# Brand new user. Could use basic guidance

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/brand-new-user-could-use-basic-guidance/112656
**Category:** Community Building
**Created:** [March 27, 2019, 2:37am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/brand-new-user-could-use-basic-guidance/112656 "2019-03-27T02:37:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 2

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### Author: ![bts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/bts/32/184556_2.png) [@bts](https://meta.discourse.org/u/bts)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2019, 3:36am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/brand-new-user-could-use-basic-guidance/112656/2 "2019-03-27T03:36:39Z")

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Hi Laurence! When you first set up your forum, you should see a special default topic with the title “READ ME FIRST: Admin Quick Start Guide” (in the private “Staff” category). This contains an overview of most of the basic info for configuring your site as an admin — things like testing email, setting up categories, and sending invites.

This is also quite good as a basic guide for getting up to speed on a lot of the terminology and features, both for you and as something to point users to as needed: [Understanding Discourse for new users](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-new-user-guide/96331)

These blog posts are useful as well:

- [Building a Discourse Community](https://blog.discourse.org/2014/08/building-a-discourse-community/)
- [Launching a Successful Discourse Community](https://blog.discourse.org/2018/08/launching-a-successful-discourse-community/)

For further specific questions that arise as you get everything set up, best place to get help is right here! First thing I do is usually try some searches here on [meta.discourse.org](http://meta.discourse.org). Then if you’re unable to find existing discussions / answers, go ahead and make a new topic.

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