BarSight
Overview Pricing Resources Community Register Login
Sales or Support
1-855-715-1274
Crew

Community Boards: Team Communication Guide

Community Boards: Team Communication Guide

BarSight Community Boards give your team a place to connect, share ideas, ask questions, and build workplace culture. Think of it as a private social network just for your team—where servers can share tips, kitchen staff can exchange recipes, and everyone can join the conversation. This guide shows you how to make the most of your community boards.

Before You Start

To use community boards, you'll need:

  • Active Employee Account - You must be an active employee in BarSight
  • Board Access - Your company must have community boards enabled
  • Nickname - You'll choose a username for posting (can be anonymous or your real name)

Understanding Community Boards

What Are Boards?

Boards are organized discussion spaces for different topics. Your workplace might have boards like:

  • General Discussion - Company announcements and general chatter
  • Tips & Tricks - Share knowledge and best practices
  • Questions & Help - Ask for advice and get answers
  • Team Building - Fun topics, jokes, memes, water cooler talk
  • Suggestions - Ideas for improving the workplace
  • Department Boards - Kitchen-only, bar-only, or other department-specific boards

Public vs Private Boards

Public Boards:

  • All employees at your location can view and post
  • Great for company-wide discussions and announcements
  • Everyone can see who posted what

Private Boards:

  • Only specific employees or departments can access
  • Can be used for management discussions, department-specific topics
  • Additional features like surveys (anonymous feedback)
  • Managers can create and control private boards

Accessing Community Boards

From the Website

  1. Log in to BarSight
  2. Navigate to Crew → Community Hub or Team → Boards
  3. Browse the list of available boards

From the Mobile App

  1. Open the BarSight app
  2. Tap Community, Boards, or Hub from the menu
  3. See all boards you have access to

Setting Up Your Nickname

Before you can post, you need a nickname (username):

Choosing Your Nickname

  1. When you first try to post, you'll be prompted to create a nickname
  2. Enter your desired username:
    • Real Name - Use your actual name (e.g., "Sarah M")
    • Nickname - Use a fun alias (e.g., "BestServer", "ChefMike")
    • Anonymous - Use something generic (e.g., "Employee123")
    • Auto-Generated - The system can generate a random username for you
  3. Nicknames are unique—if someone else has it, you'll need to choose another
  4. Click Save

Changing Your Nickname

  1. Go to Community Hub
  2. Click your profile icon or Settings
  3. Select Change Nickname
  4. Enter your new nickname
  5. Click Update

Note: Some companies prefer real names for accountability, while others encourage fun nicknames for privacy. Follow your company's culture and guidelines.

Browsing and Reading Threads

View Available Boards

  1. Open the Community Hub
  2. You'll see all boards organized by category
  3. Each board shows:
    • Board name and description
    • Number of threads
    • Recent activity
    • Lock icon if it's a private board
  4. Click on a board to view its threads

View Threads in a Board

  1. Click on any board
  2. See all discussion threads (topics) posted to that board
  3. Each thread shows:
    • Thread title
    • Original poster's nickname
    • Number of replies
    • Last activity date
    • Special indicators (survey, pinned, etc.)
  4. Click on a thread to read the full conversation

Reading a Thread

  1. Click on any thread title
  2. Read the original post at the top
  3. Scroll down to see all replies in chronological order
  4. Each reply shows:
    • Author's nickname
    • Post date and time
    • Post content (text, images, etc.)
    • Like counter

Creating a New Thread

Start a new discussion topic:

Step 1: Choose the Right Board

  1. Navigate to the board where your topic fits best
  2. If unsure, use "General Discussion" or ask a manager

Step 2: Create Thread

  1. Click New Thread or the + button
  2. A thread creation form appears

Step 3: Choose Thread Type (Private Boards Only)

If you're posting to a private board, you may see thread type options:

  • Normal Thread - Regular discussion where all replies are visible to everyone
  • Survey - Collect private responses. Only the thread creator and managers see individual replies (great for anonymous feedback)

Step 4: Write Your Thread

  1. Thread Title - Write a clear, descriptive title (e.g., "Best way to handle difficult customers?")
  2. Message - Write your full post:
    • Explain your question or topic clearly
    • Provide context if needed
    • Be respectful and professional
    • You can format text (bold, italic, lists, etc.)
    • Add images if relevant
  3. Review your post
  4. Click Create Thread

Thread Best Practices

  • Use Descriptive Titles - "Tips for Friday night rush?" vs "Question"
  • Search First - Someone may have already asked your question
  • Choose the Right Board - Post kitchen questions in the kitchen board
  • Be Specific - Provide enough detail for helpful responses
  • Stay Professional - Remember this is a workplace forum

Posting Replies

Join the conversation by replying to existing threads:

Write a Reply

  1. Open the thread you want to reply to
  2. Scroll to the bottom (or use the reply box)
  3. Type your response in the message field
  4. Format your text as needed
  5. Optionally add images or GIFs
  6. Click Post Reply or Submit

Reply Etiquette

  • Stay On Topic - Keep replies relevant to the thread
  • Be Helpful - If someone asks a question, provide useful answers
  • Be Respectful - Disagree politely, avoid personal attacks
  • Don't Spam - Avoid posting the same thing multiple times
  • Use Quotes Sparingly - No need to quote the entire previous post

Liking Posts

Show appreciation for helpful or interesting posts:

How to Like a Post

  1. Find a post you appreciate
  2. Click the Like button or heart icon
  3. The like counter increases
  4. The author sees that their post was appreciated

When to Like Posts

  • Someone gave you helpful advice
  • A post made you laugh
  • You agree with someone's suggestion
  • You want to acknowledge a good point without adding a reply

Editing and Deleting Your Posts

Editing a Post

  1. Find your post (thread or reply)
  2. Click the Edit button or menu
  3. Make your changes
  4. Click Save
  5. An "edited" indicator may appear on the post

Deleting a Post

  1. Find your post
  2. Click the Delete button or menu
  3. Confirm deletion
  4. The post is removed

Note: You can only edit/delete your own posts. Managers may have additional permissions to moderate content.

Survey Threads (Private Boards)

Survey threads allow for anonymous feedback collection:

Responding to a Survey

  1. Open a thread marked as "Survey"
  2. Read the question or prompt
  3. Write your response
  4. Click Submit Response
  5. Your response is recorded privately

Survey Privacy

  • Only thread creator and managers can see individual survey responses
  • Other employees cannot see who responded or what they said
  • Great for gathering honest feedback on sensitive topics
  • Examples: "How can we improve the schedule?", "What would make your job easier?"

Notifications

Stay updated on board activity:

When You'll Get Notified

  • Someone replies to your thread
  • Someone replies to a thread you participated in
  • Someone likes your post
  • A manager posts an important announcement
  • New threads in boards you follow

Managing Notifications

  1. Go to Settings or your profile
  2. Find Board Notifications or Community Settings
  3. Choose notification preferences:
    • Email notifications
    • Push notifications (mobile app)
    • Frequency (instant, daily digest, none)
  4. Save your preferences

Community Guidelines

Do's

  • Be Respectful - Treat everyone with courtesy
  • Stay Professional - Remember this is a workplace platform
  • Share Knowledge - Help your coworkers learn and grow
  • Ask Questions - No question is too simple
  • Give Credit - Acknowledge others' good ideas
  • Stay Positive - Foster a supportive environment

Don'ts

  • No Harassment - Zero tolerance for bullying or discrimination
  • No Gossip - Don't spread rumors or talk negatively about coworkers
  • No Spam - Avoid repetitive or off-topic posts
  • No Personal Attacks - Disagree with ideas, not people
  • No Confidential Info - Don't share sensitive business information
  • No NSFW Content - Keep it work-appropriate

Consequences

Violating community guidelines may result in:

  • Post removal
  • Warning from management
  • Temporary or permanent board access removal
  • Disciplinary action per company policy

Manager Features

If you have manager permissions, you can:

Create Private Boards

  1. Go to Community Hub
  2. Click New Board
  3. Enter board details:
    • Board name
    • Description
    • Private or public
    • Who can access (if private)
  4. Click Create

Moderate Content

  • Delete inappropriate posts
  • Edit posts if necessary
  • Pin important threads to the top
  • Lock threads to prevent further replies
  • View survey responses

Sort and Organize Boards

  1. Click Sort Boards
  2. Drag and drop boards to reorder them
  3. Organize by importance or topic
  4. Save the new order

Tips for Active Participation

  • Check Daily - Visit boards regularly to stay engaged
  • Share Your Expertise - If you know the answer, help someone out
  • Welcome New Employees - Greet new team members who post
  • Celebrate Wins - Congratulate coworkers on achievements
  • Start Discussions - Don't be afraid to create threads
  • Use Humor - Appropriate jokes and memes build camaraderie
  • Give Feedback - Participate in surveys and suggestion threads
  • Be a Good Citizen - Report inappropriate content to managers

Troubleshooting

Problem: Can't access community boards

Solution:

  • Verify boards are enabled for your company
  • Check that you have an active employee account
  • Contact your manager if you should have access but don't

Problem: Can't see a specific board

Solution:

  • The board may be private and you're not on the access list
  • Ask your manager if you should have access
  • It may be a department-specific board for a different department

Problem: Nickname already taken

Solution:

  • Someone else is using that nickname
  • Try adding a number or variation (e.g., "Sarah2", "SarahM")
  • Use a different nickname entirely

Problem: Can't post to a thread

Solution:

  • The thread may be locked by a manager
  • You may not have permission to post to that specific board
  • Verify you've set up your nickname
  • Try refreshing the page

Problem: Not receiving notifications

Solution:

  • Check your notification settings in your profile
  • Verify your email address is correct
  • Check your spam/junk folder for board emails
  • Ensure push notifications are enabled (mobile app)

Real-World Use Cases

Sharing Tips

Scenario: You learned a great upselling technique.
Action: Post it to the "Tips & Tricks" board so everyone can benefit.

Asking for Help

Scenario: You're not sure how to handle a food allergy request.
Action: Post in "Questions & Help" and experienced staff will guide you.

Team Building

Scenario: Share a funny customer interaction (keep it anonymous/appropriate).
Action: Post to "Team Building" to make your coworkers laugh.

Giving Feedback

Scenario: Your manager creates a survey asking "What can we improve?"
Action: Submit your honest, anonymous feedback via the survey thread.

Welcoming New Hires

Scenario: A new employee introduces themselves.
Action: Reply with a warm welcome and offer to answer any questions.

Related Features

  • Messages - For private one-on-one or group conversations
  • Announcements - Official company communications
  • Employee Directory - Find and connect with coworkers

Quick Reference

Action How to Do It
View Boards Crew → Community Hub or Boards
Set Nickname Attempt to post → Enter nickname when prompted
Create Thread Open board → New Thread
Reply to Thread Open thread → Scroll to bottom → Type reply → Post
Like a Post Click the Like button or heart icon on any post
Edit Your Post Find your post → Edit → Make changes → Save
Delete Your Post Find your post → Delete → Confirm
Create Board (Manager) Community Hub → New Board