Visibility Rules vs Assignment
When catalog visibility is enough, and when you must assign training so learners must complete it
The decision
On Edit Course, Visibility Rules (job roles, departments, locations) decide who can see the course in the Training Catalog. Assignment decides who must complete it. They solve different problems — and mixing them up is a common cause of “nobody finished the mandatory course.”
Think of visibility as shelves in a library, and assignment as a required reading list.
Choose A when / Choose B when
| Choose | When |
|---|---|
| Visibility Rules | Optional or browseable content; limit who can find the course in the catalog without making it mandatory |
| Assignment (groups or individuals) | Compliance, mandatory training, deadlines, reminders, or anything that must show as outstanding |
| Both | Mandatory courses that should also appear in the catalog for the same audience — set visibility, then Assign to Groups |
Tip
Marking a course Mandatory does not replace assignment. Learners still need the course assigned (often via a Dynamic Group) for it to appear as required work.
Common mistakes
- Setting Visibility to All and expecting every employee to complete the course
- Assigning to a group while Visibility excludes that same department — assigned users still see the course on their assigned training list and must complete it, but it may not appear when browsing the catalog
- Using visibility instead of Dynamic Groups for role-based mandatory training
Recommended setup
- Configure who can see the course under Visibility Rules on Edit Course
- For required training, assign with Assigning Courses
- Prefer a Dynamic Group when membership should follow attributes — see Dynamic Groups vs Static Groups vs Individual Assignment
- Add due dates if chasing matters — Course Deadlines & Reminders
Related guides
- Visibility Rules — how job role / department / location filters work
- Assigning Courses — required training setup
- Mandatory Training — marking courses as mandatory
- Adding Courses — Edit Course form including visibility