Beginner Questions ... Definitions, Adding members, permissions

[sherrera]

OK - I'm assuming that since I just installed the software and am getting the forum going ... that I'm still in the Installation Help area. :-)

1. What is the difference between a Category and a Board? Are Boards just subsections within a Category?
2. I see that I'm able to add members one at a time. Is there a way to do a batch add? We are a small group (less than 200), but I don't want to rely on membership to add their own accounts. I'm not looking forward to doing it one at a time!
3. I'm very confused with all the definitions and what their roles are, and so many options! Basically, I have 3 Categories. I want all members to access and contribute to all the Categories/Boards. I have one Category with its Board that I only want a group of about 10-15 to be able to access. How do you lock down that one Category and its Board so that just that one group of people can access it?
4. I do not want anyone to be able to create their own account. This is a closed group and I don't want any lookie-loos to see, register or participate.

Thank you in advance for your help!

[sherrera]

I found the area to disable registration.

So ... I'm down to needing to know if I can do batch registrations!

Thank you!

[Colin]

There might be an easier way to do this. What format is your current member database in?

[sherrera]

Right now, it's in a Filemaker database. I can export it in any format I'd need.

[Colin]

There are a few topics around that have floated around about CSV member imports such as http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=490196.0 http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=416958.0 (1.X). I personally don't have any experience with that though.