DISCLAIMER: The content in this article outlines how to create and manage channels in your Docebo platform. Please note that this functionality is available in the 7.0 platform theme, and isn’t available to customers still using the old 6.9 theme.
Introduction
Channels are streams of topics that include courses and learning plans created by Superadmins. Channels are used to organize content in your platform, allowing users to easily and quickly access training content divided by categories. They can be shown as individual pages or as widgets on widget pages.
This article covers how to view, create and manage channels as a Superadmin. It focuses on how to manage channels in those platforms in which Discover, Coach & Share is not activated. If you want to learn more about channels used in platforms leveraging the informal learning approach with Discover, Coach & Share, refer to this article.
Viewing and Configuring Channels
To create and manage channels, access your platform as the Superadmin, reach the Admin Menu, then select the Channels item from the E-Learning section. Remember that only Superadmins are in charge of creating and managing channels.
This is the main page of the Channel Management, listing all of the available channels in your platform.
You can filter the content of the table by clicking on the filter icon on the top left corner of the table to see the complete filters list and to make your selection. Filters are applied in real-time.
You can also customize the table layout in order to show only the columns that are relevant to you. Click on the columns management icon on the top left corner of the table to select the columns you would like to include in the table view. Use the cross icon to drag and drop the columns in the list, sorting them according to your needs.
When you need to look for a specific channel, use the free text search area on top of the table.
All channels will be shown in the list of channels on this page. Every channel’s row shows the following columns: thumbnail, channel name and description, channel type, visibility, content assigned to the channel, and the published column.
- In the Thumbnail column, you will see the channel’s thumbnail.
- In the Name, Description and Type columns you will see the channel’s name and description and the type of channel: built-in (created by default in the platform) or custom (the channels that you create in your platform).
- In the Visibility column, you will see the channel’s association with groups and/or branches. In order to assign a channel to specific groups or branches, access the channel’s page by clicking on its name. Here, in the Properties tab, reach the Visibility section, where you can configure the channel’s visibility.
- In the Content column, you will see how many pieces of content are assigned to the channel. Press the content icon to access the content tab on the channel’s page, where you will see all the content that has been assigned to the channel, along with the details of each piece of content.
- In the Published column, you can choose whether you want to publish the related channel throughout your platform pages or not. Click on the checkmark icon in the channel’s Publish column to make the channel available. The green icon means that the channel is already visible and published, and the gray icon means that the channel is hidden and unpublished. You can press the icon again to hide (unpublish)/show (publish) the channel.
Built-in Channels
On the Channels Management page, you will notice that a few channels are created by default:
– Continue To Watch and Learn. This channel includes all of the courses or learning plans that a learner still needs to complete.
– New Invitations and Subscriptions. This channel includes all of the courses or learning plans in which a learner is enrolled.
– My Learning Activity History. This channel includes all of the courses or learning plans that a learner has already completed.
Creating and Managing Channels
To create a new channel, select the add button (New Channel) in the top right corner of the channels management page. In the right panel that opens, write a name for your channel to start creating it, then press the Create and Edit button at the bottom of the page.
Congratulations, you have created your new channel! Now you can proceed with its configuration in the two tabs of the channel’s page, Properties tab (where you can customize the channel by changing/adding its name, description and thumbnail, and by defining the channel’s details and visibility) and Content tab (where you can add content to the channel).
Properties Tab (on the Channel Page)
Let’s start from the Properties tab. In the General section, add a description for the channel (and change its name, if needed). Please note that you can translate the channel name and description text fields in multiple languages using the multi-language selector tool, which is accessible from the globe icon in the top right corner of the section. Learn more about using the multi-language tool to create multi-language content. Remember that the selected language does not determine the language of the content in the channel, but just the language of the channel details. Then, in the Channel Info section, you can also see the type of channel, but you cannot edit it.
In the Thumbnail Composer section, you can compose your channel by selecting an icon and color. Press the Change Icon button to browse the icons catalog and select your preferred one.
Please note that a new icons catalog is available for your platform. Don’t worry, if you are using an icon included in the old catalog, you can continue using it. Instead, if you choose and save a new icon from the new catalog, you cannot use your old icon anymore.
To customize the color of the icon and the background, press the pen icon in the corresponding box, then choose a color from the color wheel. Select the tone by clicking on the square. You can also write the color code in the related box if you already have a specific color in mind.
Scroll down to the Details section in the Properties tab. Here, in the Sorting field, choose how you want to sort the channel items, either by item name (ascending and descending) or creation date of the content (ascending or descending).
Finally, in the Visibility section, define who can view the channel, all users or specific ones (selected groups or branches). Please note that you cannot associate a channel to a single user. If you want to choose specific groups or branches of users who will be able to view the channel, activate the Custom Selection toggle, then type or select groups and/or branches in the corresponding fields. Also, remember to configure the All Channels page or the page including a Channels widget into the user main menu to make it available to your users.
Users who are not assigned to any course or learning plan that appears in a channel will not see that channel on any pages. Remember that users cannot give themselves visibility to a channel. Only Superadmins can assign users to channels.
Content Tab (on the Channel Page)
Switch now to the Content tab, where you will be able to assign content to the channel. Select the add button (Assign Content) in the top right corner of the Content tab of the channel page. A right panel will open, where you can select courses and learning plans to assign to the channel. Once you have selected the desired content, confirm your action by clicking the Assign button at the bottom of the panel. The content you selected is now assigned to the channel.
You will find all of the content that is assigned to the channel listed in the Content tab, where you can also view the content details: thumbnail, name, type of content, its creation date, and finally its status (published or unpublished). By clicking on the content’s name, you will access its page to view its details and edit it.
If you need to edit or unassign a course or learning plan from the channel, click the ellipsis icon on the right side of the content row in the table listing the content, then select the corresponding option. You can filter the content of the table by clicking on the filter icon on top of the table to see the complete filter list and to make your selection. Filters are applied in real-time.
If you need to look for specific content, use the free text search area near the filter icon.
Once finished configuring your channel and assigning content to it in the Properties and Content tabs, save your changes by selecting the corresponding button at the bottom of the Properties tab. To publish the channel and make it visible to users, use the publishing bar at the bottom of the Properties tab, or press the corresponding check mark icon in the Published column on the channels management page.
Editing, Duplicating and Deleting Channels
You can manage or modify any of the settings that you configured when originally creating a channel at any time by clicking on the name of the channel or selecting the ellipsis icon and then choosing the Edit option in the channel’s row on the channels management page. In both of these cases, you will access the channel’s page, where you can manage all of the settings related to the channel and edit them.
If you need to duplicate or delete your channel, click the ellipsis icon on the right side of the channel row in the table listing the channels, then select the corresponding option, Duplicate or Delete. Remember that you can neither delete nor duplicate a built-in channel.
When duplicating your channel, in the right panel that opens you will be asked if you want to assign to the new channel the same content of the channel you are duplicating. Once configured these options, press Duplicate at the bottom of the panel to create a new channel starting from the one you chose to duplicate. The channel’s page will open, where you can set your new channel’s configuration. Please refer to the Creating and Managing Channels section in this article for any further information about how to configure the channel.
When deleting a channel, if your channel contains one or more pieces of content that are assigned only to the channel that you are deleting, a right panel opens, where you are warned about this situation. In fact, if you delete your channel, the content that is assigned only to it will be lost. In the right panel, you will see a table listing all of the channels in which you can move your content before deleting the channel. In this way, you can delete the channel without losing the content assigned only to this channel.
Channel View
When the channel configuration is over, click the Channel View button on the channel page to see how learners will see the channel. You can share the channel URL with all of the users of your platform. They will be able to access the channel as long as they have visibility permissions for it.
Content Visibility Rules
Every channel created in a platform where Discover, Coach & Share is not activated can only hold formal learning content (courses and learning plans), but cannot include informal learning content (assets and playlists) not available on a platform without the Discover, Coach & Share module for informal and social learning.
A user will be able to view formal learning content listed in a channel when being granted visibility over the channel and being enrolled in the learning content itself; if the second condition is not met, the learning content will not be displayed to the user, despite being published in the channel.