Training management and tracking software: Our top 5 software solutions
Executive Summary: Employee training is key to building a well-rounded workforce with the skills and knowledge to do work effectively and efficiently. Training tracking software allows you to track key metrics related to training, so you can make sure that your training program is moving your business forward. This blog explains what to look for in training tracking software and how to make it work in tandem with an iterative training program.
Employee training has many real and important implications for businesses. It boosts employee retention, skills, performance, and satisfaction. Employee training can boost customer service, an essential prerequisite for happy (and returning!) customers. Unfortunately, training is only half the battle. Training without tracking results is like taking shots in the dark. Having reliable data on the results of training can help target training where it’s needed most. This can save lots of time and money, apart from achieving a better outcome. While choosing a training tracking app, make sure you choose the right solution. Tracking the right metrics can help overhaul your training program and improve your progress towards your desired business outcomes.
What is training tracking software?
Training tracking software collects, compiles, and processes information on employee training. It processes raw data and delivers it to training managers and business owners. Training tracking software is limited to reporting specifically on compliance. The software reports on the completion of assigned courses and incomplete assignments.
Some tracking software solutions report more detailed metrics. The average time taken to complete a course or the average score on a quiz are some indicators that can help develop stronger training programs. Some programs even generate automatic reports. This simplifies and quickens the data interpretation process for training managers.
People forget nearly 90% of what they have learnt within just 7 days, unless the concepts are reinforced. That’s why employees swamped with documents, presentations, and classroom sessions are not likely to learn much.
However, time constraints make it difficult to reinforce vast concepts.
What can you do instead? Arm your employees with one concept at a time. Studies show the human attention span is only 8.25 seconds, so keep your training concise.
RapL is your software for that.
How to keep track of training records?
It’s important to track the right things to assess any organization’s training program. Choose a training tracking solution that fits your price range and tracks the metrics you need.
- Brainstorm training metrics. These metrics should be clearly defined to help you build a better training program for your employees. Employee engagement is an easy metric to measure after the completion of training. However, it’s difficult to correlate employee engagement with business outcomes. Metrics like training comprehension, retraining rate, skill mastery, retraining rate, and content-related metrics like assessment scores and completion rates can help understand the strengths and weaknesses of employees.
- Keep collecting information. As the training program progresses, ensure metrics and statistics are collected regularly. Mapping metrics over time will help understand where your training program needs improvement. Seeing how metrics change over time can help meet desired business outcomes better. Tracking metrics can also prove that some practices improve your business performance. The metrics can also show the ineffectiveness of some practices.
- Update your training program. Use your training tracking solution to generate a report on all the data you’ve been tracking for all your metrics. Note what your employees do well, and what skills they find more challenging. Update your training program to reflect the new data. Most importantly, keep building out new iterations of the program. You can use your metrics to test the efficacy of new training strategies. Retain the ones that are effective, and do away with the ones that aren’t.
Learning management systems: an upgraded training tracking solution
Training tracking software solutions are by definition limited to tracking training. They aren’t built to provide a software delivery platform for training delivery. Nor are they meant to be course authoring tools. In recent years, many training tracking software solutions have been upgraded into training management systems (TMS).
Training management software solutions improve training tracking software solutions. They track the same metrics and also provide logistics for virtual instructor-led training. They track costs, logistics, budgeting, and scheduling for both in-person and virtual instructor training. Their core function, however, is similar to the training tracking solutions. They provide logistics for external training and report analytics on the training.
Enter learning management systems (LMS). LMSs are a centralized platform for creating, delivering, and tracking content. Many LMSs also manage assessments and progress reports. They are web-based and allow content to be designed and delivered remotely. The LMS trains employees directly using online training modules. Some LMS solutions also offer virtual classrooms for live instructor training.
LMSs play a significant role in streamlining the training process and making it efficient, targeted, and less time consuming. A study conducted by the Department of Defense found that adopting a software LMS “dramatically reduced the cost of many training materials and systems.” Most modern training management solutions incorporate LMS functionality to some extent. There is overwhelming evidence that money invested in online training can provide up to 3,000% return on investment.
What are the differences between TMS and LMS?
TMS | LMS |
Designed primarily for logistics and statistics | Designed primarily for teaching, learning, and statistics |
Back-office oriented | Front-office oriented |
Administration focus | Training focus |
Manages and tracks training | Manages and enables e-learning and content creation |
Manages schedules for instructor-led training | Creates, organizes, and delivers online learning modules accessible through an end-user interface |
Statistics on training completion and progress | Statistics on training completion and progress, activation rates, assessment scores, time spent learning, and more |
Enables external, live instructor-led training | Allows internal gamified learning, accessible any time and at any place |
Often limited to desktop use | Most software offers a mobile solution for end users |
Features to look for in training tracking software solutions
When shopping for training tracking software, it’s necessary to consider most, if not all the options in the market that also function as learning management systems. With this in mind, here are some important features to look out for:
- Centralization: The solution should provide access to all training-related information, course creation tools, and group/role management in one place. This will help manage the training program without chasing down features in different places. Make sure everything works well together.
- Correct metrics: The software solution should track all the metrics you previously brainstormed. The solution should at least track completion, progress/recent activity, time spent on training, assessment scores/knowledge levels, and time spent on training.
- Course creation and management: You should be able to create, edit, and manage courses on the platform. Make sure the software is flexible with media formats and content type. It should also allow you to set prerequisites to open certain courses/learning modules.
- Visibility: The software should ensure that the right people see the right information. Choose a software solution that doesn’t bombard the entire company’s staff with email updates about each individual’s progress. Confidentiality of personal information is quintessential.
- Real-time data tracking: The software must provide real-time updates on employee completion progress, and make this information easily accessible. For example, you don’t want to look through an entire spreadsheet to see if Jane from customer service completed the required onboarding modules. The software should have a user-friendly UI that generates readable but detailed reports on desired metrics.
- Groups and roles: Make sure the software allows assignment of individuals to groups and roles to reflect the structure of your organization. Some software solutions have confusing group assignment mechanisms that should be avoided.
- Automation: The software should automatically remind employees to complete their training. This way, HR staff don’t have to waste time chasing down employees to remind them to finish their training. It should also allow automatic employee enrollment. This way, the HR department will be grateful to avoid manually adding new hires.
- Mobile-friendliness: Software solutions with well-built mobile apps can allow employees to access training on the go and complete it at their own pace.
- Internal communication: It’s convenient when these platforms offer teams a way to communicate.
Top 5 training tracking software solutions
RapL is an all-in-one training platform with software that allows you to deliver and track online training. RapL features powerful and adaptable monitor and tracking features. By assigning individual users to groups and roles that mimic the structure of your organization, you can obtain granular data on global/group activation rates, completion rates, and usage trends. RapL’s monitor experience also features advanced metrics. It provides visual metrics, such as file views, scenario completion, quiz/test mastery, attempted assignments, and more. RapL’s unique AI utilizes these metrics to identify where individual employees are struggling. The AI then provides continuous practice in areas that employees are having a hard time in.
RapL offers an innovative microlearning model that feeds bite-sized pieces of information to employees. Microlearning improves employee engagement and knowledge retention. To learn more about the benefits of microlearning in a business environment, read this article.
Key Features
- Comprehensive and powerful statistics, reporting, and dashboard
- Enterprise administration for talent management
- AI-based content repetition for struggling employees
- Gamified microlearning to improve engagement and content retention
Pricing: A free trial is available with access to sample topics. Contact us to schedule a demonstration and learn more about how our software can support your training needs
EdApp is another all-in-one training software that features powerful analytics and monitoring experience. EdApp features reporting on completion, performance, login, registration data, and more. You can design and download custom reports to track specific metrics and filtered data with EdApp’s reports. EdApp also has an actionable reporting feature that allows you to take action directly from the report. This way, you can manually remind disengaged users to continue their training.
EdApp allows you to assign users to roles and groups. It has three types of reports through which you can see data: a manager dashboard, course completion by user, and rapid refresh quiz results.
Key Features
- Powerful analytics dashboard
- Actionable and custom reports
- Course completion by user
- Rapid refresh quiz reports
Pricing: Free and paid tiers available. Paid tiers start at $2.95/user/month.
Ethena is (yet another) all-in-one training software platform. Ethena’s software features statistics and analytics broken down department by department. The platform’s exportable compliance reports make interpreting analytics a breeze. It also has automated enrollment for employees into programs that can be customized by department, group, and role. Ethena comes with a built-in library of training courses designed specially for hybrid and remote employees. Its powerful analytics engine features integration with Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS). Uniquely, Ethena allows businesses to track employee sentiments. This allows HR managers to stay up to date on feedback, employee morale, and shifts in workplace culture.
Key Features
- Track key metrics by department, role, and group
- Analytic engine integrated with popular HRISs
- Tracks employee sentiments
- Automated course enrollment and premade course library
Price: $20/learner/year for harassment prevention training and $50/learner/year for access to the platform’s entire catalog
Connecteam is an all-in-one training software platform that features course creation and analytics capabilities. Connecteam’s analytics feature allows you to track individual employees’ training status, completion progress, and knowledge level. Its analytics engine has filtering capabilities to find detailed information and export reports. The platform’s unlimited cloud feature is the key to ensuring industry compliance and archiving training related documents. The cloud enables instant access to individual training records from a mobile device. Connecteam features a two-way communication feature that allows employers and employees to communicate during mobile training. The platform can manage employee scheduling, payroll, and other HR activities. All these features make Connecteam an expansive training tracking software solution.
Key Features
- Robust analytics engine
- Payroll, scheduling, and other HR capabilities
- Mobile functionality
- Unlimited cloud storage
Pricing: Connecteam has a free version, and the premium version starts at $29/month for thirty users
What sets TalentLMS apart from the other software solutions is its highly customizable reporting and analytics engine. This engine can report granular and specific data while retaining user-friendliness. TalentLMS generates downloadable reports and infographic summaries of reports. The visual reports make data more palatable and visual. It is easy to assign groups and roles to users on this platform with fine-tuned roles and permissions. Enabling user self-registration via TalentLMS’s integrations with other HR software tools is possible. TalentLMS can host live webinars and video calls. The platform supports instructor-led training and automation for course assignments and emails.
Key Features
- Live webinar and video-call functionality
- Infographic report summaries
- Portable accounts from other HR software
- Fine-tuned and highly specific permissions
Training tracking software can simplify and centralize the training program of your business. By offering valuable insights into the efficacy of training practices, the software can improve your training program. Employee onboarding and upskilling can receive a massive upgrade through this software. RapL’s microlearning platform has training tracking purpose-built to revolutionize training programs with the input of real customers and training managers. Please contact us at hello@getrapl.com to learn more about how our platform can help take your training program to the next level.
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Dear reader, thanks for being with us all the way till the end. We suggest 2 things from here
1. Speak to us if you want a microlearning strategy deep-dive: Microlearning is extremely effective, if approached sensibly. Microlearning is the answer to today’s shortening attention spans and we know how to make learning successful via microlearning. Drop your context here and we shall partner with you for the rest.
2. Lap up more content: We have written some intense literature on how microlearning is the superglue between people and successful business operations. Access all of it here.
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