Merge pull request #2112 from openedx/jhynes/aper-2285

docs: add configuration documentation on how to enable returning extended profile metadata through the User API

en_us/install_operations/source/configuration/deprecated_add_course_talk_widget.rst

@@ -1,16 +1,16 @@
 .. _Add CourseTalk (Deprecated):
 
-################################################
-DEPRECATED: This Is Unavailable in Lilac onwards
-################################################
-
 #############################################
 Adding the CourseTalk Widget
 #############################################
 
 This topic describes how to add `CourseTalk`_ widgets to your instance of Open
 edX. When you add the CourseTalk widget, it is visible for all courses.
 
+.. Note::
+
+   This feature has been deprecated and is unavailable in Lilac and onwards.
+
 .. contents::
    :local:
    :depth: 1

en_us/install_operations/source/configuration/index.rst

@@ -39,3 +39,4 @@ configuration options.
    install_xblock
    static_replace/cdn
    enable_weekly_learning_goals
+   retrieve_extended_profile_metadata

en_us/install_operations/source/configuration/retrieve_extended_profile_metadata.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+.. _Retrieve_Extended_Profile_Metadata:
+
+#####################################
+Retrieving Extended Profile Metadata
+#####################################
+
+This topic describes how an Open edX Administrator can configure their system to
+retrieve extended profile metadata stored as part of a user's profile.
+
+.. Note::
+  Modifying the software to persist or display the extended profile metadata is
+  beyond the scope of this document. This section describes how to enable and
+  include the retrieval of extended profile metadata through the User API.
+
+.. contents::
+   :local:
+   :depth: 2
+
+*********
+Overview
+*********
+
+The User API has a mechanism to accept and persist extra user metadata as part
+of a user's profile. This is called the *Extended Profile*. While there is no
+special configuration required to enable the storage of this data, it won't be
+*returned* by default.
+
+To enable retrieval of Extended Profile data, an Open edX Administrator must
+update their instance's Site Configuration.
+
+Updating the Site Configuration
+===============================
+
+An Open edX instance's Site Configuration is managed via Django Admin. To update
+the configuration properties for a site, follow these steps.
+
+#. Sign in to the Django administration console for your instance. For example,
+   ``http://{your_instance_url}/admin``.
+
+#. Select **Site Configurations**.
+
+#. From the **Site Configurations** menu, select the site you want to update.
+
+#. Enter a new configuration property in the **Site values** section named
+   ``extended_profile_fields``. Ensure that the new property is in valid
+   JavaScript Object Notion (JSON) format.
+
+   Consider the following example where we want to retrieve an extended profile
+   field named ``occupation``.
+
+   .. code-block:: none
+
+      {
+        "PLATFORM_NAME": "Online University",
+        ...other_fields,
+        "extended_profile_fields": [
+          "occupation"
+        ]
+      }
+
+#. Select **Save**.
+
+After the updated Site Configuration is saved, when making a GET request to the
+User REST API, we should see the ``occupation`` field returned in our requests:
+
+.. code-block:: none
+
+    {
+      ...other_fields,
+      "extended_profile": [
+        {
+          "field_name": "occupation",
+          "field_value": {
+            "name": "Organic Farmer"
+          }
+        }
+      ]
+    }