Groups

Creating and Managing Groups

Status: Available How to create groups, configure visibility, and manage group settings. Overview Groups in TribeCrafter are spaces where members gather around shared interests, topics, or access tiers. They reuse the same post and comment functionality as the main newsfeed but are scoped to a specific group context. Groups can be public (open to all) or private (access-controlled through products and plans). Creating a Group To create a group in the admin panel, configure the following: - Name -- The group's display name. - Slug -- URL-friendly identifier (used in the group URL: /group/your-slug). - Description -- Rich text description of the group's purpose and content. - Visibility -- Public or Private (see below). - Status -- Published, Draft, or Archived. Only published groups are visible to members. - Image -- The group's profile image, shown in listings and the group header. - Background Image -- A banner image displayed at the top of the group page. - Featured -- Mark as featured to highlight the group on the landing page (labeled as "Recommended"). Group Visibility Public Groups - Visible to everyone, including non-registered visitors. - Any registered member can join without purchasing anything. - All posts within the group are public. - Content is searchable by all community members. Private Groups - Visible in group listings (basic info only), but content is hidden. - Members must purchase a product or subscribe to a plan that includes the group. - All posts within the group are private. - Content is only searchable by active group members. Group Listing Page The groups listing page at /groups shows all published groups with: Sorting Options | Sort | Description | |------|-------------| | Most Popular | Sorted by member count (highest first). | | New | Sorted by creation date (newest first). | | Recommended | Featured groups shown first, then sorted by member count. | Search Members can search for groups by name. Group Page The group page at /group/your-slug displays: - Group name, description, and images. - Member count. - Posts feed (filtered to this group only). - Popular posts from the group (for non-active members or when sorting by Popular). What Different Members See | Member Type | Private Group | Public Group | |-------------|---------------|--------------| | Not registered | Group info + sign up CTA. No content. | Group info + preview of popular posts. No comments. | | No permission | "Purchase" CTA | "Purchase" CTA (if paid) or "Join" CTA (if free) | | Has permission, not joined | "Join Group" CTA | "Join Group" CTA | | Active member | Full access: posts, comments, reactions | Full access | | Expired member | "Renew Access" CTA | "Renew Access" CTA | | Suspended member | Suspension message. No content access. | Suspension message only | Group Feed The group feed works the same as the main newsfeed but is filtered to show only posts from that group. Members can: - Create new posts within the group. - Comment on and react to group posts. - Sort the group feed by Newest, Recent Activity, or Popular. Pinned Posts Group admins can pin important posts to the top of the group feed. Pinned posts always appear first, regardless of the sorting option selected. This is useful for rules, announcements, or resources that should always be visible. Member Count The group's member count is displayed on group cards and the group page. This count includes both active and expired members -- only members whose enrollments have been fully removed are excluded. Key Settings | Setting | Description | |---------|-------------| | Visibility | Public (open) or Private (access-controlled) | | Status | Published, Draft, or Archived | | Featured | Highlights the group on the landing page | | Pinned posts | Stick important posts to the top of the group feed | Tips - Use private groups for premium content communities and public groups for open discussion spaces. - Mark your most valuable groups as "featured" to promote them on the landing page. - Use pinned posts in groups for community rules, welcome messages, or important resources. - The member count includes expired members, which reflects the total community that has been part of the group over time. - Group visibility affects post visibility -- posts in private groups are always private, and posts in public groups are always public, regardless of the author's preference. Related - Group Membership - Newsfeed and Posts - Setting Up Products - Setting Up Plans

Group Membership

Status: Available How the group membership lifecycle, access statuses, invitations, and moderation work. Overview Group membership in TribeCrafter controls who can access and participate in each group. The membership system uses the same access model as courses -- members gain access through products or plans, and their membership status determines what they can do. How Members Join Groups Public Groups Any registered member can join a public group by clicking "Join Group" on the group page. No purchase is required. Paid Groups (Public or Private) For groups that require a purchase: 1. The member must purchase a product or subscribe to a plan that includes the group. 2. If auto-enrollment is enabled for the group in the product or plan configuration, the membership is created automatically upon purchase. 3. If auto-enrollment is not enabled, the member sees a "Join Group" button and must join manually. Free Groups Through Products Even free groups can be set up through the product system with a $0 product. This provides consistent access control and tracking across all groups. Membership Access Statuses Each group membership has an access status: | Status | Meaning | Member Experience | |--------|---------|-------------------| | Active | Full access to the group content. | Can view posts, create posts, comment, and react. | | Expired | Permission has expired, but member is still in the group. | Sees a "Renew Access" prompt. Cannot create new content. | | Suspended | Admin has manually blocked access. | Sees a suspension message. No access to any group content. | Key Rules - Only one membership record exists per member per group. - A suspended member cannot regain access automatically -- even if they repurchase. An admin must manually lift the suspension. - When an admin suspends a member, a reason must be provided and the suspending admin is recorded. - Expired members are still counted in the group's member count. Membership Lifecycle Here is the complete lifecycle of a group membership: | Scenario | Permission Status | Membership Exists? | Access Status | What Happens | |----------|-------------------|---------------------|---------------|--------------| | Never purchased | None | No | N/A | Member sees a "Purchase" CTA | | Purchased, not joined | Valid | No | N/A | Member sees a "Join Group" CTA | | Joined with valid permission | Valid | Yes | Active | Full access to group content | | Permission expired | Expired | Yes | Expired | "Renew Access" CTA shown | | Admin suspended | Valid or Expired | Yes | Suspended | Suspension message shown. Blocked even if renewed. | Access Expiry Access expiry for group memberships is checked automatically every 6 hours. When a member's permission expires: - Their membership status changes from "active" to "expired." - They can no longer create posts or comments in the group. - They see a prompt to renew their access. - Their membership is preserved -- if they renew, they regain full access. Lifetime Access Members who purchased a product with lifetime access, or who joined a free public group, keep their access indefinitely. The system skips expiry checks for lifetime memberships. Admin Suspension As an admin, you can suspend a member's group access through the admin panel. This is a strong action: - The member immediately loses access to group content. - A reason must be provided when suspending. - The suspension is recorded with the admin's identity. - The member receives a notification about the suspension. - The suspension remains in effect even if the member purchases a new product or renews their subscription. - Only an admin can manually restore access by changing the status back to "active." Key Settings | Setting | Description | |---------|-------------| | Auto-enrollment | Automatically add members when they purchase (configured per product/plan) | | Expiry check frequency | Every 6 hours | | Membership uniqueness | One membership per member per group | | Suspension persistence | Survives repurchase and renewal | Tips - Enable auto-enrollment for your most popular groups so new purchasers get immediate access. - Use suspension only for serious violations -- it is designed to be a strong administrative override. - Remember that expired members are still counted in the group's member count. This is by design, as they are still community members who may renew. - Public groups are a great way to build community engagement without requiring purchases. Consider having at least one public group where all members can interact. - Monitor membership statuses through the admin panel to identify members who may need attention (expired, suspended). Related - Creating and Managing Groups - Member Access and Permissions - Setting Up Products - Setting Up Plans