2

We are looking into integrating online community tools (like buddypress, peepso):

  • members can open closed and public groups
  • groups have mailinglist functionality, ideally posts to the group can be created by email and send out by email (such that the users don't have to learn a new platform, if they do not want to)
  • members can set up events
  • members can see / are informed over events in their proximity
  • members can set up profiles, have virtual friends and exchange messages

Ideally, the system would play together with CiviCRM. Has anyone thought about such a thing? I found only some non-integrated approaches to sync CiviCRM groups to mailman.

1
  • On what platform are you using CiviCRM? On wordpress, drupal? Commented Nov 14, 2019 at 8:32

2 Answers 2

3

This isn't strictly a CiviCRM question in my opinion, but here goes anyway...

members can open closed and public groups

This is built in to BuddyPress - check the box labelled "Enable group creation for all users" in BuddyPress settings.

groups have mailinglist functionality, ideally posts to the group can be created by email and send out by email (such that the users don't have to learn a new platform, if they do not want to)

I'm not sure about creating posts by email, but this plugin will do replies by email:

https://github.com/r-a-y/bp-reply-by-email

It is pretty technical but there's good documentation.

BP Groups CiviCRM Sync will keep BuddyPress group members synced with CiviCRM groups such that there are CiviCRM Mailing Groups per BuddyPress group - see the plugin page for details.

FWIW, I also use a combination of CiviCRM WordPress Profile Sync and BP xProfile WordPress User Sync to keep users' BuddyPress, WordPress and CiviCRM profiles in sync.

members can set up events

The CUNY fork of my BuddyPress Event Organiser plugin (which has been developed way beyond where I left it) enables BuddyPress group events and group calendars. You could also install CiviCRM Event Organiser to sync those events to CiviCRM.

members can see / are informed over events in their proximity

I don't know of anything that does this out-of-the-box, so it sounds to me like a custom plugin which uses (say) Event Organiser (which has a premium proximity add-on) and BuddyPress Group Email Subscription or CiviCRM to notify users.

members can set up profiles, have virtual friends and exchange messages

Again, this is all default BuddyPress functionality.

0

AFAIK this does not exist out of the box nor do I know of an extension that does this. At the same time I would imagine it would be possible to develop an extension that performs what you mention as the CiviCRM API caters for most of the stuff (not sure how the virtual friends would work but at a glance a relationship sounds right).

My recommendation would be to prototype the desired functionality with the API explorer, to see if you can cater for the situations that are likely to occur. That would mean that you would need to work out what CiviCRM entities to use in advance. Sounds like Contact, Group, GroupContact, Events, Participant, Relationship and potentially Mailing (or use the Email API extension).

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.