Building a practitioner directory or category in a community

Product Support

AI-generated summary

In a discussion about building a practitioner directory or category in a community, cezzitall_oasis seeks guidance on creating a standardized form for SMEs or service providers—similar to an online resume—with fields like expertise, years of experience, and payment options. pfaffman suggests creating a dedicated category for SMEs and managing access via a group, but notes procedural complexities around eligibility and posting rules. cezzitall_oasis clarifies the need for a structured form rather than free-form posts. Moin recommends using Discourse’s experimental form templates, pointing to the #site-feedback:theme-feedback category as an example, and references a guide on topic templates for categories. cezzitall_oasis confirms the form templates look suitable. Heliosurge adds the Custom Wizard plugin as another option, and reiterates that form templates could work well for a special group, aligning with pfaffman’s suggestion. Overall, the community recommends using form templates or the Custom Wizard plugin to streamline practitioner onboarding with structured data collection.

1

I searched and did not find an answer

it may be my vocabulary is limiting my results.

For the community I am helping build we would like a category of SMEs or providers.

to facilitate intake we would like to use a form with standard options.

Is this a template? or something else?

would someone please advise possible options?

2

One way would be to create a category for SMEs and allow people to post a topic there.

Figuring out how to limit who could post there (a group called SMEs that allows people to ask to join?) is more complicated procedurally.

  • who can join?
  • what is OK to post in the category?

are just a couple of questions. . .

3

Jay,

I did not explain this well - it would be a form, like one might fill out for an online resume

say expertise - plumber, carpenter, networking

years of experience

do you accept credit cards,

(this are just random, but hopefully this make sense)

4

Something like https://meta.discourse.org/new-topic?category_id=152 ?

The #site-feedback:theme-feedback category uses form templates

There are also other alternatives explained in Using topic templates for categories

5

I believe the second or third look about right. Thanks

6

Maybe take a look at this

You might also be able to use Form-tenplstes if starting a new topic maybe for special group like @pfaffman suggest.