The Ideation home page (shown below) is the centralized location in your community for user engagement with idea suggestions and their feedback and comments. It's where all ideas-related conversations take place, and it provides a feedback mechanism (Commenting) with which community users can express their opinions of and thoughts on an idea.

Ideas that have been submitted are presented as large cards, and the page accommodates the display of up to 12 idea-submission cards.

This article describes the Ideation home page; particularly:

the information on the idea cards;
the various (page- and card-based) actions that are available to community users; and
the management-type actions that are reserved for Admins.

The page-navigation buttons across the bottom of the page make it easy to navigate through multiple pages of ideas.

Before diving into a breakdown of the page, the next section discusses a few things that you should note about the Ideation home page in your site.

Ideation customizations and nomenclature

Higher Logic offers lots of customization options so that Admins can set up a site to reflect the customer's brand and identity.

As part of this, Admins can customize:

the name of the Ideation module (e.g., Ideas Exchange);
the name of the Ideation home page (e.g., Member Feedback); and
what "ideas" are called in the site (e.g., Suggestions).

TIP: Any of these elements might have been customized by an Admin in your community site and, therefore, might have a different name than the Higher Logic default name that is used in this article.

The image and table below describe these customizable elements and indicates for Admins where they can be managed.

Number	Element Name	Admins can manage in:
1	Navigation Title (two instances)	CMS > Navigation Title field; see Understand the CMS
2	Page Name / Title	Page Designer > Properties tab > Name or Title field; see Build Page Layout and Content
3	Ideation Name	Admin interface > Feedback > Ideation > Settings > Ideation Name field; see Ideation Settings
4	Description	Admin interface > Feedback > Ideation > Settings > Description field; see Ideation Settings
5	Create button	Admin interface > Feedback > Ideation > Settings > Idea Name field (singular); this value displays on the button; see Ideation Settings
6	Community tab (shown below)	Admin interface > Feedback > Ideation > Settings > Idea Name Plural field; see Ideation Settings

When you navigate to a community that has Ideation enabled, the Ideation tab displays along with the other Community tabs; it uses the value of the Idea Name Plural field.

Ideation home page actions

As the centralized location for your site's Ideation program, this page encourages you, as a community user, to participate in that Ideation program. It does so by giving you the tools and the opportunity to engage with the ideas and suggestions of your fellow community users.

Let's first look at some of the on-page features; these are available above the ideas cards.

Search field

If there's an idea that you want to easily locate, or if you're interested in ideas about a particular topic, click into the search field and start typing. When the third character is typed, a list of up to five matching ideas displays below the Search field.

As you type more characters, the results might change. The images below demonstrate this: "add" presents different results than "adding."

You can:

Click an idea in the list to go to its Details page.
- When the results display, press either Enter or Tab on your keyboard to go to the Details page of the first idea in the dropdown list.
Click the "Add" prompt below the list to open the "Submit" dialog to submit an idea.

Filter dropdowns

You can refine the display to ideas that have something in common, such as their Status and/or the Community to which they are associated. Use several filters together to really limit which ideas display.

The filters are:

Category - Ideas can be categorized to more easily manage and locate them. Choose one or more Categories from the dropdown to filter the display.
Community - An Idea can be associated to one Community. Choose one or more Communities from the dropdown to filter the display.
- If no ideas are associated to any Communities, this filter does not display.
- The dropdown presents only those Communities that the user has permission to view.
- If selecting a Community is not required (the Set Community as a required field box on the Ideation Setting page is not checked), there might be ideas that are not associated to a Community; such ideas will not display if this filter is applied.
- If you are in a community:
  - the Community filter does not display and
  - the list displays only ideas that are associated to the current community.
Status - Ideas always have a Status. This indicates "where" in the process the idea currently is (e.g., Submitted, Accepted, Complete), and the Status displays right on the card. Choose one or more Status from the dropdown to filter the display.
Most recently added - this is the default display option for this set of filters. Choose any one of the following to filter the display.

Option	Action
Most recently added	Display the ideas from newest to oldest; this is the default view.
Least recently added	Display the ideas from oldest to newest.
Most comments	Display the ideas based on the number of comments they've received (most-to-least).
Most votes	Display the ideas based on the number of votes they've received (most-to-least).
Alphabetical	Display the ideas in alphabetical order (A – Z), based on idea title. TIP: Idea names can contain letters, numerals, and non-alphanumeric characters (e.g., , #, !). Idea names that start with a non-alphanumeric character are listed first (e.g., My Big Idea!), followed by those that start with a numeral (e.g., 01_My Big Idea), and then an (A – Z*) alphabetized list.
Reverse alphabetical	Display the ideas in reverse-alphabetical order (Z – A), based on idea title. TIP: This filter works the opposite of the Alphabetical filter. This filter lists Idea names that start with a letter (Z – A) first, followed by those that start with a numeral (e.g., 01_My Big Idea), and then those that start with a non-alphanumeric character (e.g., **My Big Idea!).
My Ideas	Display only the ideas that I have submitted.
My Votes	Display only the ideas that I have voted on.

Click Apply to filter the display.
Click Clear to restore the original array of idea cards.

Create button

You can click this button to create and submit your own idea.

TIP: The title of the "Submit" dialog reflects your account-specific nomenclature, such as ""Submit Idea," "Submit Suggestion," or "Submit Feedback."

All fields are required, except as noted in the table below.

NOTE: The options that display on this dialog depend on what has been configured by your account Admin. For example, you might be required to select a Category for your idea (instead of it being optional) or you might not have the option to submit your idea anonymously. This will differ from one community to another.

Setting	Description
Title	Specify a title that captures the benefit of your idea. TIP: Idea titles can contain letters, numerals, and non-alphanumeric characters (e.g., , #, !). For example: My Big Idea, My Big Idea!, and 01_My Big Idea*.
Description	Provide a clear and informative description. For example, include details that support the benefits of your idea, or how it will improve a current experience. TIP: Use the formatting options to apply bold (e.g., for something important); bullet a list (e.g., benefits of the idea); insert a link (e.g., to supporting information or an example); and upload media (e.g., an image or a video). Give your audience as much information as possible to help them decide whether to champion your idea.
Select community	Choose a Community to associate your idea to. Communities will obviously vary across customer sites, so this selection might be based on, for example, a product line or a regional chapter. NOTE: This is optional unless an Admin has set it as required.
Select categories	Choose the Category that you think best suits your idea. This should be one that houses similar ideas so that yours can be considered along with them. NOTE: This is optional unless an Admin has set it as required.
Status	The default Status when creating an idea is Submitted. NOTE: A dropdown displays for Admins, who can select a Status when adding and editing ideas on this dialog.
Upload file	Click to optionally add a file to your idea submission. You can upload a file from your device, the web, or one of several external repositories; or you can drag-&-drop or copy-&-paste a file.
Submit anonymously	Check the box to submit your idea anonymously. NOTE: This is optional and displays only if an Admin has enabled this setting. NOTE: Submitting anonymously automatically removes you as the owner of the idea and replaces your name with "Anonymous Member" on the idea card (Ideation home page) and on the idea's Details page. Also, if you are a non-Admin user, the idea is not associated to you and you will not be able to edit the idea.

Click Save to submit your idea.

Your idea immediately displays on the Ideation home page.

Now let's look at the idea cards and their options and actions.

Idea cards features

Each of the cards provides information about the idea, such as: its title and description, who submitted the idea and when, and the numbers of votes and comments it has received.

In addition to learning about the idea, you can engage with it right on the card (depending on your Ideation-management permissions), as described in the table below.

Card Feature	Description
Status	This pill indicates the current status of the idea.
Ellipsis icon (...)	This icon displays in the upper right for Admins and others who have Ideation-management permissions. Refer to Ideation-management options, below, for information how to manage Ideation from this menu.
Title	Click the title to access idea's Details page. Refer to The Idea Details page, below.
User and Date	Information about who submitted the idea and when. NOTE: If the idea was submitted anonymously, "By: Anonymous Member" replaces the user name.
Description	Information about the idea.
Categories	This pill indicates the Categories that the idea belongs to.
Thumbs icons	Click the thumbs-up icon to vote for the idea. Click the thumbs-down icon to vote against the idea. This option does not display by default; it has to be enabled on the Settings page (Allow downvotes checkbox). NOTE: Your vote is immediately registered and updates the count on the icon.
Comments	Click this to access idea's Details page where you can review existing comments and add a comment. NOTE: Your comment increases the count on this icon.

Each idea also has a dedicated Details page (described in the next section) that:

provides additional management options and
displays all of the idea's comments.

The Idea Details page

Click an idea title (or right-click to open in a new tab or window) to view the idea's Details page.

TIP: Click Back to Ideation Home in the upper left of a Details page to navigate directly to "page 1" of the Ideation home page.

The options that are available on this page and who can use them depend on the user and their Ideation permissions.

All community users can:

click the star icon to Follow/Unfollow the idea (a star icon displays on the card when the user is on the Ideation home page),
click the user name to visit the user's Profile,
view the idea's attachments,
vote for or against the idea, and
view the idea's comments.

All community members can do all of the above and:

comment on community ideas if:
- the "Comments" widget is visible and
- an Admin has authorized Members to comment (in the Community-Specific Ideas section of the Ideation Settings page).

Idea submitters can do all of the above and:

edit their own ideas, unless
- the submitter is a non-Admin user who has submitted the idea anonymously (which automatically removes the submitter as the owner of the idea).

Admins and those who have Ideation-management permissions can do all of the above and:

edit their own ideas and those of others and
mark a comment as the "Official Response."

Ideation-management options

Users who have Ideation-management permissions can manage a single idea in two places:

via the ellipsis icon (...) in the upper right of Ideation cards on the Ideation home page and
via the down-arrow icon in the upper right of all ideas' Details pages.

Both of the icons present a dropdown menu of options, but each icon's menu presents different management options.

Ideation home page cards

Click the ellipsis icon (...) in the upper right of a card to access the management options; then click:

Edit - click to open the "Edit" dialog where you can change various aspects of the idea.
Delete - then, at the confirmation prompt, you can choose whether to alert the submitter when you confirm the deletion.
Pin/Unpin - click to pin an idea (or unpin a pinned idea). A pin icon displays next to the idea's title; it is removed when the idea is unpinned. (Pinned ideas display at the top of the Ideas List widgets.)
Change Status - click to change the Status of the idea. This is a great way to keep community users informed of the progress of a submitted idea.

NOTE: Statuses are created in, and unique to, each account. The Statuses that are available to you will differ from those in the image above.

Details page

Click the down-arrow icon in the upper right of the page to access the management options; then click:

Delete - then, at the confirmation prompt, you can choose whether to alert the submitter when you confirm the deletion.
Reindex - click to "refresh" the content, similar to reloading a page in a web browser.

To learn about reindexing content in your community (e.g., who can reindex site content; which content can be reindexed), see Reindex Content Items.

Pin/Unpin - click to pin an idea (or unpin a pinned idea). A pin icon displays next to the idea's title; it is removed when the idea is unpinned. (Pinned ideas display at the top of the Ideas List widgets.)

The Ideation section of the knowledge base is a great resource for all things Ideation. Especially, check out:

Ideation Settings to learn how to customize your Ideation program for your site and your users.
How to manage your users' ideas as more ideas are submitted, discussed, and voted on.
How to create Categories to logically organize your ideas and Statuses to manage the progress of your users' ideas and suggestions.

Ideation Home Page