Introducing the 2019 TalentLMS Winter Update

Here at TalentLMS we’re always striving for perfection, and today we got one step closer.

We know the devil is in the details. That’s why this update is all about the details that separate the good from the great.

You’ll notice a series of small improvements that add up to a big difference for you and your learners.

Let’s dig in.

Expiration dates for certificates

Certificates are useful for rewarding your users, completing training, and especially useful for managing security and compliance training.

In the past, you could only set the duration of the certification (e.g., “This certificate is active for one year”). For some, this meant you had to make calculations in your head to figure out how long you needed a certificate to last until the next recertification.

No more!

From this release, you have the option to add a specific date. Essentially, you set it and forget it.

See how to set expiration dates here.

More functionality for a 360° view of training

We know how important measuring the results of training is to you, your stakeholders, and your company. And it’s one of our top priorities, too. In this update, you get new functionality to have a better idea of what’s happening inside your training hub.

Complete history of assignments

Don’t judge a book by its cover, they say in the publishing world. In the learning world, we say, don’t judge a learner by their final assignment.

In this release, instructors can see a full history of assignments for every learner. This includes date submitted, grade, comments, the assignment, or any files attached to the assignment.

This way you get a complete understanding of a learner’s progress.

Learn how to view the assignment history here.

Completion rates, front and center

Let’s talk about completion rates. This little bit of data reveals more than you think. Sure, it can tell you how many users have completed training, but it can also indicate if there’s a problem you need to address.

So, we’ve brought it front and center…and automated.

In addition to seeing completion rates in Courses and Users, you’ll now find it in your Group and Branch reports, too. It shows the average course completion rate for all users who are part of the group or branch.

No more exporting and manually calculating. Now you have an at-a-glance metric that can help you gauge how training is going instantly.

Learn how to see a group’s / branch’s course completion rate here.

UI & UX improvements for you to work easier

As promised, we continue to make improvements to our UI (user interface) and UX (user experience) for all roles.

• We’ve improved the way you crop images.
• We’ve made setting up rules and learning paths clearer.
• We’ve improved the way you view assignments (as an Instructor).
• We’ve made course creation more intuitive. You can now add categories on the spot (as an Admin & Instructor)!

Learn how to add categories from course settings here.

Here are a few more notable improvements:

Cloning now in custom reports, too

You’ve told us over and over how much time cloning units and courses shaves off your work.
Now, you get the same functionality in custom reports, too.

This means if you’ve set up the perfect report (with rules you’ve thoughtfully and diligently chosen) and want a similar report, but with a few changes, you can do it much easier. Clone that bad boy, make the necessary edits, and voila! A new report exactly the way you want it — without all the fuss.

Learn how to clone a custom report here.

Certificates

For anyone who has course editing permission, you can now preview a certificate from your course settings. You’ll now see it right from the course you’ve attached it to.

Can we get a “Heck yeah!” for fewer clicks?

Send notifications to specific users

The notification engine lets you automate communication. And, up until now, you could easily send emails to users in specific segments you had already set up in your system.

You now have the option to also send notifications to anyone (yes, anyone! Even people who are not registered in the platform) just by using their email address.

Learn how to send notifications to specific users here.

Never forget your username again

Passwords. PINs. Second authentication code. Your anniversary. Your nephew’s birthday. Let’s face it, there’s far too much information you need to remember to access all the tools you use (and to be on speaking terms with your relatives).

Buuut, your email address is one thing you don’t easily forget.

So, we made a change. From this update, all users have the choice to log in to TalentLMS with their email, should they want to (ahem, you forgot the username you created 8 months ago, didn’t you?).

Smarter search to work faster

To make it easier to navigate the system, and find what you’re looking for, we’ve upgraded our search engine.

Now, in addition to searching for content (e.g., by course name), the engine also searches the system’s settings.

Looking for reports? Type into the search bar and hit enter.

Mobile training goes up a notch

As remote work becomes more common and the number of dispersed teams grows, we continue to improve our mobile apps. This way you can train all your audiences in the same way.

Here’s what’s ready for you in this release:

• “All the better to see you with, my dear.” Users can now access multiple unit types in full screen. 
• We’ve added password-protected tests.
• Users can now register, unregister and add ILT sessions to their mobile phone’s calendar. 
• More UI improvements as well as stability and speed improvements.

To read our full Release Notes and discover what else has improved (spoiler alert: more SCORM stuff) go to our Help Center here.