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The Training Lifecycle in Administrate

Updated

Administrate manages training as a connected lifecycle rather than a set of isolated records. Understanding that lifecycle makes it easier to understand how course templates, events, students, attendance, achievements, and learning paths work together.

At a high level, training usually moves through this sequence:

The training lifecycle in Administrate

  1. Course Template defines the reusable structure of the training.
  2. Event is a scheduled or delivered instance of that training.
  3. Booking connects a learner or participant to the event.
  4. Attendance records whether participation actually took place.
  5. Achievement records completion, success, or another recognized outcome.
  6. Learning Path can roll multiple achievements or learning steps into broader progress.

Why this lifecycle matters

Many parts of Administrate only make sense when viewed in relation to one another. A course template is not the same thing as an event. A learner record is not the same thing as participation. An achievement is not the same thing as attendance. Learning paths sit above individual training deliveries and help track progress across multiple events or requirements.

This means documentation should be read as a connected model:

  • Courses define training structure.
  • Events deliver that training at a specific time, place, or format.
  • Bookings determine who is participating.
  • Attendance and progress determine what actually happened.
  • Achievements and certifications determine recognized outcomes.
  • Learning paths track broader completion across multiple activities.

1. Course Template

A course template defines the reusable blueprint for training. It typically holds the structure, defaults, and configuration that can be reused across multiple events.

Depending on your setup, a course template may define things such as:

  • title and description
  • delivery settings
  • capacity expectations
  • communications defaults
  • pricing structure
  • achievement settings
  • resources and content

In many cases, events inherit from the course template and may then be adjusted at the event level where operational differences are needed.

2. Event

An event is the actual delivery instance of training. It is where scheduling, delivery, instructors, learners, communications, finances, and operational activity come together.

An event may be:

  • classroom-based
  • virtual
  • LMS or eLearning-based
  • public or private

While the course template defines the reusable design, the event represents the real operational instance that people attend or complete.

3. Booking

A booking connects a participant to an event. This is a critical distinction: a person existing in the system does not automatically mean they are taking part in a specific event. Participation happens through the booking.

Bookings are where Administrate tracks event-level participation states such as:

  • interested
  • reserved
  • active
  • cancelled
  • expired

This is why identity and participation should not be treated as the same thing. A learner can exist in Administrate without being booked on an event, and a booked learner can progress differently across different events.

4. Attendance and Progress

Once a participant is booked on an event, Administrate can track what actually happened during delivery. This may include attendance, engagement, progress, or other event-specific outcomes.

Attendance and progress often influence what happens next, especially where completion, achievement, certification, or follow-up communications depend on actual participation rather than just registration.

5. Achievement

Achievements record recognized outcomes. Depending on configuration, these may include completion, pass/fail, certificates, badges, or other formal results.

Achievements often depend on the participation record from the event, and they may also drive:

  • certifications
  • achievement-triggered communications
  • reporting
  • learning path progression

6. Learning Path

Learning paths sit above individual events and achievements. They allow you to model broader development journeys that may include multiple training steps, courses, or requirements.

A learning path helps answer questions like:

  • Has this learner completed the full program?
  • Which required achievements have already been earned?
  • What still remains before the learner completes the overall path?

This means learning paths should be understood as an aggregation layer rather than a replacement for events or achievements.

How the parts work together

In practical terms, Administrate usually works like this:

  1. A course template is configured to define the training.
  2. An event is created to deliver that training.
  3. Learners are booked onto the event.
  4. Attendance or progress is recorded as delivery happens.
  5. Achievements are awarded based on rules, results, or completion.
  6. Learning path progress updates where broader program logic applies.

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