The Accord LMS is built to support large complex learning environments. An important aspect of our LMS design is the hierarchical team structure available to LMS Admins. Large enterprise and extended enterprise Learning Management Systems require a flexible user management structure. The Accord LMS usage of Teams is a feature which supports departmental control, multiple administrators, custom reporting, custom permissions and more. Over the last few months Accord LMS Engineers have implemented sensible updates which will save LMS Administrators time and effort when managing their various learner or user Teams’.
Figure 1: Accord LMS Hierarchical Team example.
Team Bulk Import
The release of Accord LMS version 2019.05 introduced the option of importing teams in bulk. This feature greatly simplifies the initial creation of a team hierarchy. LMS Admins can create their entire team structure in an Excel spreadsheet. This completed Team spreadsheet can then be imported into the LMS in one simple step. For a succinct example on how to conduct this Team import action, please click on this recorded webinar.
LMS imports is an effective tool to set up your initial Team structure. Imports can also be used to make certain modifications to the existing Teams or add new Teams. Our clients have been using the import feature to save time since last fall but now changes can be conducted to a preexisting Team structure.
Version 2020.01 will be released soon!
The key functionality that comes with v.2020.01 is the ability to move or copy existing Teams. Moving or copying teams is very helpful to admins when overseeing a reorganization or expansion of existing team structures. Admins are now able to move a team within the hierarchy by clicking on the Team and then holding and dragging to it’s new location.
Using Drag and Drop to Move a Team
A Team can be moved with Drag and Drop simply by clicking on the Team name, holding down the mouse button and moving the Team on top of the desired new parent Team. A pop-up message will display showing which Team you are selecting before fully committing by releasing the mouse button.
Using Team Details to Move a Team
Selecting Team Details from the Team Context Menu presents a Team Management Interface. A Team can be moved by simply changing the parent Team. In the example below, we move the IDS Team from the top level (Parent or All Members Team) to become a child Team of the Warehouse Personnel team. Clicking update will move the Team; whenever not subjected to any pre-designated restrictions (see Before You Move or Copy below).
Figure 2: Selecting a new Parent Team from Team Details
Using Team Details to Copy a Team
Copy is identical to Move with one exception. Copying a file maintains the original Team in it’s original position. Moving a Team removes the Team from it’s original location.
To copy within the Team Details panel, just change the parent as indicated above and then click on the COPY button, rather than the UPDATE button. That’s it!
This short video demonstrates copying and moving Teams within the Accord LMS.
Important: Before You Move or Copy
Most Teams can be moved or copied by easy drag and drop or by merely changing the Team setting within the Team Details panel. There are some features associated with Teams that cannot be moved or copied at this time.
- Make sure there are no Role, Folder or Portal limitations on the Team.
- Make sure there are no Role, Folder or Portal restrictions on any admin-type in the Team.
- Prior to copying or moving, remove any associated Team Access Codes.
- A Team cannot be moved or copied into a hierarchy level which contains another Team having the exact same name.
Team Role, Folder, or Portal Limitations
Figure 3: A Team with Folder and Learning Role restrictions
The Accord LMS provides the ability to restrict certain Team admins to managing a specific set of Catalog folders or a specific set of Learning Roles. These restrictions can be placed on the team itself which will effect all admins in that active team. If there are limitations placed on a Team, this Team cannot be copied. Any Team with restrictions will display one or two folder icons to the right of the Team name. (see figure 2 above) To prepare to move a Team, click on the Team name and select Team Content, Role and Portal Access. Scroll through this panel to ensure all sections have the ‘Inherit Parent Team Access’ box checked.
Figure 4: Select Inherit Parent Team Access in Learning Content and Learning Roles before Copy/Move.
Admin Type Folder, Role, or Portal Limitations
In addition to offering the flexibility of restricting access to certain administrators within specific teams, individual admin types can also be restricted. The settings are similar but must be edited at the Team level where the admin type was created. ‘All Members’ at the top of the hierarchy is normally where admin types are edited, but a new admin type can be introduced at any level of the Team hierarchy.
There are two approaches for preparing a team which includes an Admin Type with Folder, Role or Portal limitations. The first is to edit the admin type which can be done in the folder where the admin type was created. Select 'LMS Admin Types' and click the pencil icon to edit. Choose ‘Inherit from Parent’ for each of the three sections; similarly as described above for Teams. The other option is to simply remove the admin-type from the Team you wish to move.
Figure 5: This example, Learner Admin, has restrictions on both Catalog Folders and Learning Roles
Team Access Codes
Any Team Access Codes will need to be removed. If necessary, access codes can be recreated at the Team’s new location. Simply click on the Team Name and select 'Team Access Code'. Click on each Access Code Name to edit the details and click the Delete button at the bottom of the page.
This short video will demonstrate how to prepare a Team with restrictions or Access Codes for moving and copying.
In Conclusion
Moving and copying teams is unlikely to be part of an LMS administrator’s daily tasks, but when the need arises the Accord LMS will make your reorganization or expansion much easier than ever before. For more information on these new features check our documentation, contact support or reach out to your Solutions Engineer. If you aren’t yet an Accord client, please contact our sales team to discover how Team Management is just one of the ways in which we empower organizations to effectively and easily manage large scale Enterprise and Extended Enterprise Learning Management Systems.
This article describes features from the Accord LMS version 2020.01 which is expected to be released in Mid-March, 2020. A Live Webinar will demonstrate important features on February 19, 2020. Register for the live webinar or view a recorded copy here.