myKB: Knowledge Base Software: Your Online Question & Answer Solution

Article Contents and Actions

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:35:45 GMT

Depending on the security settings of the user accessing the article, different fields will be visible and different actions will be available.

Anonymous users who open an article will see the following read-only fields:

· Mousetrail
Above each article, the "mousetrail" that the article resides in will display. For this article, the mousetrail is Home > Article Usage and Navigation. This mousetrail shows the user which category/sub-category "trail" was followed to locate this article. The mousetrail is a series of links that the user can follow to backtrack through the category/sub-category trail and find similar articles.

· Article Title
The first field displayed within the article frame is the title. This is the same title that is used in the search results, the category listing, etc. Any KB Searches will query the article title.

· Date Modified
The next field that displays is the Date that this article was last modified.

· Print Icon
The small printer icon allows the user to print the displayed article. (This option can be turned on or off by the KB Administrator in the User Maintenance Menu)

· Email Icon
The envelop icon allows a user to email the article. (This option can be turned on or off by the KB Administrator in the User Maintenance Menu)

** Note: Only Public articles can be e-mailed by Anonymous users. Since Anonymous users can only see Public articles, this action will be available in all articles they can access.

· Article Text
This section contains the details of the article. All text in this field is queried for KB Searches. If your KB Administrator has opted to use the article header and footer features, they will display in this section of the article. If the E-Mail Article feature is used to send this article to another individual, any and all information contained in this section of the article is included.

Logged in users will see additional fields and actions depending upon their Security Settings:

· Internal Content
Logged in users are able to add Internal Information to every article. This section of the article stores details that should not be available to the general public, and is not sent if the user chooses to e-mail this article.

· Reject Article option. Logged in may wish to reject articles if they find an error with its contents. By clicking the Reject Article link, they will be prompted to enter a Rejection reason before submitting the request. Once an article has been marked as Rejected, it can only be seen by KB Editors and Administrators.

· Article Stats
The article statistics that are available include the number of hits by Non-Registered users (Public Views), the number of hits by Registered users (Internal Views), and the number of times the article has been e-mailed (Sent E-Mails).

· Article Status
The article status will indicate the article's security type, as well as other in-progress statuses. The security type will either by Public, Internal, or Public (Internal inherited from parent category). The in-progress statuses are Rejected and Under Review.

· Edit Article The Edit Article option will allow the user to change all attributes and text associated with the article.

· Delete Article options. The Delete Article option will prompt the user confirm deletion before taking action. After an article has been deleted, it cannot be retrieved.

Note: Editors and Administrators will see the E-Mail Article action in all articles that are not marked as Rejected or Under Review.

How to Edit or Modify an Article

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:43:45 GMT

To modify an article, open the article, select the Article link from the menu, and Edit Article. This will open the Edit Article screen.

The Edit Article screen will allow you to add or change information in every article field.

Once you have completed your changes, click the Save button to verify and submit the data. If an errors are encountered, the appropriate errors messages will display at the top of the screen.

At any time, you may click the Cancel button to exit the article modification process and return to the previous screen.

Who Can Edit or Modify an Article?

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:40:16 GMT

By default only the Admin user can Edit or Modify an article. You can give any user the ability to Edit or Modify articles through user maintenance. Select the Maintenance Menu, and Users, then Edit the User you want to give the ability to edit articles. Once you have the Edit User screen, there are two ways to give the user access to edit articles. The first is by Category Groups. If you want to give the user the ability to edit articles only in specific Category Groups, select the Category Group Membership tab and check the box under Edit for each Category Group Desired. The second option is to give the user complete control to edit any article. To do this select the System Privileges tab, and check the option for ‘Bypass Category Group Security to Edit Any Article Accessible by this User.’

Who Can Delete an Article?

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:30:58 GMT

By default only the Admin user can Delete an article. You can give any user the ability to Delete articles through user maintenance. Select the Maintenance Menu, and Users, then Edit the User you want to give the ability to Delete articles. Once you have the Edit User screen, there are two ways to give the user access to Delete articles. The first is by Category Groups. If you want to give the user the ability to delete articles only in specific Category Groups, select the Category Group Membership tab and check the box under Delete for each Category Group Desired. The second option is to give the user complete control to Delete any article. To do this, select the System Privileges tab, and check the option for ‘Bypass Category Group Security to Delete Any Article Accessible by this User.’

How to Delete an Article

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:02:05 GMT

To delete an article, open the article and select the Article Menu then click the Delete Article link.

The system will then prompt you to confirm that you wish to permanently delete the article.

Clicking OK will remove the article from your knowledge base. Once an article has been deleted, it cannot be retrieved.

Clicking Cancel will cancel the deletion request.

Who Can Create Categories?

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:39:18 GMT

Who Can Create Categories?

By default only the Admin user can create, edit, or delete categories. You can give other users the ability to manage categories through the user maintenance menu. Go to Maintenance Menu, Users, click edit next to the user you want to give access to manage Categories, select the System Privileges tab, and check the box next to Access Category Maintenance.

Consistent, Reliable Information

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:29:17 GMT

Misunderstanding of a series of intricate steps is far less likely when every service representative is working from the same approved information. Solutions are developed once and used again and again.

How to E-Mail an Article

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:27:48 GMT

Your myKB knowledge base offers an E-Mail Article feature that enables users to send article text to themselves or to others. For more information on security concerns regarding e-mailing articles, see "E-Mail Article -- Security Controls".

You must be within the article in order to e-mail it - this way you may only send articles that you personally have access to view. The E-Mail article link will display in the article's Action Box as a small envelope icon. Click this link to open the E-Mail Article screen.

The E-Mail article screen contains fields to capture To and From user information, as well as a textbox to enter a comments or a personal message. The article text that will be sent displays beneath these fields:

To Name: Required. Enter the Name of the individual the article is being sent to. This name is used within the text of the e-mail.

To E-Mail: Required. Enter the e-mail address of the individual the article is being sent to. The address entered must follow a valid e-mail format.

Your Name: Required. Enter your name to appear as the sender of the email.

Your E-Mail: Required. Enter your e-mail address. The address entered must follow a valid e-mail format.

Email Notes: This text field allows you to enter a message to the recipient.

Below these fields are two buttons: an Email Article button and a Cancel button. To cancel the e-mail, click the cancel button. To send the e-mail as specified, click the E-Mail button. If any issues were encountered with the data entered, the appropriate error messages will display at the top of the screen. After correcting the issues, click the E-Mail button again to process the request.

Common errors encountered include:

To Name is Required

To E-Mail is Required

From Name is Required

From E-Mail is Required

To E-Mail is Invalid

Your E-Mail is Invalid

Article E-Mails -- What the Recipient Sees

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:14:23 GMT

The e-mail that is sent has a Subject of " Article" and has the "From Name" as the Sender.

After opening the article, the recipient will see the following information:

To:
To Name, To E-Mail

From:
From Name, From E-Mail (Typed in from web user)

Comments:
The Comments entered on the E-Mail Article form.

Article Link:
A link will take the user to the on-line article.

Article Footer:
The Article Footer as listed in menu option Maintenance-KB Settings-Article Header and Footer.

New Service Representatives Become Effective Faster

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:11:16 GMT

Customer service training can be focused on the process of customer service, rather than the tiniest details of your product. New service representatives become effective quickly, reducing the time and cost involved in your hiring process.

Moving an Article to a new category

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:52:11 GMT

Articles can be assigned to multiple categories.

There are two places that you can categorize an article, both in the Edit Article Screen.

On the first "General" tab there is a "Default Category" option. This option is the first category that the article can be assigned to.

On the second "Additional Categories" tab (pictured below), you have the ability to choose additional categories. This is done by checking the box next to the category you want this article to ALSO be displayed in.

NOTE: The first category is marked in the "Default Category" on the first tab, and will NOT be marked again on the second tab. A common mistake is to only look at the articles in the "Additional Categories" tab, and overloook the "Default Category".

Software Resellers Wanted

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:15:55 GMT

myKB is offering an outstanding opportunity for software resellers to promote the myKB Private Label solution. Web design companies, programmers, consultants, and other entrepreneurs are experiencing additional revenue growth through this opportunity. The Private Label option enables customers to re-brand the myKB knowledge base with their own company logo and name.

Success as a re-seller comes from a solid product and solid re-seller support. myKB is committed to giving you the very best tools to be successful . Please contact us to speak with a myKB associate to learn more about this program and its exclusives.

email - myKB Private Label and Re-seller Program

Click here to contact a myKB Re-seller Support Member.

We don't make great support - we make great support possible.

Optional Content

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:41:32 GMT

When entering or editing an article there is a tab labeled ‘Optional Content.’ There are two entry boxes on this tab ‘Search Terms’ and ‘Contact Information.’

Search Terms:

This is used to enter keywords to help users find this article. You can enter abbreviations for terms or common misspellings. This information will not appear in the article, but is only used to find an article when users perform a search.

Contact Information:

This field is automatically populated when a user submits a question to the knowledge base by using the ‘Submit a Question’ link in the knowledge base. The users email address and any contact information they entered is displayed to update the user on the resolution to their question.

Stop Four: Locating Information, Cont.

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:00:42 GMT

Good job! That was a simple example of a KB Search, but it showed how to perform a search as well as what the results listing would look like. There are several other types of searches that can be performed using the Search Filter underneath the "Start Over" link.

Did you notice the "Submit a Question" panel beneath your results listing? This panel allows you to submit a question if you need clarification, or were unable to locate the desired information. We'll talk more about submitting questions a little later. The "Submit a Question" panel appears after you have performed a KB Search or you have browsed through a category.

Guided Search Panel
Let's go back to the Category Display feature. This panel is called the "Guided Search" panel, and is used to browse through categories to view their sub-categories and articles. All text within this panel is a link, which will open the contents of a category. The articles within each category will display to the right of the screen, along with the date that each was last modified.

Remember that as a Non-Registered User, you can see all Public information within the knowledge base.

Now let's take some time to explore the Guided Search feature. In a minute you will be prompted to click the "Start Over" link at the top of the screen (in the myKB Search panel). This will take you back to the knowledge base "Home" screen. Use your mouse to browse through the categories and sub-categories offered within the Guided Search panel.

After you have gotten a good feel for the contents of this knowledge base, and how to navigate the Guided Search panel, return to this category (Non-Registered Users) by drilling down through the appropriate categories. Hint: The mousetrail above shows the parent categories of this one. Once you have returned to this category, open the Stop Five: Growing Your Knowledge Base article by clicking on its Title.

Ready? To recap: Use the Start Over link to return to the knowledge base "Home" screen. After getting a hang of how to perform a Guided Search, return to this category (Non-Registered Users) and open the Stop Five: Growing Your Knowledge Base article.

See you in a few minutes...

Category Groups and Anonymous Users

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:52:40 GMT

When I put a categories in a category group anonymous user cannot find them?

The idea of category groups is to group together categories that you want to then grant access to users to do something with. A perfect example is Sales. If you create a sales category group, you can then grant access to users in your company to perform tasks against all the articles in the Categories that belong to the category group of Sales. So you could grant the sales manager access to Edit, and all the sales staff, access to read.

Once a category is marked or added to a category group, is is no longer considered public. Therefor the anonymous user will not be able to read this content. You can change the Anonymous User permissions to grant read access to the appropriate category group.

Remember, the Anonymous User is exempt from category groups by default.

myKB Launches "Help for Helpers" Program. Free Software to Non-Profit organizations!

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:34:15 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Keeping knowledge in any organization is difficult. Many companies are challenging the way they retain knowledge from staff turnover, re-organization and mission changes by using a myKB knowledge base. But, myKB has found retaining knowledge in a not-for-profit organization is even more difficult due to limitations on volunteer’s time. We at myKB want to help these important organizations keep what they work so hard to build.

myKB has launched a program called “Help for Helpers”, specifically designed for not-for profit organizations. Qualifying groups will receive a myKB knowledge base at no cost.

Create an Automatic User Login -- Via URL and Form post

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:26:48 GMT

myKB.com offers the ability to provide a login URL, that accepts a user name and password, to perform an automatic login.

One draw back to using this solution, is that the user's login and password are sent in clear text, via the URL. Usually this is not a problem, as the user logging in is the same user that would be supplying the password.

The URL format for an automated login to your myKB.com account follows.

http://YOURACCOUNT.mykb.com/LoginPage.aspx?UserName=TheUserName&Pwd=ThePassword

Notice the URL is the basic LoginPage.aspx with a "query string" set of parameters.

This URL is not case sensitive. myKB.com User names and Passwords are not case sensitive either.

Beware that anyone seeing this URL will have access to login and authenticate as the user, so it should be protected, and used pragmatically, and only visible to the user who knows the password to begin with.

The login can also be acomplished with a form post, so that that username/password is not displayed in the URL, using the following example.

<html>

<body>

</body>

</html>

Logging In - User ID/Password

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:25:58 GMT

The myKB security model requires users to enter a valid User ID/ Password combination to log in to the knowledge base.

The login screen can be accessed via the kbAuth.asp page or via the “Login” link next to the knowledge base Title. From the login screen the user will enter their valid User ID and password combination.

Note: Passwords are case-sensitive.

Adding Images to an Article

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:22:00 GMT

You will need to host the image(s) that you need to appear in an article. Most corporations have servers for this purpose but if your company does not there are many free online photo hosting solutions available. Once you have obtained the hosted image's URL, you need to can either create a new article or navigate to an existing article and choose Article > Edit Article on the menu bar.

To view the HTML markup, click the HTML check box under the Article Body text box. Click where you want the image to appear and enter the following code:

Where http://www.site.com/image.jpg is the URL to your hosted image. Some optional attributes can be added to control the height, width, tool tip text (alt), and border size of the image with the following code:

To preview what the image will look like in the article you just un-check the HTML check box to return to the default view.

Can non-registered users use the search function?

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 08:05:54 GMT

Searching can be turned on or off in two places of myKB - on a per user basis.

Show Search on the Home Page
Show Search on the Article Page

For users that log into your system (employees / vendors) this is easy to setup.

What about users that do not login to your system?

These users are known as "Anonymous Users" and if you notice on the Maintenance | Users - User List - there are two system user accounts that cannot be deleted. One is Admin, and one is Anonymous User. Editing the Anonymous User settings will change the way your myKB account is displayed to users before they login.

A shorter version of this answer is ... Change the Search Display options for the Anonymous User account - to display the Search on the Home page.

Below is a image that shows the navigation points in the Admin Control Panel to set these search options.

How can I use an external CSS file?

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 13:35:34 GMT

If you have a style sheet on your website, you can reference that style sheet, and it will be applied to your myKB page. This is mostly used for layout, header and footer content. The purpose here is to make it as easy as possible for you to skin your myKB knowledge base, look like your website.

You can also apply these style elements to article content.

You cannot however apply these elements to the myKB controls that are printed on the page. These are hardcoded css names, and can be managed in the Maintenance | KB Settings | CSS Styles. These text blocks will accept CSS markup. An example is pictured below.

Stop One: Capturing Information

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 16:12:17 GMT

Articles
Knowledge base articles are used to collect and store your company's knowledge. Authorized users may enter articles using an intuitive text editor (similar to word processing applications), cut and paste existing text into the article, or create links to existing online company files.

Each article has a unique number that allows users to quickly locate it. This number is displayed to the left of the article text. The text you are currently reading is stored within article number 302.

At the top of each article is the Article Title. Above the article title is the mousetrail that shows where in the knowledge base the article is stored.

Categories
Each article is stored within a knowledge base category. Categories are used to group common topics together for ease of access. Just like a table of contents, there can be many levels of categories and sub-categories that store your articles. You may create an unlimited number of categories within your myKB knowledge base.

This article's mousetrail is Home > myKB Demonstration > Self-Guided. The article resides in the Self-Guided category, which is a sub-category to the myKB Demonstration category.

Each category name within the mousetrail is a link to that category itself. Clicking the last link in the chain (Self-Guided) will return you to the category that the article is stored in. In a moment you will be prompted to click the "Self-Guided" link, which will open within the list of categories on the main knowledge base page. Notice that on that page there is a yellow folder icon next to each category - this will be explained further in the next article (Stop Two: Security).

At this point, click the Self-Guided link and view the category display. After you have seen the yellow folder icons, proceed to the next step by opening the Stop Two: Security article.

Stop Three: Locating Information

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 16:08:46 GMT

Take a look at the mousetrail above this article.... You are now inside a new category called "Non-Registered User". All of the articles in this category will walk us through what Non-Registered Users are able to do within your knowledge base. To begin, let's discuss how the myKB "Home" screen is used to locate information.

Knowledge Base "Home"
When users first access your knowledge base, they arrive at the knowledge base "Home" screen. This screen consists of two main panels - a Search panel for performing keyword searches, and a Category Display panel for browsing through knowledge base categories.

KB Search Panel
The Search panel is called the "KB Search" panel, and it is visible on almost every screen within the knowledge base. KB Searches are similar to indexes - you can quickly scan for keywords, dates, phrases, and article IDs throughout the entire knowledge base. In addition to providing search functionality, the KB Search panel also contains a few navigation links. The "Login" link (next to the knowledge base Title) links users to the Login screen. The "Start Over" link will return users to the knowledge base "Home" screen at any time.

KB Searches can be performed with a single keyword or with multiple keywords. Multiple keywords should be entered with a space in between them. The default search for multiple keywords is to locate articles with ALL of the specified keywords. This can be changed by selecting another value from the Search Filter (Any Word, Exact Phrase).

Any time a KB Search is performed, the Results Listing will display on a new screen. This listing will contain the Title and Modified Date for all articles that match the search criteria.

Let's try a KB Search. Your cursor should already be flashing in the search field. Enter "Stop Four" in the search field, and click the Search button. The article with Stop Four of our tour will display (along with any other knowledge base articles containing the words "Stop" and "Four" - such as this one. Open the Stop Four article by clicking on its Title.

Download a backup of your myKB.com

Tue, 20 Feb 2007 07:08:00 GMT

A copy of your myKB.com knowledge base is available real time from the admin control panel.

Once you are logged into your mykb.com knowledge base with the ‘Admin’ user profile, you will have the option of Download Backup from the Admin Control Menu. This option is only available to the ‘Admin’ account, not every user account assigned to the ‘Administrator’ profile. This purpose is explained later in this article.

Selecting this option will start the process of downloading your backup.

The backup is created on the fly and can take several minutes depending on the size of your myKB.com knowledge base.

You backup is created in a Microsoft Access 2000 database format. In order to use your backup you must have Microsoft Access 2000, or a compatible product that can read the Access 2000 format.

Once your backup has been created on the myKB.com server it is placed into a hidden directory and automatically compressed into a .ZIP archived format.

This archive .ZIP file is password protected. The password is the same as the password for your myKB.com 'Admin' account. For this reason only the 'Admin' account will have access to create and download the backup.

You've already got the knowledge, now share it!

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 15:30:46 GMT

Companies thrive by sharing what they know. Your company has spent years accumulating information, producing subject matter experts, writing product documentation, and developing customer service policies. But are you able to quickly connect your customers and employees to this information when they need it? A myKB Knowledge Base can provide the answers they seek by facilitating knowledge transfer quickly, easily, and securely.

myKB is powerful, configurable, and simple-to-use Knowledge Base software designed to capture, organize, and share your information. No more endless searching! Intelligently priced and with a 30-day money-back guarantee, myKB supports unlimited administrators, unlimited users, and unlimited categories. You can even get started building your Knowledge Base today!

With our new Pricing you can Get Started Right Now For Free.

Imagine having one solution with the flexibility to support your customer inquiries, help-desk calls, and technical support issues. myKB offers the most desirable features wanted in a Knowledge Base to best support your Customers, Teams, and Software.

myKB Knowledge Base Software :: Pricing

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 08:15:54 GMT

Our myKB knowledge base software is intelligently priced for every budget. We're not ashamed or embarrassed of our pricing, so unlike our competitors, we display them on our website.

Every myKB knowledge base, comes with ...

Unlimited Administrative Accounts
Unlimited Custom User Accounts
Unlimited Security Settings Per User Account
Unlimited Categories
Unlimited Category Groups
THE MOST flexible security system in any knowledge base

We are so confident you will appreciate myKB Knowledge Base software and that it will enhance your way of doing business that we offer an unconditional 30 day money-back guarantee. Your myKB account is a risk-free investment in your future.

Monthly Hosted Plan	Annual Hosted Plan	Account Description
FREE (Signup)	FREE (Signup)	Personal Account (20 article limit)
$29	$299 2 Mo's Free	Entrepreneur (100 article limit)
$49	$499 2 Mo's Free	Small Business (300 article limit)
$99	$999 2 Mo's Free	Corporate (900 article limit)
$249	$2499 2 Mo's Free	Enterprise (No article limit)
(Not Available Monthly)	$250	Private Label Option This removes the powered by myKB logo, as well as provide a custom domain such as ... http://kb.mydomain.com http://help.mydomain.com http://support.mydomain.com
(Not Available Monthly)	$250	SSL Certificate ( https:// ) Option This option allows for SSL Secure Certificate to be installed with your myKB.com knowledge base account. We'll purchase, install, and maintain an SSL Certificate for your use, for the lifetime of your myKB.com account.
Included	Included	Annual Upgrade and Maintenance Plan All hosted accounts are upgraded and maintained. This plan ensures that Onsite Installations are upgraded and maintained.

Click here to setup your FREE account and get started NOW!!!

If at anytime you are not completely satisfied, just let us know and we will happily refund your current months fees, plus any unused portion of your annual pre-paid fees.

We don't make great support - we make great support possible.

FAQ :: How do I turn on the Login Link for my mykb page?

Thu, 13 Jul 2006 08:26:02 GMT

You can turn the login prompt on in the user settings, under system privileges.

The thing to remember is to turn it on for the Anonymous User, which is the user account being used, before you login.

Go to Maintenance, Users, Edit the Anonymous User, and then the 3rd tab "System Privileges" about 6 or 7 from the bottom you can turn on the login links. Don’t forget to save the user account.

Now if you log out, you’ll see a login link, in the top right corner of the screen.

Logging In

Tue, 23 May 2006 10:53:28 GMT

Upon registering for your myKB knowledge base, your company was provided with an ID and password to access this support site.

Click the "Login" link above to access the knowledge base using your ID and password.

If you have misplaced this information, please contact your company's Knowledge Base Manager. If your company requires a replacement ID, please contact your sales representative.

UPDATE.

At this point there is no hidden information for cusotmer of myKB. At one time, access to support was restricted to myKB cusotmers, and this restriction has since been lifted. All support data is now available to the public.

myKB Support - Available 24 / 7

Mon, 26 Sep 2005 12:48:47 GMT

Support is vital for the success of your organization's myKB implementation. We offer a variety of options to support you onsite, online, and via telephone.

We believe that a myKB Knowledge Base offers users the fastest and easiest way to access support information -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In fact, we use a myKB knowledge base to store our own product documentation. All registered myKB customers will be given access to our support site at http://support.knowledgebase.mykb.com. You can search our support site for detailed online documentation on every aspect of setting up, using, and maintaining your myKB knowledge base. Users can submit questions for additional details on a topic or to request an article to cover a new support topic.

Telephone support and onsite support are also available. To reach our support line, call us at 1-800-996-myKB. Please have your company name and account number ready.