✔️ Configure and manage the course catalog (for admins)

The course catalog is one place where users can view all programs, paths, courses, trainings, files, and tests assigned to them. It eliminates the need for users to click between tabs, lists, or tiles, and it saves administrators time that was wasted on explaining how users can locate selected objects.

Thanks to many filtering and sorting options, attractive presentation and informative labels, it is very easy to find learning content in the course catalog. Read this article to see what this section looks like from the user's perspective.

Table of contents

1. Which objects are displayed in the course catalog?
2. Configure the course catalog step by step
   1. Create and add learning categories
   2. Add images to objects
   3. Share the course catalog
   4. Inform users about the change
3. Manage the course catalog
4. Other things to keep in mind

Which objects are displayed in the course catalog?

For a program, path, course, training, file or test to be displayed in the course catalog, it must meet 2 conditions:

• It must be assigned to a user (it doesn't matter if it is assigned directly, to a group, or via path/program).
• Must have at least one learning category added.

For programs and paths, you can decide whether to display only the program/path tile, only selected program/path elements, or both. Detailed information on managing learning categories and their impact on the course catalog can be found here.

Configure the course catalog step by step

The following steps will show you how to prepare and share the course catalog on your own. If you have any questions, concerns or need support, you can always contact Customer Support.

1. Create and add learning categories

What do you need to do?

1. Create learning category structure.
2. Add learning categories.
3. Add objects to learning categories.

Why?

• For an object to be displayed in the course catalog, it must have at least one learning category added.
• A well-designed category structure will make it much easier for users to find objects related to a particular topic (learning categories work not only in the course catalog, but also in the search bar).

How to do it?

• Prepare the category structure, in this article you will find tips on how to do it along with an example structure.
• You can manage learning categories and add objects to them by going to Configuration > Customization > Learning categories.
• You can also add a category from the object editing view. 
• You can easily see which objects don't have any learning category added, so you don't miss anything.

Detailed instructions, along with tips on creating a user-friendly category structure, can be found in this article. 

2. Add images to objects

What do you need to do?

1. Add an image to the objects that will be displayed in the course catalog.

Why?

• A well-chosen image, matching the theme of the object, will make it more attractive and easier to find it in the course catalog.
• You don't have to add images to all objects at once, start with the most important and popular ones. Objects that don’t have a custom image will be displayed with the default image we have prepared.

How to do it?

1. Go to the object editing view and unpublish it (doesn’t apply to programs and paths).
2. In the "General data" section, find the "Image for learning materials” option.
3. Add an image. The suggested dimensions are 990px ​​by 420px. The maximum size is 5 MB.
4. Save changes and publish the object.

Hint: Choose graphics or photos with a solid, preferably darker background. Avoid flashy colors and patterns as they will reduce the readability of the section. You can use free libraries that do not require a license for commercial use, e.g., https://unsplash.com/. 

3. Share the course catalog

What do you need to do?

Create a homepage tile with a link, place it at the top of the homepage and share it with all users.

How to do it?

Create a homepage tile with a link and use the link: https://platformname.com/protected/home#/content-library

Remember to change “platformname.com” to your platform’s URL. For example, the final link can look like one of the following:

• https://education.company.com/protected/home#/content-library or
• https://education.hcmdeck.com/protected/home#/content-library 

Depending on your platform's URL.

Here you will find detailed instructions on adding link tiles.

I4. nform users about the change

We recommend communicating the change in your organization. Let employees know what the course catalog is, what it should be used for, and what can be found in it. You can use the public materials for learners that we have prepared.

Manage the course catalog

A great advantage of the course catalog is that it requires very little administration once it has been configured. Just remember to:

1. Add a learning category to a newly created object (required .
2. Add an image to a newly created object (optional).

Other things to keep in mind

Mandatory badge

For an object to be displayed with a mandatory badge, you need to set the object as mandatory when assigning it to a group. Here’s how to do it.  

Availability badges

Time restrictions

If you set a time restriction on access to an object, it will be displayed at the bottom of the tile as a badge:

• [Lock symbol] Available in X days—when the start date is set in the future.
• [Lock symbol] Time left: X days—after the start date and before the end date.
• [No-entry symbol] Locked—when the end date has passed.

Soft deadline

If you set a soft deadline for a path or program, it will be displayed on the tile next to a clock icon:

• [Clock symbol] Time left: X days—before the soft deadline passes. 
• [Clock symbol] Overdue—when the soft deadline has passed.

Find out more about time restrictions here.