What is the best way to integrate member applications?

support
2

My forum uses applications, set up using the following:

  1. Link in the header (ref) to a page explaining application process

  2. Create a category for applications to be posted in, use either topic template for the category (one of the options in editing the category) or use a link with prefilled topic information (ref) to create the application

That gives you a way to draw attention to the application, a way to define the application questions, and a place to store the applications. We have the ‘applications category’ set to autoclose any new topics immediately (in category sections, again) and then someone moves the application to a private forum for discussion.

So the full process is:

  1. User creates forum account
  2. User clicks on ‘join link’, reads instructions, clicks button to fill out and submit application
  3. Staff moves from ‘submit’ to ‘review’ category (application is necessarily public prior to this, which may not be ideal depending)
  4. Staff and others review application
  5. Staff PMs user

Whether this will work for you will depend on your particular setup, but hopefully it gives you some ideas at least. It was initially just a quick workaround for us (we’re a ~12 year old gaming community that switched to Discourse earlier this year, been using applications the entire time), but it seems to work well enough so it’s sticking around for now.

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