It’s very clear that this topic has come up many times before and it appears a hard line was finally drawn in this post in 2022:
https://meta.discourse.org/t/staff-generated-invites-bypass-the-must-approve-users-requirement/228199/30
However, this is exactly the problem I face again today. I fail to see the benefit of a bulk invite system that doesn’t streamline the process.
In my case, I’m starting up a new site and I have ~500 known members that I need to invite… and by invite, I mean lure away from dysfunctional Facebook groups. I would like to do everything in my power to smooth the path and transition for them, but I absolutely can’t allow the site to be open for any new member to join without approval. Given that these email addresses belong to individuals specifically invited by the site admin, an additional approval step seems unnecessary. I understand that I could send out a generic invite (just like I could send a link to the site myself) but that doesn’t do anything to help with the transition. In fact, the email would be coming from an unknown sender from an unknown forum.
Ideally, the Discourse team would reconsider and enable an option in the bulk invite tool that would allow bypassing the required approval when needed or desired. Nevertheless, respecting the previous decision, I plan to send the invites during a weekend when I can be on standby for immediate approval.
If anyone is aware of a method to script the approval of users automatically, please send it my way.