Forge Web - User Guide

This guide covers how to use Forge Web’s features for idea-to-execution tracking, team collaboration, and productivity.

Getting Started

Accessing Forge

1. Open your browser - Navigate to your Forge instance URL
2. Sign In - Click “Sign in with Microsoft” to authenticate with your organization
3. Dashboard - After signing in, you’ll land on the main dashboard

Navigation

The app uses a sidebar navigation with the following sections:

Quick Actions

• Command Palette - Press Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux) to open the search palette
• Theme Toggle - Switch between light and dark mode from the sidebar

Features

Ideas Management

Ideas are the starting point for capturing thoughts and concepts before they become actionable goals.

Creating an Idea

1. Navigate to Ideas in the sidebar
2. Click the + New Idea button
3. Fill in the form:
   • Title - A concise name for your idea
   • Description - Detailed explanation (supports markdown)
   • Priority - Low, Medium, High, or Critical
   • Status - Draft, Exploring, Validated, Parked, or Archived

Idea Statuses

Mind Map View

The Ideas page features an interactive mind map powered by React Flow:

• Pan - Click and drag on empty space
• Zoom - Use mouse wheel or pinch gesture
• Select Node - Click on an idea node to view details
• Connect Nodes - Drag between nodes to create connections

Linking Ideas to Goals

1. Open an idea’s detail view
2. Click Link to Goal
3. Select an existing goal or create a new one
4. The idea will appear in the goal’s linked ideas section

Goals Management

Goals represent measurable objectives that your team is working toward.

Creating a Goal

1. Navigate to Goals in the sidebar
2. Click + New Goal
3. Fill in the goal details:
   • Title - Clear, actionable goal name
   • Description - What success looks like
   • Priority - Low, Medium, High, Critical
   • Due Date - Target completion date
   • Progress - Manual percentage (0-100%)
   • Linked Idea - Optionally connect to an existing idea

Goal Statuses

Progress Tracking

• Update progress manually using the slider
• View progress visually in the goal card
• Progress bar shows percentage completion

Task Management (Kanban Board)

Tasks break down goals into actionable work items managed on a drag-and-drop Kanban board.

Board Columns

Creating a Task

1. Navigate to Tasks in the sidebar
2. Click + New Task or the + in any column
3. Fill in the task details:
   • Title - Brief description of the work
   • Description - Detailed requirements (markdown supported)
   • Priority - Low, Medium, High, Critical
   • Due Date - When the task should be completed
   • Goal - Link to a parent goal (optional)
   • Idea - Link to a related idea (optional)

Drag and Drop

• Move between columns - Drag a task card to another column
• Reorder within column - Drag up/down to change priority
• Changes are saved automatically
• Uses @dnd-kit for smooth interactions

Task Details Panel

Click any task card to open the detail panel:

• View and edit all task properties
• Add comments for discussion
• See linked goal and idea
• View task history

Activity Feed

The activity feed tracks all changes made within your organization.

What’s Tracked

• Ideas - Created, updated, status changes
• Goals - Created, updated, progress changes
• Tasks - Created, updated, moved between columns
• Users - Sign-ins and profile updates

Viewing Activity

1. The Dashboard shows recent activity across all entities
2. Filter by entity type (Ideas, Goals, Tasks)
3. Activity includes:
   • Who made the change
   • What was changed (with diff)
   • When it happened

Clear Activity

Administrators can clear the activity log:

1. Navigate to the Dashboard
2. Click the Clear Activity button
3. Confirm the action

Real-time Collaboration

User Presence

See who’s online in your organization:

• Online users appear with a green indicator
• Status updates every 3 seconds
• Shows user name and avatar

Voice & Video Calling

Start calls with team members directly from Forge:

1. Start a Call:

   • Click on an online user’s avatar
   • Select “Start Call”
   • Wait for them to accept

2. Receive a Call:

   • An incoming call dialog appears
   • Click “Accept” or “Decline”

3. In-Call Controls:

   • Toggle microphone on/off
   • Toggle camera on/off
   • Share your screen
   • End the call

Requirements:

• Both users must be online
• Microphone/camera permissions must be granted
• Modern browser with WebRTC support

Comments

Add comments to Ideas, Goals, and Tasks to discuss and collaborate.

Adding a Comment

1. Open any item’s detail view
2. Scroll to the Comments section
3. Type your comment in the text field
4. Press Enter or click Send

Comment Features

• View all comments in chronological order
• See author and timestamp
• Markdown formatting supported
• Comments visible to all organization members

Search

Use the global search to quickly find anything in Forge.

Command Palette

1. Press Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux)
2. Type your search query
3. Results show Ideas, Goals, and Tasks
4. Click a result to navigate directly

Search Features

• Real-time search as you type
• Results grouped by entity type
• Searches titles and descriptions
• Keyboard navigation (arrow keys + Enter)

Keyboard Shortcuts

Theme Customization

Light/Dark Mode

1. Click the theme toggle in the sidebar
2. Choose between Light, Dark, or System

The app uses next-themes for seamless theme switching with system preference detection.

Tips & Best Practices

Organizing Ideas

• Use descriptive titles that capture the essence
• Add detailed descriptions with markdown formatting
• Set appropriate priority to help with triage
• Move through statuses as ideas evolve: Draft → Exploring → Validated

Managing Goals

• Break large goals into smaller, measurable objectives
• Update progress regularly to maintain visibility
• Use due dates realistically
• Link goals to ideas for traceability

Task Workflow

• Keep Backlog clean - only add tasks you plan to work on
• Limit “In Progress” tasks to maintain focus
• Use “In Review” for tasks awaiting feedback
• Celebrate by moving tasks to “Done”

Collaboration

• Use comments for async communication
• Check user presence before starting calls
• Update items promptly to keep the activity feed useful

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Can’t sign in

1. Ensure you’re using your organization’s Microsoft account
2. Check if your organization has access to Forge
3. Clear browser cookies and try again
4. Contact your IT administrator

Voice/video calls not working

1. Grant microphone/camera permissions when prompted
2. Check browser permissions in Settings
3. Ensure both users are online
4. Try refreshing the page
5. Check firewall isn’t blocking WebRTC

Changes not saving

1. Check internet connectivity
2. Refresh the page
3. Look for error messages in the UI
4. Check browser console for errors

App is slow

1. Close unused browser tabs
2. Clear browser cache
3. Check internet connection
4. Try a different browser

Browser Support

Note: WebRTC features (calling) require a modern browser with camera/microphone support.

Getting Help

If you encounter issues not covered in this guide:

1. Check the Deployment Guide for setup issues
2. Check the Development Guide for technical issues
3. Contact your system administrator