If you're new to the Higher Logic platform, you may be wondering how to search for and find other users. If so, the answer is simple: the Directory.

The Directory is similar to your site search, but instead of searching for content you're searching for people. This is accomplished via simple criteria like first name, last name, and email address or more advanced criteria like location, community, and Demographics. The ultimate goal of using the Directory is accessing user profiles and connecting with others, and it can most simply be explained as the interface through which users' profiles are searched for and displayed.

A user's profile pages include general information about them, like their name, bio, contact details, and education.

Notes

NOTE: While site staff set the default privacy settings for your profile information, you can update them at any time, giving you complete freedom over what personal information you want visible to other users viewing your profile—you can even opt out of the Directory altogether, if you'd prefer to be hidden and not found by other members. Refer to the Privacy Settings section of the Manage Your Account Preferences page for more information.

NOTE: Refer to the Profile Overview section to learn more about each of your available profiles, and how to manage your account.

Access the Directory

You can access the Directory from your site's main Navigation Bar.

Available Directory searches

The Directory includes two tabs: Search and Find Anyone (only available to Super Admins):

Basic Search

This is a simple search allowing you to find users by first name, last name, email address, and even by company affiliation. The more criteria you provide, the more focused the search; the less you provide, the more broad the search.

After searching, results are presented as shown below, and you'll be able to (reference these numbers to the image below):

1. Click a user's details to access their profile.
2. If a user provided their address information, a map icon will be available you can click to open Google Maps in a new window centered on the address or area listed. This feature respects privacy and display settings. For example, a user may choose to hide their street address from everyone but allow Higher Logic members to see their city and state. A user with these privacy settings will NOT expose their street address through the maps generated: In this scenario, the map will only center on the city, and will give no indication of their street address.
3. Send them a message or add them as a Contact (they'll have to approve your request before being added to your Contact List).
4. Use these two menus to filter your results, as desired.
5. And for Super Admins and those given the ability, export search results. Refer to the Export Search Results page to learn more about exporting search results.

Notes

NOTE: You can enter partial searches in these fields to return partial matches, which is ideal when you may not have exact information or simply want to find everyone whose first or last name begins with specific letters or has an email address belonging to a certain domain (e.g., a Last Name search for "Jo" will find everyone whose name begins with "Jo."

NOTE: You have the freedom to opt-out of appearing in Directory search results altogether, keep specific details about yourself hidden, or even make all aspects of your profile available to all visitors or just your Contacts. Search results will include or omit your information based on your established privacy settings.

Find Anyone (Admins only)

This is a more powerful user search, available only to Super Admins. What sets this apart from the Basic Search is it returns both members AND non-members (the Basic Search only returns members), making it the best way for admins to find any user in the system.