diff --git a/invenio_config_tugraz/__init__.py b/invenio_config_tugraz/__init__.py
index 48cadf0..8b99494 100644
--- a/invenio_config_tugraz/__init__.py
+++ b/invenio_config_tugraz/__init__.py
@@ -10,7 +10,13 @@
 
 from .ext import InvenioConfigTugraz
 from .generators import RecordIp
+from .utils import get_identity_from_user_by_email
 
 __version__ = "0.10.0"
 
-__all__ = ("__version__", "InvenioConfigTugraz", "RecordIp")
+__all__ = (
+    "__version__",
+    "InvenioConfigTugraz",
+    "RecordIp",
+    "get_identity_from_user_by_email",
+)
diff --git a/invenio_config_tugraz/utils.py b/invenio_config_tugraz/utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4047d46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/invenio_config_tugraz/utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2022 Graz University of Technology.
+#
+# invenio-config-tugraz is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+# modify it under the terms of the MIT License; see LICENSE file for more
+# details.
+
+"""Utils file."""
+
+from flask_principal import Identity
+from invenio_access import any_user
+from invenio_access.utils import get_identity
+from invenio_accounts import current_accounts
+
+
+def get_identity_from_user_by_email(email: str = None) -> Identity:
+    """Get the user specified via email or ID."""
+    if email is None:
+        raise ValueError("the email has to be set to get a identity")
+
+    user = current_accounts.datastore.get_user(email)
+
+    if user is None:
+        raise LookupError(f"user with {email} not found")
+
+    identity = get_identity(user)
+
+    # TODO: this is a temporary solution. this should be done with data from the db
+    identity.provides.add(any_user)
+
+    return identity