Article Links Introduction | Class and Event Comparison | Step 1: Create the Class | Step 2: Assign the Class | Step 3: Manage Class Roster | Step 4: Take Attendance | Step 5: Attach the Sign-In Sheet |
Additional Functions: Edit a Class | Delete a Class | Restore a Previous Version of a Class |
INTRODUCTION
A class is one of two ways to track instructor-led training that occurs within your organization. A class allows you to create, schedule, and notify learners of upcoming instructor-led training sessions.
Once created in the LMS, Classes become activities that can be assigned to your users and attendance tracked when the training has ended.
The user attains a completion record when the training has ended and the administrator takes attendance. Then, reports can be run to see who has attended the assigned training.
CLASS AND EVENT COMPARISON
There are two methods to create, assign, and track instructor-led training; Classes and Events. Refer to the Events: Create, Update and Delete article to learn how to create and manage events in the LMS.
A Class includes features such as:
- Pre-scheduling multiple sessions over a period of time
- Notifications
- Identifying training locations and instructors
- Allow self-enrollment
- Require supervisor approval
- Close sessions for enrollment, registration, and completion
- Session Details: provide a virtual meeting link or specific details about the class
It is a multi-step process that includes designing the class that may include multiple topics, sessions, scheduling, notification, and creating manual completion records. The five-step process includes:
Step 1: Create the Class
Step 2: Assign the Class
Step 3: Manage the Class Roster
Step 4: Take Attendance
Step 5: Attach the Sign-in Sheet
Whether to use an Event or a Class is completely up to the LMS Administrator. However, if you do not want to take advantage of notification, pre-scheduling, setting up multiple occurrences in advance, or self-enrollment, then use an Event to track your instructor-led training.
Examples of Class Structures
Classes can be designed to include one or more topics and offered one or more times. We call those sessions.
Single Topic Class: One or More Sessions | Multiple Topic Class: One or More Sessions |
The most common class structure is a one topic class offered one or more times. |
A multiple topic class is a course of study that includes multiple subjects as a part of one class. Each topic can be offered one or more times. A learner must complete all topics in the class in order to attain a completion record. The example below demonstrates a class that includes two topics. Sessions can have unique start times and durations. |
STEP 1: CREATE A CLASS
Best Practice: Prior to creating a class, create contacts and places first. Refer to the Contacts: Create, Edit, Delete and Deactivate and the Places: Create, Edit, Delete and Deactivate articles for instructions to create a contact and a place.
Contacts: This allows you to create a record for non-employees that conduct instructor-led training. You will be able to select from users or contacts when identifying the instructor for the class.
Places: This allows you to create conference rooms and locations where training in your organization is typically conducted.
Note: If notifications are turned on and an email address is included in the user record, the notification will include the instructor names and conference room that were added to the class record. Your employees will know who is conducting the class and where the classroom is located.
Follow these steps to create a class:
- Click the Administration tab at the top of the screen
- Click Training Import and Creation, then the Content Wizard link on the left menu bar
How do you want to add content?
- Click the Create button
- Click the Start button
What type of content do you want to create?
- Click the Class button
- Click the Next button
Please specify a save location
- Click the Select a Repository link or the Select button
Note: A repository is much like a folder on a network or local hard drive and is used to store training content imported in the LMS. Refer to the Files and Repositories Overview article for more information on Repositories.- Select the checkbox to the left of the desired repository
- Click the Select button (you will be returned to the Specify Import Location screen)
- Click the Next button
Set Activity Properties
- Display Name: Enter the name of the class.
- Description: Use to type a description of the activity. This field is visible to all users.
- Activity Duration: This field will be automatically set using the cumulative credit hours specified for each topic.
- Make Public: Choose to allow this item to be shared with other LMS Administrators in different parts of your organization so they can upload it to their location. Refer to the Sharing Files between Locations article to learn more about file sharing and making files public.
NO: Default. The file will not be shared.
YES: The file will be shared. - Click the Next button
- The LMS will direct you to the Edit Class screen. The first topic and session are present.
Edit First Topic
- Click in the Topic field and delete existing text by clicking on the X on the right side of the text field
- Type the Topic Name in the Topic text entry field
Note: Do not change the credit hours. The credit hours will aggregate based on the number and length of sessions added.
Edit First Session
- Click the Edit button to the left of the first session
Note: The date and time default to the current date and time. That can be changed during editing. - Click in the Start Date field and select a start date on the calendar. You can move the month forward and backward by clicking on the forward and backward buttons to the right and left of the month
Note: There is no need to enter an end date if the end date is the same as the start date. - Click in the Start Time field and use the up and down arrow keys to change the start time and indicate if it is a.m. or p.m.
- Click in the End Time field and use the up and down arrow keys to change the end time and indicate if it is a.m. or p.m.
- Click the Select Instructor link or the Select button to the right of the Instructor link
Note: If your instructor is a non-employee refer to the Contacts: Create, Edit, Delete and Deactivate article to create a non-employee contact to be used and selected as an instructor for this class.- Select User or Contact from the Look for drop-down list
Note: Select User when the instructor is an employee of your organization. Select Contacts If the instructor is a non-employee and has been added as a contact in the LMS. - Select one or more users or contacts from the list of Available Records and click the right arrow to move them to the Selected Records table.
- Click the Select button on the menu bar
- You will be returned to the Edit Session screen and the selected instructor(s) will be populated in the instructor field.
- Select User or Contact from the Look for drop-down list
- Click the Select Place link or the Select button to the right of the Place link.
Note: Refer to the Places: Create, Edit, Delete and Deactivate article to create conference rooms or locations that are typically used to conduct training.- Select the place from the list of available records.
- Click the Select button on the menu bar.
- You will be returned to the Edit Class Session screen and the selected place will be populated in the instructor field.
- Allow Self Enrollment? Check this box to allow learners to self-enroll in the class.
Note: Refer to the Assign Training: Basic Scheduling article or the Assign Training: Advanced Scheduling article to assign this class to the users you want to allow to self-enroll in the class. - Approval Required? Check this box to require users to get approval prior to registering for a class.
Note: Please refer to Classes: Activate Supervisor Approval to perform a one-time set up to use this feature. - Session Complete. Check to mark the session complete and close the session for enrollment, registration, and completion on the manage class roster. This is to enhance performance when viewing the class roster.
Note: This checkbox will only appear AFTER the session date has passed. - Session Details Section. This section is designed to provide a virtual meeting link or specific details about this session. Any data entered in this section will appear on all class notifications. Links to add the session to any calendaring program such as Outlook or Gmail will be included in the notification.
- Display to: Select Enrolled/Approved User or All Users.
- Text box: Enter any relevant information required such as
- Click the Done button.
- You will be returned to the Edit Class screen. You have just created a class with one topic and one session.
- Refer to the links below to view instructions to complete any of the following:
Filter Sessions | Add/Copy Sessions | Delete Sessions | Add Topics | Delete Topics | Duplicate Group | Set Class Properties | Save and Publish | Take Attendance |
Filter Sessions
When editing an existing class you may want to filter on a subset of all the sessions created to make editing easier.
- Follow the steps to Edit a Class
- Click the “Show sessions newer than” drop-down list and select one of the following:
- Show all: Displays all sessions
- Today: Displays all sessions scheduled for the current date
- 1 Month Ago: Displays all sessions scheduled 1 month ago
- 6 Months Ago: Displays all sessions scheduled 6 months ago
- The screen will reformat and display the selected sessions
- Refer to the links below to view instructions to complete any of the following:
Add/Copy Sessions | Delete Sessions | Add Topics | Delete Topics | Duplicate Group | Set Class Properties | Take Attendance | - Follow the steps to Save and Publish if once all changes were made to the class
Add/Copy Sessions
Follow these steps to schedule additional sessions. You can add new sessions at any time. Classes can have an unlimited number of sessions.
- Follow the steps to Edit a Class
- Click the Session button at the top of the Menu bar OR click the Copy Session button to the left of the session to be copied
- Click the Edit button to the left of the new or copied session
Note: The date and time default to the current or copied date and time. That can be changed during editing. - Click in the Start Date field and select a start date on the calendar. You can move the month forward and backward by clicking on the forward and backward buttons to the right and left of the month.
Note: There is no need to enter an end date if the end date is the same as the start date. - Click in the Start Time field and use the up and down arrow keys to change the start time and indicate if it is a.m. or p.m.
- Click in the End Time field and use the up and down arrow keys to change the end time and indicate if it is a.m. or p.m.
- Click the Select Instructor link or the Select button to the right of the Instructor link
Note: if your instructor is a non-employee refer to the Contacts: Create, Edit and Delete article to create a non-employee contact to be used and selected as an instructor for this class. - Select User or Contact from the Look for drop down list
Note: Select User when the instructor is an employee of your organization. Select Contacts If the instructor is a non-employee and has been added as a contact in the LMS. - Select one or more users or contacts from the list of Available Records and click the right arrow to move them to the Selected Records table.
- Click the Select button on the menu bar
- You will be returned to the Edit Session screen and the selected instructor(s) will be populated in the instructor field.
- Click the Select Place link or the Select button to the right of the Place link.
Note: Refer to the Places: Create, Edit and Delete article to create conference rooms or locations that are typically used to conduct training. - Select the place from the list of available records.
- Click the Select button on the menu bar
- You will be returned to the Edit Class Session screen and the selected place will be populated in the instructor field
- Allow Self Enrollment? Check this box to allow learners to self-enroll in the class.
- Click the Done button.
- You will be returned to the Edit Class screen.
- Repeat this step until all sessions have been scheduled.
- Refer to the links below to view instructions to complete any of the following:
Filter Sessions | Delete Sessions | Add Topics | Delete Topics | Duplicate Group | Set Class Properties | Take Attendance | - Follow the steps to Save and Publish the class once all changes have been made to the class
Delete Topics/Sessions
Note: If the class has already been assigned and completed by users, deleting topics/sessions are generally discouraged as all user completion records associated with those topics/sessions will also be deleted. Classes that have never been assigned or completed can easily be deleted.
Best Practice: Inactivate this class when the class has been completed by users and then create a new class. Refer to the Activities: Deactivate and Activate article for instructions to deactivate a class.
Follow the steps below to delete topics or sessions:
- Follow the steps to Edit a Class
- Click the Delete button to the left of the desired topic name or session
- Click the Yes button on the Confirm Deletion screen
- Refer to the links below to view instructions to complete any of the following:
Filter Sessions | Add/Copy Sessions | Delete Sessions | Add Topics | Duplicate Group | Set Class Properties | Take Attendance | - Follow the steps to Save and Publish the class once all changes have been made to the class
Add Topics
Follow the steps below to add additional topics. A class can have an unlimited number of topics.
Note: When a class includes multiple topics, the employee must complete one session in each topic in order to get a completion record.
- Follow the steps to Edit a Class
- Click the Add Topic button on the menu bar
- Click in the Topic field and delete existing text by clicking on the X on the right side of the text field
- Type the Topic Name in the Topic text entry field
Note: Do not change the credit hours. The credit hours will aggregate based on the number and length of sessions added. - Refer to the links below to view instructions to complete any of the following:
Filter Sessions | Add/Copy Sessions | Delete Sessions | Delete Topics | Duplicate Group | Set Class Properties | Take Attendance | - Follow the steps to Save and Publish the class once all changes have been made to the class
Duplicate Groups
Use this feature when you would like to duplicate the topic and all sessions within that topic. Then, you may edit the duplicated topic and sessions accordingly.
Follow the steps below to duplicate a group:
- Follow the steps to Edit a Class
- Click the Duplicate Group button to the left of the Topic to be duplicated
Note: This will duplicate the topic and all sessions within that topic. - Click in the Topic field and delete existing text by clicking on the X on the right side of the text field
- Type the Topic Name in the Topic text entry field
Note: Do not change the credit hours. The credit hours will aggregate based on the number and length of sessions added. - Click the Edit button to the left of the first session and make any desired changes and repeat until all sessions have been updated
- Refer to the links below to view instructions to complete any of the following:
Filter Sessions | Add/Copy Sessions | Delete Sessions | Add Topics | Delete Topics | Set Class Properties | Take Attendance | - Follow the steps to Save and Publish the class once all changes have been made to the class
Set Class Properties
- Click the Properties button
- Refer to the Activity Tab | Advanced Tab section in this article below to learn about the available properties
- Once all selections are made on all the tabs, click the OK button to save the changes. You will be returned to the Create/Edit Class screen
- Click the Save button
- Follow the steps to Save and Publish the class once all changes have been made to the class
Activity Tab
- Class Title: The name of the class defaults in this field. Modify the name of the class, if desired.
- Description: This is an optional field and can be used to describe the class.
- Activity Duration: Automatically set using the cumulative credit hours specified for each topic.
Note: To change the duration, follow the steps to Edit a Session to change the start and end times for each session.
Advanced Tab
- Make Public: Choose to allow this class to be shared with other LMS Administrators in different parts of your organization so they can upload it to their location. Refer to the Sharing Files between Locations article to learn more about file sharing and making files public.
NO: Default. The file will not be shared.
YES: The file will be shared. - Custom CSS: Please contact the Convergence Support Department at support@convergencetraining.com if you would like to further modify the look of the quiz. These changes may include an additional cost to implement
Save and Publish
From the Edit Class screen:
- Click the Save & Publish button
- Review Settings: Review the setting and select one of two options:
Cancel button: Click to cancel publishing the class
Publish button: Click to continue to publish the class - Click the OK button on the Publish Complete alert.
You will either be returned to the:
- Content Wizard screen (when you create a class)
- Manage Classes screen (if you were editing an existing class).
STEP 2: ASSIGN THE CLASS
Refer to the Assign Training: Classes article to learn how to assign the class.
STEP 3: MANAGE THE CLASS ROSTER
The Class Roster lists who is assigned to attend each session and provides the Administrator with a method to schedule users for a session and take attendance. Refer to the Classes: Manage Class Roster article to learn how to manage the class roster.
STEP 4: TAKE ATTENDANCE
Refer to the Classes: Manage Class Roster article to learn how to take class attendance
STEP 5: ATTACH THE SIGN-IN SHEET
Refer to the Attachments: Add, View, and Delete article to learn how to add an attachment to a completion record.
EDIT A CLASS
Follow these steps to edit an existing class:
- Click the Administration tab at the top of the screen
- Click the Training Import and Creation link, then the Classes link on the left menu bar
- Search and locate the class following the directions provided in Using Search article
- Click the Edit button to the left of the desired class
- Refer to the links below to view instructions to complete any of the following:
Filter Sessions | Add/Copy Sessions | Delete Sessions | Add Topics | Delete Topics | Duplicate Group | Set Class Properties | Take Attendance | - Follow the steps to Save and Publish the class once all changes have been made to the class
RESTORE A PREVIOUS VERSION OF A CLASS
The LMS stores previous versions of classes that you have created and allows you to restore any version of any class previously created.
Notes: (1) The Version column on the Manage Classes screen indicates the number of previous versions available. When the column reflects 1, there are no other previous versions to restore from. (2) Restoring a previous version will overwrite the current version and is NOT reversible. (3) You should only restore previous versions of classes that have not been assigned and completed by your users as it will delete completion records.
Follow these steps to restore a previous version of a class:
- Click the Administration tab at the top of the screen
- Click the Training Import and Creation link, then the Classes link on the left menu bar
- Search and locate the class following the directions provided in the Using Search article
- Click the Edit button to the left of the desired class
- Click the Previous Versions button on the button bar
Note: The Previous Versions button will not be active if there have not been any previous versions saved. - Click the button to the left of the version to be restored.
Note: This will overwrite the current version and is NOT reversible. - Click the Revert button
- Click the Yes button on the Confirm screen to replace the current version with the selected version.
- You will be returned the Edit Classes screen
- Refer to the links below to view instructions to complete any of the following:
Filter Sessions | Add/Copy Sessions | Delete Sessions | Add Topics | Delete Topics | Duplicate Group | Set Class Properties | Take Attendance | - Follow the steps to Save and Publish the class once all changes have been made to the class
Note: The new version of the class will not be made available to users until the Save and Publish button is selected. - Click the Close button.
DELETE A CLASS
Deleting a class is generally discouraged as all user completion records associated with that class will also be deleted.
Best Practice: Deactivate a class instead of delete. Refer to the Activities: Deactivate and Activate article for instructions to deactivate a class.
Follow these steps to delete a class:
- Click the Administration tab at the top of the screen
- Click the Training Import and Creation link, then the Classes link on the left menu bar
- Search and locate the class following the directions provided in Using Search article
- Click the Delete button to the left of the desired class
Note: If the Delete button is inactive, you have not been assigned the Master administration role and will be unable to delete classes. - Click Yes button on the Delete confirmation screen. The training event will be deleted from the LMS.
Should a class be deleted in error, email support@convergencetraining.com. Support can generally restore the deleted class and restore any user completion records associated with the class.