Creating Classes

Class management involves organizing and scheduling sessions for instructor-led courses, hybrid courses combining instructor-led sessions with online content, or reserving resource blocks. This unit specifically addresses how to schedule items within SAP SuccessFactors Learning. When a class is created, it adds an instance of the course to the calendar, assigns any necessary resources, and enables learner registration.

Learners can be enrolled in classes by administrators, their managers, or through self-registration. The system also triggers email notifications to participants, managers, instructors, and relevant contacts associated with the class.

The following table presents some terms and definitions related to scheduling classes in SAP SuccessFactors Learning.

There are a couple of ways to create a class. The most efficient way is to create the class from the Instructor-Led item entity, as that process will pre-populate the class summary information, instead of having to search for it. From the item entity Actions menu, select Schedule. The item settings will cascade into the class entity.

The other way to create a class entity is to navigate to Learning Administration → Learning Activities → Class → Add New. The Administrator would then have to search for the desired item to be scheduled and enter the other logistical details.

Upon completion of the class entity logistical information, select SAVE and the system will create the class entity that contains the cascaded base items information to include its agenda.

The Add New Class window includes four essential sections for entering class information: Summary Information, Class Information, Resources and Special Request Custom Fields. After the class is created, additional resources such as multiple instructors can be assigned for each time slot from the Agenda tab of the class entity.

Any conflicts with potential resources can be identified using the Preview button and refresh icon in Resource Usage View.

Typically, organizations have predefined options for fields with a dropdown, but some organizations may allow administrators to add class information and resources to those dropdown fields. For example, if the facility, location, or equipment you want to connect to the class is not already in the system, you can add it directly through the wizard interface by selecting the green plus icon next to the respective field. If a training session is held at a one-time facility that doesn't need to be added to your resource list, you can also enter an ad hoc facility instead.

In the Summary Information Section, you need to define the type of the new class. There are two options to choose from: Item or Resource Block.

The primary function of the Class Information area is to allow you to set options such as the Facility and Primary Location for the class

The primary function of the Resources area is to allow you to set options such as Primary Instructor and equipment for the class.

Resource Usage View

The Resource Usage View dropdown menu enables the administrator to detect potential conflicts associated with a specific resource. If you attempt to schedule a resource at the same time it is already booked, a warning message will appear, allowing you to decide whether to proceed with the scheduling or choose a different resource.

In the event of a resource conflict, you can easily view the conflict by navigating to the Agenda tab of a class and checking the Conflict Item column.

A global setting is available to prevent the system from creating a class entity if it detects a resource scheduling conflict. Navigate to System Administration → Configuration → Global Application Settings → Prevent Resource Conflicts. If this setting is not enabled, the administrator will be allowed to create the class entity but must manually resolve all resource conflicts.

If the setting is enabled, an error message will be shown. The administrator not be able to select the resource with the conflict and will need to either remove it from the time slot or choose a different resource. This applies to instructors, locations, and equipment when creating and adding classes and resource blocks.

After entering all information in the four sections: Summary Information, Class Information, Resources and Special Requests Custom Fields, select Save, and a new class entity is created.

After creating the new class entity, it is important to customize it as needed by configuring the necessary entity tabs to ensure the class entity functions effectively for its intended purpose.

Once a class is created, you can use the Agenda tab to make any necessary changes to the class schedule or resources. The default time slot structure is established through the Agenda Template tab of the item entity. Use the Add and Remove icons to create additional timeslots or remove existing ones.

Each existing timeslot can be copied using the copy icon. From the three action-dots, the Edit Time Slot and Mark Attendance options are available.

When adding a new time slot to the class the administrator may want to use the Resend Registration Email Notification option from the Actions menu. It allows them to notify learners about changes made to the class.

Deleting a time slot triggers a notification with a cancellation invite. It means that learners do not have to manually track and delete the calendar invite from their calendars in case of time slot deletions.

If you need to modify resources for a class that has multiple time slots, edit one time slot and select the Apply to All Time Slots button to apply the changes to all time slots. For instance, if you need to update the Primary Instructor or assign an Alternate Instructor, you can make the change for one time slot and then choose Apply to All Time Slots to ensure the resource change applies to all class time slots.

Mark Attendance Option

Select Mark Attendance to the right of the time slot to display the Mark Attendance window.

Mark the learner’s attendance by selecting the checkbox in the column. You can enter any comments for each learner as well. Select Apply Changes to save.

If the class has multiple time slots, select Copy to Same Day Time Slots to copy the attendance record and any comments for all learners from the current time slot to all time slots that start on the same day.

Note

Marking time slot attendance is for administrative use only. The system does not store this attendance with the learner’s learning history.