Visibility Rules
Control which courses users can see in the catalog
Overview
Visibility rules determine which users can see a course in the Training Catalog. They work alongside course assignment to control training access.
Key Concepts
Visibility vs Assignment
| Concept | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Visibility | Controls who can SEE the course in the catalog |
| Assignment | Controls who has the course as REQUIRED training |
Think of it like a library:
- Visibility = Which books are on the shelves you can access
- Assignment = Which books are on your required reading list
How Visibility Rules Work
Courses have three visibility criteria:
- Departments - Which departments can see the course
- Job Roles - Which job titles can see the course
- Locations - Which work locations can see the course
Rule Logic
- Select "All" in a category = Everyone passes that rule
- Select specific values = Only those matching pass that rule
- All three rules use AND logic = User must match ALL rules to see the course
Example
Course visibility settings:
- Departments: Engineering, IT
- Job Roles: All
- Locations: London, Manchester
Who can see this course?
- ✅ Engineer in London
- ✅ IT Support in Manchester
- ❌ Engineer in Birmingham (wrong location)
- ❌ Marketing Manager in London (wrong department)
Setting Visibility Rules
When Creating a Course
- Go to Admin → Courses
- Click Add Course
- Fill in course details
- Scroll to Visibility Rules section
- Configure rules (see below)
- Save the course
When Editing a Course
- Go to Admin → Course Management
- Find the course and click Edit
- Scroll to Visibility Rules section
- Adjust rules as needed
- Save changes
Configuring Each Rule
Department Visibility
Select Departments:
- Choose which departments can see the course
- Multi-select supported (hold Ctrl/Cmd to select multiple)
- Select "All" to show to all departments
Best for: Department-specific training, team-focused content
Job Role Visibility
Select Job Roles:
- Choose which job titles can see the course
- Based on the Job Title field in user profiles
- Select "All" to show to all job roles
Best for: Level-appropriate training, management-only courses
Location Visibility
Select Locations:
- Choose which work locations can see the course
- Based on the Location field in user profiles
- Select "All" to show to all locations
Best for: Regional compliance training, site-specific safety courses
Common Visibility Scenarios
| Scenario | Departments | Job Roles | Locations | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everyone Can See | All | All | All | Course visible to everyone |
| Department Only | Engineering | All | All | Only Engineering staff see it |
| Managers Only | All | Manager, Senior Manager, Director | All | Only people with manager titles see it |
| Specific Site | All | All | Manchester Factory | Only staff at that location see it |
| Highly Restricted | HR | HR Manager, HR Director | London Head Office | Only senior HR staff at head office see it |
Visibility and Assignment Together
✅ Visible + Assigned
- User sees the course in catalog
- Course appears on their dashboard
- Marked as required training
Visible + Not Assigned
- User sees the course in catalog
- Can choose to take it voluntarily
- Not marked as required
⚠️ Not Visible + Assigned
This is a conflict situation:
- Course won't appear in catalog
- But assignment expects them to complete it
Recommendation: Ensure assigned courses are visible to assignees.
Not Visible + Not Assigned
- User cannot see the course
- Course is effectively hidden from them
Troubleshooting Visibility
"Why can't a user see a course?"
Check these things:
- Department match - What is the user's department? Is it in the course's allowed departments?
- Job Role match - What is the user's job title? Is it in the course's allowed job roles?
- Location match - What is the user's location? Is it in the course's allowed locations?
- Course status - Is the course Active? Draft or Inactive courses don't show in catalog
- User profile completeness - Is the user's profile filled in? Missing department/role/location may cause issues
"Why can everyone see a restricted course?"
Check if any rule is set to "All":
- Even one "All" opens up access significantly
- All rules must be restrictive to truly limit access
Best Practices
Start Broad, Restrict as Needed
- Default to "All" for general training
- Restrict only when genuinely needed
- Don't over-complicate visibility
Keep User Profiles Updated
Visibility depends on accurate user data:
- Ensure departments are assigned
- Check job titles are consistent
- Verify locations are correct
Align with Assignment
Make sure:
- Users who are assigned a course can see it
- Visibility rules don't conflict with assignment groups
Document Your Rules
Keep a record of:
- Which courses have restrictions
- Why those restrictions exist
- Who approved them
Session Visibility
Calendar training sessions also have visibility rules:
- Same three criteria (department, role, location)
- Controls who can see and book sessions
- Managed in Calendar Management
Tip
See the Calendar Sessions Guide for details.
Related Guides
- Visibility Rules vs Assignment - Catalog visibility vs required training
- Adding Courses - Set visibility when creating
- Assigning Courses - Assign after setting visibility
- Dynamic Groups - Groups use similar criteria
- Adding Departments - Set up departments first