Design a backend workflow where an admin invites a user, the user accepts the invitation, and the account becomes active.

Design user invitations and onboarding

Designs an invitation workflow with token security, expiry, membership creation, email delivery, and replay-safe onboarding.

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I would model invitations as records with invited email, tenant or account scope, intended role, status, expiry time, invited-by user, and a server-generated one-time token. The accept endpoint would validate the token, expiry, status, and email ownership, then create or link the user account and membership in one transaction. Email delivery can be asynchronous, but accepting the invite is the source of truth for activation.

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Invitation lifecycle, token design, membership creation, authorization, email delivery, expiry, replay handling, and auditability.

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Invitation flows sit at the edge of identity, authorization, email, and product onboarding. A reliable design keeps account creation controlled while still making the first user experience simple.
I would model invitations as records with invited email, tenant or account scope, intended role, status, expiry time, invited-by user, and a server-generated one-time token. The accept endpoint would validate the token, expiry, status, and email ownership, then create or link the user account and membership in one transaction. Email delivery can be asynchronous, but accepting the invite is the source of truth for activation.
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I would make the flow safe to retry. Resending an invite updates delivery metadata or issues a new token, but it does not create duplicate memberships. Accepting an already-used invite returns a clear result instead of creating another account. The admin API needs permission checks for who can invite which role. The system also needs cancellation, expiry cleanup, audit events, and clear behavior when the invited email already has an account.

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Using the email link itself as proof without expiry or one-time use.
Creating memberships before the invite is accepted.
Letting broad admins invite privileged roles without checks.
No answer for resend, cancellation, or expired invites.

Design a backend workflow where an admin invites a user, the user accepts the invitation, and the account becomes active.

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