askSam Forums - Quick Help for Any askSam Product

askSam now offers a newly improved forum where you can easily interact with the askSam community as well as get direct answers and information from askSam technicians. There is no need for phone calls or email - just an organized listing of all the questions and answers posted by our users and technicians. There are currently more than 320 askSam users and techicians contributing to the forum. With forums you can...

Ÿ     Browse questions and answers by product and topic

Ÿ     Search questions and answers by word or phrase

Ÿ     Quickly view the most popular questions and answers

Ÿ     Easily keep track of forums with new messages

Ÿ     Post your own questions to any forum

Ÿ     Receive notification when your question has been answered.

Our new Forums are the ultimate tool for any askSam user. If you are not currently using them, now is the time to try it. This month's tip is intended to provide an easy start to using the askSam forums and to familiarize you with the most important features.

Getting Started

There is no need to be afraid of forums. They are completely Web based and very easy to use. You can even get started using forums without a login and password (however, you will need to create a login and password to post questions to any forums).

To access the forums simply open a browser and go to:http://www.askSam.com/forums .You can also access the forums from the askSam homepage by choosing the SUPPORT link at the top of the page and then choosing "askSam Support Forums"

Figure A

Forum Terms

Before we start, I'll define the terminology used in forums. Here is a quick list and definition of words you'll see when using the askSam forums.

1. Forum Groups     The askSam Forum page is broken into sections based on askSam products. Each product is a Forum Group. In the image above you see a list of items for the "askSam" forum group. All questions and responses in this group will pertain to the askSam Database. We also have Forum Groups for SurfSaver, Citation and other askSam products.

2. Forums               Within each Forum Group will be a list Forums for that Group. Forums are the main subject or category headings for each Group. In the image above, you see Forums for topics such as "Reports", "Entry Forms", "Installation", etc. Forums help you narrow down the response you are looking for by going directly to the topic of your question.

3. Threads               Within each forum is a list of Threads. Threads are questions posted by users to the forum.

4. Posts     Within each Thread will be a list of Posts. Posts are the responses from askSam users and technicians to the Thread (or question).

Browsing the Forum

The easiest way to get started is to browse the forums. To browse and read forum posts...

1. Find the Forum Group you are interested in viewing. For this example, we will use the "askSam" Forum Group. (see Figure A)

2. Select the Forum you are interested in viewing. For this example we will choose "Entry Forms". Once selected we will then see a list of all questions (Threads) posted to the forum about Entry Forms. (see Figure B)

3. Select the Thread (or question) you wish to view. For this example we will choose "Templates".

4. You can now scroll through the questions and responses for that thread. (see Figure C)

Searching the Forum

If you aren't sure which topic to chose to find your question, you can quickly search the askSam Forums. To search...

1. Type a word or phrase in the search box on the left of the askSam Forum page and click "SEARCH"

2. Browse the list of matching entries and select the ones you want to read.

Note: Once on the results screen you can narrow your search results by doing a more advanced search using the search options at the top. These options can also be reached by choosing the "More Search Options" in the Search box.

Using the Forum

Now that you have learned to browse and search the forum you are ready to post your own questions. Posting your own questions to the forum is very simple and provides you a way to receive answers to your specific questions about askSam.

Creating a Login

To begin entering your own questions you will need to create a login and password. Don't worry. This is a very simple procedure...

1. Click on the "Create A New Account" in the Forums Login box on the left of the Forum page (just above the SEARCH box.)

2. Type in your desired Username and email address. Click "Create User"

Note: Your email address is required. The forum will email you immediately with a randomly generated password (which you can change later). Double check to insure that your email address is typed properly

3. Check your email. You will receive an email from "forums@askSam.com" containing your password and login name.

4. Click on the "HOME" button on the Forums web page

5. Enter your username and password on the home page and click "LOGIN"

Note: You can be sure you are logged in when: A) The Login box is no longer at the top left of your forums page and B) The "Who is Online" box has your username in it.

Note: Each user has a profile. To edit your user profile click on the Profile link ( ) at the top of the Forums page. This Profile page will also allow you to change your password. For more information, click here to review the askSam Forums FAQs.

Posting a Question on the Forum

Well, it's official. Now you are a card-carrying member of the askSam Forums. It's time to do your duty - Post that question that you so desperately need an answer for. To post a question to the forum...

1. Click on the Forum where you want to post you question. For example, let's say I need to know how to sort the output of my askSam report. I would choose the REPORT forum under the askSam Forum Group.

2. Click on the "NEW THREAD" button to add a question to that Forum.

Note: Please look through the current list of questions to make sure your question has not already been asked. If you see a similiar question you can read about it by clicking on the item. Once you are inside an item you can reply to any posting within that Thread. See "Replying to a Thread" below.

3. Enter the subject and content of your question and click "POST" to submit the question.

4. You will then see your post listed in the forum. Other users and askSam technicians will also view your post and anyone with an answer will respond to you by clicking "Post Reply"

Replying to an exisiting Question

The thing that makes Forums so successful is your input. Not only your input of questions but your answers too. Every Forum member can respond to any question from any other forum member. That's what makes the system so great - group knowledge. Our technicians have a great deal of askSam expertise, but each user brings his or her expertise with askSam, with computers, and with a particular field or subject matter. The more people who are answering Forum questions the better the information and the faster the response.  To respond to a forum question...

1. Select the Post to answer.

2. Click the "Post Reply" button

3. Enter your reply and click "POST"

Tracking Your Questions, Reponses, and Forums

Once you begin using the Forums in more detail you will need to be able to track your posts, the responses to that post and forums you are watching. There are several ways to track the information in the forms...

MyForums

The best way to track the questions you've posted, responses and other forums you are tracking is by using MYFORUMS. MYFORUMS will show you a detailed list of all items you have been involved with. To use MYFORUMS simply click the MYFORUMS icon at the top of any page.

Email Notification

You can receive email automatically when someone responds to your question or posts a response to a Thread in which you are interested. There are two ways to turn on email notifications...

1. Go to the PROFILE section and select the check box for "Enable Email Tracking".

2. Within any thread you can choose "Email Me When Someone Replies to This Thread"

(see step #2 in the "replying to an Exisitng Question" above.)

New Post Notification

It easy to keep track of new posts anywhere in the forum with the "New Posts" icon available from the HOME page of the Forums. There is nothing for you to do. Each time you login to the askSam Forum you will see a "New Posts" icon in the forums where new posts have been added since your last visit. This makes it simple to go to the forums where new information is added.

For more information on using forums, click here to  visit our Forums FAQ page.

I hope you enjoy using the newly improved askSam Forums.

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