The Topic Manager is an interface, available to the board administrator, controlling discussion topics and categories that appear on the board's topics page. Generally, this is the first screen that a user will see when entering the discussion board. Through the Topic Manager, topics and categories can be added, deleted, reordered, and edited.

• Topics - These are the locations where discussions can occur. Topics will probably contain threads and messages. Read this linked documentation to learn more about what topics are and how the features of the Topic Manager allow the administrator to control their display and properties.

• Categories - These are placeholders on the board's topic page to separate the topics. Their presence is for visual appeal only, as categories do not contain threads or messages. Read this linked documentation to learn more about what categories are and how to use the Topic Manager to control them.

• Getting Started Tutorial for Board Administrators: Step 3 goes to the Topic Manager to set up a discussion topic.

• Discus Administrator by Marshall Masters: Chapters 6 and 7 have numerous tutorials that involve the Topic Manager, and Appendix A, step 3 has templates to help in the planning and creation of topics and categories.