Learning objectives
By the end of this article, you’ll be able to:
Explain what automations are and why they matter
Describe the three parts of an automation (event, condition, action)
Recognise the two core steps of unlocking widgets and content
Identify other ways automations can support learning journeys
What are automations?
Automations are what make the platform take care of repetitive tasks for you. Instead of doing something manually, like assigning a course to every new user, an automation handles it for you based on the rules you set.
Think of it like this:
“When this happens, the system should do that.”
Why use automations?
Automations save you time, reduce mistakes, and make learning journeys smoother for users. They ensure content and actions are applied consistently, without you lifting a finger every time.
For example, you might want to automate things like:
Assigning learning activities
Sending reminders
Unlocking content
Unlocking content after other specific content has been completed
Moving users into different groups
Important:
Automations follow the rules you define. They won’t do anything unless you’ve set them up clearly.
The parts of an automation
Automations are made of three parts:
Event type: What starts the automation? (usually: Check periodically)
Condition: Rules that must be true (e.g. the user is in a specific group)
Action: What should be done if the conditions are true? (e.g. assign a new activity)
What automations do in practice
As mentioned previously, automations are required for unlocking both widgets and the content inside them. Without these two steps, learners will not see the material.
Thus, you need to create automations:
For widgets: unlock the widget for specific groups, for example Belgium, Netherlands, Germany. This makes the widget visible in the stream.
For content: unlock the activities, journeys, or programmes inside the widget.
But automations go further than unlocking content. They can also manage background tasks that keep learning journeys running smoothly:
Send reminders or nudges to learners
Move learners into a new group automatically
Assign a programme or activity as soon as a learner qualifies
Trigger follow-up actions when someone completes a task
In summary:
Automations unlock visibility and also take care of the repetitive work. They ensure learners always see the right content, at the right time, with the right support.