Custom products allow LearnPlatform Admin to manage requests from Edtech products that are not yet available in LearnCommunity Library, or are homegrown.
This guide covers:
- How to create and use custom products to handle educator requests for products that are not available in LearnCommunity Library
- Management of Custom Product Listings
- How to Merge Custom Products w/ Matching LearnCommunity Listings
Note: Custom Created Products CANNOT be used for tracking usage in the Inventory Dashboard, or Provider Applications until a LearnCommunity Product Match is created.
How do I know that a custom created product has been requested?
LearnPlatform Org Admin and Product Managers will receive an email when a product that is not available in the LearnCommunity Library is requested by an Educator.
Navigate to Management > Requests > Custom Product Logo (see Blue Leaf product logo below). Requests with this logo refer to products that an educator could not find in the LearnCommunity Library.
Note: Historically these requests were sent to LearnPlatform to fulfill, but we've updated this process so that requests are routed directly to administrators via the Requests tab, just like your other product requests.
What actions can I take if a custom created product is requested?
- View Form Response via the three-dot menu on the right to determine if the product requested should be vetted and/or listed in the library.
Note: Review the request to determine what next steps to take for this request. Not every request you receive should necessarily be listed as a product. If you do not wish for this product request to move forward, simply close the request.
2. If the product should be added to your library and/or vetted for approval, click on the Action drop down menu > Create Custom Product.
Custom Product Creation Wizard
This product creation wizard allows you to first review any potential matches for products that we have available in the LearnCommunity Library. This search engine not only searches by product name, but also by product URL's. If a match is not found, the wizard will walk through adding both required and optional additional information about the product.
1. Add Product Name & Product URL: Use the same product name/url provided by the educator or update the fields to widen or narrow your search > Next
2. Review any potential matches. If you don't see the product that you're looking for listed, then continue to create a custom product. Click > Create Custom Product If there is a match, you have the option to use the existing product, and do not need forward to create a custom product.
3. Fill out the required fields: Product Name, Type, Logo*, Website URL*.
*Fields included in later sections of the wizard
If this product should be added to the LearnCommunity Library, check the box > Ask LearnPlatform to review this product for the LearnCommunity Library.
- Once the product has been added to LearnCommunity Library, you'll be able to merge your custom listing with a LearnCommunity Library Product. (see more details on merging products in the next section of this article)
- The benefit of using a LearnCommunity listing includes usage tracking via the Inventory Dashboard, being able to submit provider applications, and access to data, reviews and certifications.
- Types of products the should NOT be submitted to the LearnCommunity Library: Hardware, Product Plans/Subscriptions, Individual eBooks, Courses, Articles.
4. Add optional additional information:
* Product Website Field is a required field
* Product Logo is required.
5. Review and Create Product- Update and/or change the option to submit this product to the LearnCommunity Library, and click > Create Product
The product has been created. What next?
Once the product has been created, LearnPlatform Admin have a few options on how to manage this product:
Start Workflow- From the request tab, use the three dot menu > Start Workflow to kick off a workflow. Use the drop down menu from the pop up window to select from any pre-created date driven or product vetting workflows.
If the product does not need to be put through a complete workflow there are still additional actions that LearnPlatform Admin can take be clicking into the details of the Product Request.
- Add Reviewer
- Set Product Status
- Start Workflow (given the option to start from here too)
- Close the Request
1. Add Reviewer: Assign an individual or group to review this product. Add Reviewer > +Add Reviewer > Select individual/group > Add. Once the review is assigned, either leave the assigned review form as the default form, or use the drop down menu to select a pre-created review form. (see How to Customize Form Guide)
Note: Make the Review Mandatory, edit suggested due date, and send reminders to Reviewers who are late to submit their form. See "How to Manage Requests"
2. Set Product Status: Use the drop down menu to assign a status to the product. Select Status > Update Status This product and status will be represented in the organization's product library.
- Note: In order to completely close a product request a status that is mapped to either an Approved or Denied status must be selected. Statuses such as Unknown/Pending, that are not mapped to approved/denied will result in the request staying open. Even if the status of a product has been previously set, it will need to be confirmed as an approved/denied mapped status to close the product request. See "How to Manage a Product Request" Guide
- Note: Which library the product is visible follows rules of the status assigned to the product. See "Edit System Statuses & Create Custom Statuses" Guide.
3. Start Workflow- Use the drop down menu from the pop up window to select from any pre-created date driven or product vetting workflows.
4. Close the Request(s)- This closes the educator request. It does NOT close the Product Request. LearnPlatform Admin can still assign reviewers, start workflows etc until the status of the product has been set to a status the is either mapped to an Approved or Denied status. When closing a request an email is sent to the requester letting them know that the request has been closed. LearnPlatform Admin have the option to include rationale for the approval or status. Click Close Request(s) > Enter Custom Message > Yes, close request. See "How to Manage a Product Request"
How do I find and edit custom created products?
Find your custome product listings in the Admin Library, by using the LearnPlatform Community Library State column and Product State filter to find custom product listings.
NOTE: Custom products are only visible in Organization Library view.
To edit information associated with custom products from the Admin Library, select Management > Products > click on Product > Product Settings Tab.
Note: Product Settings are standard across all products. Fields the can be customized include: Product Name, Product Logo, Organization Library Product State, Public Library Visability, SSO Smart Launch, Tags, Contract/Students Affected, Comments from the Organization, Resources, Additional Details (custom columns), and Lists.
What happens when a match for my custom product is found in the LearnPlatform Community?
If the product has been added to the LearnCommunity Library, and a 'Match' is available, it will be LearnPlatform Admin will see a number displayed in the filter for Community Matches. To filter custom products with matches, select the filter, and click Custom Products with Matches.
To review the potential match, use the 3 dot menu to select > Review LearnCommunity Matches.
To review more information about the Product, select the "Link out arrow" next to the product's name.
Note: Merging your custom product listing to a LearnCommunity Library product listing allows you to begin tracking this product via your Inventory Dashboard, send provider applications, as well as provides access to all the data and evidence we offer in the LearnCommunity Library.
To proceed with a merge, select the appropriate listing by clicking ‘Confirm Match’. Review which data and information will be replaced as a result of the merge. To ignore the match and remove the available match from being surfaced in the future, select ‘Ignore Match’.
Note: All organization-specific data and settings will be transferred to the new listing. (statuses, tags, resources). The only changes that result from 'merging' the product are those for product-specific system fields, such as privacy policy links, product description, product images, etc.
Note: Only LearnCommunity Library products can be used to merge with custom-product listings (i.e. two custom-product listings cannot be merged together).
To finalize merging a Custom Product with the LearnCommunity Library Product, select 'Merge Product Listings'
