MS Connection User Guide - Blogs

As a member of MS Connection, you can view and comment on existing blogs. Additionally, you can create one personal blog. You can also create one blog for each group and event that you own.

Search for blogs

Enter keywords into the search bar and click the arrow. The results returned can include members, groups, events, blogs, blog posts.
Note: Actions are available based on the search results. These can include add a member, add to Connections, join a group, or RSVP to an event.
Use the tabs to sort the search results. Click Blogs.
To sort the blog post results, select an option from Sort By. The Blogs page lists all the blog posts in MS Connection associated with a member, event or group. You can sort the results, and view the individual posts and number of comments made on the posts.
Members can use the search bar to narrow their searches. Enter the keyword or member name and search. The returned results display the member, social space, or blog profile photo, blog post title, date posted, number of comments made on the post, and a the first few lines of the post itself.

Create a personal blog

To create a personal blog, from your member dashboard, click Create a Blog! The Create Blog page appears.
Enter a title and description for your blog. This can be changed at a later time.
Click Create the blog now. A new screen appears with additional options such as Import a Blog and Add the first post.

Add a post to your personal blog

Each member can have one personal blog. Each post shows the title, date the post was made, and comment options. Posts display from newest to oldest.

From your member dashboard, click Blog.The Add Post page appears.
Click Add a post. A WYSIWYG editor appears.
Enter a title and content.
Choose when you want to publish or save a draft.

Screen Item	Description
WYSIWYG Editor	The interface enables the blog administrator to edit fonts, color, bold, italics, bullets, block quotes, image insert, video insert, URL linking, and spell check. You can also paste from other sources, find/replace, read more separator, and spacing. The blog administrator has the option to type in HTML instead of a WYSIWYG editor. To switch to the HTML editor, click Source. Click Source to toggle between the WYSIWYG editor and HTML.
Add a Link	You can add a URL hyperlink and name the link.
Permalink	Permalink is the absolute URL for the new post. This is provided for reference and does not change, so long as the member or social space URL does not change.
Categories	To create a new category enter a category name and click Add Category. This category is associated with the post by default, but can be removed. After the first category is created, members can choose from an existing category to be associated with the post or to create a new one.
Comments	The blog administrator can determine if comments are enabled.
Publish Immediately [edit]	The blog administrator can either publish a post immediately, or choose a time in the future to automatically post. To publish at a later time, click Edit. Enter a date and time. Then click Save to save the date and time, or click Cancel to not publish in the future.
Save as Draft	A blog administrator can save a draft of an entry to post at a later time. All draft posts are visible from Edit Posts. Draft posts have not been published yet. When you finish editing the draft, click Publish Post to publish or Save as Draft to save the post for later.
Publish Post / Save Post	This function changes based on whether you choose to publish a post immediately or at a later time. If Publish Immediately was selected, the blog administrator can click Publish Post to publish the post. If a future time was selected, click Save Post. The post automatically posts at the selected time.

Edit posts

A Blog administrator can review posts that have been posted to the blog.

From the blog, click Edit Posts. A list of all posts and each post’s status appears.
A Blog Administrator can view posts based on post status. Select the status and click Search
- Status: Published – Any published post.
- Status: Scheduled – Any post that is set to publish at a future date.
- Status: Draft – Any post that has been saved to be edited later.

Edit– You can edit and republish a previously published, drafted, or scheduled post. From the post editor page, click Edit. You can keep the original publish date or select a new date.

Delete – Blog administrator can select multiple posts and click Delete to permanently delete the selected posts. Confirm that you want to delete the selected posts.

Edit blog comments

Blog Administrators can review comments made on blog posts.

From the blog, click Edit Posts to review and edit comments. A list of comments made to the blog appears.
- a. Commented On Post – This indicates the blog post to which the comment is associated. The date and time of the comment and the name of the member who left the comment also displays. Hover your cursor over the comment to see options.
- b. Comment Options
  Delete – A blog Administrator can delete the comment. A confirmation message appears.
  Add Editor’s Note – A blog Administrator can leave a note that displays beneath the comment.
  Edit Editor’s Note – A Blog Administrator can edit a previous editor’s note.
  Delete Editor’s Note – A Blog Administrator can delete an editor’s note.
  Delete Checked Comments – A Blog Administrator can select multiple comments for deletion at a time. A confirmation message appears.

Manage blog categories

Categories provide a way for members to search blog entries for a certain topic.

From the blog , a blog administrator can click Edit Categories to manage categories blog posts are associated with. The Categories page appears.
To a category enter a category name and click Add Category. A confirmation message appears.
Note: After a category is created, a blog administrator can view how many times the category has been associated with blog entries. The categories are visible to the community on the public blog page.
A Blog Administrator can hover his cursor over the category to access options such as Edit and Delete.
- Click Edit to edit the category. If the category has entries associated with it, these entries are associated with the updated category.
- Click Delete to delete the category. A confirmation message appears. Only the category is deleted. Blog posts associated with the category are not affected.

Manage blog settings

From the blog’s setting options, a blog administrator can change the description of the blog and change email settings.

From the blog dashboard, click Settings. The My Settings page appears.
Enter a new description.
Select Send me an email when a comment is added to receive email notifications when a member adds a comment to the blog.
Click Save Changes. A confirmation message appears.

Import a blog

A blog administrator can import an RSS feed to add posts to the blog.

From your blog, click Import a Blog. The Import a Blog screen appears.
Paste the URL of the RSS feed you want to import.
Select As feed items are imported into posts, set the new posts to allow commenting to enable comments on the posts.

Note: The RSS feed must be an RSS 2.0 or Atom compatible URL. Feed items are imported as posts. Enabling comments on posts in the Community does not push content back to the original blog.

Act as an administrator of multiple blogs

If a member is an administrator of multiple blogs (such as a personal blog, a group blog, and a collaborative blog), from your member dashboard, click Blog. Your personal blog appears first, followed by the other blogs you adminstor. Hover your cursor over a blog name to access options to add posts, edit posts, or go to the blog settings.

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