Tutorial - Setting Rules Within Course Templates

Blanchard Exchange allows you to set or modify rules within your course templates, such as automatically setting deadlines or hiding products and files based on live event dates or completion of previous activities.

This advanced functionality helps save time when creating projects by automatically setting assignment deadlines and/or restricting access to products and files based on rules you define.

While these rules can be implemented or modified in both individual projects and course templates, it is recommended to configure them within course templates to save time when creating new projects.

Setting Relative Deadlines

To use this feature, you must have at least one live event placeholder in your course template to serve as a reference point.

In the Course Builder, navigate to the first activity that requires a relative deadline:

1. Hover over the activity name, then select the three dots icon to the right of the activity name (Figure 1-1), and select Settings (Figure 1-2). Alternatively, select the activity name and then select the Complete by date option at the top of the activity (Figure1-3).
2. Select the Set relative to event checkbox under the Complete by date settings (Figure 2).
3. Select the live event placeholder you want to use as the reference.
4. Enter the number of days before or after the live event.
   
   This value can be positive or negative:

   • If the deadline should be before the live event, enter a negative number.

   • If the deadline should be after the live event, enter a positive number.

     • Example 1: The assignment deadline should be two days before the live event. Enter: -2

     • Example 2: The assignment deadline should be five days after the live event. Enter: 5

5. Select Save after completing your changes.

Repeat these steps for any additional activities where the deadline should be calculated automatically.

Additional notes and tips:

• Calculated deadlines are independent for each activity. For example, one activity may be due three days before an event, while another activity may be due one day before the same event.

• Automatically calculated deadlines can be overridden by you or other administrators from the Details tab within projects.

• Relative deadlines default to 11:59 PM on the due date based on the time zone selected during project setup. If a participant changes their time zone in their profile, the deadline time is adjusted accordingly. Deadline times can be modified in live projects under the Dates & Details section if needed.

Setting Durations

Durations display the approximate amount of time most learners need to complete an activity.

Blanchard-provided content includes default durations. These durations can be overridden, which is especially useful when adding custom content that may require additional time.

To set or change the duration:

1. Hover over the activity name, select the three dots icon to the right of the activity name, and then select Settings.
   Alternatively, select the activity and choose Settings at the top of the activity.

2. Under the Estimated time section, select Manually set.

3. Enter the number of minutes required to complete the activity.

4. Select Save after completing your changes.

Hiding Products/Files/Assignments/Resources

To restrict access to certain assignments or files, Blanchard Exchange allows you to define rules based on a specific date or on completion of previous activities. These rules are applied at the module level, meaning all activities within the module follow the same rule.

Below are examples of rules that control when products, files, or resources become accessible:

• Hover over the module name, select the three dots icon to the right of the module name, and then select Settings.

• From the Module accessible when drop-down menu, select one of the following options:

  • Always accessible – Content is available as soon as the learner accesses the course (default setting).

  • Previous module completed – The module immediately preceding this one must be completed before access is granted.

  • All previous modules completed – All modules listed above must be completed before access is granted.

  • Previous module completed and passed – If the previous module includes a SCORM quiz, the content must be completed and the quiz passed before access is granted.

  • All previous modules completed and passed – All prior modules must be completed and passed.

  • Set date – When creating a project, the administrator is prompted to enter a specific date and time for when the module becomes accessible.

  • Days before/after event – Similar to relative deadlines, access is based on the date and time of a live event once the project is created.

• Select Save after completing your changes.

Figure 3 illustrates an example in which a module containing content is not immediately accessible. In this example, the APPLY module and its activities become available to learners automatically on the day of the live event.