Managing Learning Requests

This chapter provides overviews of learning requests and discusses how to:

Set up learning requests.
Submit learning requests.
Manage learning requests.
Generate notifications for learning requests.

Understanding Learning Requests

Learning requests enable users to request new catalog items and activities. A learning request could be made in any of the following situations:

Learning is not available at all.
Learning exists, but the user is unable to find an activity to enroll in.
Learning exists, and all activities are full or waitlisted, and the user would like to request additional sessions.

Administrators and managers can submit learning requests for groups of learners by requesting a specific number of seats or by naming learners individually. Learners can also submit requests on their own behalf. When submitting a learning request, the requester can enter preferences, such as preferred dates, times, and delivery method. You can configure the types of information to collect in the requests.

Learning Request Management

Administrators can use the Maintain Learning Requests component to review learning requests submitted for their learning environment and determine what action to take, such as create a new activity and enroll learners, recommend existing learning, or let the requestor know that no learning will be offered for their request. Administrators can also modify and delete requests. Notifications can be sent when a request is denied, can be fulfilled by an existing activity, or can be met through a new offering.

Learning Request Activation and Thresholds

When submitting learning requests, administrators, managers, and learners can request a new activity for an existing catalog item only if that item is configured to accept learning requests. To enable learning requests for a particular catalog item, use the Item - Details page.

Learning request thresholds enable the system to automatically notify administrators when a specified number of requests are submitted for a particular catalog item. You can set this threshold on the Install Defaults - Enrollment page and override this value for a particular learning environment on the Learning Environment - Defaults page. Administrators can also override the threshold for a given catalog item. To generate the notifications, you must run the Threshold Notifications process (LM_LRQ_TNOTF) process.

Learning Requests and Training Plans

If you use Enterprise Learning Management to create training plans, you can use learning requests to forecast the demand for training.

(FRA) When French features are enabled for the requester's learning environment, the administrator can specify the number of employees the request represents by gender, age bracket, learning classification, and employee category. This information is included in the training plan reports.

See Managing Training Plans.

(FRA) Prerequisites

To enable an administrator to specify head counts by learner age, gender, learning classification, and category when submitting learning requests, be sure that French features are enabled for the administrator's learning environment.

Setting Up Learning Requests

Use the Learning Request Setup component (LM_LRQ_SETUP) to select the fields to display on the pages that are used to submit learning requests.

This section discusses how to set up learning requests.

Page Used to Set Up Learning Requests

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Learning Request Setup	LM_LRQ_SETUP	Set Up ELM, Catalog, Learning Request Setup, Learning Request Setup	Identify fields to be displayed for a learning request.

Setting Up Learning Requests

Access the Learning Request Setup page.

Display Fields

Select fields that you want to display on the learning request pages for administrators and self-service users. Fields appear in the order listed here. The learning request pages include additional fields that are not selectable.

Learning Request Priority	When selected, requesters will be able to choose from the following priorities when submitting a request: Career goal, No preference, Required for Job, Required to Complete Objective, and Voluntary.
From Date and To Date	These fields enable requesters to enter a range of activity start dates. Important! You must select these fields if you want to include learning requests in training plan reports. The system uses the dates provided in the learning request to determine whether to include the request in a training plan.
Days	When selected, requesters can select the preferred days of the week for the activity.
Times	When selected, requesters can choose between the following times: Afternoon, Evening, Morning, No Preference.
Special Request	When selected, requesters can select from the following: Wheelchair Access, Hearing Impaired, Other, and Vision Impaired.
Facility	When selected, requesters can choose from any of the facilities defined through the Facilities component (LM_FCLTY_TBL).
Field One Label...Field five label	You can enter field labels for additional data that you want to capture for learning requests. The data that learners subsequently enter in these fields on the Learning Request page is for information purposes only.

Submitting Learning Requests

This section discusses how to:

Enter general preferences for a learning request.
Enter training plan attributes.
Request seats.

Pages Used to Submit Learning Requests

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Submit Learning Requests - Search Requesters	LM_LRQ_REQSTR_SRCH	Enterprise Learning, Learner Tasks, Submit Learning Requests, Submit Learning Requests - Search Requesters	Search for and select the learner who is requesting learning.
Submit Learning Requests - Details: General Attributes page	LM_LRQ_REQSTR_SRCH	Click the Select button for a requester on the Submit Learning Requests - Search Requesters page.	Identify the requested learning and enter preferences for the dates, times, location, and other attributes.
Submit Learning Requests - Details: Training Plan Attributes	LM_ADM_NEW_LRQ_DTL	Click theTraining Plan Attributes link on the Submit Learning Requests - Details: General Attributes page.	Enter information that is specific to training plans.
Submit Learning Requests - Details (seats)	LM_ADM_LRQ_LRNRS	Click the Continue button on the Submit Learning Requests - Details: General Attributes page or the Submit Learning Requests - Details: Training Plan Attributes page.	Specify the number of seats for a learning request or select the learners by name.
Learning Request Confirmation	LM_AD_LRN_REQ_CONF	Click the Submit Request button on the Submit Learning Requests - Details page.	Confirms the submission of a learning request.

Enter General Preferences for a Learning Request

Access the Submit Learning Requests - Details: General Attributes page.

Specify whether the request is for an existing catalog item or a new catalog item. For existing catalog items, you can click the Search button to access the catalog search component where you can search for catalog items for which learning requests are enabled. The administrator's learning environment determines the catalog items that are available for selection.

For new catalog item, you must select a category and enter a title. The administrator's learning environment determines the categories that are available for selection.

Learning Request Preferences

Most of the fields that appear in this section are controlled by the settings on the Learning Request Setup page.

Job Title	The requester's primary job title always appears. If the requester has multiple jobs, you can select the relevant job title.
Start Dates	Important! You must enter dates in the From and To fields if you want to include the learning request in training plan reports.
Request Enrollment	Select to indicate the requester's interest in enrolling when the activity becomes available. This field is informational only.

Entering Training Plan Attributes

Access the Submit Learning Requests - Details: Training Plan Attributes page.

The system refers to the information that you enter on this page when you generate training plans.

Note. Self-service users do not have access to these fields when submitting requests.

See Managing Training Plans.

Is eligible for training plan?	Select to include this learning request in training plans, when the request meets all other selection criteria for the training plan.
Estimated Cost	Enter the estimated (flat) activity cost per student if this request is met. In the budget section of the Training Plan report, the system compares a department's estimated cost of meeting the demand for learning to the department's training budget.
Objective	Select a global objective to associate with the learning request. When you generate training plans, the report content is sorted by global objective.
Company	Select a company to associate with the learning request. When you generate training plans, you can include training requests for selected companies. The default value that appears in this field is based on the job title selected on the Submit Learning Requests - Details: General Attributes page.
Organization	Select the department to associate with the learning request. The default value that appears in this field is based on the job title selected on the Submit Learning Requests - Details: General Attributes page.
Learning Environment	Select a learning environment to associate with the learning request. When you generate training plans, you can include training requests for selected learning environments. The default value that appears in this field is based on the job title selected on the Submit Learning Requests - Details: General Attributes page.

(FRA) French Fields

The following fields appear only when French features are enabled for the administrator's learning environment. When the learning request is included in a training plan, and you select a number of seats rather than individual learners, the head counts that you enter here appear on the training plan report. When you name individual learners in the request, the system ignores information entered in these fields and refers to the selected learner records to determine the head counts.

Count of learners by and Count	Enter the estimated number of learners by age bracket to which the learning request applies. Add a separate row for each age bracket. Also enter the number of learners by gender, adding a separate row for each gender. Values for the Count of learners by field are as follows: Age between 26 and 49 Age over 49 Age under 26 Employee category Gender Training classification
Attribute Value	The field is available when you select Gender or Training classification in the Count by learners field. Select the appropriate value.
Free Text Attribute Value	The field is available when you select Employee category in the Count by learners field. Enter the category.
Count	Enter the number of learners that are associated with the value selected in the Count by learners by field.

Requesting Seats

Access the Submit Learning Requests - Details (seats) page.

You can request a number of seats or select specific learners to associate with the request, but not both.

Managing Learning Requests

This section discusses how to:

Search for learning requests.
Maintain learning requests.
Updating training plan attributes for a learning request.
View learners associated with a learning request.

Pages Used to Manage Learning Requests

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Maintain Learning Requests (search)	LM_ADM_LRQ_SRCH	Enterprise Learning, Learner Tasks, Maintain Learning Requests, Maintain Learning Requests	Search for and select learning requests to manage.
Maintain Learning Requests: General	LM_ADM_METHOD_DTLS	Click the View Requests link for a request on the Maintain Learning Requests (search) page.	View the title, requester name, requested delivery method, and total learners for a request. Also, assign an activity to a request and view the assigned activity, begin the enrollment process, delete requests, and send notifications.
Maintain Learning Requests: Scheduled	LM_ADM_METHOD_DTLS	Click the Scheduled link on the Maintain Learning Requests: General page.	View the requested start dates, instructor name, special requests for a request. Also, assign an activity to a request, begin the enrollment process, delete requests, and send notifications.
Maintain Learning Requests (assign activity)	LM_ADM_ASGN_ACT_PG	Select a request, select Assign Activity in the Group Action field, and click Go.	Associate a learning activity with a learning request.
Maintain Learning Requests: General Attributes	LM_ADM_LRQ_DTLS	Click the View Request link on the Maintain Learning Requests: General page or the Maintain Learning Requests: Scheduled page.	The fields on this page are similar to the fields on the Submit Learning Requests - Details: General Attributes page. See Enter General Preferences for a Learning Request.
Maintain Learning Requests: Training Plan Attributes	LM_ADM_LRQ_DTLS	Click the Training Plan Attributes link on the Maintain Learning Requests: General Attributes	The fields on this page are similar to the fields on the Submit Learning Requests - Details: Training Plan Attributes page. See Entering Training Plan Attributes.
Maintain Learning Requests: Learners	LM_ADM_LRQ_DTLS	Click the Learners link on the Maintain Learning Requests: General Attributes	The fields on this page are similar to the fields on the Submit Learning Requests - Details (seats) page. (FRA) When French features are enabled for the user's learning environment, a learning classification can be associated with the request. See Requesting Seats.

Searching for Learning Requests

Access the Maintain Learning Requests (search) page.

Administrators can search for learning requests for a particular catalog item or category, or for all catalog item and categories that they have permission to view. Requests can only be viewed by the administrators of the primary learning environment that is associated with the catalog item or category named in the request.

Click the View Requests link to see the more information about a given learning request and to perform a group action, such as sending notifications, or enrolling learners.

Administering Learning Requests

Access the Maintain Learning Requests: General page.

Requester Name

Click to access the User Profile for the requester.

View Request

Click to view or edit the learning request preferences.

Group Actions

Select the action to perform on the selected learning requests from the following and click Go.

Group Action

Assign Activity. Associate an activity with the learning request.

The system displays the Maintain Learning Request (assign activity) page where you can select from a list of activities if the request identified a particular catalog item; or you can search the catalog for an appropriate activity if the request specified a category. The administrator's current learning environment determines which activities are available for selection.

After you assign an activity to the request, you can use a group action of Enroll Learners. If learners are named on the request, the status shown for the request on the self-service My Learning page is updated to Offered. The Maintain Learning Request: General page displays the name of the assigned activity.

Note. It is the responsibility of the administrator to ensure that there are no conflicts or inconsistencies between learner groups assigned to the selected activity and the learner groups associated with the learners.
Delete Requests. Remove the learning requests from the system.
Enroll Learners. Click to enroll learners in the activity associated with the learning request. An activity must be assigned to the request to select this action. When you click Go, the enrollment component (LM_CALL_CENTER) appears so that you can enroll all or selected learners. When enrollment is confirmed, the system reduces the number of seats requested.
Send Notifications - Declined. Send a notification indicating the learning request has been declined.
Send Notifications - Exists. Send a notification indicating the requested learning already exists. Before selecting this action, be sure that an activity is assigned to the request.
Send Notifications - New Offered. Send a notification indicating a new offering is available to fulfill the learning request. Before selecting this action, be sure that an activity is assigned to the request.

See Generating Notifications for Learning Requests.

See Workflow Notifications and Attachments.

Updating Training Plan Attributes for a Learning Request

Access the Maintain Learning Requests: Training Plan Attributes page.

Use this page to update training plan attributes for learning requests. This page is especially useful for entering training plan attributes for requests that were submitted by self-service users.

(FRA) Learners in the List

This grid appears only when French features are enabled for the administrator's learning environment. The fields that appear here depend on whether a number of seats or learner names are included in the request:

If a number of seats is requested, you can enter head counts by age, gender, training classification, and employee category.
If learners are named in the request, you can select the learning classification only.

Viewing Learners Associated with a Learning Request

Access the Maintain Learning Requests: Learners page.

Note. This page is only accessible when learners are associated with the request. You can add or remove learners from the request.

Generating Notifications for Learning Requests

This section provides an overview of learning request notifications and lists the pages used to generate notifications.

Understanding Learning Request Notifications

You can produce two types of email notifications for learning requests:

Notifications to administrators when learning request thresholds are met.

The Threshold Met notification is triggered when the learning request threshold defined for a catalog item is reached. When you run the LM_LRQ_TNOTF process, launched through the Run Threshold Notifications page, the system sends an email notification to the administrators of the catalog item's primary learning environment.
Notifications to learners and managers.

The Activity Already Exists, New Activity Offered, and No Activity Will Be Offered notifications are triggered when you use a group action (through the Maintain Learning Requests component) to notify learners and managers that the requested learning can be met by an existing activity, through a newly offered activity, or that the request is declined. When you run the LM_NOTIFY process, launched through the Enrollment Notifications page, the system sends the notifications to the learners associated with the request. (The LM_NOTIFY process also generates other enrollment notifications.)

Pages Used to Generate Notifications for Learning Requests

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Run Threshold Notifications	LM_LRQ_TRHLD_NOTIF	Enterprise Learning, Learning Request Threshold	Run the LM_LRQ_TNOTF process to notify administrators of learning request thresholds that have been met.
Enrollment Notifications	LM_NOTIFY_RUNCTL	Enterprise Learning, Notifications, Enrollment	Run the LM_NOTIFY process to notify learners and managers when learning requests are declined, or when the requested learning exists or is newly offered. This process also generates enrollment notifications. See Sending Enrollment, Registration, and Waitlist Notifications.

Page Name

Object Name

Navigation

Usage

Run Threshold Notifications

LM_LRQ_TRHLD_NOTIF

Enterprise Learning, Learning Request Threshold

Run the LM_LRQ_TNOTF process to notify administrators of learning request thresholds that have been met.

Enrollment Notifications

LM_NOTIFY_RUNCTL

Enterprise Learning, Notifications, Enrollment

Run the LM_NOTIFY process to notify learners and managers when learning requests are declined, or when the requested learning exists or is newly offered. This process also generates enrollment notifications.

See Sending Enrollment, Registration, and Waitlist Notifications.

Requester Name	Click to access the User Profile for the requester.
View Request	Click to view or edit the learning request preferences.