Manage course due dates and valid periods

Apply date limits on courses and enrollments

Set due dates and valid periods, aka expiry dates, on courses and enrollments. These dates determine how long learners can access a course. 

Availability: all customers

The difference between due dates and valid periods

A due date sets an advisory date for a learner or a group to complete a course. After the due date passes, learners can still access the course.

A valid period, also called an expiry date, sets a definite date for when a user must complete a course. After the valid period expires, users cannot access the course. 

For valid periods, the Allow relaunch after completion setting lets learners restart a course after they finish it. This option enables learners to stay up to date with required content, like continued professional development (CPD) or mandatory health and safety courses.  

Note: for exam modules, any change to the exam options turns on Allow relaunch after completion. This option makes it easy for learners to re-attempt an exam right away. 

When you change any exam options, always check the status of Allow relaunch after completion. Make sure it's set correctly for your course.

For example: if you provide sellable courses in your portal, you may need to turn the setting off after making changes to exam options, so learners can't access your courses indefinitely.

See Exam options.

Course due dates and valid periods vs certificate expiry dates

Course due dates and valid periods (aka expiry dates) are separate features from certificate expiry dates, which prompt re-enrolling learners into courses. The terms are similar but the functions are not linked.

Certificate expiry dates apply to optional certificates, which you link to a course. You can use these dates to re-enroll a learner before their certificate expires.

See Recertify your learners.

Set a due date on a course

Set the due dates either by picking a number of days after enrollment, or set a calendar date. This setting applies to all learners you enroll in this course.

1. From main navigation go to Courses > your course name. 
2. Select Due Dates / Valid Periods. 
3. In Due Dates enter a number in days after enrollment or enter a date in specify a fixed date.
4. Select Save.

The following screenshot shows Due Dates fields.

Set a due date on a group's enrollment

Set or reset a course's due date for a learning group. This course's due date applies to all learners enrolled through the group, from this enrollment onward. 

This setting won't change the due dates for learners already enrolled through the group. 

1. From main navigation go to Enrollments > Create New Enrollments.
2. From Select Courses, find the course required.
3. From Select Users, select Switch to Groups.
4. From Select Groups, find the group you need to enroll.
5. For Set Due date, enter a number in days after enrollment or enter a date in specify a fixed date.
6. Select Enroll to finish.

The following screenshot shows the New Enrollments page with a course selected for a group, and Set Due date fields available.

Change a due date on a group enrollment

When your group is enrolled on a course, you can edit the due date for future enrollments through Groups. 

Changes won't apply to learners who are already enrolled in a course, through the group.

1. From main navigation go to Groups > your group name.
2. From secondary navigation select Courses to see a list of courses where the group is enrolled.
3. For the applicable course, select More (aka 3-dot menu) > Set Due Date.
4. In the Set Due Date dialog that opens, enter a number in days after enrollment or enter a date in specify a fixed date.
5. Save to finish.

The following screenshot shows a group's sample course, with the More menu displayed.

Set a due date on an individual enrollment

1. From main navigation go to Users > user name. 
2. From secondary navigation, select Enrollments. 
3. On a specific enrollment, select More (aka 3-dot menu) > Set Due Date.
4. Enter a date and select Save. 

Note: This date overrides any due date set on the course for this user.

Set valid periods, aka expiry dates, on a course

Set the valid period dates either by picking a number of days after enrollment, or set a calendar date. 

1. From main navigation go to Courses > your course name. 
2. Select Due Dates / Valid Periods. 
3. In Valid Periods enter a number in days after enrollment or enter a date in specify a fixed date.
4. Optionally, set Allow relaunch after completion: this option keeps the learner enrolled in the course.
5. Select Save. 

The following screenshot shows Valid Periods, with Allow relaunch after completion enabled.

Set an expiry date for a user's enrollment

From Users, the interface refers to Expiry Date for a valid period.

1. From main navigation go to Users > user name. 
2. From secondary navigation, select Enrollments.
3. On a specific enrollment, select More (aka 3-dot menu) > Set Expiry Date.
4. Enter a date and select Save. 

Note: This date now overrides any expiry date set on the course for this user.

Set an expiry date via the course status report

From Reports, the interface refers to Expiry Date for a valid period.

1. From main navigation go to Reports.
2. Select Course Status.
3. Select the Courses and Statuses to run the report. 
4. Select the checkbox next to Name and then three options will appear on the right hand side.
5. Select the calendar option to set the expiry date. 

The following screenshot shows a course status report, with the calendar option highlighted.

See:

• Add courses to your catalog
• Course settings overview: details, learner access and messaging options
• Recertify your learners