diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b10bd2c3..a82f9fa4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 [![Lint and test](https://github.com/uhh-cms/hh2bbtautau/actions/workflows/lint_and_test.yaml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/uhh-cms/hh2bbtautau/actions/workflows/lint_and_test.yaml)
 [![License](https://img.shields.io/github/license/uhh-cms/hh2bbtautau.svg)](https://github.com/uhh-cms/hh2bbtautau/blob/master/LICENSE)
 
-
 ### Quickstart
 
 A couple test tasks are listed below.
@@ -44,6 +43,12 @@ law run cf.CreateDatacards \
     --workers 3
 ```
 
+### Useful links
+
+- [columnflow documentation](https://columnflow.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html)
+- [Nano documentation](https://gitlab.cern.ch/cms-nanoAOD/nanoaod-doc)
+- [Correctionlib files](https://gitlab.cern.ch/cms-nanoAOD/jsonpog-integration)
+- [HLT info browser](https://cmshltinfo.app.cern.ch/path/HLT_MediumChargedIsoPFTau180HighPtRelaxedIso_Trk50_eta2p1_v)
 
 ### Development
 
diff --git a/hbt/columnflow_patches.py b/hbt/columnflow_patches.py
index be48971a..e55999d5 100644
--- a/hbt/columnflow_patches.py
+++ b/hbt/columnflow_patches.py
@@ -55,7 +55,34 @@ def htcondor_job_resources(self, job_num, branches):
     logger.debug(f"patched htcondor_job_resources of {HTCondorWorkflow.task_family}")
 
 
+@memoize
+def patch_user_parameters():
+    """
+    Adds user parameters to some tasks.
+    """
+    from hbt.tasks.parameters import user_parameter_inst
+    from columnflow.tasks.framework.remote import (
+        BundleRepo,
+        BundleSoftware,
+        BuildBashSandbox,
+        BundleBashSandbox,
+        BundleCMSSWSandbox,
+    )
+
+    for cls in [
+        BundleRepo,
+        BundleSoftware,
+        BuildBashSandbox,
+        BundleBashSandbox,
+        BundleCMSSWSandbox,
+    ]:
+        cls.user_parameter = user_parameter_inst
+
+    logger.debug("patched user parameters")
+
+
 @memoize
 def patch_all():
     patch_bundle_repo_exclude_files()
-    patch_htcondor_workflow_naf_resources
+    patch_htcondor_workflow_naf_resources()
+    patch_user_parameters()
diff --git a/hbt/tasks/parameters.py b/hbt/tasks/parameters.py
index 8acb6918..936d3265 100644
--- a/hbt/tasks/parameters.py
+++ b/hbt/tasks/parameters.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 Custom, common parameters.
 """
 
+import getpass
+
 import luigi
 
 
@@ -15,3 +17,9 @@
     default=False,
     description="escape some characters for markdown; default: False",
 )
+user_parameter_inst = luigi.Parameter(
+    default=getpass.getuser(),
+    description="the user running the current task, mainly for central schedulers to distinguish "
+    "between tasks that should or should not be run in parallel by multiple users; "
+    "default: current user",
+)