Summary

This article explains how to add a New Article in the TeamDynamix (TDx) Knowledge Base (KB), for people with permission to do so in the USNH TeamDynamix system.

Important: As you write your article, be sure to follow the guidelines in the Knowledge Base: KB Style Guide Checklist

How-To

Instructions

Step 1 - In the Knowledge Base (KB), drill down and open the KB Category where the new article should appear.  ET&S articles will all be under the Technology section of the KB.

Step 2 - On the category page, click the + New Article button to open a New Article. 

Note: If you do not see that button, then you do not have permission to add articles in the KB. You or your supervisor can request this permission through the UNH IT Accounts Management Systemunder Services for ITSM > TeamDynamix, then select a Security Role that includes "+KB". See more in the Accounts Management System FAQ.

Step 3 - The Category field will be auto-populated with the name of the KB Category you selected.

Step 4 - Leave the Order field set at 1.  Leave the Pin Article box un-checked.

Step 5 - In the Subject field, type the title of the new article. 

For Technology KB articles, begin with the product or service name followed by a colon (:), then the specific topic of the article. 

• For How-To Articles, the topic should begin with an ING action word explaining what the reader will learn how to do in that article. 
• If the article applies to only some campuses, specify those at the beginning of the article title.
• See full guidelines in the Style Guide section on Title (Subject)

Example article titles:

• Salesforce: Switching between Lightning and Classic [How-To article]
• Teams Meetings: Real-Time Captions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) [FAQ article]
• PSU, UNH, USNH - Salesforce Marketing Cloud: Business Unit Specific Content Templates [Informational article, applies to only certain campuses]
• Office 365: Troubleshooting Connectivity Issues [Troubleshooting for End User article]

Step 6 - Click into the main, empty box of the Body field. 

• The Body is where the content of the article goes.  There are Editor Toolbars at the top with tools to help in formatting articles.
• See article - Knowledge Base: Using the KB Editor toolbars

Step 7 - Before you write anything in the Body, in the editor tool bar at the end of the top row, click the Templates drop-down. From the drop-down list, select the appropriate template for the type of article you are writing.  You can see Sample articles using KB templates to help you decide which template will best fit the article you plan to write.

• Your template will be automatically loaded into the editor window at the cursor location.
• There are some instructions in the templates, set off with "pointy brackets" like < and >. 
  • Instructions provide guidance as you are using the template.  Please let us know if anything is confusing or unclear.
  • You should remove any instructions and pointy brackets before you publish the article.
• [Coming soon: a separate article on using KB Templates]

Step 8 - Add your article content into the appropriate areas of the template, removing or adding additional sections as needed.

• Remember to follow the guidelines in the Knowledge Base: KB Style Guide Checklist
• Write in complete thoughts, not complete sentences – this isn't a hi-tech tech paper 
• Use the appropriate level of direction for your public reader – imagine explaining a tech procedure to your mom
• Number procedural steps Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, etc.
• Label links descriptively, include the correct hyperlink for each, and set the link to open in a New Window (on the Target tab)
  • For example:  "See more details in our article on Fixing fuzzy or small KB Images."
• If pasting from MS Word, be sure to use the Paste from Word button near the end of the bottom tool bar.

• If pasting an image directly into the article, TDx changes it into a Thumbnail that cannot be resized (but can be clicked on to see the full image).  This is sometimes useful for very large images.  If you want the image to be visible within the article at full-scale, then use the Image button instead. See more details in our article on Fixing fuzzy or small KB Images.

Step 9 - Fill in the Article Summary.  This text appears in KB search results and the lists of articles within a KB Categories.  Limit of 500 characters.

Step 10 - Add Tags, if desired. Begin typing and scroll down through the (alphabetical) list to see if the tag you have in mind is already there.  If it is, click on the version you see in the list.  Note that typos create new tags with that typo.  Also note that tags are not controlled by TDx in any way.

Step 11 - Set the Status of the article. 

• Use Not Submitted if you want to work on the article some more.  Once it is set to "Submitted", you won't be able to see it any more until it is approved.
• Use Submitted if you want your article reviewed for publication.  Also notify Katie Ellis by email (katie.ellis@unh.edu) and/or Teams.
• Use Approved and check the Published to KB box if the article is ready to be published.

Step 12 - Set the Next Review Date, usually set to 6 months out, or the next time when it should be reviewed.  Every article should have a review date and be reviewed regularly. 

• If you check the Notify Owner of Review Date box, the Owning Group is notified 14 days before the review date.
  • The notification is logged as an Update in the article History (feed), obscuring the last date that any content updates were made.
  • If possible, using article review reports to manage the article review process is preferred.

Step 13 - Set the Owner to be the TDx Group that is responsible for the content of the article and check the Notify Owner on Feedback box.  Members of the owning group will be able to edit the article.

Step 14 - Check off the Applicable Institution(s).  If the article only applies to some of the USNH institutions, consider if that should be reflected in the article Subject (Title) as well.

Step 15 - Review everything, and when it all looks good, click Save.

Outcome

You have added a new Knowledge Base (KB) article into the chosen KB Category.

Further Readings

Knowledge Base: KB Style Guide Checklist

Sample articles using KB templates

Knowledge Base: Using the KB Editor toolbars

Knowledge Base: Fixing fuzzy or small KB Images

Accounts Management System FAQ 

UNH IT Accounts Management System 

Need additional help?

Submit a TeamDynamix Application Administration ticket - use the Request TeamDynamix Service button then choose Request Type Knowledge Base request.

Visit the Technology Help Desk Support page to locate your local campus contact information or to submit an online technology support request.  For password issues you must call or visit the Help Desk in person.