I'm pleased to announce the release of Totara version 1.1!

The new release is the first major feature release since 1.0, and includes a wide range of new features and interface improvements (see below).

We would recommend upgrading to 1.1 unless the site is being viewed using Internet Explorer 6, or your administrators cannot use a browser with Javascript enabled. There are some parts of the new version that currently require IE7+ and Javascript enabled.

We will be updating the help site with more details about the 1.1 features very soon, and we have a major reorganisation of the help site due before the end of the month (in response to feedback from partners and clients).

We will continue to supply bug fixes for the 1.0 branch for quite a while, but new features will be 1.1 only so we do recommend upgrading to get the most out of your subscription. Subscribers should receive two links in their subscription email and can choose either release (or both).

Here's the 1.1 changelog:

Release 1.1.0 (3 October 2011):
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New features/Improvements:
    Program Management:
    - Ability to group courses and manage the order they are available
    - Automatic handling of enrolments
    - Ability to create recurring courses
    - Ability to manage program/course enrolment
    - Ability to bulk assign users to a program
    - Ability to handle extension requests
    - Required learning tab in 'My Learning'

    New Hierarchies:
    - 'Depths' replaced with 'Types'
    - Now possible to have different types within the same level
    - Now possible to move an item between depth levels
    - Bulk hierarchy actions (add, move, delete, reclassify type)

    User Interface changes:
    - New Course/Program browse and search interface
    - Simplified interface for managing hierarchies
    - Slight changes to handling of pop-up dialogs

    Automatic completion of plans:
    - Complete learning plans automatically when end date passes
    - Complete learning plans automatically when all items in plan are complete
    - The ability to reopen completed plans

    Other improvements to Learning Plans:
    - Comment on plans and individual items within the plan
    - New 'Programs' tab and Record of Learning report
    - New permissions for managing mandatory courses and competencies
    - Users can update learning plan data without reloading page
    - Ability to set competency status from the competency index page
    - New "Add to Plan" block for course pages
    - Ability to automatically assign the default status to new competencies

    Report Builder:
    - Added all hierarchy custom fields to report builder reports
    - Admins can manipulate report columns/filters without reloading page
    - Improvements to multi-language support of report builder column headings

    Administration / Back-end improvements:
    - Improved cron management (including admin page and email reporting)
    - Better error logging and reporting
    - Better tracking of linked courses / competencies