Learn - People-data fields and how they're used

In this article we’ll list the standard people-data fields available in Learn LMS, and the 20 additional fields that can be used to contain information unique to your organisation.

As part of a Learn LMS implementation, we’ll set up a link to transfer this information from your people-data source straight into Learn LMS, where it can be used to personalise the look and feel, automate training assignments, and filter reports. However in some cases - for example where the source data does not exist - an LMS administrator might manually add and manage User information fields.

We'll cover:

• the standard User fields
• Additional User Information fields (with examples)
• Should we use free text vs Item selection for additional User information fields?

If you're considering making a change to any of the additional user information fields in Learn, please contact the Support team before making any changes. 

Standard User fields

Every Learn LMS customer will see the fields listed below. Most fields, such as first name, last name, and email address, are likely to be controlled by the automated feed from your people-data source. However, other fields, such as LMS role, may be manually populated and updated by administrators.

Field name	Description
First Name	This can be populated by preferred name or given name
Last Name	A User's last name
Username	The unique identifier used to enable access to Learn. Often this is an email address
Email address	Contact address for Learn to send notification to User
Import Key	Often an employee ID. Must be unique and should not be reused when an employee leaves
Primary Job Role	The job title for an individual
Line Manager (Primary Group in Learn LMS)	Primary Groups are used  to create a manager hierarchy in Learn LMS
LMS Role	By default, every User in Learn is a student.
Budget Authoriser	Can act as an approver for learning requests (at Course and Event level)
Brand - system brand	Often used by organisations with multiple ‘sub brands’ to show a relevant brand to each employee
Language	Often used by global organisations to present with a default other than English (en-gb)
CC	Used where an individual might not have their own email
User enabled or Not	Identifies if the user has an active licence. Typically controlled by start date/leave date, and a people-data feed
Preferred Training Location	A reportable field
Start Date	Records the date a User was first added to Learn LMS
Leave Date	When a User leaves your organisation, the people-data feed populates this date. Typically, the User account is unenabled at this point
Date of Birth	Not commonly populated in Learn LMS *may be used for age-restricted training/training for specific age groups

Additional User information fields (with examples)

In addition to the standard fields listed above, Learn LMS includes a further 20 additional User information fields that can be used to contain information entirely unique to your organisation. These fields are typically populated and maintained by the Automated people-data feed from your HR data source.

However, in some cases - for example, where the source data does not exist - an LMS administrator might manually add and manage User information fields.

Every organisation is different, but we see some common themes in their use. The most likely considerations are: What detail does your organisation require to assign training and filter reports? Does that detail exist in your people-data source? 

Below are some typical uses for the 20 additional User information fields. Remember, this information can be used to assign training, filter reports, and provide a tailored and engaging learning experience to your people:

Field name	Description
Department	E.g. L&D, HR, Sales, Support, payroll
Business area/Division/business unit	E.g. Operations / Sales and Marketing, Finance
Role category	Is there training specifically for line managers, senior leaders, directors?
Country	E.g. UK, USA, France etc.
Region	E.g. North, South, East, West
Location	E.g. for different offices/sites/locations/regions
Grade	E.g. 1,2,3,4
Long term absence	Y/N selection, or perhaps maternity, paternity, sickness etc. This can be used to manage long-term absence, maternity/paternity, and other key moments during which it can be useful to exclude individuals from training assignments and reporting
Fire Marshall	Y/N selection is typically used to assign training specific to the responsibility
First Aider	Y/N selection is typically used to assign training specific to the responsibility
Mental Health First Aider	Y/N selection is typically used to assign training specific to the responsibility
Probation	Y/N a field showing when an employee has passed probation can be a useful way of ensuring new hires get the training they need

Should we use free text vs Item selection for additional User information fields?

User information fields can be configured as Freetext fields, or as a dropdown menu (with preset choices). 

Where a userfield is defined as Freetext entry, there is the risk that administrators will use different spellings or describe something in a slightly different way. This can cause problems with reporting, and also with any Group rules that might be configured based on the content of the field.

Therefore, if a field is to be manually populated by administrators, it is recommended that a dropdown field is used. 

If however, the field is likely to be populated by the automated People-data feed then a Free text field can be a good choice, because the automated feed is consistent in its use.

Free text fields also allows for flexibility in the source data. For example, a User Information field might be set to automatically populate with the Department in which a User works. If your organisation creates a new Department, your source data can be updated to include the new Department, and the Freetext field in Learn will populate with the new Department name. However, if the field is set as a dropdown menu, then the new item would need to be created in Learn LMS, and the data-feed would need to be mapped to it.

Find out more in The Academy

Get the big picture of people-data and Learn LMS:

• View 'The Big picture: data' to find out how people-data is added and managed in Learn LMS
• View 'The Big Picture: people' to find out how Users are added and managed in Learn LMS
• View 'Learn data feed - managing changes to user details' for tips and best practice to help keep your automated datafeed running smoothly