Blanchard Exchange offers an option to create both groups and subgroups, allowing you to save rosters of individuals directly in the system to be used with future projects.
For example, you may have a need to distribute multiple training designs over a certain period of time through Blanchard Exchange to the same group of individuals.
Group Example
Normally, you would need to keep your Blanchard Exchange roster template (Excel file) saved to your computer and would then need to upload that roster into each of the correct projects at the appropriate times.
Instead, once you upload the first roster of individuals, you can then create a group and/or subgroup within Blanchard Exchange to keep that roster saved. The group can then be selected within any new projects to easily add those same individuals to the projects, rather than repeating multiple roster uploads.
| NOTE: In order to add individuals to groups or subgroups, the individuals must already be users associated with your account. Individuals are added as users automatically when added to a project, or can also be added under the Users tab of your account if they are not yet associated with any projects. |
Creating Groups
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To create a new group, select the Settings tab of your account, and then select the Group option.
To create a new group, select the Add Group button (Figure 1).
Next, enter your group Name (Figure 2-1) and then select Save (Figure 2-2).
Once your group is saved, you will be taken to the group management screen. To edit the group name, select Edit Group button (Figure 3-1). Alternatively, if you wish to delete this group, select the Delete Group button (Figure 3-2).
To add a new individual to the group, scroll down to the Members tab, enter the individual's email address (Figure 3-3), and then select Add User (Figure 3-4).
If you wish to remove a user from a group, locate the user under the Members tab, select the check box to the left of their name (Figure 4-1), and then select the Remove button (Figure 4-2).
Creating Subgroups
It is also possible to create subgroups under groups, allowing further organization of users.
For example, you may have a group listed as "Sales". Within the Sales group, you could create multiple subgroups to identify territories, such as having a "Western Sales Division" subgroup, a "Central Sales Division" subgroup, etc...
Figure 5
To create a subgroup, select the Subgroups tab under the group management screen (Figure 5-1). Next, select the Add Group button (Figure 5-2). Enter the subgroup name and then save your subgroup. This subgroup will then be listed on the bottom of the screen, allowing you to select the subgroup and then manage the subgroup in the same manor as managing groups.
Also note that subgroups can also contain their own subgroups, which can then contain even more subgroups. There is no limit on creating hierarchy within groups and subgroups.
Using Groups & Subgroups in Projects
Once a group and/or subgroup is saved, that group can then be used within projects to both add and select users.
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To populate a project roster with an existing group or subgroup, open the project, select the Participants tab (Figure 6-1), and then select the Group tab (Figure 6-2).
Next, select the Select a group (Figure 6-3) down-down menu to select your group or subgroup, and then select Add participants from group (Figure 6-4) to add all individuals to the project.
Separately, if you have a project that includes a roster of users from mixed groups, you can use the Select members in group down-down menu (Figure 7) to only select users associated with that group.
This is useful if you need to manually trigger a communication from this project only to users associated with specific groups or subgroups. Once you select the group from the down-down, the check boxes next to the associated users will then be selected, without selecting other users' check boxes who are not associated with the group.
