Enable the submission of contributions for invited persons only

We would like to enable the submission for invited persons for two submission types ('invited symposia' and 'invited plenary'). These submission types shall not be visible to "normal" authors. How can we achieve this?

First, you need to enable an extra user status called 'Approved to Submit'. Specific users subsequently get the right to submit contributions after the submission deadline(s) set for one or more Submission Types / Tracks. Please go to:
Overview => Settings => Settings for User Registration => Main Settings for User Registration and Management
… and enable the user status accordingly (image 1).

To hide these submission types from other users please go to:
Overview => Settings =>Manage Submission Types / Conference Tracks
… select the Conference Track, click on the button 'Edit Submission / Track' and on the next page make sure that the submission deadline lies in the past but keep the submission module enabled (image 2). The track will now only be visible to users with the status 'Approved to Submit', as this status allows for submitting papers after the deadline has passed. Please also note that the submission module most not be disabled in Phases and Deadlines.

Additionally you need to edit each affected user account to give invited persons the option to submit contributions. Please go to:
Overview => User and Participant Management => List of All Users
… click on 'Edit User' and scroll down to the section 'Administrative Data' to assign the status 'Approved to Submit' (image 3). Editing this option is only available to Admins, Assistants and Chairs.

To test the updated status, on the list of all users you can use the option "Login as" to log in to an account of a user who has the status 'Approved to Submit' (image 4).

Users with the status 'Approved to Submit' are informed about this special status when they access the page "Your Submissions" (image 5).

If you want to contact all users with the status 'Approved to Submit', use the bulk e-mails function. Please go to:
Overview => Bulk E-Mails =>Send E-Mails to a Group of Users
… and set the filter '*Only Users With Status' to 'Approved to Submit: The user may submit one new contribution before or after the submission phase' (image 6).