Functions in Detail SAP ERP Human Capital Management SAP ENTERPRISE LEARNING VERSION 6.00
CONTENT 4 Introduction to SAP Enterprise Learning 5 Product Overview 7 Target Groups 7 Learners 8 Course Authors and Instructional Designers 8 Training Administrators 8 Managers 8 Instructors 9 Learning Portal 9 Structure of the Learning Portal 9 Search for Courses 9 Course Catalog 9 Messages and Notes 10 Training Activities 10 Self-Service Booking and Cancellation 10 Completing Web-Based Courses 11 Learner Account 12 Customer-Specific Functions 12 Other Portal Services 14 Learning Management 14 Content Player 14 Offline Player 15 Training Management 15 General Functions 15 Master Data Management 15 Course Planning and Preparation 19 Reporting with SAP NetWeaver 23 Authoring Environment 23 Authoring Tool 24 Instructional Design Editor 28 Test Author 29 Repository Explorer as an Administration Tool 31 Integration 31 SAP NetWeaver Portal 31 Learning Portal 31 Collaboration 32 Content Management 32 Search and Classification 32 Portal Solutions from Other Providers 33 Integration with Other SAP ERP HCM Components 34 Regulatory Requirements and Compliance Management 35 Other Integration Options 36 System Landscape and General Conditions 36 Learning Portal and Browser 36 SAP NetWeaver Application Server 36 Authoring Environment 36 Learning Management 36 Content Management 37 System Landscape with ALE
INTRODUCTION TO SAP ENTERPRISE LEARNING A COMPREHENSIVE, BLENDED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT While reducing costs is an objective for most C-level managers, research shows that what is top-of-mind for many chief learning officers (CLOs) is an important strategy: to ensure that employee learning and development is aligned with organizational values and vision. In a rapidly changing and highly competitive economy, the ability to quickly execute corporate values and vision is essential. A key enabler of this ability is a well-educated and highly skilled workforce. That s because business globalization increasingly demands worldwide access to expert knowledge. With heightened competition driving shorter product life cycles and time to market, the rapid delivery of knowledge is crucial. At the same time, increased mobility and decentralization mean learning opportunities must be available anytime and anywhere. To meet this need, organizations must provide their employees with easy access to ondemand and job-relevant learning. The solution lies in effective use of technology. Businesses must leverage enterprise portals, mobile communication devices, virtual marketplaces, and other collaborative tools to bring diverse information sources to the value chain of employees, suppliers, partners, and customers. To transform these assets into a sustainable competitive advantage, organizations must integrate knowledge transfer and learning with corporate strategy and business objectives. This integration is key and requires a comprehensive software solution for all aspects of talent management. With the SAP Enterprise Learning environment, organizations can structure, deliver, and track knowledge transfer; tailor content to individual learning styles and needs; and plan, measure, and analyze the impact of learning programs. This software enables you to create a common competency framework throughout your organization. Our talent management strategy is to optimize the core processes involved in managing a workforce: attracting and acquiring talent, educating and developing talent, identifying and growing future leaders, and aligning and motivating talent with corporate objectives. In particular, by managing enterprise learning with the SAP Enterprise Learning environment, organizations can structure, deliver, and track knowledge transfer; tailor content to individual learning styles and needs; and plan, measure, and analyze the impact of learning programs. This soft- ware enables you to create a common competency framework throughout your organization. It also integrates with talent management functionalities in the SAP ERP Human Capital Management (SAP ERP HCM) solution and with knowledge management and collaboration functionalities of the SAP NetWeaver technology platform. SAP Enterprise Learning provides a comprehensive, blended learning environment for all your training needs. The software supports traditional classroom training, virtual learning, different forms of e-learning, and collaboration features. It contains: A learning portal, providing the Webbased learner with a personalized learning environment An instructor portal, providing the Web-based instructor with a personalized instructional and tutoring environment Learning management software to control learning processes and manage the course offering A virtual learning tool powered by Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional to conduct distance learning sessions An authoring environment to support the creation of tests and structuring of e-learning content A content management component to manage learning content Synchronous and asynchronous collaboration features Due to its open architecture, the software can integrate external learning content hosted on third-party content portals through SAP NetWeaver, the foundation for enterprise 4 SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning
service-oriented architecture (enterprise SOA). Users can access the content through a familiar Web-based learning portal of the SAP Enterprise Learning environment. SAP Enterprise Learning enables organizations to speedily spread information about new products. It lets you provide Web-based training units as well as virtual learning sessions to teach new functions or processes to employees or external persons worldwide, while at the same time allowing them to collaborate on these topics. Personnel on the road can use e-learning to improve their efficiency and know-how. They can access real-time training without being physically present. Or they can download courses locally on their PCs to avoid connection issues. Synchronization of workers learning progress with the learning portal is handled quickly and efficiently. SAP Enterprise Learning breaks down the traditional barriers to training your employees, customers, suppliers, and partners. Product Overview As a blended-learning solution, SAP Enterprise Learning supports delivery methods with the following characteristics: Bound by place and time, such as classroom and instructor-led training, including access to Web-based courseware that can only be taken at the defined place and defined time Bound by time only, such as instructor-led, synchronous virtual learning sessions, where an in structor guides the virtual learner through a session over the Internet Independent of time and location, such as internal (and external) Webbased courseware, online testing, static Web-based training, and external Web-based courses (other learning management systems) that the learner can access anytime, anywhere Pointing to external learning services, such as Web-based courseware, testing services, collaboration services, and other classroom training courses on an externally hosted server. Learners can book and take courses of an external learning service from their personalized learning portal. Bound by time and either bound or not bound by place. This applies, for example, to a curriculum or a course program containing a combination of other, above-mentioned delivery characteristics. SAP Enterprise Learning environment is comprised of the following components: Learning portal Provides a springboard to a learning environment where learners can access course offerings and information on personal learning data and learning activities Instructor portal Provides personalized information that enables instructors to manage course participation, such as reviewing course registrations, adding a name to the course roster, and confirming the list of participants who attended a course Online content player Acts as a virtual trainer that reads the learner s preferred learning strategy in the learner account when a course is launched. The content player puts the course together on the basis of learning objectives already achieved by the learner and presents it to the learner in the browser. The course is presented in a separate browser window. The learner can navigate forward and backward through the proposed learning path at will or can access specific learning units from the table of contents. Offline content player Enables a learner to download Webbased courses and tests from the learning portal and play them locally. Locally stored courses are listed in the course list. The learner can, at any point in time, resynchronize his or her offline learning progress with the learning portal and either continue learning online or set the course to a completed status. Virtual learning tool Facilitates online learning and training across your enterprise, powered by Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional. This enables instructors and students to share knowledge and skills online while reducing costs related to traditional classrooms. Learning management software Controls learning processes and manages and handles the administrative side of training, providing a learning management system Authoring environment Supports the structuring of e-learning content and the creation of online test content and can easily interface content-creation tools to create pages for Web-based course content Content management component Provides a place to store and manage content; effectively, a content management system SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning 5
SCORM 1.2.2004, AICC 4.0 Web Services Book or cancel Start or launch Exchange learning progress Virtual Learning Authoring Environment Learning Management System SAP Enterprise Learning environment Learner Portal Analytics Content Management Instructor Portal WebDAV Interface Figure 1: Components of SAP Enterprise Learning The learning and instructor portals are seamlessly integrated in the SAP NetWeaver Portal component and can be launched from within SAP NetWeaver Portal to add value through other portal services. Content management functionality in the knowledge management component of SAP NetWeaver enables storage and management of course content in SAP Enterprise Learning environment. Collaboration functionality in SAP NetWeaver is deeply integrated into SAP Enterprise Learning to guarantee seamless access to learning-related collaboration features for learners from the learning portal. For managers who require aggregated, analytical data, 6 SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning
The SAP Enterprise Learning environment provides a personalized learning plan and offering for each employee. Courses can be assigned based on role. Skill gaps can be identified with recommended training to close the gaps. These gaps are based on the competencies individuals have as a part of their personal profiles compared with those that are required to perform their jobs. the solution provides optimal support through predefined learning content for the data warehouse in SAP NetWeaver. And you can easily connect to external learning services through the SAP NetWeaver Exchange Infrastructure (SAP NetWeaver XI) component. The procedure is simple: Learners first log onto SAP NetWeaver Portal via a Web browser to access their organization s learning portal, which contains details of the corporate training and education offering, as well as collaboration, presented in a clear, personalized manner. From here, the learner can register for courses, start Web-based or virtual learning courses, or start to collaborate right away. If organizationspecific regulations dictate, an approval process is triggered and the registration or cancellation request is routed to the employee s supervisor for approval or rejection. The administrative processes involved in planning and processing courses, curricula, and course programs, as well as cost settlement, are handled by a training management component in the back-end system. This is integrated with other components to enable billing and internal activity allocation. The training management component is part of SAP Enterprise Learning. If your organization already uses training and event management software in SAP ERP HCM, you can continue to use all its functions with SAP Enterprise Learning. Data stored for classroom training courses will be transferred to SAP Enterprise Learning so you get a smooth transition of your traditional classroom courses into the environment. What s more, the new software contains a wide range of additional functions for managing e-learning and virtual learning courses, curricula, and course programs. SAP Enterprise Learning is part of the talent management suite in SAP ERP HCM. The qualifications catalog, for example, which contains qualifications, competencies, skills, and certifications, can be used to its full extent. Qualifications can be defined and checked as prerequisites for courses. On successful completion of a course or test, the corresponding qualification(s) can be updated to the employee s profile. Expiration dates of qualifications or certifications are displayed within the learning portal for a defined period. Course options to renew the qualification or certification are shown as well. Other general functions such as business workflow and reporting can be used. Courses that are part of the individual development plan of a learner are automatically displayed as a personalized learning proposal in the learning portal. To accompany the entire learning process, SAP Enterprise Learning provides a wide range of reporting options that can be used by learners, training administrators, instructors, and managers. Target Groups SAP Enterprise Learning is aimed at learners, course authors and instructional designers, training administrators, managers, and instructors. Learners Learners log on via a Web browser to their personalized learning portal from their PC at work or at home. The learning portal contains details of the complete corporate education and training offering, consisting of traditional classroom training, curricula and course SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning 7
programs, or e-learning courses (such as virtual learning sessions or Web-based training or even externally hosted courses). Personalized learning pro posals are automatically generated based on various criteria such as the current position or person, the organizational unit, current or future qualification gaps, or individual development plans. Self-service applications enable learners to enroll themselves in courses, prebook for classroom courses and cancel bookings for all delivery methods, or start self-paced learning units directly. If learners want to learn offline, they can download the courses onto their PCs or laptops and synchronize their learning progress when they are online again. Course Authors and Instructional Designers Course authors and instructional designers can use tools and wizards in the authoring environment to structure or import external course content as well as create online tests with the test author tool. External authoring tools can be launched directly via the authoring environment to create learning content that can be integrated into learning objects and combined to create complete courses (learning nets). Attributes can be appended to content, which means that users can structure content more flexibly, depending on the learning strategy they prefer. In order to reuse content as much as possible, the authoring environment enables content authors and instructional designers to attribute metadata to the content. This enhances search results and enables authors to reuse and repurpose data. Training Administrators Training administrators can easily access course content, which is stored and managed in the content management component of SAP NetWeaver Portal, the content storage location for SAP Enterprise Learning environment. The Web-based distributed authoring and versioning (WebDAV) interface also allows integration of other WebDAV-enabled storage facilities. Content authors publish content in the back-end, training management software. Links to this content automatically assist the training administrator in retrieving suitable course content when planning Web-based courses. New versions of course content published by the author can be made available to learners automatically and with no additional effort required from the training administrator. Training administrators can also create course offerings; manage participation, resources, and courses; and perform reporting in SAP Enterprise Learning. When planning e-learning courses, training administrators use references inserted in published courses to retrieve the appropriate content in the content management component for the courses being planned. Managers Supervisors or managers can monitor and guide the learning processes of their employees. They can be notified when their employees request participation in or cancellation of courses and can approve or reject these requests. Reporting functions in training management software enable managers to keep track of employees learning activities and the associated costs at all times. SAP Enterprise Learning provides the training manager with extensive support for the planning, organization, and controlling of corporate education and training. Instructors Instructors and tutors can get up-tothe-minute, reliable information such as schedules, locations, resources, and participants for the courses they teach through the instructor portal. They can prepare for virtual learning sessions by logging in well in advance of the actual session time and setting up necessary course content. At any time before, during, or after the course, instructors can manage participation of their courses such as booking, canceling, and rebooking participants to courses. Once the course is over, instructors can also follow up a course by confirming participants attendance, evaluating their pass-or-fail status, as well as transferring qualifications and their proficiencies to the records of individual participants. 8 SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning
LEARNING PORTAL A PERSONALIZED POINT OF ACCESS The learning portal is the employee s personalized point of access to all of the learning-related functions. The learning portal is seamlessly integrated into SAP NetWeaver Portal, where the learner is provided with access to a wide range of functions through a single source. Customers can benefit from the deep integration of the learning portal into SAP NetWeaver Portal but can also run the learning portal stand-alone or integrated into another company portal. Both the design of the learning portal and the content offered there can be flexibly adapted to meet companyspecific requirements. All of the data from SAP ERP HCM that is relevant for the corporate education and training processes is integrated in real time in the learning portal, where it is easily accessible to the learner. Structure of the Learning Portal SAP Enterprise Learning provides a variety of portal design options enabling you to create the learning portal that best suits the needs of your employees and your organization. The learning portal gives users access to a host of functions. Users can search for courses; access a course catalog, messages and notes, detailed information in the My Training Activities area, and self-service features; complete a Web-based course; and keep track of course details in a learner s account. In this portal, you can also access your own customer-specific functions, enable your managers and instructors to book training and courses, and more. Search for Courses In the navigation area on the left-hand side of the screen, the learner can use the find function to search for courses in the company-specific course catalog in course titles and course descriptions. The hit list of courses displays the available delivery methods offered for various courses. The learner can view detailed information on a course and register for it if desired. The extended search function offers the option of defining further search criteria. For instance, the learner can search on other attributes appended to courses, such as attainable or prerequisite qualifications, target groups, or delivery methods. Course Catalog The course catalog features the general course offering of the organization. It reflects the principle of blended learning, that is the offering of courses that combine multiple delivery methods, such as in-person and Web-based Figure 2: Example of a Learning Portal training, as well as extensive training programs. Training programs are curricula that can include a variety of courses with multiple delivery methods. Virtual learning sessions and external learning management system courses or other externally hosted learning services can also be easily integrated through the enterprise services in SAP Enterprise Learning. The learner can use the search functions to find courses or, alternatively, browse the course catalog to see the types of courses that are offered. The catalog view can be restricted for certain learner groups by means of authorization assignments. Messages and Notes The Messages and Notes area lists prescribed courses to inform learners of their personalized learning offering. Courses may be prescribed for a learner on the basis of his or her role in the organization or according to the recommendations of the supervisor. Learners SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning 9
are also informed about qualifications that are essential for the positions they currently hold, which may require renewal or updating. For example, learners can be notified in a configurable preview period about soonexpiring qualifications or certifications and can locate the relevant courses to renew the qualification or certification with a single mouse click. The learner account area provides learners with an overview of their qualifications profiles and how they compare with the requirements of their current positions. If a learner is interested in a specific classroom course for which there are no suitable dates scheduled, the learner can prebook the course. When new dates are published, the learner is notified accordingly. In addition, the training administrator can use prebooking data to plan new course dates. Training Activities In the Training Activities area, learners can see at-a-glance details of their current and future courses for all delivery methods. More detailed information on the courses can be displayed if required. Web-based courses, static links, external Web-based courses, virtual learning courses, as well as course-related collaboration can be accessed directly from this point. The learner also has the option of canceling course bookings from this area. Self-Service Booking and Cancellation Self-service applications let learners view detailed information and book courses directly. Once the learner has found a course of interest, he or she can display a variety of detailed information about it. For example, the learner can view a de scription of the course and its content, details of the delivery method, the target group, qualifications imparted or required for the course, other course recommendations, notes, course fees, and the course language. In the case of classroom training, details are also available on the course location and time schedule. Web links may be integrated, providing further information on the location or content of the course. The learner can also view scheduled dates, place availability, learning progress, and duration and can register for a course online. Duration details can include the average, minimum, and maximum completion time for a course. Where relevant, information on the license period of a course indicates to the learner how long a course is available for completion. Learning progress includes details of the learner s completion time to date, the progress made, the percent of learning objectives achieved so far, the number of learning objects completed, the learner s overall target performance, and the learning status. Once the learner has viewed the required information on courses of interest, he or she can branch directly to the booking dialogue. A confirmation prompt is displayed before the booking is made. On confirmation, the learner is immediately booked for classroom training or can launch a Web-based course. Predefined workflow approval processes can route an enrollment request to a supervisor before the actual booking is made, if desired. If learners need to cancel their training bookings for any reason, they can do so by accessing the course from the overview screen. Information on the cancellation fee is displayed here. Again, predefined workflowcancellation approval processes can route a cancellation request to a supervisor before the actual cancellation is made, if desired. Customers can easily configure the workflows to meet their needs. For example, prior to the course start date, the training administrator can select a deadline for approval or rejection of course participation or for booking or cancellation requests. Completing Web-Based Courses The learner can launch a Web-based course as soon as it has been booked. The learner can also resume the course at any time from the current courses overview. The first time a course is accessed, a personalized learning path for the course is set up in the background. The learning path is based on the learning strategy selected by the learner and on learning objectives attained in other courses. A learning strategy can be, for example, action-oriented from general to specific or explanation-oriented from specific to general. Courses are structured into personalized learning paths that are specific to each individual learner. Content units that are already 10 SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning
familiar to the learner, for example, through courses previously taken, are omitted. The technical side of this process is handled by content player software, which acts as a virtual trainer that reads the preferred learning strategy in the learner s account when a course is launched. The content player puts the course together on the basis of learning objectives already achieved by the learner and presents it to the learner in the browser. The course is presented in a separate browser window. The learner can navigate forward and backward through the proposed learning path at will or can access specific learning units from the table of contents. If the learner interrupts a Web-based course, the content player saves information about the learning progress to date in the learner s account. Information about learning progress is accessible to the learner at any time. When the learner resumes an interrupted course, the content player opens the course at exactly the point at which it was interrupted. When the learner has finished working on a course, he or she can set its status to completed. The course qualifications are automatically transferred to the learner s profile upon successful completion. In the learning management software, customers can set up rules specifying when a learner can set a Web-based course to the completed status. For example, the learner may have to complete a certain number of learning objects or achieve a certain percent of learning objectives before the course can be considered completed. Learners can take tests during or independent of a course, as desired by the author. They can take self-assessment tests to check their current level of knowledge. The results of selfassessment tests are not stored. The results of stand-alone, placement, or final tests taken to check learning progress can be stored in the learner account and can be used for reporting purposes. Placement test results can influence the scope of the course material presented after the test. Every course is created and structured one time only in the authoring environment. Authors can enable a variety of learning strategies by appending links and attributes to a course. Authors can also create tests by using the integrated test editor in the authoring environment. Tests can be embedded in the course or made available as standalone elements. Learner Account The learner account helps learners keep track of their learning activities and provides additional decision support for course selection. It contains an overview of courses that are planned, completed, or in process. Learners can view their current qualifications, run a profile matchup between these and the requirements of their current position, display courses that they have bookmarked as interesting, and select their personal learning strategy. Under Training Activities, the learner can display courses that are planned, completed, and in process as well as view other pending activities, such as tests to be taken. Unlike the Training Activities section, the learner account displays all of the learner s training activities, including completed courses. In addition, the learning management software provides information about the learner s overall course progress. This information is adapted dynamically as the learner progresses through a course. Information on courses planned for the future is also displayed. This includes courses booked in a self-service application and courses that were part of an approval workflow process. The learner can view approval status at any time. When learners are interested in taking courses that are not yet scheduled in a suitable language or location, they can create course prebookings on the detail screen of the course. Prebooking data is stored in training management software and is available to the training administrator, who can use it to schedule new courses as required. As soon as a course is scheduled in the language, location, and time period that meets the learner s requirements, the learner receives notification of this in the Messages and Notes section. The learner can cancel prebookings if required. In the Favorites section, the learner can bookmark subject areas, courses, course dates, and qualifications for easy access later. The learner can quickly add interesting subject areas to the notebook section on the detail screen of a course. SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning 11
In the qualifications profile, learners can access an overview of qualifications already attained, including details of their proficiencies. Qualifications are displayed graphically. A bar chart display makes it easy to see which qualifications need to be updated or improved and which are at the required proficiency level. Further information on qualifications and proficiencies can be displayed in overview mode. Where relevant, the solution proposes courses that can close the learner s skills gap. A learner can run a profile matchup that compares his or her qualifications with the requirements of the position currently held. By doing so, the learner can see which qualifications need to be improved, recertified, or acquired in order to fulfill the requirements of his or her current position. Qualification deficits are flagged additionally by an icon indicating to the learner whether mandatory qualifications need to be updated or attained. Expiration dates for qualifications that will expire soon, such as licenses, are displayed to enable the learner to renew them in time. The current course offering that can impart or refresh the qualification is also displayed. In Settings, learners can store various settings such as their preferred learning strategy, catalog view settings, or search options. The learning strategy can also be set per course and overrides the default setting made in the learner account. The learning strategy concept, which is based on personal learning patterns or style, recognizes that people learn in different ways. The learning strategies were derived from the results of the research project on lifelong learning (L 3 ) sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and have been integrated in SAP Enterprise Learning. SAP, represented by its corporate research center, was the leading partner in the consortium involved in the L 3 project. A learning strategy is made up of a combination of a learning macrostrategy and a learning microstrategy. The macrostrategy describes how the learner prefers to navigate through learning objects: for example, going from the general to the specific (deductively) or from the specific to the general (inductively). The microstrategy describes the learner s preferred learning style within a learning object. The preferred style can be example oriented, task oriented, or explanation oriented. Learners can change their preferred learning strategy in the learner account at any time. When the learner starts a self-paced course, the learning strategy specified determines how the learning material is structured and in what sequence it is presented. The individual learning units are presented in accordance with the preferred learning strategy. Authors can restrict the number of valid strategies per course to ensure that only supported learning strategies can be chosen. The Course Catalog settings provide for two display options available on tab pages. A learner can opt to view the catalog in a top-level list format or in a hierarchy display format. Finally, a learner can restrict the search options hit list by predefining a preferred language, location, or preview period. Customer-Specific Functions Customer-specific functions give you direct access to a special selection of courses on the home page of SAP Enterprise Learning. The standard delivery includes a sample implementation of a top-ten course list that is, the ten most popular courses. This list is displayed on the left side of the learning portal, in addition to the course catalog. Customers can tailor presentation of their corporate course offering individually as required. This customer enhance ment is not affected by an upgrade. Other Portal Services SAP NetWeaver Portal is the single point of entry for learners and instructors. A large number of role-based functions can be integrated here and presented to the user in a clear, intuitive structure. Functions used by line managers in their daily work can be integrated by means of the SAP Manager Self-Service application. For example, managers can review the current and recommended training activities for their employees and book them into courses accordingly. You can provide access to these functions to everyone involved in the business training process by integrating other software with SAP NetWeaver Portal. For example, you can integrate collaboration room functionality. Collaboration 12 SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning
brings learners (portal users and groups of portal users) and applications together to enable wide-ranging communication on the Web. Collaboration software in the learning portal of SAP Enterprise Learning enables you to set up virtual learner communities where portal users can speedily and efficiently exchange information with one another. The software gives you a flexibly structured, virtual working environment that is suitable for all sorts of tasks. It enables chats, discussion groups, document and application sharing, quick polls, instant messaging, and a variety of other activities. You can define a broad range of synchronous and asynchronous collaboration features. Integration of Web conferencing solutions is also possible. Collaboration room functionality is deeply integrated into the processes of SAP Enterprise Learning. For example, when creating a course, training administrators can assign existing collaboration rooms or create new ones. Participants can enroll automatically in the room when enrolling for the course. There may be one or more collaboration room(s) available for each course. For example, a course can be linked with a collaboration room to enable all course participants to be part of a virtual learning group. Learners access to collaboration functionality depends on their roles. When a person registers for a course to which a collaboration room is assigned, he or she can display the course and the rooms assigned to it in the learning portal under Training Activities. To communicate with others who are taking the course, learners can enter a room simply by clicking on it. They can also display the collaboration rooms assigned to a course under Collaboration. Other content-specific functions can be integrated into SAP NetWeaver Portal. SAP Enterprise Learning uses a content management component in SAP NetWeaver Portal to store and manage learning content. In the context of knowledge management, there are tools available that let you publish, locate, and distribute information, thereby improving cooperation within the organization. The knowledge management functionality of SAP NetWeaver provides a uniform interface to content stored in a variety of repositories. There are a broad range of functions available for employees, whether they are learners or course authors. For example, they can discuss content stored in the content management component with other users, provide feedback to the author, submit a comment that is visible to all users, or evaluate a document by assigning it a rating. Learners and course authors can subscribe to content or folders to keep abreast of changes made to them. They are then notified of all changes and new versions. Document retrieval is facilitated for users, thanks to intuitive categories and structures as well as powerful search engines. Figure 3: Example of a Collaboration Room SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning 13
LEARNING MANAGEMENT ENABLING TARGETED KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER The learning portal is the environment presented in the learner s virtual workspace for information, communication, and learning, while learning management software controls learning processes. Based on information it has about the learner, the software proposes learning units, monitors the learner s progress, and coordinates the learner s personal learning process. In addition, learning management software manages and handles administrative processes. Targeted knowledge transfer requires precise matching of the learning objectives and qualifications of a learning unit with the learner s level of knowledge. The software ensures targeted knowledge transfer at the start of a course by comparing the learning objectives already attained by the learner with the learning objectives of the course. On this basis, it determines the learner s current level and the required content and scope of the course. The resulting course is presented to the learner and played on the content player. Content Player The content player is a virtual teacher that tailors learning content to the needs of the individual learner and helps the learner navigate through the course. The content player presents the e-learning course to the learner. When an employee launches a course, a comparison is made between the learning objectives imparted by the course and the learner s qualifications or learning objectives already attained. In this way, customers can tailor the scope of the course to the individual needs of the learner. Navigation for the individual course is set up at runtime on the basis of the learning strategy stored in the learner account or set for this particular course. Using the didactical strategies, the content player ensures that the course is dynamically adapted to the individual learning situation and the preferences expressed by the learner. The content player calculates dynamically adjusted learning paths and presents these to the learner graphically, if required to facilitate orientation within a complex subject area. The learner can resume working on an interrupted course at any time. The content player guides the learner to the spot at which it was interrupted. Offline Player The offline player of SAP Enterprise Learning enables learners to download Web-based courses and tests from the learning portal and play them locally. Locally stored courses are listed in the course list. An icon indicates the status of each course. The offline player guides the learner through the course according to the preferred learning strategy. It dynamically adjusts the number and sequence of learning objects to the learner s individual learning pattern. If the learner interrupts a course, the offline player reenters the course at the point of interruption the next time. Learn anytime and anywhere. With the offline player, workers can take courses offline at home, on the plane, in a hotel, and so on and resynchronize their training progress when they are back online with a few clicks of a button. The learner can, at any point in time, resynchronize his or her offline learning progress with the learning portal and either continue learning online or set the course to a completed status. The offline course still remains locked on the PC until the learner either decides to delete the course or indicates through the learning portal that the course will be played offline again. 14 SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning
Training Management General Functions Training management software constitutes the administrative side of SAP Enterprise Learning. This includes functions for course planning and execution; booking and cancellation of course participation; and follow-up processing, including cost settlement. Using this software, the training administrator creates the course offering and can, for example, define training measures for individual learners and groups of learners. The training administrator uses the software to create the course catalog in training management and make it available (partially or completely) to learners in the learning portal for reference and enrollment purposes. The training administrator can manage internal and external participants and enroll them for courses to be delivered by any method. The learning portal has additional self-service applications available to enable employees to search for courses, enroll themselves, cancel their bookings, and launch courses. Training management software leverages the benefits of modern graphical user interfaces. The authorization management and structural authorization options of SAP ERP HCM offer the highest degree of data security possible. User-definable authorization profiles let customers map and safeguard their organization-specific authorization concepts as required. Learners can access only data that is relevant for them. Training management software supports all of the business processes involved in the organization, management, and handling of training. It can be configured to meet the requirements, work processes, and delivery methods common in the organization. Training measures can be flexibly structured. They can include briefings, seminars, workshops, virtual learning sessions, internal or external Web-based training, static Web courses, and curricula. Training management software can even support the combining of Webbased and classroom training in support situations where learners need to take a Web-based course at a defined time and place. Master Data Management Master data management software stores the large volume of information relevant to the planning, management, and follow-up of courses. This includes information on: Course details, such as catalog information, dates, prices, capacity, schedules, assignment of course content, and completion times Personnel resources, such as trainers who are qualified to deliver courses Room details, such as addresses, capacity, and equipment Participant data on both internal and external participants Seamless, real-time integration of SAP Enterprise Learning with the personnel administration and organizational management components in SAP ERP HCM guarantees consistent, reliable data that is free of redundancies. Dynamic Menus The intuitive dynamic menus in training management software make data entry quick and easy for the training administrator. Each dynamic menu represents a subprocess of training management: In the participation menu, the training administrator can make all of the same participation bookings that learners can make in the learning portal. All bookings can be seen in the participation menu. The training administrator has advanced functionality available, for example, to replace or rebook participants. In the planning menu, the training administrator can plan and schedule courses on the basis of demand. In the course menu, the training administrator can manage course dates and resources. In the information menu, the training administrator can request reports for courses, resources, and participants. Data created in one menu is immediately available in all other menus. Course Planning and Preparation Training management software has all of the functions you need to efficiently create a corporate course offering. The flexible software lets you categorize courses in groups by subject area and structure the course catalog with ease. When the training administrator creates a new subject area, represented by a course group, he or she can decide whether it should be accessible to learners in the learning portal. SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning 15
Course groups have assigned course types that are differentiated by their delivery method that is, whether a course is delivered as classroom training, Web-based training, or another type of delivery. In addition, course types are appended with descriptive information concerning content, objectives, target group, imparted and prerequisite qualifications, prerequisite course types, and course fees. Web-based courses are additionally appended with information about completion times. Completion specifications include the recommended minimum, optimum, and maximum learning time and a fixed or relative availability specification that is, the number of days the course is available after the booking date and the number of times a learner can access the course. You can specify the percent of learning objectives that a learner must achieve or the percent of learning objects that a learner must finish in order to complete a course. You can store a schedule for classroom courses in which you specify class times, breaks, and so on. The training administrator assigns content to Web-based courses. Content can be selected from the list of content published by course authors. Course authors and instructional designers check content into the content management component, release it, and publish it. When content is published, a reference to it is entered in the publisher database, making the content accessible to the training administrator. You can also manage outdated content as follows: authors can mark content as obsolete, making the course content invisible to the training administrator when new Web-based courses are set up. Learners currently booked for courses using obsolete content can finish learning uninterrupted. When the content is no longer used by any learner, you can physically delete it if desired. You can integrate external Web-based courses from other learning management system providers using Web services in SAP Enterprise Learning and the support of SAP NetWeaver and enterprise SOA. This means that courses or virtual learning sessions reside on the server of the external provider but can be accessed by the learner seamlessly from within the familiar learning portal of SAP Enterprise Learning. The training administrator can make available and report on external Web-based courses. A learner can book, start, or cancel a course that is hosted by another learning management system provider. Learning progress achieved on the external system can be transferred back to SAP Enterprise Learning. Training providers with resource management facilities can store information about what resources (training materials, instructors, or rooms) are required to hold classroom training or other synchronous courses, such as virtual learning sessions. The minimum, optimum, and maximum number of participants can be specified. In this way, the course type serves as a general blueprint that can be used to create specific courses for which the learner and training administrator can make bookings. Web-based courses are dateindependent. For every version of Web-based training (WBT) content, an e-training object is created automatically. This enables detailed tracking of which learners have completed which version of the content. Training measures with multiple delivery methods can be defined for specific learners or groups of learners. For this purpose, course types are related with jobs, positions, organizational units, or persons and appear automatically in the personalized learning offering of these learners. Curriculum It is sometimes necessary to offer employees a set of courses in a series over a fixed schedule or period of time. Training management software offers the curriculum function for this purpose. The curriculum function embraces the blended-learning concept. A curriculum type is assigned to a course group. Similar to the course type, the curriculum type is appended with general descriptive information concerning content, objectives, and prerequisites for curricula of this type. The curriculum type contains information regarding the course types and delivery methods it includes. Webbased and instructor-led courses can be assigned a specific position within a curriculum, specifying the sequence in which they have to be completed in the program. And courses can be placed in a sequence that associates each one with the appropriate position level. The release period in which the Web-based course is available to the learner can be adjusted to a specific time frame within 16 SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning
the curriculum. Of course, Web-based courses can also be set up so they can be taken at any step of the curriculum. The curriculum designer can define alternative course types for individual curriculum elements. The training administrator can then select from the alternatives when putting the actual curriculum together. When a curriculum type is created, consistency checks are automatically carried out on the sequence of the course types specified and the prerequisites. In the event of inconsistencies, warnings and error messages are displayed. Curriculum types serve as templates for the specific curricula. Course Program In addition to structuring your courses by curricula, you can also group related course offerings via a course program. Course programs enable the the bundling and structuring of a group of related courses. A course program does not contain a set schedule, rather, its schedule is determined by learners and the course dates they book. This allows learners to go through courses in their own, self-paced manner. For example, an organization might roll out a continuous learning initiative in which learners are to go through a set of courses. Learners can choose courses according to the times that are most convenient for them, instead of being limited to taking these courses according to a specified schedule. Course program functionality also gives a well-defined structure to a bundled training offering. Courses within a course program can be organized in the form of logical subunits called blocks. A structured course program with different blocks can resemble a learning map, with different blocks representing levels such as, basic, intermediate, advanced, and so on. Specific blocks in the course program can be set as mandatory or optional for learning. Alternative courses can also be made available for learners to obtain the necessary qualification(s). Additionally individual courses can impart qualification as well as completion of the overall course program once the mandatory blocks and courses are completed. Determining Course Demand The number of course dates required to meet training needs can be automatically scheduled per location, language, and quarter. This number can be changed at any time if demand changes. Planning Course Dates Dates can be scheduled for face-toface training and synchronous classroom sessions either manually in the course menu or automatically in the planning menu on the basis of determined training needs and defined rules. Courses can be scheduled to take place at fixed intervals or evenly spaced throughout a planning period. Training management software proposes suitable dates, taking into account the time constraints defined (factory calendar, public holidays, weekdays, fixed start date, and so on). If planning includes resource selection, the software automatically proposes possible resources, such as trainers or rooms, subject to availability. If necessary, planning data that is accepted in this process can be changed later for the individual courses. Entering Course Costs When courses and course types are created, the associated cost data is entered and evaluated. Cost data can include the instructor s fee, course materials, advertising costs, room rental, and equipment rental. Cost items can be recorded once centrally and then used multiple times for individual training measures. Cost items that are stored for individual courses or course types are then available to provide calculations for price proposals. Marketing With training management software, there are multiple ways to make a course offering accessible to a wide audience. A course brochure can be created at any time. The brochure can SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning 17
contain the entire course offering or a part of it, depending on what courses you want to publicize. The brochure can be downloaded as a file for further editing. In addition, the course offering is made available online to the learners in the learning portal. Managing Courses and Settling Costs Training management software supports organizations in the day-to-day activities associated with course bookings. Booking activities can be performed by the training administrator in training management software or by individuals or groups in learning management software. The training administrator can carry out the following activities in the dynamic participation menu: Prebook If participants are interested in taking certain classroom courses or virtual learning sessions, but there are no suitable dates scheduled, you can prebook participants for those course types. Prebooking data can be used in demand planning. Book Learners can enroll themselves as individuals or as participants in a group (for example, an organizational unit). Rebook Participants can book a course on an earlier or later date than that originally booked. Replace Participants can be swapped, or group bookings can be replaced with individual bookings. Cancel Course bookings can be canceled if the participant(s) cannot attend. Many of these functions are also available to learners on a decentralized basis as self-service applications in the learning portal. Learners can do the following: Book Learners can enroll for courses with any delivery method in the learning portal. Cancel Learners can cancel their own bookings, if required. Prebook Learners interested in taking classroom courses or virtual learning sessions for which no suitable dates are scheduled can make prebookings for the course type, specifying a time period if required. As soon as a suitable date is scheduled for the course in the course catalog, the learner is notified in the learning portal. The learner can then make a booking for the course. Correspondence Training management software provides a powerful framework to notify learners, managers, instructors, training providers, and other involved parties about the activities and status of a training or booking. Templates are available for all of the booking-related correspondence associated with all types of training that is sent to the various recipients. The standard templates, based on Adobe forms, can be modified to suit company-specific requirements or used as is. These methods can be used for notification output in training management: print, e-mail, fax, and short message service (SMS). Notifications can be sent automatically when different actions such as booking or canceling are carried out or can be collected in a work list for later review, change, and single or mass processing. Settings can be made generally in customizing or on a course-type level. Every training administrator can specify his or her own settings for the work list and thus gain full control over the process. Billing and Internal Activity Allocation Customers can settle the costs of training measures in training management software using either billing- or internal-activity-allocation functions. Courses may be in fee-paying or freeof-charge categories. Costs incurred for external bookings for individual courses can be settled via the billing interface. Costs incurred for internal bookings for individual courses can be settled via the internal activity allocation interface. Costs incurred for internal bookings made by the learner for courses with various delivery methods can be charged to the relevant cost centers via the internal activity allocation interface. The training administrator receives reports that can be posted to cost accounting or sales and distribution areas. Transfer Posting Training Costs The same concept is used to transfer costs incurred for individual courses. The training administrator receives a detailed list of the costs incurred. Having checked the list, the training 18 SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning
administrator triggers the activity allocation process, and cost centers are credited or debited automatically as required. Transferring Qualifications When a course has been completed, follow-up processing that includes these steps takes place: confirm participation, evaluate participation (set passed or failed), and transfer the qualification given by the course to the participant s master data record. Participation confirmation can be carried out by the learner in the learning portal or by a training administrator. All subsequent steps can be carried out manually by the training administrator or automatically, based on given rules in the software. For example, transfer qualification can be triggered by the training administrator for any number of participants of a given classroom course or can be triggered automatically after a participant has confirmed his or her attendance and is considered to have passed in the software. When a Web-based course is completed, the learner simply sets the course to a completed status in the learning portal. The qualifications profile is automatically updated if a learner has achieved the minimum number of learning objectives prescribed for the course or completed the required number of learning objects and, therefore, considered by the content player to have passed the course. You can set up the process flow for a course-type at a given level to support a high degree of automation if desired. Reporting in Training Management Training management software offers a comprehensive range of reporting options to enable managers, training administrators, and trainers to keep track of all training-related activities at all times. The reports available are classified into three areas: participation, courses, and resources. Customers can restrict access to reports using the authorization concept. Reports can be triggered manually. The reporting functions can also be accessed in one of the dynamic menus. The training administrator simply selects the area in the course catalog for which the report should run and starts the report. For example, the reports for course demand and participation and sales statistics provide important information for course planning. These reports can be used to identify target groups for a training cycle and other purposes. The report for bookings of a group participant can provide an overview of the training measures and costs in the various organizational units in an organi zation. The participant list report outputs a detailed list of the participants of a given course. It contains details such as participants names, booking dates, and start and end times of timedependent courses. For Web-based courses it contains the required completion time in minutes, the number of learning objectives achieved, and the number of learning objects accessed. The resource reservation statistics report provides information on the availability of resources at a glance. This can help you identify and avoid conflicting resource reservations in the planning phase. You also get standard reports for course results overviews and participant results overviews. Both of these allow instructors or training administrators to keep track of test scores achieved by multiple participants on a course or track the test result history of a particular learner. In addition, the test item statistics report provides statistical information on a particular test and the effectiveness of questions answered by the participants. Reporting with SAP NetWeaver SAP ERP HCM delivers predefined HR business content through functionality for enterprise data warehousing in SAP NetWeaver. SAP NetWeaver provides a foundation for workforce analytics that gives your executives, HR professionals, and line managers reporting and analysis options for real-time insight into your workforce. This can help you identify trends at an early stage and make well-informed decisions, enabling you to manage human capital more effectively, predict humancapital investment demands, and track workforce costs and the ROI associated with HR projects. The content includes more than 200 predefined HCM reports and 90 key performance indicators (KPIs). SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning 19
Ensure your learning objectives are aligned to your corporate objectives and measure the training impact. With standard reports, ad hoc functions, and robust analytics delivered in the software, you can ensure your objectives are aligned to your organization. Measure to see if a particular safety program helped reduce the incident rate or if a new sales curriculum helped increase sales revenue. SAP Enterprise Learning delivers two information cubes, which are collections of objects and KPIs for reporting: One is for training management and the other is for resource management. A learning cockpit that can easily be set up by the customer can provide management with 28 key figures such as course costs, total bookings, revenues, number of attendances or cancellations, resource costs, and much more. Instructor Portal The instructor portal is a personalized point of access to all of the instructor and tutor-related functions. The instructor portal is seamlessly integrated into SAP NetWeaver Portal, where an instructor is provided with access to a wide range of functions through a single source. Both the design of the instructor portal and the content offered there can be flexibly adapted to meet company-specific requirements. Figure 4: Example of a Learning Cockpit In addition, predefined or customized Web cockpits combine several reports and help you analyze your most important HR key figures in a meaningful context. Integrated benchmarking services help you build customer and shareholder value. These analytic tools let you establish and monitor critical success factors by tracking specific KPIs. 20 SAP Functions in Detail SAP Enterprise Learning