# Create Groups for Your Hub

Groups are the backbone of Hub content management. They control what content appears in your catalog, who can contribute, and how content flows from draft to published state. This chapter explains group concepts and walks through creating them.

## Why Groups Matter

In ArcGIS Online, groups serve two critical functions for your Hub:

| Function | How It Works |
|----------|--------------|
| **Content organization** | Items shared to a group become searchable in your Hub catalog |
| **Access control** | Group membership and visibility settings determine who sees what |

```{important}
Your Hub doesn't store content directly. It displays content from groups. No groups = no catalog content.
```

## Group Types for Hubs

Most WB Hubs need at least two types of groups:

### Catalog Group (Required)

The primary group that feeds your Hub's searchable catalog.

| Attribute | Recommended Setting |
|-----------|---------------------|
| **Purpose** | Published, curated content visible to Hub visitors |
| **Visibility** | Matches your Hub visibility (Organization or Public) |
| **Membership** | Curators and publishers only |
| **Content** | Finalized, quality-checked items with complete metadata |

### Working Group (Recommended)

A staging area for content in development.

| Attribute | Recommended Setting |
|-----------|---------------------|
| **Purpose** | Drafts, work-in-progress, items under review |
| **Visibility** | Organization or Private |
| **Membership** | Contributors, reviewers, curators |
| **Content** | Items not yet ready for the public catalog |

## Group Naming Convention

Use consistent, descriptive names:

| Pattern | Example |
|---------|---------|
| `[Country] - [Purpose]` | `Nigeria - Catalog` |
| `[Country] - [Theme]` | `Nigeria - Foundational Data` |
| `[Country] - Working` | `Nigeria - Working` |

## Create a Group

1. **Sign in** to `https://geowb.maps.arcgis.com`

2. **Navigate to Groups:**
   - Click **Groups** in the top navigation
   - Click **Create Group**

3. **Configure group settings:**

   | Setting | What to Enter |
   |---------|---------------|
   | **Name** | Follow your naming convention |
   | **Summary** | Brief description of the group's purpose |
   | **Tags** | Include country/CMU identifier |

4. **Set membership access:**

   | Option | When to Use |
   |--------|-------------|
   | **Organization members can apply** | For broader contributor access |
   | **Invitation only** | For controlled, curated groups (recommended for Catalog) |

5. **Set visibility:**

   | Level | Who Can See Group & Content |
   |-------|----------------------------|
   | **Private** | Only group members |
   | **Organization** | All WB AGOL users |
   | **Public** | Anyone on the internet |

6. **Set content contribution:**

   | Option | Meaning |
   |--------|---------|
   | **All members can contribute** | Any member can share content to the group |
   | **Only managers can contribute** | Tighter control over what enters the group |

7. **Click Create Group**

## Recommended Group Configuration

### For Catalog Groups

```text
Name:           [Country] - Catalog
Summary:        Curated geospatial content for the [Country] Hub
Visibility:     Organization (or Public if Hub is public)
Membership:     Invitation only
Contribution:   All members can contribute
Members:        Hub Steward, Data Curators, approved publishers
```

### For Working Groups

```text
Name:           [Country] - Working
Summary:        Draft and in-progress content for [Country] Hub
Visibility:     Organization
Membership:     Invitation only
Contribution:   All members can contribute
Members:        All contributors, reviewers, curators
```

## Add Members to Groups

After creating a group:

1. **Open the group** from **Groups** > **My Groups**

2. **Click the Members tab**

3. **Click Invite Members**

4. **Search for users** by name or email

5. **Select a role:**

   | Role | Capabilities |
   |------|--------------|
   | **Member** | View group content, contribute items (if allowed) |
   | **Manager** | Add/remove members, manage group settings |
   | **Owner** | Full control, can delete group |

6. **Send invitations**

## Group Permissions Matrix

| Action | Member | Manager | Owner |
|--------|--------|---------|-------|
| View content | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Share content to group | ✓* | ✓ | ✓ |
| Remove content | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Invite members | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Change group settings | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Delete group | — | — | ✓ |

*If "All members can contribute" is enabled

## Content Workflow with Groups

The staging workflow in practice:

```text
1. Contributor uploads item to AGOL
2. Contributor shares item to Working Group
3. Curator reviews item (metadata, quality)
4. Curator shares item to Catalog Group
5. Item appears in Hub catalog
```

```{important}
Items must be shared to the Catalog Group to appear in your Hub. Simply uploading to AGOL is not enough.
```

## Troubleshooting

| Issue | Solution |
|-------|----------|
| **Can't create groups** | Verify your Creator license includes group creation; contact GeoLab |
| **Can't find users to invite** | User must have signed in to WB AGOL at least once |
| **Content not appearing in Hub** | Confirm item is shared to the correct Catalog Group |
| **Wrong visibility on content** | Check both group visibility AND item sharing settings |

## Outcome

After completing these steps, you have:

- [ ] Catalog Group created for published content
- [ ] Working Group created for drafts and staging
- [ ] Theme Groups created (if needed for your data governance)
- [ ] Key members invited with appropriate roles
- [ ] Understanding of how content flows between groups

## Next Steps

With your groups created, proceed to {doc}`connect-catalog` to link your Catalog Group to your Hub site.