KB User's Guide - Topics Tab - Topics Tree to Topics Map
The Topics Tree that allows you to add, edit or delete topic categories to sort and distinguish your KnowledgeBase documents. The Topics Tree can be seen in the form of a Topic (Site) Map on your KB internal/ or external sites.
Access to Topics Tab for Top Topic Creation
Access to the Topics tab is controlled with individual user rights.
- Go to the KB Admin Tools > Users Tab
- Find the appropriate user
- Check the Topics check box
- Click on the Update button to save your work
- *Note: you do not need to have Admin Permissions (SitePref/Publish) to add/edit/delete Topics. See User Permissions.
Create, Edit, Update and Delete Topics
Click on the Topics tab in the KB Admin Tools. Clicking here defaults you to the Topics Tree screen.
From here, topics can be arranged to form the Topics Tree in a hierarchy up to five levels deep. Documents can be associated with any number of topics as well as topics at any level of the hierarchy. For more details, please see KB User's Guide - Topics Tab - Adding, Editing, and Deleting Topics The image below shows the Topics Tree from one of our test sites.
The Topics Map
Every KB site has a standard Topics Map. You may access it by appending your group site's url with topics.php
. The image below is an example from our demo site. The url to display the Topics Map is kb.wisc.edu/demo/childdemo/internal/topics.php
Enable the Topic Tree Side Module on your Live Site(s)
You can opt to display a Topic Tree as a Side Module on your internal/ or external KB site's homepage. Having the correct permissions (e.g. access to the Site Pref tab), this can be done by checking the appropriate check box(es) from the Side Modules screen which can be accessed from the SitePref tab.
The image below shows the original KB Live Site formatting:
The image below shows the UW Theme KB Live Site formatting:
Enable the Topic Tree Side Module
- Navigation: KBAdmin Tools > SitePref Tab > "Side Modules" link
- Module name: Topic Tree is one of the 6 delivered Module types (in the image below, you will see the delivered Topic Tree Side Module)
- Module Name - You may rename this to something more relevant to your KB Site or leave it as-is.
- Position - The dropdown menu only has one option: for the Side Module to appear on the left side of the screen.
- Internal/External - Check the appropriate check box in which you would like your Topic Tree to appear.
- FullView/MobileView - Check the appropriate check box if you would like your Topic Map to appear in the FullView and /or to appear on tablets and mobile devices.
- LandingPage - Topic Tree will appear on the homepage. (recommended)
- DocPage - Topic Tree will appear on any other page within your KB. (depends on your content)
- Order - Determine where in the sequence of Side Modules Left you would like the Topic Tree to appear.
- Update button - Click the Update button at the bottom of the screen to save your changes.

Enable Site Map Button on Top Right of KB Site
Those with Admin permissions may display their Site Map button at the top right of their KB Site (to the right of the Search field).