External Training Records

Overview

The External Training Records feature allows administrators to track and manage training completed outside the 5Mins platform. This is especially valuable for organizations in compliance-heavy industries that conduct offline workshops or need to document training from multiple sources in one centralized location.

🎬 Watch this as a short narrated video

Steps shown in this video

1. Open Learning Records from the admin sidebar
2. Switch to the External Training tab
3. Click Add training
4. Choose Add training to create a single record
5. Enter the learner's company email — it works even before they register
6. Name the training
7. Add the organisation that provided it
8. Add dates, duration, result and an optional certificate — then click Add Training to save

Benefits

• Maintain comprehensive training records for all employees in one place
• Ensure compliance requirements are properly tracked and documented
• Generate consolidated reports for auditing purposes
• Eliminate the need to manage separate training tracking systems

Use Cases

Offline Workshop Documentation

Record participation in in-person workshops, conferences, or seminars that employees attend outside the digital learning environment.

External Certification Tracking

Monitor professional certifications obtained through third-party providers, including expiration dates to ensure timely renewals.

Regulatory Training Audits

Quickly generate reports for compliance auditors showing all required training completions across your organisation.

How to Add External Training Records

Individual Record Entry

1. Navigate to Learning Records: From the left sidebar, click on "Learning Records"
2. Select External Training: Choose the "External Training" tab
3. Add a New Record: Click the "Add training" button, then choose "Add training" from the menu. This opens the "Add External Training" drawer.
4. Fill in Learner Information:
   • Enter the learner's company email in the "Learner Info" section
5. Enter Training Details:
   • Name: Provide the title of the training
   • Provider: Enter the name of the organisation that provided the training
   • Dates:
     • Start date: When the learner began the course
     • Completion date: When the learner achieved the training goals
     • Expiration date (optional): If the certification has an expiration date
   • Duration & Result:
     • Duration of the training: Enter the length in minutes, hours, or days
     • Score (optional): Record the percentage score if applicable
     • Result (optional): Select Passed or Not Passed
   • Certificate (optional): Upload a certificate for the training record. Drag and drop the file or click to upload. Accepted file types are PDF, JPG, and PNG, with a maximum size of 10 MB.
6. Save the Record: Click "Add Training" to save the entry

Bulk Upload

To add many records at once, click the "Add training" button and choose "Bulk upload CSV" from the menu. This lets you import multiple external training records from a CSV file instead of adding them one at a time.

Viewing and Managing Records

• All external training records appear in the External Training tab
• Records can be filtered by email, training, provider, start date, end date, and result
• Click "Download Report" to export the records as a CSV file for further analysis or record-keeping
• To delete several records at once, tick the checkboxes next to them and click "Delete Trainings"

Automating Reports

You can have 5Mins email a recurring report of external training that is about to expire, so certifications can be renewed in time. Use the "Automate Reports" button above the records list.

1. Click Automate Reports to open the "Expiry report automation" settings.
2. Under "How often should we email the report?", choose Monthly, Every 3 months, Every 6 months, or Annually.
3. Set the Look-ahead window as a number of days or months (the default is 3 months). Each report lists the training that expires within that window.
4. Under "Send reports to", add one or more recipient email addresses. At least one is required.
5. Click Save Automation (or Update Automation when you change an existing schedule).

The button then shows the current status: "Automate Reports: ON" or "Automate Reports: OFF". The settings also show the date of the next report. To stop the emails, open the settings again and click Turn Off Reports.

Best Practices

1. Consistent Naming: Use consistent naming conventions for training programs to make reporting easier
2. Complete Information: Provide all relevant dates and details for comprehensive record-keeping
3. Regular Updates: Review and update records regularly, especially for compliance-critical training
4. Documentation: Attach certificates to records where possible so supporting documentation stays alongside the training entry

Common Questions

Q: Can I add training records for employees who haven't registered on 5Mins yet? A: Yes, you can add records for any employee using their company email, even if they haven't yet registered on the platform.

Q: Are expiration dates required? A: No, expiration dates are optional and should only be added for certifications or training that actually expires.

Q: How do I edit a training record after it's been created? A: Click the three dots menu (•••) at the end of the record's row and choose Edit to modify any details.

Q: What file types can I upload as a certificate? A: You can upload a PDF, JPG, or PNG file up to 10 MB in size.

Q: Why should I include the training duration? A: Duration helps track time investment in learning and may be required for certain compliance reporting.

Feedback

If you have any feedback about adding or managing external training records, please let us know. Please send your feedback here