How to Create a Batch

Batches allow administrators to assign one or more courses to a group of learners at the same time. They are commonly used for onboarding cohorts, certification programs, team training, and recurring learning initiatives.

Before creating a batch, ensure the courses you want to assign already exist under:

Manage → Courses

You can also create the batch first and add courses later, but most administrators find it easier to have their courses ready before creating the batch.

Before You Begin

Make sure you have:

• Permission to manage batches and courses
• At least one course created
• The users or teams you want to assign training to identified

Note: Only Closed courses need to be assigned through batches. Open courses are automatically assigned to all users and do not require batch enrollment.

Creating a Batch

Step 1: Open Batch Management

1. Navigate to Manage → Batches.
2. Click Create Batch.

To update an existing batch, select the batch and click Edit.

Step 2: Add Courses

1. Click Add Courses.
2. Select one or more courses to include in the batch.
3. Save your selection.

Only closed courses need to be added to a batch. Open courses are already available to all learners automatically.

Step 3: Select Learners

Choose who should receive the assigned courses.

You can:

• Select individual users
• Select entire teams
• Combine both approaches if needed

Pending users (users who have been invited but have not yet activated their accounts) can also be included in the batch.

Once a pending user activates their account, all courses assigned through the batch become available automatically.

Step 4: Configure the Schedule

Define the timing for the batch.

Start Date

The date learners can begin accessing the assigned courses.

End Date

The date the batch closes.

Completion Window

The number of days a learner has to complete the course after they personally begin it.

Example

In this example, the learner must finish by March 16, even though the overall batch remains open until March 18.

Step 5: Enable Email Reminders (Optional)

You can enable automatic email notifications to help learners stay on track.

When enabled, Outdoo can:

• Notify learners when a course is assigned
• Remind learners as deadlines approach
• Alert learners when courses are nearing expiration

Step 6: Publish the Batch

Click Publish to activate the batch.

Once published:

• Learners receive assignment notifications
• Courses become available based on the configured schedule
• Progress begins tracking in reporting and analytics

Editing a Published Batch

Published batches remain fully editable.

At any time, you can:

• Add or remove learners
• Add, Update or remove courses
• Update start and end dates
• Adjust completion windows
• Modify reminder settings

For example, if a training deadline needs to be extended, you can update the batch end date without creating a new batch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a batch update automatically if I change a course afterward?

No.

If you modify a course that has already been assigned to an active batch, you have to update the version of course in the batch. The updated version is typically delivered to:

• Learners who have not started the course yet
• New learners added to the batch later
• Learners who have already completed the course retain the version they completed and were scored against
• If a learner has started the course but has not completed it then that course will be reseted for them, all the progress of that course will be lost. .

Historical performance data remains unchanged, ensuring that reporting accuracy is preserved even when course content evolves over time.

Can I edit a course after learners have been enrolled?

Yes, with some limitations.

You can:

• Add roleplay agents
• Remove roleplay agents
• Update course content

However, some course settings cannot be changed after creation.

Open vs. Closed Status

A course's Open or Closed status is permanent and cannot be changed after the course is created.

If you need a fundamentally different course structure, the recommended approach is:

1. Create a new course.
2. Remove the old course from the batch.
3. Add the new course to the batch.

Historical learner results and reporting data from the original course remain available.

What if I need to reset training for one learner?

Resetting an individual learner's course attempt or score is not currently available

Do I need to create a new batch for every training cycle?

No.

You can choose the approach that best matches your reporting and operational needs.

Option 1: Reuse an Existing Batch

Continue adding new learners and courses to the same batch over time.

Option 2: Create a New Batch Per Cohort

Create separate batches for:

• Monthly onboarding groups
• Quarterly certification programs
• Team-specific training initiatives

Many organizations prefer separate batches because performance reporting can be filtered by batch.

Can I add someone before they have an Outdoo account?

Yes.

Users can be added to a batch while they are still in a pending invitation state.

Once they activate their account, all assigned courses become available automatically.

Best Practices

• Create courses before building batches whenever possible.
• Use descriptive batch names (for example, "October 2026 Sales Onboarding").
• Create separate batches when you want distinct reporting by cohort.
• Review completion windows carefully to ensure learners have adequate time to finish training.
• Enable reminder emails for mandatory or deadline-driven training.

Related Articles

• Batches Overview
• How to Assign Roleplays to Users
• Course Certifications