Learn – Use Groups to automate the addition and removal of Users for CPD Periods

This article outlines how to automate adding or removing Users from CPD progarmmes based on Group membership and Group rules. This ensures the correct Users are enrolled in relevant CPD programmes at the right time, saving administrators significant effort. Once set up, the process handles CPD membership updates automatically.

The article includes:

• Why accurate CPD membership matters
• Groups and connecting them with CPD programmes
• How does the automation work
• Steps to set up and automate CPD Period membership

Why accurate CPD membership matters

Maintaining accurate CPD membership enhances the effectiveness and compliance of CPD programmes. Factors to consider could include:

• Professional bodies often require accurate CPD records
• Regulatory & compliance requirements may apply
• Stakeholders in the organisation expect accurate reporting
• Administrator tasks are minimised due to the automated management of Users against CPD programmes

Groups and connecting them with CPD programmes 

Groups streamline management by grouping Users with shared traits, like roles or locations. This helps ensure that only eligible Users connect to relevant CPD programmes.

• Groups help to keep Users with similar characteristics together. For example, a group may be set up for everyone who works in the sales team, for Users working in a specific location e.g. the north region, and so on
• Users can be manually added to Groups, or, more efficiently, Group membership can be maintained using Group rules
• It's unlikely that every Group will need to link to a CPD programme. This ensures that only eligible Users are connected with relevant CPD programmes

How does the automation work

Automation ensures that CPD programme membership dynamically adjusts as Users' roles or departments change. Here's an example to illustrate how this works:

Adding a User to a CPD Programme

A CPD programme is available for employees in the marketing department. If a User moves from sales to marketing, they become eligible for the marketing CPD programme. Here’s the step-by-step process:

1. HR Data Update: The User’s HR profile is updated to reflect their move to the Marketing department
2. Data Feed Processing: During the overnight processing, Learn updates the User’s department information from Sales to Marketing
3. Group Rules Automation: After the data feed completes, Group rules automation runs
4. Group Membership Update: The User is added to the Marketing CPD Group, which links them to the appropriate CPD programme and CPD period

Removing a User from a CPD Programme

The same process applies in reverse when a user moves from marketing to sales, as in the already mentioned example.

1. HR Data Update: Their department information is changed in the HR system
2. Data Feed Processing: Overnight processing updates their department in Learn
3. Group Membership Update: Group rules automation removes the User from the marketing CPD Group, disconnecting them from the associated CPD programme and learning resources

This automation ensures CPD programme membership stays accurate and up to date, saving administrative time and maintaining compliance with professional and organisational requirements.

Steps to set up and automate CPD Period membership

1. Create a Group Category. This MUST be called: CPD Programme Groups
2. Create a Group. The Group name needs to match the CPD Programme name and vice versa
3. Place the Group in a Category called CPD Programme Groups
4. Add Users to your group, or create a group rule that automatically adds
   the right people / all Users as required
5. Create a CPD Programme. The CPD Programme CODE must match the code of
   your group created in Step 2 above
6. Create a CPD Period

Processing actions and your data file

This process is critical to an overnight data file being present and processed overnight. If your overnight data feed has not processed a file (perhaps you only send in files periodically), the logic that adds users to CPD periods will not function until the next time a data file is processed.

Suspending Users temporarily

It is also possible to exclude or temporarily suspend a User from a CPD programme (e.g., maternity, long-term absence). This is useful as it helps ensure accurate reporting. Users can be placed back into Group membership at a later date if required. To find out more, read these articles:

• Suspend a User's participation on a CPD programme
• How to manage long-term absence, maternity/paternity, and other key moments

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