Creating a virtual conference

Administrators can create virtual conferences, and it is recommended to have the following prepared prior to creating the conference:

1. If applicable, the partition the conference will apply to.
2. Activities, certificates, pricing plans, and categories created.
3. Define credits awarded and how they are awarded.
4. Pre-prepared speakers, pricing levels, and credit types.

Do the following to create a virtual conference:

1. Go to Activities and Learning > Learning Activities.
2. Click Create.
3. Choose Virtual Conference.

General Details

From the General Details tab, enter the following:

1. Enter a unique Code (no spaces) and a Title for the conference.
2. If applicable, select a Partition; otherwise, leave as General.
3. Upload an Associated Image.
4. External ID and Source are optional fields used only for integrations.
5. Enter the maximum capacity, which will be used when setting up sessions. It can be overridden on a session-by-session basis.
6. Enter a detailed Description that will help users find your conference in the catalog.
7. Complete the Course/Activity Information field with an overview, schedule, or details visible to attendees.
8. Enter a Handouts URL if there are shared resources to provide. Click Verify to confirm the link.
9. Assign an Owner for the conference listing.
10. Select the Start and End Conference Dates and the appropriate Time Zone.
11. Enter Registration Dates to restrict registration to a specific period.
12. Set the days to Hide Launch Links after the conference has ended. Entering 0 means the links are never hidden. Additional information about launch links:
    • Launch links are shown for each session and will allow registered attendees to connect to the session up to 5 minutes prior to the start time.
    • Attendees are notified that the session has concluded if they attempt to launch after the end time.
    • Session launch links will change to make video recordings of a session available for attendees to view after the session has ended, if a video has been uploaded.
13. Choose the Conference Status Rollup option to determine how the overall conference status is set:
    • Automatic - Automatically roll up session statuses to determine the overall conference status.
    • Manual - Have an administrator manually set the status for each learner.
14. Choose one of the following Credits Claimed At options:
    • Conference Level - Credits are claimed at the overall conference level and therefore awarded regardless of the number of sessions attended.
    • Session Level - Credits are only claimed for the sessions actually attended.

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Note

Credits configured at the session level will override the Credit tab under Advanced Options.

15. Click Create.
16. The Published and Disable Enrollment toggles are available only in the General Details and Catalog Options tabs. Toggle Published to make the conference visible. You can also unpublish or disable enrollment as needed.

The link for the Welcome Screen is now visible, and you can copy it from here to share:

Catalog Options

The Catalog Options tab controls the catalog settings for a learning activity. Catalog settings refer to how the activity is made available for enrollment. An activity can be added to one or many categories and have specific enrollment rules and pricings configured. Pricings will only be enabled if you use the eCommerce module.

See Catalog Options for Learning Activities.

Resources

Set up the list of ILT Instructors for the class, manage any attachments that students can view after enrolling, and configure whether a certificate can be printed from the learner’s Completed tab in their Learning Center. If the certificate option is enabled, you can select a background image. The certificate fields are fixed in position, so use the provided boilerplate example as a guide when designing your background.

• Instructors - Click Add to assign an instructor to the conference. Once assigned, you can select the checkbox next to the instructor to manage their details.
• Attachments - Click Select File to upload attachments (such as handouts or reference materials) for learners to access upon enrollment. Use the Hidden and Availability drop-down menus to manage visibility. To remove an attachment, check its box and click Remove. Multiple attachments are supported.
• Use Certificate - If your conference issues a certificate, toggle this option On. Choose an existing certificate or create a new one, then preview, edit, and click Save.

Manage Sessions

For conferences, tracks help organize different types of sessions or sessions taking place in specific areas. For example, at a traffic safety conference, the tracks may include Cyclists, Motorists, and Pedestrians, with multiple sessions in each track.

Creating a track

Do the following to create a track:

1. Go to the Manage Sessions tab.
2. Click Add Track.
3. Enter a title for the track.
4. Assign a color to differentiate tracks.
5. Click Add.

The track is now added to the conference and can be viewed on the Manage Events tab. You can add as many tracks as needed or only have one. By default, one track is created when the conference is first set up. Tracks can be deleted by clicking Remove, but all sessions must first be removed from the track before it can be deleted.

In the example below, you can see the main track (All Tracks) and an additional track beneath it. Each track can have its own session(s). Be sure to set sessions for each day of the conference.

Creating a session

Do the following to create a session:

1. Go to the Manage Sessions tab.
2. Click Add Session.
3. Enter a title for the session.
4. Select a day from the drop-down list of available conference dates, and specify the start and end times using 24-hour format (for example, 1:00 p.m. = 13:00).
5. If using TopClass locations for your virtual conference, you can add a location here (optional).
6. Select the track you would like to add the session to.
7. If the session applies to all tracks (for example, a lunch session for all attendees), select the All Tracks (Plenary) checkbox. Otherwise, select the specific track.
8. Click Add.

After creating a session, you can edit it by clicking the Manage button located in the lower right corner of the session.

Selecting Manage opens the settings menu for that specific session.

As you review each menu, you can make updates as needed. Any item marked with an asterisk (*) is mandatory; all others are optional.

General Details

1. Update the title and description if needed.
2. Provide the URL for the virtual meeting.
3. Update the session date and time if necessary.
4. Specify the training hours awarded upon session completion.
5. Select the delivery language.
6. Assign an owner if one has not already been set.
7. Set a partial credit percentage for partial attendance, if applicable.
8. Click Save.

Resources

1. Assign instructor(s).
2. Attach a video to be shown after the conference ends.
3. Attach a WebVTT file for video captions (optional).
4. Upload any additional attachments.
5. Click Save.

Adding a post-conference video allows learners to review information after the event. You can upload a video at any time, but it will not appear until the conference has ended.

Enrollments

Manage enrollments here or within General Details – Enrollments of the Virtual Conference.

Cancellations

Any registered learner who cancels will be listed here. If no entries appear, there have been no cancellations. You can manage cancellations from this area.

Advanced Options

Currently a blank placeholder.

Return to the Virtual Conference main menu.

Conference Branding

From this screen, you can customize your Virtual Conference with a unique look and feel and include additional information.

• Add a background image or color for the top of your agenda and welcome screens.
• Upload a custom conference logo to replace the conference title in the header.
• Add an overview of the event for the agenda screen.
• Enter terms and conditions to display on both the welcome and agenda screens.
• Select Preview from the top-right menu to view the attendee screens.

Sponsors & Exhibitors

Sponsors Carousel and Partners Carousel – If you are featuring sponsors or partners, you will manage them here. If their profiles have not yet been created, do so first before adding them to your virtual conference.

Click Create to add a sponsor or partner, including their name, website (if applicable), description, and company logo.

Once created, select Add to add the new sponsor or partner.

Enrollments

At the bottom of the page, an additional menu allows you to manage enrollments.

Click Add to enroll learners. Once learners are enrolled, the remaining seat count updates automatically. For example, if 1,000 enrollments are allowed, your updated count appears as shown below:

Select the checkbox next to a learner to unenroll them. Selecting Finalize Attendance displays a warning message:

Read the message carefully and select Yes or No as appropriate.

Selecting individual learners or checking the Name box (to select all) lets you email the enrollees. The printer icon prints your roster.

Select learners and click Multi-Update to open a menu that allows bulk actions:

Cancellations

From this menu, you can manage learners who have canceled their enrollment. You can re-enroll, email, or print the list of cancellations.

Notifications

Setup custom text which is embedded into the notifications which are sent relating to this learning activity. The text will be specific to this Learning Activity. Also configure the rules for when reminder/re-certification and pre/post work notifications are sent.

• Suppress notifications - Enable to suppress all notifications for this activity.
• Language of Notification - Set your language for notifications. If you set a language, all notifications will be sent in the selection, regardless of the learner’s preference. Currently available choices are: UK English, US English, French, German, Spanish, CA French, and Chinese.

Adjust notification content and language as needed.

Advanced Options

See Advanced Options for Learning Activities.