Manage course due dates and valid periods – Knowledge Base

Summary

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

Course dating features are available to all customers.

The difference between due dates and valid periods

A due date sets an advisory date for a user to complete a course. After the due date passes, users 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 due date on a course

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

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

The following screenshot shows Due Dates fields.

Set due date on a user's enrollment

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

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

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

Set expiry date for a user's enrollment

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

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

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

Set expiry date via the course status report

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

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

The following screenshot shows a course status report for 4 learners, with the calendar option highlighted.

status_report_with_option_to_set_expiry_date_for_learners.png

See:

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