A course requires a defined start and end date, at least one session, and a specific number of available spaces. You will create a unique course part for each set of sessions or course offering.

• Note: Once you have the first course created, subsequent courses are fast and easy using Orchid POS's template function. See Step 6 of this article for more on template use.

You can designate certification types as well as training agencies as needed, and update customer records with these details automatically as you book the customers into the course.

To create automated emails for courses (welcome email, reminder email, thank you emails), see our article Automated Course Emails.

To create a course:

1. Go to Courses > Manage Courses.

2. Click the CREATE NEW button.

3. Define the general details of this course.

• Designate a part number for the course. Each offering requires a unique part number, which is user-generated. "Typical" format tends to be an abbreviation of the course or certification type along with its start date, i.e., OW061519.
  
  
• Designate or generate a barcode for the course. Many users choose to copy the part number into that field, too.
  
  
• For stores with multiple locations, select which location this course may be sold at. This tracks availability at the host location, with income staying at the selling location.

• Give the course a description. This is used when searching for a course as well as on the customer's invoice and associated documentation.
  
  
• POS Button is a search filter used in Point of Sale when looking for a specific class to sell to your customer. Most frequent uses of this is to create filters by certification type or location, but this is up to the user; whatever works best for you, organizationally!

• Category is used for searches while managing your courses and on sales reports.
  
  
• Certification and Agency Type display during online booking and can update the customer record automatically (with Update Certification Info toggle on).
  
  
• Max Qty is the total number of available spaces in the course.
  
  
• Available Qty reduces automatically as the course is sold.
  
  
• Price is the general Retail price a customer will pay for course.
  

• Enter the start and end date.
  
  • NOTE: Specific session dates will be set during the next step, after general details are saved.
• Popup messages show in Point of Sale when you are booking the course, and can be helpful if employees need reminders about anything.
  
  
• Instructors can be any customer contact. Designating an instructor only lists their name on the roster and customer's learning agreement.
  

4. Click the CREATE button to save your course.

5. Go to the course's Sessions tab to proceed with session creation; click New Session.

6. Each date this class meets is a session. You will define the date, start time, and location for the first, then the second, and so on. Click CREATE to save each session.

• All the session information is printed/emailed to the customer when they sign up for the course so the more information the better!
  

7. Now you're ready to create another course, using this original as a template. From the course part details page, click the "Create New Course Using this as a template" link in the upper right corner.

8. All information from the original course will be retained except for part number, barcode, and start and end date. Enter these, then click CREATE to save the new course.

9. You will see a popup listing all sessions from the original course. Click to assign the new course's session dates and save.