Invite External Stakeholders

This guide explains how to invite people who don't have Decisio accounts to participate in specific decisions. External participants can review materials, join discussions, and cast votes without creating a full account.

Use Case

Not everyone who needs to participate in a decision will be a member of your workspace. You might need input from:

• Lot owners voting at a strata AGM

• External advisors reviewing a proposal

• Contractors responding to a tender evaluation

• Community members participating in a consultation

Decisio's participant system lets you invite anyone by email to engage with a specific issue.

Prerequisites

• An active issue that requires external participation

• Email addresses of the people you want to invite

• Admin or Member role in the workspace

Step-by-Step Instructions

Invite Participants

1. Open the Issue

Navigate to the issue where you need external participation:

1. Go to your workspace

2. Open the relevant project

3. Click on the issue

Issue view with participants section

2. Access the Participants Panel

1. In the issue view, find the Participants section in the sidebar

2. Click Invite Participant

Participants section showing invite button

3. Enter Participant Details

For each person you want to invite:

1. Enter their email address

2. Optionally add their name for display purposes

3. Click Send Invite

Invite participant dialog

The email address is the participant's canonical identity. Even if they access the invitation from multiple devices, their participation is tracked consistently.

4. Repeat for Additional Participants

Continue inviting until all stakeholders are added:

1. Click Invite Participant again

2. Enter the next email address

3. Send the invitation

What Participants Receive

5. Invitation Email

Each participant receives an email containing:

• The issue title and brief description

• Who invited them and from which organisation

• A secure link to access the issue

• Instructions for participating

6. Participant Access

When a participant clicks the link, they see a welcome page:

Participant claim page

When a participant clicks Join Discussion:

1. They're taken directly to the issue (no account creation required)

2. They can view the issue description and context

3. They can see attached exhibits and evidence

4. They can read and add comments

5. They can cast votes on open motions

Participant portal view

Participants use anonymous authentication linked to their email. They don't need to remember passwords or manage accounts.

Manage Invitations

7. View Invited Participants

See who has been invited:

1. Open the issue

2. Check the Participants panel

3. View the list showing:

   • Participant name/email

   • Invitation status (sent, viewed, responded)

   • Whether they've voted on any motions

8. Resend Invitations

If someone hasn't received or can't find their invitation:

1. Find them in the Participants panel

2. Click the menu icon next to their name

3. Select Resend Invitation

4. A new email is sent with a fresh access link

9. Remove a Participant

If someone was invited in error:

1. Find them in the Participants panel

2. Click the menu icon

3. Select Remove Participant

4. Confirm the removal

Removing a participant revokes their access. If they've already voted, their vote remains in the record for audit purposes.

Participant Experience

10. The Participant Journey

From the participant's perspective:

1. Receive invitation - Email arrives with context and access link

2. Click link - Taken directly to the issue (no sign-up required)

3. Review materials - Read the issue, view exhibits, follow discussion

4. Participate - Add comments, ask questions

5. Vote - When motions are open, cast their vote

6. Done - No ongoing account to manage

11. Multi-Device Access

If a participant accesses from different devices:

• Each device creates a separate session

• All sessions link back to the same participant identity (via email)

• Votes are deduplicated - they can only vote once per motion regardless of device

Working with Participants During Voting

12. Check Participation Status

Before closing a vote:

1. Open the motion

2. View the voting panel

3. See who has voted vs. who hasn't

4. Consider sending reminders to non-voters

13. Participant Votes

Participants vote the same way as workspace members:

1. They open the motion

2. Review the proposal

3. Select their choice (Aye, Nay, Abstain, or Recuse)

4. Optionally add justification

5. Submit

14. After Voting Closes

Participants can:

• See the final outcome

• View how others voted (transparency after the fact)

• Access the resolution record

• Continue viewing the issue for reference

Tips and Best Practices

• Verify email addresses: Double-check addresses before sending invitations to avoid delivery failures

• Provide context: Write clear issue descriptions so participants understand what they're being asked to decide

• Set expectations: Tell participants in advance when they'll receive invitations and when decisions need to be made

• Allow time: Give participants adequate time to review materials before voting closes

• Send reminders: Follow up with non-voters as deadlines approach

• Explain the process: For first-time participants, briefly explain how Decisio works

Participant vs. Workspace Member

Capability	Workspace Member	Participant
Access all issues	Yes	No (invited issues only)
Create new issues	Yes (if permitted)	No
Propose motions	Yes	No
Vote on motions	Yes	Yes (invited issues)
Add comments	Yes	Yes (invited issues)
View exhibits	Yes	Yes (invited issues)
Manage workspace	Yes (if Admin/Owner)	No
Requires account	Yes	No

Related Guides

• Run a Board Meeting Decision - Using participants in meetings

• Conduct a Committee Vote - Configuring voting with participants

• Create an Audit Trail - How participant activity is recorded