Creating a certification program

Do the following to create a program component:

1. Go to Certification > Define programs > Program components and click Create new component.
2. (Definition tab) Specify the component properties. This area specifies the details of the component such as the number of units the student earns for completion, or the grade available.
   • (required) Name – Enter the name of the component as it will appear to enrollees in the list of requirements.
   • (required) Code – Indicates the code you can use to search for the component, up to 50 characters in length. Enter only letters and numbers; do not enter symbols.
   • Description – You can enter a description of the component. If you want to provide a link to users, you can enter HTML in this field.
   • Number of Units – Defines a number value to indicate how many units such as credits, or hours, a student earns upon completing this component. This value can be overridden when the component is added to a program.
   • Allow enrollee to record completion – Indicates that a program enrollee can record their own completion of the component.

   Note: The Allow enrollee to record completion option does not apply to staff users. Staff users can always record completion of the component for a program enrollee.

   • Requires Grade – When selected, requires the user to enter a grade when recording a completion.
   • Requires Approval – Indicates that staff must approve completion of this component.

   Note: If Allow enrollee to record completion is not selected, then only staff users can record completion of the requirement, so approval is likely not required.

   • Certification Staff Only – Indicates that only staff users will see this component when it is included with a program.
   • Status - Indicates if the component is currently Active or Inactive. Only components marked Active are available for selection when creating a certification program. You cannot select an Inactive component as part of a certification program.
   • Pass Grades – Defines passing values for the grading system you want to use for this component.
   • Fail Grades – Defines failing values for the grading system you want to use for this component.
   • (required) File Attachment – If the component requires an attachment to fulfill the requirement (for example, filled out application, proof of completion, and so forth), select Required. If the user can include an attachment but it is not required for completion, select Optional.
   • Attachment Instructions - If you selected Required or Optional for the File Attachment, you can add attachment instructions for enrollees.

   Note: The Attachment Instructions field is displayed only if the File Attachment value is Required or Optional.

3. Click Save.

Offerings can be defined for a specific component, which provide enrollees with one or more specific ways to complete the component. An offering might be an event, a product, or a custom collection of information such as date, time, and HTML links. Offerings are optional for components.

Do the following to create component offerings:

1. Go to Certification > Define programs > Program components.
2. Click Create new component or open an existing component.

Note: If you are creating a new component, you must define a Name, Code, File Attachment, and Save the component. You cannot access the Offerings tab while initially defining the component.

3. (Offerings tab) Click Create new offering.
4. Enter the information for the offering, including;
   • (required) Type – Specify the offering type:
     • Custom
     • Event - Link the offering to a specific event. Click select to find and select the event.

     Note: If the Type is Event, an Event must be selected.

     • Product - Link the offering to a specific product. Click select to find and select the product.

     Note: If the Type is Product, a Product must be selected.

   • (required) Name – Enter the name of the offering as it will appear to enrollees when they are viewing the component.
   • (required) Code – Indicates the code you can use to search for the component, up to 50 characters in length. Enter only letters and numbers; do not enter symbols.
   • Description –You can enter a description of the component offering. If you want to provide a link to users, for example a page or website where they can find more information about the offering, you can enter HTML in this field.
   • Status – Specify that the offering is Active or Inactive.
   • Date – Specify the date that the offering occurs.

   Note: When defining an offering that is an event, the Date defaults to the event end date, but a staff user can manually change the date. The Date field becomes the Completion date field after saving the Event offering.

   • (required) Allow date changes – When selected, this offering allows registrants to change the date when recording completion of the requirement.

   Note: If there is no Date defined for the offering, then Allow date changes must be selected so that users can enter the date when they complete the offering.

   • Purchase completes requirement – (available only when Product is selected as the Type) This option indicates that the requirement is satisfied when the user completes the purchase of the product. If not enabled, the user must record completion manually after purchasing the product.

   Note: For product offerings that represent fees or charges for the certification program, Purchase completes requirement should be enabled so that the fee requirement is marked as completed. If the offering might require that the enrollee do something additional after purchase to complete the requirement, for example reading a book they purchased, then this option should be disabled.

   • Provider – Defines the person or organization that manages the offering or gives the training. This list is created based on the records selected at Certification > Providers. For more information see Managing providers.
   • Location – If a Provider is defined, this indicates which provider location applies to the offering. Provider locations are also defined at Certification > Providers area.
   • Link Requirements – Not used.

Components may not be deleted if the following are true:

• They are in use by any program
• A contact has completed the component or an offering underneath the component

If you cannot delete a component, you can inactivate it.

Deleting a component

Do the following to delete a component:

1. Go to Certification > Define programs > Program components.
2. Search for the component, then select the Name to open it.
3. Click Delete Component.

Inactivating a component

Components can be inactivated instead of deleted. Do the following to inactivate a component: 

1. Go to Certification > Define programs > Program components.
2. Search for the component, then select the Name to open it.
3. Click the Definition tab.



4. Do one of the following:
   • From the Status drop-down, select Inactive:
     1. Click Save.
     2. Click Yes.
   • Click Inactivate Component, then click Yes.

Do the following to define requirement stages:

1. Go to Certification > Define programs > Certification programsand select the Requirement tab.

Note: You must enter information on the Definition tab for a certification program and click Save in order to view the Requirement tab.

2. Enable the Stages must be completed in order option if you are using multiple stages and want participants to complete a particular certification stage before proceeding to the next stage.

Note: If the Stages must be completed in order option is selected, then all stages will be set to Required, as enrollees will be required to complete each stage before moving to the next stage.

3. For each stage you want to include, click Add Stage.
   • (optional) Enter a Name and Description of the stage. The name will appear to enrollees as a section header for the stage’s requirements.
   • Select the Required checkbox if the enrollee must complete the stage in order to complete the program.
4. Add the components that will be required in the stage. One requirement set is present by default.
   • To add a requirement, click Add a Requirement.
   • Find the requirement you want to add. If necessary, change the Number of units that are needed for this component. This will not change units defined in the program component.
   • Add each requirement that is needed for the set.
5. Additional requirement sets can be added and combined using AND or OR. For example, you can either require an exam component for entrance into a program or a staff-approval component stating the requirement qualifies them for entrance into a certification program. To add an additional set to a stage:
   1. Click Add a new Requirement Set.
   2. Select AND or OR from the drop-down list between the sets as appropriate.
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6. To send an email notification when a stage is completed, go to the Email Notifications tab for the stage. Click Add Email. See Defining certification communication for details on creating an email output process.
   • Provide a Process Name. By default, these email queries are located in the document browser at $/Common/Shared Documents/Processes.
   • Select Assignees. Select the users to receive email notification and click Continue. By default, the available values are:
     • Certification User
     • Certification Manager
     • Certification Admin
     • Registrant
7. Click Define Completion Stage and specify the completion stage. This completion stage acts as the final stage for a certification program, but is intended for staff use only. It does not contain any requirements. For example, you can use the completion stage to send out an email confirmation when the last program stage has been completed.
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8. Click Save.

A unit type determines how the program and the components will be measured. For example, if the program definition uses hours as a unit type and the number of units required is 84, then the completion of the program will require 84 hours. You will select the unit type at the certification program level.

Go to Certification > Define programs > Unit types and do one of the following:

• To view existing unit types, enter search criteria and click Find.
• To define new unit types, click Add new unit type.

Program groups allow you to categorize or associate multiple programs together. For example, you might have multiple certification programs related to industry certification, including maintenance programs. You can group these programs together by assigning each to a single program group:

1. Go to Certification > Define programs > Program groups.
2. Do one of the following:
   • Click Create new program group to create a new program group.
   • Click the Name of the program group you want to edit.
3. (Definition tab) Set the Status to Active or Inactive. Only groups marked Active are available for selection when creating a certification program. You cannot associate a program to an Inactive group.
4. Click Save.

You can identify iMIS contacts (individuals or organizations) as training providers so that they can be linked to specific offerings that fulfill requirements. Each provider might have multiple locations associated with the contact.

Before you begin, you must define an iMIS contact record for each trainer in order to manage their information as a training provider. If a contact record does not yet exist for the provider, go to Community > Add contact and add the contact information for the new provider.

Adding a provider

Do the following to add a provider:

1. Go to Certification > Providers.
2. Click Add a provider.
3. Select a Provider.
4. Provide a Location Name.
5. Select a Status.

Note: Providers with a status of Inactive do not appear in the Providers list.

Adding an additional location for a provider

Do the following to add an additional location for a provider:

1. Locate the provider in the Providers list.
2. Click the Location Name for that provider.
3. Click Add a location and provide a Location Name.