Bulk Invite Users

[codinghorror (Jeff Atwood)]

We should have a user interface for bulk inviting users to Discourse, since it comes up so often.

Probably the best place to trigger this is from the user page, which already has an Invites area:

• Add a button, “Batch Invite from File”
• File should have format explained on the page
• Format should probably be CSV, one line per user, in the format username, Very Long Name, email@example.com (should we support group here @sam)
• Uploading the file triggers sending invites to everyone in the file, and adding them to the invite directory on that page, same as if you had clicked the “Send an Invite” button 100, 200, 500 times and done it manually.

I am not sure if the invites support pre-staging the username (short+unique) and name (long+not-unique), but we should support it for the file upload case.

[techAPJ (Arpit Jalan)]

Sent a PR for this:

https://github.com/discourse/discourse/pull/2415

[codinghorror (Jeff Atwood)]

One other tweak @techapj. When the panel is empty, it says:

No invites were found.

This copy should change to include

No invites were found.

You can send invites individually, or to larger groups by submitting an invite file.

The invite file link should link to a permanent howto topic here on meta that describes the invite file format, how it works, and walks people through the process with screenshots.

[techAPJ (Arpit Jalan)]

This is now implemented:

copyedits on bulk invite

Here’s the howto for detailed description:

Send Bulk User Invites

A simpler way to invite many users to your Discourse instance is with a shared link. Select the main Invite button on your Invites page, adjust the options according to your needs, then select the  Save Invite to generate a sharable link. So you want to invite users to your Discourse instance, but you have so many that sending invites individually would be a lot of work? Good news – you can send bulk invites! Here’s how: Prepare CSV File Prepare a CSV file with the users you…

[codinghorror (Jeff Atwood)]

Looks great! We need to add support for two more fields in the CSV file:

• long name (non-unique, unicode user name)

• short name (unique, max 20 chars ASCII username)

Keep email as the first field, so:

maxwell@example.com, Maxwell P Username Jr., maxuser
sadie@example.com, Sadie Pushweather, sadiep

[tobiaseigen]

Don’t you think it’s ok to let the user decide their own long name and short name, or have this come from google etc along with their photo if they log in via that method? Or am I missing something?

More urgent (to me) would be to have invites recognized even if the person ignores the invite link and logs in directly, and to have the ability to add people to groups as they are bulk invited.

[codinghorror (Jeff Atwood)]

This pre-fills the information for them. If you don’t want it, don’t add those fields to that line of the CSV file. Simple.

Groups will be added later, post V1.0 probably.

[precise54 (David John Smith)]

Hi guys

I’d love to help out here. If you need any help with this feature please let me know.

Thanks, David

[precise54 (David John Smith)]

So I’ve started working on this at a really inopportune time. My final exams are looming, so I’m going in to full lock-down for the next fortnight. If it’s still outstanding at that point I’ll jump back on it, just wanted to let you all know in case someone is hanging out for this feature.

[codinghorror (Jeff Atwood)]

Are you working on this now? @techAPJ can take over if it is a bad time.

[precise54 (David John Smith)]

No I’m not. Progress up to this pint has been negligible. If @techAPJ can take over that would be great.

[techAPJ (Arpit Jalan)]

Okay, no problem. I’ll take this over. Thanks for your efforts though!