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I am trying to come up with a way to manage a user’s ability to self-enroll into certain courses based on enrollment in another course.

In other words, I only want them to be able to self-enroll into Course ‘X’ while their enrollment is active in Course ‘Y’ (and, if possible, only have access to Course ‘X’ while they have access to Course ‘Y’).

I was thinking of potentially using groups/channels to accomplish this, but unsure how the group could auto-remove someone when their course enrollment expires, given the status options (i.e., when someone completes a course, it would still be ‘complete’ after enrollment expires, yes?).

 

Any ideas are welcome!

@cgleichner

Doing an “if/then” type action isn’t really supported in the platform, at least not for us mortals 🙂. Automatic groups are based on some criteria that can change, so I think that course enrollment is not going to do the trick. Maybe there is some user characteristic (maybe an additional field?) that could be used for an automatic group. Additional fields can be batch updated (via .csv and the Automation App) if you want to remove them from the group

Here’s a couple of ideas to consider

  • Putting both courses into a single learning plan
  • Make one course a prerequisite of the other (Training Material > Settings)
  • Enrollment rules (group/course) that enrolls them into both simultaneously

 


Here’s a couple of ideas to consider

  • Putting both courses into a single learning plan
  • Make one course a prerequisite of the other (Training Material > Settings)
  • Enrollment rules (group/course) that enrolls them into both simultaneously

 

I like these ideas for out of the box. The only other way I’ve come across before is to add a small form to the course Y that lets users select courses to self-enroll into, they must be enrolled to see the form, and then it uses the API on submit to enroll them into the selected course(s) X. using the embedded info from the iframe embed gets the logged in user docebo id so just need the courses and simple request at that point.


I’ll research the prerequisite option, for sure!

As far as bulk updating the group(s), I could see that getting too large to handle somewhat quickly unfortunately. I was hoping there was some way I’d be able to populate a group based on current enrollment status into a course (e.g., whether the enrollment is active), and then provide that group with access to a catalog/channel to be able to self enroll into the course(s) that would depend on enrollment into the other!


Could you build a group like this, and then use it to have visibility into the catalog/channel? This automatic group would change as their status changes. And then maybe a Group/Course enrollment rule to get them into the 2nd course.

If you do the Group/Course, you have to follow these steps, else it won’t work:

  1. Create the group, but don’t add eligibility yet
  2. Create the enrollment rule for the 2nd course and the group. ACTIVATE the rule
  3. Go back to the group, and add in the eligibility. Anyone that joins the group when you save will be enrolled in the course. Anyone in the future joining the group should also get the enrollment.

@cgleichner Whoops, forgot to tag you in my response above.


Could you build a group like this, and then use it to have visibility into the catalog/channel? This automatic group would change as their status changes. And then maybe a Group/Course enrollment rule to get them into the 2nd course.

If you do the Group/Course, you have to follow these steps, else it won’t work:

  1. Create the group, but don’t add eligibility yet
  2. Create the enrollment rule for the 2nd course and the group. ACTIVATE the rule
  3. Go back to the group, and add in the eligibility. Anyone that joins the group when you save will be enrolled in the course. Anyone in the future joining the group should also get the enrollment.

@KMallette This is what I was thinking initially, my only concern is whether someone will still have access to the catalog/channel after their enrollment period ends in the course the visibility access is based upon. Would you be able to provide any insight into that?

 

Realistically, they could be subscribed, in progress, or completed, but their enrollment itself would need to be current (i.e., For the duration of their enrollment period in the course, they would be able to see (and enroll into) the other course present in the catalog/channel. The moment that enrollment period expires, they should be removed from that group, which I am hoping the enrollment criteria would handle, but just not sure and cannot find specific info on it.)

 

Thank you!!


@cgleichner Their membership in the group is based on enrollment status, not on a date. This should make them roll out of the group when they complete the course, which then changes their ability to enroll in the 2nd, assuming that they haven’t enrolled in it yet. If they have enrolled in the 2nd course before finishing the 1st, I’d think that the 2nd course would still be available.

I suspect you’ll just have to build a test and see how it performs to make a final decision.


Thanks @KMallette - I’d actually like for them to be able to access the course even if they completed it (I could change the logic to do so), it’s moreso whether their enrollment status in the course changes when their enrollment period ends. In other words, I would ideally like for them to be removed from the group if the enrollment period expires (e.g., their enrollment status would be subscribed, in progress, or completed until their enrollment period expires and then maybe their enrollment status changes to ‘expired’ or something?), but I’m unsure whether their enrollment status changes once that period is over.

I think you’re right in my need to set up a test case to see if it works :)


Thanks @KMallette - I’d actually like for them to be able to access the course even if they completed it (I could change the logic to do so), it’s moreso whether their enrollment status in the course changes when their enrollment period ends. In other words, I would ideally like for them to be removed from the group if the enrollment period expires (e.g., their enrollment status would be subscribed, in progress, or completed until their enrollment period expires and then maybe their enrollment status changes to ‘expired’ or something?), but I’m unsure whether their enrollment status changes once that period is over.

I think you’re right in my need to set up a test case to see if it works :)

Maybe using an Enrollment additional field to create that “expired” status … but you’d likely have to do some type of manual change to that status.

You might also see what happens with the “suspended” status. Perhaps there is some action you can take with the course to put it into a ‘suspend’ status rather than an ‘expired’ status, which might have a trickle down effect.
 

Good luck! would love to hear what ends up working. This was one of the things I wanted to do when we first deployed, but had to be put on the back burner due to time and my novice experience at the time.


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