--- title: "Intro to Batches" url: "https://help.outdoo.ai/en/article/intro-to-batches" language: "en" last_updated: "2026-10-23T03:25:05.600Z" --- # Intro to Batches Learn what batches are in Outdoo AI, why they are used, and how they help assign and track training across groups of learners. If you've created a course in Outdoo AI and want to assign it to learners, you'll typically do so through a **Batch**. Batches are the primary way administrators organize training assignments, manage learner groups, and track progress across cohorts. * * * ## What Is a Batch? A **Batch** is a group of learners who are assigned one or more courses together. Think of a batch as a training cohort. It might represent: - New employees joining this month - A sales team completing certification training - Customer support agents participating in coaching - A selected group of learners completing refresher training Each batch contains: - The learners who will take the training - The courses assigned to them - Start and end dates - Completion requirements - Optional reminder settings You can manage batches from: **Manage > Batches** * * * ## Understanding Courses vs. Batches Outdoo AI separates training content from learner enrollment. ### Courses = What People Learn A **Course** contains the learning experience. Courses are made up of one or more roleplay agents and are organized around a specific training objective, such as: - New Hire Onboarding - Product Knowledge - Objection Handling - Discovery Calls ### Batches = Who Is Learning and When A **Batch** defines: - Which learners receive the training - Which courses are assigned - When the training begins - When it must be completed In simple terms: | Courses | Batches | | --- | --- | | What learners study | Who receives the training | | Roleplay content | Learner group | | Learning experience | Assignment and scheduling | * * * ## Why Batches Exist Batches make it easy to assign training to groups of learners instead of managing assignments one person at a time. Without batches, administrators would need to manually assign courses to every individual learner. With batches, you can: - Assign multiple courses at once - Enroll large groups of learners - Set shared deadlines - Send automated reminders - Track progress by cohort - Add or remove learners later ### Example Instead of assigning: - 3 courses - To 20 learners - Individually You can create a single batch, add all 20 learners, assign the 3 courses, and publish once. Any learner added to the batch later automatically receives the courses already assigned to that batch. * * * ## How Batches Support Reporting Batches are not only useful for assignment. They also help organize reporting and analytics. Within **Performance > Practice**, administrators can filter results by batch to answer questions such as: - How is the October onboarding cohort performing? - Which learners have completed certification training? - What scores did the latest sales enablement group achieve? - Which cohorts have overdue assignments? Because batches often align with real-world training programs, reporting becomes much easier to manage. * * * ## Example: Onboarding a New Hire Cohort Imagine your organization is onboarding 20 new sales hires in October. A typical workflow would be: 1. Create the required onboarding courses. 2. Create a batch called **October New Hires**. 3. Add all 20 learners to the batch. 4. Assign the onboarding courses. 5. Set training dates and deadlines. 6. Publish the batch. Once published: - Learners receive assignment notifications. - Courses appear in their learning dashboard. - Progress is automatically tracked. - Managers can monitor completion and performance. From the learner's perspective, there is no visible "batch." They simply see the courses assigned to them. * * * ## What Learners See Batches are an administrative concept and are not visible to learners. Learners do not see: - Batch names - Batch membership - Batch settings Instead, they see their assigned courses organized into categories such as: - Pending - Completed - Past Due - Open Enrollment This keeps the learning experience simple while allowing administrators to manage training behind the scenes. * * * ## When Should I Use a Batch? Batches are ideal whenever training needs to be assigned to a group of learners. Common use cases include: - New-hire onboarding programs - Team certifications - Product launch training - Quarterly enablement initiatives - Leadership development programs - Compliance training cohorts If you need to assign one or more courses to multiple learners, a batch is usually the most efficient approach. * * * ## Next Steps Now that you understand the purpose of batches, you can learn how to create and manage them. Recommended reading: - [**How to Create a Batch**](https://help.outdoo.ai/en/article/how-to-create-a-batch) – Step-by-step instructions for creating and publishing a batch - [**Batches Overview** –](https://help.outdoo.ai/en/article/batches-overview) Detailed explanation of batch functionality, scheduling, membership, and reporting - [**How to Assign Roleplays to Users**](https://help.outdoo.ai/en/article/how-to-assign-roleplays-to-users) – Learn how courses, teams, and batches work together for training assignments * * * ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can a learner belong to more than one batch? Yes. Learners can be members of multiple batches and receive courses from each one. * * * ### Do learners know which batch they belong to? No. Batch information is only visible to administrators and managers. * * * ### Can I add learners after a batch has been created? Yes. Learners can be added to or removed from a batch at any time. * * * ### Do I need a batch for every course? Not always. Open courses are automatically assigned to all users and do not require a batch. Closed courses are typically assigned through batches. * * * ### Can batches contain multiple courses? Yes. A single batch can contain one course or multiple courses, depending on your training requirements. * * * Hope this article was helpful. For any queries, please write to support@outdoo.ai ## Related Articles - [**Batches Overview**](https://help.outdoo.ai/en/article/batches-overview) - [**How to Create a Batch**](https://help.outdoo.ai/en/article/how-to-create-a-batch) - [**How to Assign Roleplays to Users**](https://help.outdoo.ai/en/article/how-to-assign-roleplays-to-users)