What are course session waitlists?

If your organization has Brainshark Learning enabled, Learning authors can create course event sessions with waitlists. When a session is full, learners can join a waitlist for their preferred time slot, ensuring fair access and providing benefits for both learners and administrators.

How do Session Waitlists work
What are the benefits of session Waitlists?
How do I enable course session Waitlists?
How do I view and manage my course session Waitlist?
How do I set up email notifications for Waitlists?

How do Session Waitlists work?

When a session is full, learners can opt to join the waitlist instead of being turned away or forced to choose a less desirable session.
As spots become available—due to cancellations or changes—learners are automatically enrolled from the waitlist on a first-come, first-served basis.
If a learner is enrolled from the waitlist into their preferred session, they are automatically unenrolled from any backup sessions they may have joined, reducing administrative overhead and confusion.
Administrators and course authors have control over the process: they can set how many days before the session auto-enrollment from the waitlist stops, manually override the waitlist order, or directly enroll learners from the waitlist as needed.

Benefits of Session Waitlists

Maximized Enrollment Opportunities: Learners never miss out on their preferred training simply because a session was full at the time of registration.
Reduced Administrative Burden: Automatic enrollment and unenrollment streamline the process for both learners and administrators.
Fairness and Transparency: The first-come, first-served approach ensures an equitable process for all learners.
Flexibility for Administrators: Manual controls allow for exceptions and special cases, supporting unique organizational needs.

How do I enable a course session Waitlist?

Enter the Edit mode of the course.
Select Edit Session toward the top right in blue.
If you have not created any sessions you will be prompted to create them.
Check the box for Session Maximum Enrollments, and set the desired # maximum.
Check the box Waitlist Enabled.
Configure auto-enrollment settings:
- Set the number of days ahead of the session when auto-enrollment from the waitlist should stop. This gives students adequate time to be notified and make arrangements ahead of the sessions. Please note that students will be unable to self enroll into sessions on the same date as the session.
- Decide if you want to allow manual overrides of the waitlist order.
- Optionally, enroll learners directly from the waitlist as needed.
Once enabled, learners who attempt to register for a full session will be given the option to join the waitlist. If a spot opens up, learners are auto-enrolled on a first-come, first-served basis.
If a learner is enrolled from the waitlist into their preferred session, they will be automatically unenrolled from any backup sessions they had joined.

How do I view and manage my course session Waitlist?

As a Learning Author or Admin, to view the waitlist for a session click on View Waitlist within the edit session page.
The waitlist order is created on a first joined, first enrolled basis. The order of the Waitlist cannot be changed.
Enrollment from the waitlist is automated based on the maximum enrollment capacity and the number of students enrolled. Please note that lowering the capacity value will not affect students currently enrolled or the waitlist.
As an Author or Admin, you can remove students from the waitlist. Please note this action cannot be undone, as currently only students can add themselves to the Waitlist.
As an Author or Admin, you can enroll students manually from the waitlist in any order.

Email notifications for Waitlists

You can create a waitlist notification for all students on a waitlist within Scorecards through the “Create Action” workflow within a course event panel.
You can use the existing default notification or customize the message to be sent to all students who are waitlisted at the time that the notification is sent.