Users to Posts or Posts to Users.... WordPress
I have a challenge that I hope someone can help with.
I need some kind of light weight CRM on a site I am building and so far all the solutions I have tried are coming up a bit short.
I am using the excellent [[LINK href="http://www.designsandcode.com/wordpress-plugins/search-filter-pro/"]]Search & Filter Pro plugin[[/LINK]] to search, filter and display posts and it is working really well on other content on this site and my client would like to use the same system for the CRM.
However, Search & Filter Pro does not work for users - it only works for posts (custom post types and pages too).
I have so far imported all the contacts into the site as user accounts, but I would rather they were posts so I could easily search and filter them.
However, I need the ability to email the contacts from within Wordpress, and if they are a post rather than a user this could be difficult.
I need one of the following solutions:
1. CONTACTS AS POSTS
Every contact is a post (within a custom post type) and the contacts can be grouped into their own internal categories. Then I need plugin that will allow me to email all the contacts, an individual contact or all the contacts within a specific category with a custom message.
2. CONTACTS AS USERS
Every contact is a user (with some extra fields for additional info) but so I can search and filter them, I need a post for each user as well that is syncronised, so if they user account is updated, the post will be updated. I can then use a variety of existing email plugins to send email to the users. Users will be categorised using role types.
Or I am open to other suggestions!
I am hoping for answers that lead me in the right direction or suggest existing software that might handle things for me.
If anyone fancies building me a plugin to solve it, then that would be separate job.
Cheers, Sam
Answers (2)
Reigel Gallarde answers:
If I were to code this, I would go with option 2. But I have doubts on why would you need a post in option 2?
Sam Cranwell comments:
Searching and sorting users seems to be a pain. I've tried a couple of plugins for this and none of them come close Search & Filter Pro.
Also the other downside to making all the contacts users is that they can only be grouped by user role (at least sending email to groups of user by role is only way I can find currently). This means each user can only be assigned to 1 role at a time. Some of the contacts need to be in several groups.
If there is a work around to this I am all ears...
Hence my though of creating posts for each user that I can categorise as I wish.... But then there is the email issue.
Reigel Gallarde comments:
Ok, I get you. Do you have a plugin in mind for the mailer? We can word around based on that plugin if you have one.
Reigel Gallarde comments:
I found this [[LINK href="http://wordpress.stackexchange.com/questions/6163/commenting-in-user-profile-page/6165#6165"]]link[[/LINK]]. I tried it but not as much. It works though for your option 1. But needs a bit tweaking for your needs.
Reigel Gallarde comments:
For OPTION 2, there's a way to [[LINK href="http://justintadlock.com/archives/2011/10/20/custom-user-taxonomies-in-wordpress"]]add custom taxonomy for users[[/LINK]]. You can then create a taxonomy template like taxonomy-profession.php if you make a custom taxonomy "profession". More about it on the given link above...
I don't have Search & Filter Pro plugin but I've read it can be used for taxonomies, so I guess that should work.
Reigel Gallarde comments:
I tried the user custom taxonomy and fount out that it's missing add_action( 'init', 'my_register_user_taxonomy');
You need this for that to work.
Reigel Gallarde comments:
[[LINK href="http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/wordpress-custom-taxonomy-for-users/"]]Other resources[[/LINK]].. ;)
Sam Cranwell comments:
Thanks for the links.
I think either way may possibly work and it would possibly allow me to use Search & Filter Pro (although I can foresee a lot of trial and error with making search results templates that work with either method).
I'm not sure how I would get email working with either option though.
I was thinking of using [[LINK href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/sendpress/"]]SendPress[[/LINK]] as this allows me to send email to lists of users by their user role.
However, then comes the issue that a lot of users will need to be assigned to multiple groups, which may cancel out using user roles for grouping. I did find a function on GitHub that allows users to be assigned to multiple roles and although it worked it did seem like it was asking for trouble...
Ideally I need a plugin that will allow me to email a group of contacts using the email address held in a custom field, rather than a user account.... perhaps.
Reigel Gallarde comments:
I've checked SendPress. I think your way would be to be able to dynamically add subscribers.
So, you can use OPTION 1. A CPT with custom field for email address.
Then every update of the post, you have to update your subscriber's list on SendPress.
Sam Cranwell comments:
I really like the sound of this, but can't see a way of dynamically adding the subscriber using a custom field. I found some reference to Sendpress:SUBSCRIBE-user() but I am unsure how I would go about implementing it.
I know Sendpress can sync lists with users email addresses, but how to get it to sync with a custom field...
Unless you are saying to use the 'Person post' solution in the stackexchange link you sent?
Bard answers:
Gravityforms can do you both solutions, a form that you build for a CPT posting, or a form that you build for user registeration interface.
[[LINK href="https://www.e-junkie.com/ecom/gb.php?cl=54585&c=ib&aff=291595"]]Check it out[[/LINK]]
Sam Cranwell comments:
I am using Gravity Forms extensively on the site currently and I am already using it for user registration successfully, but I'm not sure if I can use it to email groups of users?
Bard comments:
You can try gravityforms mailchamp plugin, send group mail from mailchamp.
[[LINK href="http://www.gravityforms.com/add-ons/mailchimp/"]]Check this[[/LINK]]