Assigning Courses
Assign training courses to users and groups
Who this applies to
Admins who need to make training required for people or groups. Learners receive assigned courses on their training dashboard.
Required permissions
Admin access to Course Management (Assign to Groups) and, for individual cases, Manage Users.
Overview
There are two main ways to assign training:
- Group Assignment - Assign courses to groups (recommended for most cases)
- Individual Assignment - Assign courses to specific users
How It Works
Course assignment marks training as required for specific users or groups. When you assign a course, it appears on users' dashboards as mandatory training, and progress is tracked for compliance reporting.
Assignment vs Visibility
These are two separate concepts that work together:
Visibility Rules
Controls who can SEE a course in the catalog:
- Based on departments, job roles, or locations
- Makes course available to browse
- Users can voluntarily enroll
- Does not make training mandatory
Course Assignment
Marks a course as REQUIRED for specific users:
- Shows on user dashboard as required
- Tracks completion for compliance
- Can set deadlines
- Triggers notifications and reminders
A course can be:
- Visible but not assigned - Users can see it in the catalog and choose to take it voluntarily
- Assigned but not visible - Required for specific users, but not shown in catalog to others
- Both visible and assigned - Required training that's also available in catalog (most common)
How Group Assignment Works
When you assign a course to a group:
- Assignment Propagation - All current members of the group immediately receive the assignment
- Dynamic Group Updates - If using dynamic groups, new members are automatically assigned when they join
- Removal Updates - If a user leaves the group (or no longer matches dynamic rules), the assignment may be removed
- Individual Tracking - Each user's progress is tracked separately, even though they share the same assignment
Automatic Assignment Features
The system handles assignment updates automatically:
- Dynamic Group Membership - When user attributes change (department, role, location), dynamic groups update automatically, and assignments adjust accordingly
- New User Assignment - If a course is set to "Default for New Starters", new users automatically receive the assignment
- Bulk Assignment - Assigning to a large group processes all members efficiently
- Assignment History - System maintains a record of when and how courses were assigned
What Happens After Assignment
Once a course is assigned:
- Dashboard Appearance - Course appears on users' dashboards in their required training section
- Notification Emails - Users receive email notifications about new assignments (if enabled)
- Progress Tracking Begins - System starts tracking completion status and deadlines
- Reminder System - Automated reminders sent as deadlines approach (if configured)
- Compliance Reporting - Assignment data becomes available in compliance and training reports
- Manager Visibility - Managers can see their team's assigned courses and progress
Deadlines and Overdue Handling
When deadlines are set:
- Due Date Tracking - System monitors completion against the deadline
- Overdue Status - Courses not completed by the deadline are marked as overdue
- Reminder Notifications - Users and managers receive reminders as deadline approaches
- Escalation - Overdue courses may trigger manager notifications or escalation workflows
- Reporting - Overdue courses appear in compliance reports and risk dashboards
What happens automatically
Assigning to Groups (Recommended)
Group assignment is the most efficient method, especially with dynamic groups.
Open Course Management
- Log in as an Admin
- Go to Admin → Courses
- Find the course you want to assign
Access Group Assignment
- Click the Assign to Groups button on the course
- A modal opens showing available groups
Select Groups
- Browse or search for groups
- Check the box next to groups you want to assign
- You can select multiple groups
Save Assignment
- Click Save or Assign
- The course is now assigned to all members of those groups
- Users see it on their dashboard as required training
Creating Groups for Assignment
If you need a new group:
Static Groups
- In the assignment modal, click Create New Group
- Select Static type
- Enter a group name
- Search and add specific users
- Save the group
- Select it for assignment
Dynamic Groups
- In the assignment modal, click Create New Group
- Select Dynamic type
- Enter a group name
- Set rules (departments, job roles, locations)
- Save the group
- Select it for assignment
Tip
Assigning to Individuals
For special cases, you can assign directly to individuals.
From User Management
- Go to Admin → User Management
- Find the user
- Click to view their profile
- Use the Assign Training option
- Select courses to assign
- Save
When to Use Individual Assignment
- New employee needs specific catch-up training
- Someone changed roles and needs additional training
- Special project-based training
- Exception cases
Tip
Viewing Assignments
Course View
On the course details:
- See which groups the course is assigned to
- View total number of assigned users
User View
On a user's profile:
- See all courses assigned to them
- View completion status for each
- See source of assignment (group or individual)
Reports
In reporting:
- See assignment counts
- Track completion rates
- Filter by assigned courses
Removing Assignments
From Groups
- Go to Admin → Courses
- Find the course
- Click Assign to Groups
- Uncheck groups to remove
- Save
Individual Removal
If a user was individually assigned:
- Find the user in User Management
- View their assigned training
- Remove the specific assignment
Warning
Assignment and New Users
Automatic Assignment with Dynamic Groups
When a new user is created:
- Their profile includes department, role, location
- System checks dynamic group rules
- User is automatically added to matching groups
- Courses assigned to those groups become their training
Manual Assignment Needed
For static groups or individual assignments:
- New users must be manually added
- Or use dynamic groups for automatic assignment
Best Practices
Use Groups Over Individuals
- ✅ Assign to "All Staff" group
- ❌ Assign to each person individually
Use Dynamic Groups
- ✅ Create "Engineering Department" dynamic group
- ❌ Manually maintain a list of engineers
Plan Your Groups
Before assigning:
- Identify who needs the training
- Check if a suitable group exists
- Create a new group if needed
- Then assign the course
Document Assignments
Keep track of:
- Which courses are assigned to which groups
- Why certain assignments were made
- Review dates for reassessment
FAQ
Why can't the user see the training?
- Check they're in a group the course is assigned to (Visibility Rules alone are not enough)
- Verify their profile has correct department/role/location for dynamic groups
- Confirm the account is Active
- See Troubleshooting Courses & Progress
Training showing for wrong people
- Review which groups the course is assigned to
- Check dynamic group rules aren't too broad
- Adjust group membership or rules
Can't find the group I need
- Check if it exists with a different name
- Create a new group with appropriate rules
- Use search to find groups
Related Guides
- Dynamic Groups vs Static Groups vs Individual Assignment - Choose rules, a static cohort, or named-person assignment
- Visibility Rules vs Assignment - Catalog visibility vs required training
- Dynamic Groups - Create automatically updating groups
- Visibility Rules - Control who can see courses
- Mandatory Courses - Mark training as essential