---
title: "Add external participants to a performance activity"
slug: "add-external-participants-to-a-performance-activity-1"
tags: ["How-to", "Totara Skills"]
updated: 2026-10-08T07:26:08Z
published: 2026-10-08T07:26:08Z
canonical: "totara.help/add-external-participants-to-a-performance-activity-1"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://totara.help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Add external participants to a performance activity

When you create a [performance activity](/totara-20/docs/what-are-performance-activities-1), if you have set one of the **Responding participant** or **View-only participant** places to be an external participant then their details will need to be added in order to get access. An external participant is someone outside of your organisation who does not normally have access to you system. For example this might be a customer, contractor, or someone you are collaborating with from another company.

This is done in two parts, you must first add the external participant relationship whilst you are creating the activity and then add the specific participant after the subject instance is generated.

## **Part 1: When creating an activity**

If you wish to add the external participant then this relationship must be enabled during activity creation, before it is activated.

1. Follow the steps to [create a performance activity](/totara-20/docs/create-a-performance-activity-1).
2. Go to the **Content** tab.
3. Add **External respondent** as one of the **Responding participants**.
4. Next, go to the **Assignments** tab.
5. Set the user you want to select the external participant(s) in **Selection of participants**.
6. Click **Save changes**.

## **Part 2: Once the subject instance is generated**

After the activity has been activated the user responsible for selecting the external participant must select them.

You must add all of the desired external participants at the same time as you will be unable to repeat this action once you click **Save**.

If you have enabled notifications for subject instance creation then the person responsible for choosing external participants will receive a notification with a link to the selection interface.

Otherwise they will need to follow these steps.

1. From the top navigation bar go to *Develop > Activities*.
2. In the banner above the table click **Select participants.**
3. Find the activity and add the **Name** and **Email** of the desired external participant.
4. Use the plus button to add any additional external participants.
5. Click **Save** to save the selection.

This will then send an email notification to the external participant using the **Instance creation** notification template.

## Next steps

- [Activate a performance activity](/totara-20/docs/activate-a-performance-activity-1)

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