LearningBuilder 12.2: Release Notes

Feature Enhancements:

The Enhanced Data Import Tool now offers in-app manual Data Entry! This allows users to enter one record at a time using a configured form. It is an alternative to the existing File Upload interface, which imports a high volume of records at once using formatted CSV files. Now you can offer both options with one configuration process, without needing to duplicate business rules or workflows. Manual Data Entry leverages all of the power of the Enhanced Data Import Tool — including all of the enhancements mentioned below — without the complexity of CSV or Excel files. Data Entry is simpler than bulk import but also more time-consuming. Thus, it’s ideal for users who need to import a lower volume of data or are less spreadsheet-savvy.

In the past, data for File Upload needed to include columns of “control data” necessary for the system to interpret the file correctly, but was meaningless to the user doing the upload. Now, those values can be configured on the back end to always create a specific Role, trigger a specific Workflow Action, and/or add Activities to a specific Learning Plan. That means they can be omitted from the data files, simplifying the file management process for end users.

What if you have multiple Learning Plans or Roles with similar configurations? If so, it’s now easier to ensure that end users import to the correct target: Administrators can restrict Enhanced Data Import processes to a specific subset of Learning Plans and Roles. If an end user uses the Data Entry form they can only choose from that subset in the dropdown menu. If they’re using File Upload, they can specify which Role or Learning Plan within the file. If they attempt to import data to a Learning Plan or Role outside of that subset the file is rejected outright. This improves both the usability and security of the import process, restricting unwanted data entry and preventing imports to the wrong targets.

Your admins can also now designate and configure an association between a Member Attribute (like a school affiliation) and a Member Role (a learner). The import process (whether File Upload or Data Entry) then automatically populates that association. This means that if, for example, you work with education providers that import student rosters, they will no longer need to include a school ID on every row of their import file or form — and records created by that import will automatically link back to their creator. They’ll save time and effort preparing and importing their records. You’ll avoid invalid data that creates associations in error.

One of the major benefits of the Enhanced Data Import Tool is that it extends data functionality, enabling the data import to make changes and trigger actions within the system. Now, we’ve extended that data functionality a bit further: Data import can now create and populate Seat Assignments. This enhancement isn’t just for education providers that host credentialing exams (although they were designed with self-hosted exams in mind). It applies to any offering at a specific date, time, and location with a set capacity of “seats.”

In other extended data functionality news, end users can now import new people into the system and simultaneously start their applications. Previously, this required two separate data imports (one to create the Member Role, and one to start the Learning Plan). Now, this process can be combined into a single file so that education providers, membership associations, and your staff can automatically begin applications for imported students, members, certificants, and diplomates. You can decide whether you want your end user to specify a Learning Plan, or (as previously noted) you can configure the system to start a specific Learning Plan upon import. Either way, data imports can now do more.

Usability Improvements:

Do you use LearningBuilder’s Assessment Engine? We’ve standardized the assessment data reporting views to make assessment data more detailed and accessible in the reporting dashboard so you can leverage that data more effectively.

We’ve improved the candidate user experience to offer more control over the visual hierarchy of their priorities: Applicants can now sort the activities within various task groups on their application by column, by clicking on the title of that column. For example, they can sort activities by name, completion date, and total credit hours, in ascending or descending values according to their preference.