Asking for help in chat.civicrm.org¶
You might have been linked here because you've asked a question on CiviCRM chat.
Detail¶
- Detailed questions are easier to answer than vague ones. People are more likely to reply if your question has enough information for them to know the answer. For example: "I can't install CiviCRM" is not a descriptive question; "When I try to install CiviCRM, I see error XYZ on screen" is descriptive enough to be answered. Give details! Lots of details.
- Let us know what version of CiviCRM you're running, what CMS and version you're using and other information on your configuration (are you using any caching systems (Memcache, Redis etc).
- If you have already had a previous conversation on https://civicrm.stackexchange.com, include a link to that conversation. This will save you time in describing the issue and help responders to avoid repeating the same questions.
Research¶
- Search the web to see if others have asked your question, especially https://docs.civicrm.org and https://civicrm.stackexchange.com
- Share what you've tried ("I read the docs at https://docs.civicrm.org and it says to do X, Y, Z, but when I do Y I don't see the expected screen"). This will help those responding to answer appropriately.
Etiquette¶
- Try to ask in the right channel - ~user-support for using CiviCRM, ~dev-newcomers for new developer support, ~town square if you're unsure.
- Avoid posting the same question in multiple channels.
- Be patient. We try to be a helpful and supportive community, and we all lead busy lives. If no-one answers, check back later, or try posting on https://civicrm.stackexchange.com
- Ask one question at a time!
- Please "thread" your issue using MatterMost's reply feature to keep your issue in a single thread this makes it easier to assist you and allows others to jump in and catch up. You can use Shift+Up Arrow as a shortcut to reply!
- Avoid sending direct messages without checking with the person first! Having support discussions in public benefits the community, having them in private does not.