Creating smart groups
Smart groups are a dynamically created group defined by group rules. They automatically add anyone who meets the criteria you define as soon as the user is created. Once you create a smart group, you can add the group to a course or program. Any users already in the group will be assigned that course or program, and any users added later will also receive it. In this way, you can automate group creation and a whole curriculum.
First, we’ll need to head to the Admin section.
In the Global Navigation menu, click the Admin menu option [1].
Next, we’re going to open up the Manage Groups section.
In the Users and Permissions menu [1], click the Manage Groups link [2].
Finally, it’s time to create the actual Group itself.
On the Groups page, click the Add New Group button [1]. Click the Add New Smart Group option [2].
Note: If you have not created a custom field for your users while doing a user upload, then you will not have the Smart Group option.
On the page that comes up, type in a title at the top.
Now it’s time to start creating rules. Rules will look at your users and add any who meet the criteria to the group. You can add as many or as few rules as you want.
First, select the operator [1]. You can choose to add learners who meet all of the rules, or add them if they meet any of the rules. If you are only creating one rule, then this first step doesn’t matter. It only comes in to play when you create multiple rules in one Smart Group.
Next, select an attribute by clicking in the text box and choosing from the dropdown [2].
In the second attribute field [3], choose the “limitation” for the value. You can choose to create a rule that checks for matches, “is”, or checks to make sure the field does not match, “is not.”
Next, we’ll search for the attribute value we want to match.
In the value field [1], enter the name of an attribute value or click the field and select from the options that appear below. Attribute values are part of a learner’s profile.
Select the full name when it appears [2].
Once you have selected the value, learners will automatically be added if they match the rules. You can continue adding more rules, or if you’re done, just click Save in the upper right.
Now that you’ve created a Smart Group, anyone who meets the criteria will get added, and any courses/programs assigned to the group will also be assigned to that learner automatically! It’s a great way to automate your learning and reduce your workload.