The first step will be to login to your Control Panel using your administration username and password. You will want to click on the icon that is circled in this image (Forums) in order to manage your Forums module.

Upon clicking the Forums icon, you will see a menu like the following:

Settings

Advanced Settings

This section allows some control over how the Forums will display. Note: Any changes made to this area absolutely requires an excellent working knowledge of both CSS and HTML. PLEASE do not make changes here without being absolutely certain of what you are doing. None of your changes to this area are supported by our staff. 

Forums CSS:
.forumheaders {ldelim} font-size: 8pt; background: #444444; color: white {rdelim} .forumtitlecell {ldelim} font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; padding: 3px {rdelim} .forumlastpostcell {ldelim} font-size: 8pt; text-align: center; padding: 3px {rdelim} .forumpostscell {ldelim} font-size: 8pt; text-align: center; padding: 3px {rdelim} .forumadmincell {ldelim} font-size: 8pt; text-align: center; padding: 3px {rdelim} .forumheading {ldelim} font-size: 9pt; font-weight: bold; color: white; background: #777777; padding: 3px {rdelim} .forumname {ldelim} font-size: 9pt; {rdelim} .forumdescription {ldelim} font-size: 8pt; {rdelim} .forumrowodd {ldelim} background: #F5F5F5; {rdelim} .forumroweven {ldelim} background: #F0F0F0; {rdelim} .forumposttable {ldelim} border: 1px solid #888888;{rdelim} .forumposttime {ldelim} background: #555555; color: white; padding: 4px{rdelim} .forumpostheader {ldelim} background: #CFCFCF; padding: 5px; height: 60px; padding-left: 58px; background-image: url(/themes/images/pluginicons/forums_post.gif); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: center left; {rdelim} .forumpostbody {ldelim} background: #EEEEEE; padding: 5px; {rdelim} .forumpostlinebreak {ldelim} height: 1px; border: 0px; background-color: #BBBBBB; {rdelim} .forumpostsubject {ldelim} font-weight: bold; background-image: url(/themes/images/pluginicons/forums_page.gif); background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-left: 16px; margin-left: 2px; {rdelim} .forumquotetable {ldelim} border: 1px solid #888888; background: #F9F9F9{rdelim} .forumcodetable {ldelim} border: 1px solid #888888; background: #F5F9F5{rdelim} .forumpostauthor {ldelim} font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; {rdelim} .forumpostdetails {ldelim} text-align: right; color: #777777 {rdelim}

Once you have finished changing your preferences in the General Settings, click the Update Settings button to continue.

Forums
Clicking the Forums icon will bring you to a list of current Forum categories.

Here you can edit , delete or create new Forum categories. The forum section does not support subcategories. Edits a Forum. Deletes a Forum.  Here you can also see who posted last in each category.

Other Management Options:

"Sticky" thread allows the admin to "pin" a forum topic at the top of the list, so that it's always shown before all other topics.  Useful for showing "forum rules" or other important topics.  Many forums sell sticky ads too -- that is, they'll put an ad for a company in a sticky so that it looks like a forum topic.
 
"Lock" thread means the admin no longer allows posts to this forum thread.

"Delete" thread allows the admin to delete the entire string of forum posts in that particular thread.

Forums
Clicking the Forums icon will bring you to a list of current Forum categories.

To create a new Forum category, simply type in a Name (ie: Local News) and a Description (ie: Share your news from around town). Then click the button.