Sessions and session groups: create and manage

Introduction

In this article, we provide an overview of creating sessions and session groups in LMS365 and their management. In this guide, you'll see where and how to create sessions and session groups for instructor-led training, an overview of the Sessions section with its filtering and searching options, and the management actions available for sessions and session groups: register attendance, edit, delete or copy course sessions, manage and message learners, and download a QR code for attendance tracking.

 

Where to start

Required role: Catalog admin or course admin.

Sessions and session groups can be added to instructor-led training while creating or editing a course.

To add sessions and session groups during course creation, follow these steps:

1. On the Create training panel, under the Basic details section, select the Instructor-Led Training course type. If you omit this stage, the Sessions section won't be displayed on the Create training panel.

2. Navigate to the Sessions section.

3. Select the relevant action: Create course session or Add group of sessions. Complete the fields and save your changes.

 

 

To add sessions and session groups to an existing course, follow these steps:

1. In the LMS365 Admin Center, go to the Training Management panel.

2. Select the relevant course.

3. On the opened Course management panel, select the Manage Course Sessions link.

4. On the opened Sessions section, select the relevant action: Create course session or Add group of sessions. Complete the fields and save your changes.

 

Sessions section overview

The Sessions section view differs depending on the course enrollment type.

For All groups and standalone sessions enrollment type courses, the notification area above the list of sessions and session groups may contain the following information:

• The number of available seats out of the total number of seats in the course.
• The enrollment deadline information, if it was set.

For courses of other enrollment types, the notification area isn't displayed because available seats and the enrollment deadline are set at session and session group level.

 

 

Standalone sessions have a calendar icon next to them. Session groups have this icon . Session groups are expanded by default on the Sessions section.

By default, the items in the Sessions section are sorted by Start Date. The count takes into account all standalone sessions and one session inside each session group (the session the the earliest start date).

Information about sessions and session groups is specified in the columns. Select a column header to set a filter.

 

 

• Name. Displays the name of the session or session group. This column can be used for sorting.
  
  
• Start Date. Displays the start date and time of a standalone session or a session in a group. This column can be used for sorting.
  
  
• End Date. Displays the end date and time of a standalone session or a session in a group. This column can be used for sorting.
  
  
• Time Zone. Displays the time zone of a standalone session or a session in a group. This column can be used for sorting.
  
  
• Location. Displays the URL and the room number of a standalone session or a session in a group.
  
  
• Max. attendees. This column can be used for sorting. Displays the maximum number of attendees set for a standalone or session group for courses of the single- and multiple- groups and standalone sessions enrollment types only. 

   

  

   

  Courses of the all- groups and standalone sessions enrollment type show the maximum number of attendees specified in the notification area of the Sessions section.
  
  

  
  
  

• Instructor(s). Displays the instructors assigned to standalone sessions. Session groups don't have an option of assigning instructors but on the course home page, all instructors assigned for sessions nested inside a session group will be listed on the session group card.

The Sessions section a menu bar that contains the following actions:

• Create course session. Find more information in the Session creation flow section of this article.
• Add group of sessions. Find more information in the Session group creation flow section of this article.
• Filter by instructors
• Print Attendance Sign-in Sheet

 

Filter by instructors

The All instructors drop-down list enables you to filter sessions and session groups according to the assigned instructor. By default, this is set to All instructors. If no instructors are assigned, only All instructors will be available.

 

 

Print Attendance Sign-in Sheet

The Print Attendance Sign-in Sheet option enables catalog admins, course admins, and instructors to print the attendance sign-in sheet.

 

 

 

When you select Print Attendance Sign-in Sheet, the following actions are available:

• For courses of the all- enrollment type, a Word.doc file that contains all session sign-in sheets will be automatically downloaded to your device. In the downloaded file, you'll find separate attendance sheets for each course session.
  
  
• For courses of the single- and multiple- enrollment types, the Print Attendance Sign-In Sheet will open with a list of all standalone sessions and sessions that are in session groups. By default, no session is selected. At the bottom of the page, select Print All to download all sign-in sheets to your device. To print a separate sign-in sheet for specific sessions or session groups, select the relevant items in the list.

   

  

 

The Attendance Sign-in Sheet contains information about the sessions only (both standalone and sessions in session groups). Information about session groups isn't included. 

• Course. Displays the name of the course to which the session relates.
  
  
• Session. Displays the session name. This field will be empty if you haven't named the session.
  
  
• Start/End date. Displays the start/end date and time of the session.
  
  
• Time zone. Displays the session’s time zone.
  
  
• Location/meeting URL. Displays the room and its location or the meeting URL.
  
  
• Delivered by. Displays the name of the session instructor. If an instructor isn't assigned to a session, the name of the course or catalog admin who printed the sheet is displayed.
  
  
• Date. Displays the date that the Attendance Sign-in Sheet was generated.
  
  
• Name. Displays the names of users who are registered for the session for courses of the single- and multiple- enrollment types. For courses of the all- enrollment type, the Name field displays the names of users enrolled in the course.
  
  
• Signature. Сontains the signatures provided by the learners, if learners were allowed to register their attendance via the LMS365 mobile app and a signature was required. Otherwise, this field is empty.

 

 

Sessions

Session creation flow

To create a course session:

1. On the Sessions section of the course configuration panel, select Create course session.

 

 

2. Complete the form to create or edit a session. Fields marked with an asterisk * are required.

 

 

3. Select Save to create or update the session.

 

Group of sessions

This field is optional. By default, No group is selected.

If No group is selected, the session will be a standalone one and won't be included in a session group.

If session groups have already been created for the course, you can select an existing session group from the drop-down list to add the session to this group. 

Session groups can't be created while you're creating a session. Find more information about session groups here.

 

 

Session name

This field is required. 

Enter the name of the session. This enables users to get a better idea of the content of specific sessions and decide the sessions for which they should register.

Users will see session names on the course home page, in notifications, and in session appointments in Microsoft Outlook.

 

Start and End Dates

Both fields are required.

Complete these fields with the dates and times of the session that'll be displayed to users on the course home page. The start and end dates of the session must fall within the course publishing dates.

Start Date. Select the start date and time of the session. By default, this field is automatically completed with the current date.

End Date. Select the end date and time of the session. By default, this field is automatically completed with the current date.

 

Time Zone

This field is required.

In the Time Zone drop-down menu, select the relevant time zone for the session to be conducted.

By default, it's set according to the Regional settings of the current course.

 

 

Enrollment Deadline

 

This field is optional and empty by default.

Complete the Enrollment Deadline field to set the time limit for users to register for the session. Users won't be able to register for sessions after this deadline.

This option doesn't influence an admin's ability to manage user enrollment.

More detailed information can be found in this article.

 

Let LMS365 schedule the Teams meeting 

Toggle the Let LMS365 schedule the Teams meeting option to the On position.

By allowing LMS365 to schedule the Teams meeting, participants will see the invitation to the scheduled meeting in their Microsoft Teams app calendar. They can join the session directly from Microsoft Teams.

If the toggle is on, the Meeting URL will be automatically generated when the session is saved.

The Meeting URL field is disabled until the session is created.

Detailed information about the Let LMS365 schedule the Teams meeting option and how to create Microsoft Teams meetings directly from instructor-led training is available in this article. 

 

 

Meeting URL

This field is required.

The meeting URL will be available for learners on the course home page, on My Training Dashboard, in calendar invitations, in email invitations and notifications, and in mobile app notifications. Learners can join the training meeting directly by selecting this URL.

If the Let LMS365 schedule the Teams meeting option is on, the Meeting URL will be automatically generated when the session is saved.

If the Let LMS365 schedule the Teams meeting option is off, the Meeting URL must be manually entered.

You won't be able to save the session if the Meeting URL field is empty. Instead, you'll see the "The field is required" message.

 

Room

The Room field is optional and is used for sessions that require learners to be present onsite.

There are two ways of adding a room to a meeting:

1. Enter the room in the Room field. Rooms added in this way exist only for the current session, they aren't created in LMS365 Exchange Online, and they don't contain any additional information, such as the location URL.

2. Add the room from the Room List created in Microsoft 365 Connection Settings:

a. To select the room form the list, use the Select Room link under the field. The maximum number of rooms displayed on the Room list is 100. The article Creating and configuring rooms for Instructor-Led Training sessions contains detailed information.

b. The Select Room panel opens.

Here, the rooms will be displayed according to user's permissions to the Room List.

 

 

The date specified in the calendar above the list of the rooms is the session dates and time. You may filter the date rage by selecting the calendar icon and check rooms availability on other dates.

The Select Room panel consists of the columns:

• Title. Displays the title of the room (specified whilst its creation).
  
  
• Location. Displays the location of the room (specified whilst its creation).
  
  
• Is Free. If the room is vacant during the start and end period of the session, it's marked as Yes. If it's occupied during this period, it's marked as No and can't be selected.

c. Select the room and Save to add the room to the session.

If a room is changed whilst course or session editing, the previous room reservation will be cancelled. Learners will receive an updated appointment in their calendars.

When attendees are changed, only those added or removed from the instructor-led training event will receive email notifications.

 

Maximum attendees

This field is optional.

The Maximum attendees field is available only for courses of the single-and multiple- enrollment types.

Specify the maximum number of attendees allowed for this session. The value in this field must be a positive integer.

 

Instructor(s)

This field is optional.

In the Instructor(s) field, specify the users who'll be responsible for this definite session. You can choose from internal users or guests who were invited to the catalog.

The instructors' names will be visible on the course home page.

Instructors have access to the course and to all the sessions they are assigned in. They can register attendance, download QR code for attendance, and print the attendance sign-in sheet. Once the instructors are assigned, they receive the corresponding email with the session information.

Instructors will be notified on assignment or unassignment as an instructor via an email message. If changes are introduced to a session's location, start or end date & time, time zone, the meeting URL, or the course title, instructor will receive the updated email notifications. Once the course or session is deleted, they'll receive the cancellation of appointment notification.

 

Internal Cost

This field is optional.

In the Internal Cost field, set the internal expenses per session. The currency symbol is specified on the right side.

To ensure consistency within all summaries and calculations across all the courses and catalogs, the internal cost of all sessions will be registered in the same currency.
The cost is calculated only for the learners with the registered attendance. For the learners whose attendance was marked as absent or absent (informed) the cost won't be calculated. The internal cost per learner depends on the total number of learners on the session. It's calculated as the division of the internal cost for the session by a number of learners with the registered attendance.

The default currency is the United States dollar (USD), but the LMS admin can manage it in the Global Settings area.

 

Session Information

This field is optional.

In the Session Information field, you can specify additional information on the session. Users can see this information on the course home page selecting the Additional Information link.

 

 

Allow learners to register their own Attendance via the LMS365 Mobile App

To Allow learners to register their own Attendance via the LMS365 Mobile App, toggle the option to the On position.

You can specify the time period learners can register their attendance in the fields:

• Attendance registration start date. Select the start date and time to set attendance.
  
  
• Attendance registration end date. Select the end date and time to set attendance.

By default, the time to register attendance is equal to the start and end time of the session.

The detailed information on self-registration by learners for attendance of the sessions can be found in this article.

 

 

QR Code is required

To enable learners to register their attendance via the LMS365 mobile app by scanning QR code, enable the option QR Code is required. 

The detailed information on the learners' attendance self-registration to the sessions via QR code can be found in this article.

 

Signature is required

To enable learners to register their attendance via the LMS365 mobile app via providing their signature, enable the option Signature is required.

The detailed information on the learners' attendance self-registration to the sessions by signature provision can be found in this article.

 

Session Actions panel

Depending on the course enrollment type, session status (standalone or part of a session group) and session settings, the management actions for a selected session can be the following: register attendance, edit, delete, copy course session, manage learners, email learners, download a QR Code for attendance tracking.

 

 

Register Attendance

Required role: catalog admin, course admin or instructor.

 

To register learners' attendance for a session, an admin or instructor can complete the following steps:

1. In the Sessions section of the course configuration panel, select a session (a standalone session or a session in a session group). The Actions panel opens.

2. On the Actions panel, select Register Attendance. The Register Attendance panel opens.

3. On the Register Attendance panel, select the learners to activate the Register Attendance option.

4. Select the required value from the drop-down list: 100%, 75%, 50% or 25%, Absent (informed), or Absent. The selected value will be applied to the select learners immediately.

Once attendance is set, it'll be displayed on the Course Progress panel, as well as on the Learner’s Progress panel.

 

 

The Register Attendance panel contains the following information:

• Name. Displays the learner’s name.
  
  
• Email. Displays the learner’s email address.
  
  
• Department. Displays the department where the learner works (this information is taken from the user list).
  
  
• Manager. Displays the user who is specified as a manager in Azure AD.
  
  
• Attendance. If it's registered, displays the learner’s attendance. If attendance isn't registered, this field remains empty.
  
  
• Modified by. Displays the user who last modified attendance.
  
  
• Last Modified. Displays the date and time when the attendance was last modified (according to the regional settings of the current site).

 

To download the attendance report, select Export on the top menu bar.

A report will be downloaded to your device in Excel format. For more information, navigate to this article.

 

 

Edit course session

To edit a course session, select the relevant session on the Sessions section (either a standalone session or a session in a session group). On the opened Actions panel, select Edit course session.

On the Edit course session panel, introduce all necessary changes to the session. Save your updates and changes.

More information about the course session fields can be found in this article.

 

Copy course session

The Copy course session link allows to create a new session by coping the existing one.

To do this, select a session (a standalone session or a session in a session group) and select Copy course session from the Actions panel.

In the opened Create course session sidebar, you'll see a copy of the selected session with empty Start and End Dates fields. All other fields will be prepopulated with content from the original session. The Session name will be appended with Copy but this can be changed.

Complete the Start and End Dates fields, make changes to other fields if needed, and Save to create a session or Cancel to discard.

 

Manage Learners

The Manage Learners action link allows to enroll and unenroll users for sessions in the courses of the single- and multiple- enrollment types. For courses of the all- enrollment type, managing learners is done in the People section, so the Manage Learners link isn't available in the Sessions section. 

To enroll users, select Enroll Learner(s).

A single user or multiple users as well as a single Azure Active Directory/Office 365 group or several groups (O365 group means Office 365 group, Mail-enabled security group, or Security group) can be added.

You can enter a maximum of 50 users or 1,500 characters at a time, as a comma or semicolon-separated list. If you reach the limit of addresses, the extra addresses are automatically removed from the list, and you get informed about it with the informational message.

 

The number of users in the Azure AD group is displayed in brackets. Each user in the Azure AD group is counted regarding Maximum attendees set for the session and the number of available places is automatically updated after each enrollment and unenrollment.

 

 

If you try to enroll number of users exceeding the number of Maximum attendees set for a session, a validation message is displayed.

 

 

To unenroll users, select the learners and groups and select Cancel registrations on the Manage Learners panel.

You can select all learners and groups by checking the Name column.

The number of selected users and groups is specified in brackets on the Cancel registrations option, but it doesn't give the total number of the users whose registration for the session will be canceled.

 

Email Learners

NOTE   

• If a session is a standalone one and isn't included in a session group, then the Email Learners action link is available in its Actions panel.
  
  
• If a session is included in a session group, then the Email Learners action link isn't available in the Actions panel of this session. In this case, the sending of email messages to learners is done at session group level and the Email Learners link is displayed in the Actions panel of this session group. Find more details on sending email messages to learners of a session group here.

The Email Learners action link opens the Email Learners panel, where you can send email messages to learners of the selected session.

On the opened Email Learners sidebar, select the learners to whom you want to send a message. Users from enrolled groups are listed as individual users on the Email Learners panel.

After selecting any users, the Actions panel opens with the Send Email Message option:

• The Send Email Message option is disabled if all selected learners don't have an email address registered with their account.
  
  
• The Send Email Message option is enabled if some of the selected learners don't have an email address registered with their account, but you'll be warned that the email message will be received only by the users with specified email addresses.

 

 

Complete the Subject and Body fields, and select Send. By default, a link to the course page and session details are displayed at the bottom of the message. You can edit or delete all information in the Body field.

The email will be sent as one email to all selected learners. Sending the same email to a large number of recipients can increase the risk of your message being rejected, categorized as less important, or even junk email by email clients and spam filters.

The Email Learners option is also available on the Course management panel and in the People section of the course edit panel. In this case, you can select to message all learners of the course.

 

Download QR Code for Attendance Tracking

The Download QR Code for Attendance Tracking action link allows catalog and course admins and instructors to download a QR code for this session (a standalone session or a session in a session group). Therefore, this QR code can be shared with learners to let them scan the QR code and set attendance.

The QR code is downloaded in the PDF format. You can print it out, share via email, insert it into the presentation for the audience to scan during the session.

 

Delete course session

To delete a session, select the relevant one in the Sessions section, and select Delete course session on the Actions panel.

To confirm the action, select Delete. Otherwise, select Cancel.

Deletion of a session can't be undone.

 

Session groups

Session group creation flow

To create a session group:

1. On the Sessions section of the course configuration panel, select Add group of sessions.

 

 

2. Complete the form to create or edit a session group. The fields marked with an asterisk * are required.

NOTE

Unlike standalone sessions, it's not possible to assign instructors to session groups. However, on the course home page, all instructors assigned for the sessions nested inside a session group will be listed on the session group card.

 

 

3. Select Save to create or update the session group.

A session group isn't displayed to a user on the course home page if this session group doesn't contain active sessions. This means the session group either has no sessions at all or its sessions are inactive (ended).

A session group is displayed to a user on the course home page:

• If this session group contains at least one active session. In this case, this session group is shown to the user, with an indication of the number of sessions it contains, including inactive (ended) sessions.
  
  

  
  
  

• If the user is registered for this session group. In this case, the session group is displayed to the user on the course home page, regardless of whether it contains any active sessions.
  
  

  

 

Group name

This field is required. 

Enter the name of the session group. This enables users to register as participants for a selection of sessions, rather than the individual standalone sessions.

Users will see the name of a session group on the course home page and on the course catalog page when viewing detailed information on the Sessions side panel.

 

Enrollment Deadline

 

This field is optional and empty by default.

Complete the Enrollment Deadline field to set the time limit for users to register for the session group. Users won't be able to register after this deadline.

The enrollment deadline of a session group affects all sessions added to this group. 

If a standalone session with a set enrollment deadline is added to a session group, it inherits the enrollment deadline of the session group (if set). If a session is removed from a session group, its enrollment deadline is restored to its original setting.

The Enrollment Deadline settings don't influence an admin's ability to manage user enrollment.

More detailed information can be found in this article.

 

Maximum attendees

This field is optional.

The Maximum attendees field is available for each session in a session group (for courses of the single-and multiple- enrollment types).

Specify the maximum number of attendees allowed this session group, therefore setting the number of available seats for each session added to this group. The value in this field must be a positive integer.

If a standalone session with a specified number of maximum attendees is added to a session group, it inherits the maximum attendees of the session group (if set). If a session is removed from a session group, the maximum number of attendees allowed is restored to its original setting.

 

Session group Actions panel

Depending on the course enrollment type, the management actions for a selected session group can be the following:

• Edit group of sessions
• Create session
• Manage Learners
• Email Learners
• Delete group of sessions

 

 

Edit group of sessions

To edit a group of sessions, select the relevant session group on the Sessions section and on the opened Actions panel, select Edit group of sessions.

On the Edit group of sessions panel, introduce all necessary changes to the session group settings: Group name, Enrollment Deadline and Maximum attendees. Save your updates and changes.

More information about the course session fields can be found in this article.

 

Create session

The Create session link allows to populate session groups by creating session inside it.

To do this, select a session group and select Create session from the Actions panel.

In the opened Create session sidebar, you'll see a standard create session panel with the only difference - in the Group of sessions field the selected session group is prepopulated. Find more details about how to complete the fields of the create session panel here.

Save to create a session inside the session group or Cancel to discard.

 

Manage Learners

The Manage Learners action link allows to enroll and unenroll users for a selected session group for the courses of the single- and multiple- enrollment types. For courses of the all- enrollment type, managing learners is done in the People section, so the Manage Learners link isn't available in the Sessions section. 

 

To enroll users, select Enroll Learner(s).

A single user or multiple users as well as a single Azure Active Directory/Office 365 group or several groups (O365 group means Office 365 group, Mail-enabled security group, or Security group) can be added.

You can enter a maximum of 50 users or 1,500 characters at a time, as a comma or semicolon-separated list. If you reach the limit of addresses, the extra addresses are automatically removed from the list, and you get informed about it with the informational message.

 

Next to the Azure AD group, in brackets, the number of users in it is specified. Each user of the Azure AD group is counted regarding Maximum attendees set for the session group and the number of available places is automatically updated after each enrollment and unenrollment.

If you try to enroll number of users exceeding the number of Maximum attendees set for a session group, a validation message is displayed.

 

 

To unenroll users, select the learners and groups and select Cancel registrations on the Manage Learners panel.

You can select all learners and groups by checking the Name column.

The number of selected users and groups is specified in brackets on the Cancel registrations option, but it doesn't give the total number of the users whose registration for the session will be canceled.

 

Email Learners

The Email Learners action link opens the Email Learners panel where you can send email messages to learners of the selected session group.

On the opened Email Learners sidebar, select the learners you want to send a message to. Users from enrolled groups are listed as individual users on the Email Learners panel.

After selecting any users, the Actions panel opens with the Send Email Message option:

• The Send Email Message option is disabled if all selected learners don't have an email address registered with their account.
  
  
• The Send Email Message option is enabled if some of the selected learners don't have an email address registered with their account, but you'll be warned that the email message will be received only by the users with specified email addresses.

 

 

Complete the Subject and Body fields, and select Send. By default, the message is empty for courses of the single- and multiple- enrollment types. For courses of the all- enrollment type, a link to the course page and session date are displayed at the bottom of the message. You can edit or delete all information in the Body field.

The email will be sent as one email to all selected learners. Sending the same email to a large number of recipients can increase the risk of your message being rejected, categorized as less important, or even junk email by email clients and spam filters.

The Email Learners option is also available on the Course management panel and in the People section of the course edit panel. In this case, you can select to message all learners of the course.

 

Delete group of sessions

To delete a session group, select the relevant one in the Sessions section, and select Delete group of sessions on the Actions panel.

This action is disabled for session groups that contain sessions. Move the sessions to another group or remove them from session groups (select No group to make them standalone) to activate the Delete group of sessions action link.

To confirm the action, select Delete. Otherwise, select Cancel.

The Delete group of sessions action can't be undone.

 

Move session to, from, and between session groups

Move session to a session group

NOTE

• For courses of the single- and multiple- enrollment types, when a standalone session is moved to a session group, the session inherits the Enrollment Deadline and Maximum attendees settings of this session group (if set).
  
  
• When a standalone session is moved to a session group, users' session registrations for this session are cancelled. The user receives a canceled Instructor-led training scheduled – appointment invitation notification.
  However, if the user is registered for the session group to which the session is moved, then this user's session registration is retained.

 

To move a standalone session to a session group, follow these steps:

1. On the Sessions section, select a standalone session (a session with a calendar icon next to it) that you want to move to a group of sessions.

2. On the opened Actions panel, select Edit course session to open the session's configuration panel.

3. On the session's configuration panel, from the Group of sessions drop-down list, select the session group to which you want to add this session.

4. Select Save and confirm your changes. 

 

 

Move session from a session group

NOTE

• For courses of the single- and multiple- enrollment types, when a standalone session is moved from a session group, the session restores its original Enrollment Deadline and Maximum attendees settings (if set).
  
  
• When a session is moved from a session group, registrations for all users registered for this session are cancelled. The user receives a canceled Instructor-led training scheduled – appointment invitation notification.

 

To move a standalone session from a session group, follow these steps:

1. On the Sessions section, select the session in a session group that you want to move out of the group of sessions.

2. On the opened Actions panel, select Edit course session to open the session's configuration panel.

3. On the session's configuration panel, from the Group of sessions drop-down list, select No group to move the session out of the session group and make it a standalone session.

 

 

4. Save your changes.

 

Move session between session groups

NOTE

• For courses of the single- and multiple- enrollment types, when a session is moved between session groups, the session inherits the Enrollment Deadline and Maximum attendees settings (if set) of the target group of sessions.
  
  
• When a session is moved from a session group, registrations for all users registered for this session are cancelled. The user receives a canceled Instructor-led training scheduled – appointment invitation notification.
  However, if a user is registered for the session group to which the session is moved, then the session registration for this user is retained.

 

To move a session between session groups, follow these steps:

1. On the Sessions section, select the session inside a session group that you want to move to another group of sessions.

2. On the opened Actions panel, select Edit course session to open the session's configuration panel.

3. On the session's configuration panel, from the Group of sessions drop-down list, select the session group to which you want to move the session.