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Database Activity - Certificates

 
Kristine Spreigl
Database Activity - Certificates
by Kristine Spreigl - Tuesday, 23 April 2019, 7:26 AM
 

We host many in-person types of training and have many trainers.  I would like to be able to use the database activity to upload user attendance records and have figured out the import and upload, fields, templates, etc however the same students would also need to receive a certificate based on their attendance.  The same courses are repeated by several trainers so the thought was 1 database activity that would allow for easy importing of many attendance records for the course and then issue a certificate but the restrictions for certificates are: date - from a specific date - there will be many dates; time - amt of time spent , grade - not applicable, user profile. - all of which don't relate to whether or not they attended.  Is it possible to create an Attendance requirement and allow us to customize this such as Attended, Cancelled, No Show?


Craig Eves
Re: Database Activity - Certificates
by Craig Eves (Totara Support) - Tuesday, 23 April 2019, 8:53 PM
Group Totara

Hi Kristine

Can you clarify what you mean by importing attendance from a database  activity - there is a bulk and individual attendance for seminars but no importing attendance.

In the Certificate it is possible to print the date the seminar activity was completed by the user and the seminar grade - is this what you were wanting on the Certificate?

regards




Kristine Spreigl
Re: Database Activity - Certificates
by Kristine Spreigl - Wednesday, 24 April 2019, 5:11 AM
 

To clarify - the database activity would be the holding tank for all attendee data.  If a customer attends a training program, we would upload their core information to the database.  This is the part was relatively easy to figure out.  Where I'm struggling is I want to note there attendance - which I could in the upload right - just create a menu field and load it that way but additionally, these customers must be able to obtain a certificate.  But there is not an option within the certificate restrictions to allow me to 1) choose a field from the upload and find a match that would allow the customer to get their certificate; or 2) allow the certificate to be sent possibly by email after they are uploaded (only the incremental adds in the upload).  To add some context - I'm talking about thousands of attendee records which is why I'm hoping someone here could help.  We looked at seminars as an option but I'm not convinced that is our solution because of the number of records - maybe a go forward solution but not for historical records.

thanks!

me
Re: Database Activity - Certificates
by George Angus - Thursday, 25 April 2019, 8:52 PM
Group Totara

Hi Kristine,

Can you tell us what the attendee data is likely to be? And what the 'core information' is? On what basis is the certificate awarded? What is being uploaded exactly? Are you saying seminars are an option for recording attendance in a training program? 

Would it be possible to give a number list of steps you would expect a user's records to go through - say from creation until the production and delivery of a certificate? Would it be possible to get screenshots of what you have already?

cheers,

George.

Kristine Spreigl
Re: Database Activity - Certificates
by Kristine Spreigl - Friday, 26 April 2019, 5:09 AM
 

Attendee data could be built into the Fields area of the database object and would consist of

  • Acct info - # & name
  • Full Name
  • Position/Role
  • Type of Training
  • Start Date
  • End Date
  • Email
  • Status:  Attended, Cancelled, No Show, etc. - we several others)

Steps:

Create course

Create database activity and fields, list templates, etc.

Create certificates (preference would be to send following uploads) - so only the incrementals attendees would receive a certificate

Run report from an attendee management system and upload on a daily, weekly, monthly basis and upload to  database activity per specified format - ideally this would allow others to do this as well based on their permissions (i.e. instructors, other administrative staff)  *(future ideal state would be have a pre-formatted report setup in our attendee management system that could just be run and then emailed to database activity - if you've ever traveled using an app like TripIt - you can book your flights, hotels, cars etc and send all of your email confirmations directly to an email address and it sorts it nicely into an itinerary - similar concept - remember instructors aren't LMS administrators - keep it simple without training)


Attendees:

Enrollments via an attendee management system. 

Attend program

Emailed an attendance/completion certificate post program (24/7 access to certificates after upload via transcript)

Craig Eves
Re: Database Activity - Certificates
by Craig Eves (Totara Support) - Monday, 29 April 2019, 4:22 PM
Group Totara

Hi Kristine

This sounds like a customisation would be required to get the database fields to update another activity. Have you got the expertise in your organisation for this alternatively another partner with expertise in customising code may be able to help.

There are some bulk attendance functions available for seminars and certificates can be issued by email on the seminar activity completion.

regards