Learn - Set a deadline and reminder notifications for a Course

In this article, we'll explain how to set a deadline for a Course. Deadlines can be applied to any Course, ensuring learning is completed within a specific period after enrollment. Users will view these deadline details against the Course in their Courses view.

Additionally, email reminders can be configured to notify assigned Users, their Manager, and a Course tutor when a deadline is approaching or has passed.

Steps to set a Course deadline

1. Browse to the 'Course' area of Learn admin:
2. Select the Course to which you want to add a deadline. Use the search fields if needed to narrow down the list of Courses. The free text search applies to Course Title, Code, and description:
3. Select 'Deadline' from the Course administration menu:
4. The default deadline information is set to 'This course does not have a deadline'
5. Select 'Must be completed by' and input a specific date. You can also include a deadline time alongside the date, such as 17:00, to specify completion by that time on that day:
6. Select 'Must be completed within' option if the deadline is determined from the User's Course assignment date. Set the duration in days, weeks, months, or years. This is helpful for assignments to new starters or specific User Groups, ensuring completion within a specified timeframe after Course assignment
7. Select the box 'Apply this deadline to all existing course assignments' when adding a deadline that should apply to all current User assignments. This can be used retroactively if needed
8. Adjust the User, Manager, and Tutor notifications as needed. The default setting is 'Use the default notification schedule.' To configure notifications follow the steps in the next section, beginning at point 4
9. Select 'Submit' to save the changes

Steps to set a notification schedule for deadline reminders

1. Browse to the 'Course' area of Learn admin:
2. Select the Course that requires a notification schedule to be set:
3. Select 'Deadline' from the Course administration menu:
4. Set the User notification if required. The default is set to 'Use the default notification schedule'. Options include 'Do not notify' and 'Use a custom notification schedule':
5. If 'Use a custom notification schedule' is chosen, you can specify when notifications start before or after the deadline by days, weeks, months, or years. Additionally, you can set the frequency of follow-up notifications after the initial one is issued:  
6. Set the Manager notification if required. The default is set to 'Use the default notification schedule'. Options include 'Do not notify' and 'Use a custom notification schedule
7. Set the Tutor notification if required. The default is set to 'Use the default notification schedule'. Options include 'Do not notify' and 'Use a custom notification schedule
8. Select 'Submit to save changes

To read more about managing emails and notifications see 'Notifications and messages 101'.

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