address book makes it easy to send your contacts messages through the community site to stay in touch, ask questions or even build a referral network. Additionally, when you view another participant’s profile, you’ll be able to see any contacts you have in common. You can also choose to let your contacts view certain demographics in your profile that others can't.


Communities/Discussions | Top

Q: What are communities?
A: Communities allow you to participate in discussions and share resources with other participants.

Q: What communities do I already belong to?
A: Go to “Communities” in the top gray navigation bar. Select “My Communities” to view the communities you’re currently a part of.

Q: How do I join/subscribe to a community and the affiliated discussion group?
A: Click on “My Community Profile” and then “Subscribe.”

Q: How can I control the frequency of e-mails I receive?
A: Go to “My Community Profile” > “Community Notifications.” Use the Notification drop-down menu to choose the following:

  • Real time: Sends an e-mail every time a new message is posted
  • Daily digest: Sends one e-mail to you each day, consolidating all of the posts from the previous day        
  • No e-mail: Allows you to be part of the group without having e-mails sent to you. You can still post and read others’ messages by logging into the community site.

Q: How do I leave a community or unsubscribe from a discussion?
A: Click on “My Community Profile” and then “Unsubscribe.”

Q: How do I respond to others’ posts?
A: While in the discussion you wish to respond to, click “Reply to Discussion” to send your message to the entire community or click the down arrow next to the button and choose “Reply to Sender” to send your message only to the sender. We recommend replying to the sender for simple comments like “Me, too” that add little value to the overall discussion and replying to the entire community when you are sharing knowledge, experience or resources that others could benefit from. You can also post a message from here, forward a message on to another contact or print a message. 

Q: How do I start a new discussion thread?
A: Go to “Communities” > “My Communities.” Enter the discussion group you wish to post in. Click on the "Discussion" tab. Click on the green “Post a New Message.” Click on "Send" at the bottom of the screen. From an e-mail for a particular discussion forum, you can use the “Post Message” link in the right navigation bar.

Q: I’m having trouble viewing the HTML e-mail messages. How do I fix this?
A: If images are not appearing, it is likely that your e-mail is set to suppress images. This should be something you can change in your security or viewing options.

Q: Can I search for posts across all the communities?
A: Yes. Go to the "Search" box in the top gray navigation bar. You may also narrow your search by clicking the down arrow next to the "Search" box. You can search based on keywords in the posts, search all or specific discussion groups that you are subscribed to, and select a specific date range.

Q: How do I see a listing of all of the posts to a specific community?
A: Go to “Communities” > "My Communities." Enter the community and click on the “Discussion” tab.

Q: How do I change the information showing up in my signature block?
A: We have set a default signature, but if you would like to change the information that appears or the order in which it appears, click “My Community Profile” > “My Community Profile.” Click the "My Account" tab > “Discussion Signature.” You can add, delete or reorganize the fields that show up in your "Discussion Signature" by clicking the variables on the right-hand side of the screen. Please note that the content of these fields is pulled directly from your profile.


Libraries | Top

Q: How do I find resources that may have been uploaded by other participants?
A: Use the "Search" box in the gray navigation bar. Click the drop-down arrow to the right and choose "Library" under "Content types" and search for the resource you are looking for.

Q: How do the libraries get populated?
A: The libraries are populated in two ways: You can upload documents directly by using the “Add a New Entry” link found under the "Library” tab in your community. That is to say, library resources are not required to be associated with a discussion. Alternately, when you include an attachment in a discussion post, the system automatically places it in the library.

Q: How do I upload a file?
A: Select the “Create New Library Entry” link found under the “Library” tab in the community you want to post to. Please note that uploading a document is done in a few steps, and each step must be completed before you can move on to the next:

  • Choose a title for your document, include a description (optional), select the library to which you’d like to upload, select a folder to which you’d like to upload (optional) and choose an entry type (most will be standard files, but be cognizant of any copyright licensed material). Then click “Next.”    
  • Browse and upload your file. Click “Next” if you want to add tags to your file or click “Finish” (you may have to scroll down to access these buttons).
Q: What kind of files can I upload?
A: The system supports dozens of file types, including hyperlinks, standard files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), webinars, images and YouTube videos.

Q: What are the “tags” for?
A: Tags are another way of organizing and searching for documents. You can help others find the file you uploaded by including tags when you upload it. There are many preloaded tag categories to choose from.