Overview

The Message boards module enables site visitors to comment on the content of a particular page. It means you can insert comments on specific document content, on a specific user or a group of users etc. Among web parts that come with the Message boards module are the following web parts:

•	Message board - displays messages on the board and allows adding new messages; used for general documents or for user profiles

•	Group message board - similar to Message board, but optimized for group profiles

•	Message board viewer - displays messages from all message boards on the specified site, but doesn't allow adding new messages

•	Group message board viewer - similar to Message board viewer, but optimized for group profiles

•	Message board unsubscription - displays a confirmation that the user has been successfully unsubscribed from the message board

The Message boards module provides similar functionality like the Forums module (see Developer's Guide -> Modules -> Forums -> Overview). However unlike structured forums, message boards are flat and more straightforward. They are created automatically after the first comment is inserted or on subscribing without leaving a comment.

Each message board is related to a document on which it is placed, and optionally to a user or a group. Board messages can be moderated by board moderators. Users can also subscribe to receiving notifications about new messages and rate the content of the document the same way as when using the Content rating web part (see Content Rating -> How to enable content rating on the website in the same section of the Developer's Guide).

The Message boards chapter of the Developer's Guide will help you learn how to use the Message board web part (learn here how to do it), administrate message boards (as explained here), edit message boards (as explained here) and how to set Board base URL (as explained here). Topics on the settings (as explained here) and security (as explained here) of the the Message boards module can be found in this chapter, too. Finally, the Message board notifications subchapter of the Message boards chapter will guide you through the process of setting up the module to receive notifications about new messages added to the message board (for reference, see the following topics: Who can be notified, User subscriptions, E-mail templates).

If you would like to see Message boards module sample sites, please switch to the Corporate site sample website and in the content tree go to Examples -> Web parts -> Message boards to display the showcase of the Message boards module functionality. If you would like to see an example of managing a message board and its messages on Live site using the Group profile web part, please switch to the Community site sample website and choose Groups -> <some group> from the main menu.

Another example of the use of the Message boards module is available in Kentico CMS Community Site Guide; please note that these practical examples do not concern the whole functionality of the module but focus on its use in a broader context of the Community Site sample website:

•	See Community Site Guide -> Part 2 -> Creating the Special pages -> Creating the Board unsubscribe page: An example of handling message board unsubscription requests.

•	See Creating the Members section -> Creating the Profile page in the same section of the Community Site Guide: An example of adding and setting up two Message board web parts.

•	See Creating the Groups section -> Creating the Profile page: An example of adding and setting up a Group message board web part.

Page url: http://devnet.kentico.com/docs/5_5r2/contexthelp/index.html?message_boards_overview.htm