We want every feature in our software to work well. Unfortunately, there’s no way to email quiz results easily, accurately, and consistently. For example, if you use Gmail or your computer’s security settings are high, you can’t email results. Also, you run the risk of learners tampering with results since they can access the email before it’s sent. Given these limitations, we decided not to include the email results feature in new products.
You may want to reach out to your LMS team to see if they have an option to email results.
This is a gap in the features of Storyline 2; I currently use iSpring to create my quizzes which are hosted on our LMS - it works very well and emails me the results automatically (there is no possibility of the learners tampering with the results!). I love the features of SL and am starting to get better at creating with it. I was intending to convert my courses and add the tests using SL but as I cannot have the results automatically emailed to me, I will still have to create the tests in iSpring (which sort of defeats the object of converting the courses to SL).
I agree it's a gap. I read the reasoning that Articulate have issued, and Ashley has quoted here, and can't see that that is reason enough not have this feature. The settings on our computers are our issue really, and we can arrange to adjust them as needed to allow the email to be sent, and as an organisation, we are prepared to take the risk of tampering.
We are struggling to get results feeding into our LMS when using Mobile devices, for a number of reasons, and one solution would be to email those result out, so we can input them to our LMS manually. It's very frustrating not to be able to do this, and adds to the work we are having to do to try and get round other limitations of Storyline that we are facing.
I really think you should put this feature in. I'm sure it would work fine from the software point of view, and it would be down to your subscribers to either make it work for them or not.
I am now also dealing with this as some of our course developers are using iSpring and the question has come up of how to reproduce this functionality in SL3.
I'm not sure I follow the "easily/accurately/consistently" thing, as in iSpring this is all happens unbeknownst to the user, AND the user never needs to enter any data, it pulls their email address automatically from where the package is hosted from. There hasn't been any issues with this reporting amid hundreds of users who've completed the courses in high tech industry environments.
Since this post was recent-ish I thought it'd be worth replying. I submitted a ticket as well. Big solution gap here, I really hope Dev reconsiders supporting this functionality if it has indeed been scrapped.
Agree, I am just starting off with Articulate, but this is something we definitely would benefit from. We can't hook certain users to our LSO (contractors, for example), and need a way to show proof of competency via the quiz results...asking them to print out the results slide and remember to bring it in, then file the paper is going to cause a problem at some point. It would be so much easier to have the results instantly emailed to us, we could have them set to go before they enter the building. Definitely something we want to see.
After following this thread for a while, I have to bring in a dissenting voice: I do not think that this email feature is a good idea for an elearning authoring tool. The proper tool that usually handles user data, and with that also emails, would be the learning management system, where the courses are deployed.
Why is that?
Conceptual reasons
An elearning course authored in an authoring tool like Articulate or Captivate is just a package of learning content that can be hosted on a website or on an LMS or given out on CDs.
Using these course packages should not put you into the limitation that you only ever use this one authoring tool to produce the courses:
Example: You might want to build most of your courses with Articulate, since it is easy to use and has all the course features that you usually need, but sometimes, you might want to make something more video heavy, with picture in picture recordings of the computer screen and a camera and for this you decide to use the Camtasia recording tool, that can also produce course packages in the SCORM format.
Since all the user data and the emails are handled by the learning management system, this is not a problem at all, as it would be if this would be handled by the individual packages.
This is a reasonable separation of concerns, like the one web developers know, when the write content and structure in HTML and layout and design in CSS.
Technical/Security reasons
To send an email, you need an email server. A course package like the one that Articulate or Captivate or iSpring produce is not and has not a server. So you will need to use one, but how? The sane answer would be: use the server that also hosts the course, but that is the LMS. It usually has a mail functionality.
The two other options are less nice:
The old iSpring solution was to send the mail from the computer of the student, without the student knowing it. This needs some interfacing with the email client that the student uses and also requires all students to have the same or at least a similar email client. Because all this happens on the students computer and with the students email client, it is open to tampering by the students and also not very reliable. This is why iSpring stopped using this method completely in 2016.
The new iSpring solution is to use an email server that iSpring owns. So every email is in reality sent via servers at iSpring, even if you host the course on your own servers. This will not work in very tight company settings, where internet access is regulated by strict firewalls and proxy servers. But even if it works: if you are doing this in the EU, you would better speak to your DPO or your company lawyer or both. Probably they will try to talk you out of it, because it means giving away personal data to a third company.
This particular course is not designed for those within the purview of the LMS, but those without, those that cannot have user accounts with us. I'm not sure I understand why having this as an option would restrict us from using other programs, but considering how hard we fought to get THIS one, that will not be an issue for us. The alternative I suppose we will be going with is a printout of the results page, which they have to remember to print and bring, and if there was a problem we won't know until they are on site. I am not looking forward to the headaches that are sure to ensue, but I guess I will call them part of our growing pains with this.
We have never had any problems using iSpring to send us the results of the SCORM tests we have on our MOODLE site. It works very well. I'm disappointed I can't get the same result using SL and it has stopped me from changing all our courses over to SL. My personal opinion is that it is a big gap in SL features.
Why do you need this feature in SL, when you are using a LMS that already has that feature?
When you use Moodle for the emails, you are free to choose between SL, iSpring, Captivate, Camtasia, eXe and all the other authoring tools, emails will look the same and come from the same server.
When you rely on mails from your SCORM packages, you can use iSpring and that's it.
And again: sending via the students mail client IS open to tampering, sending via a server of a different company is a problem for private data protection in many countries.
I love this forum! So many diverse perspectives with care towards delivering the best possible learning solutions. Personally, I don't want to receive email results from the 10k employees completing quizzes in my courses. LMS will records test scores and if the client wants them, analytics can be run.
However, every situation is unique and in Darby's situation, email results may be needed for reasons not up to me. So with that, in one of my courses, I created a way for learners to open their default email program and send an email to HR that would include their policy acknowledgement form as an attachment. Using Java Script, it will populate the email to:, the subject: and some email body content. I know it worked, because HR recipients were wondering how they were suddenly receiving acknowledgement forms from new hires they weren't able to receive from before. It's not a "stellar" solution, but it does work. Darby, if you need to receive email for results, you could add in your description on the screen for the user to take a screen shot of their results page and either include it in the body or attach it as an image. This may require further instruction; up to you. This will confirm that what they send you in the body of the mail is corroborated by the screen shot.
To execute this script, you would select the trigger "execute java script"on a custom email button you would add to the results page and copy/paste the code into the java script window. You would need to change the text that suits your situation. I've put in the script 'Enter your xxx here' as an example. Make sure you retain all spacing as you see it. You will have to publish it to test it, because java script does not run in preview.
I'm confident this will work, based on my use of it. Hopefully, it will be glitch-free for you and for anyone else who may wish to try!
Good Luck...and if you need further assistance, please reach out. I'm happy to do what I can to help.
Lisa
Code:
FYI: This forum automatically gives double spacing between returns. The code below is all single spaced, and each is it 's own line. The 4th and 5th line are not word wrapped in SL; only here.
The difference is that iSpring allows you to have the email sent to you, but you don't have to if you don't want it ... SL doesn't even allow the option ...
The iSpring facility sends me detailed information on the time learner spent on the test and which questions they got right and wrong. If you're referring to creating the same test in MOODLE I wouldn't consider doing that as the quiz feature is not even close to being as user friendly as iSpring (or SL would be if email results would be available). We have delivered thousands of test results, over may years, using iSpring and have never had any 'tampering' issues and if you have effective data privacy policies and systems in place there should be no problem (we only operate in the UK).
The difference is that iSpring gives you the choice to have results emailed (you don't have to) but SL doesn't even give the option. Don't get me wrong, I like SL, it just doesn't meet my needs in this respect and it seems like it is never going to.
It's terrific iSpring is working well for so many users. In some circumstances, certain development software has been identified as the software for company's, consulting firms and so on to use. If in Darby's case it's SL, then there can be work-arounds that may help solve a SL shortcoming. It's always great to have options. While SL may not be perfect for everyone, it has come along way from the initial days of Studio 2 in 2004!
I may download a trial version of iSpring as a result of this thread. Some contractors cannot access the LMS but still need to take the course and they still have to pass the assessment. I assumed the only way to do this was to put on drive and have them screenshot their results, or to put in PDF format and have them submit the results that way. I wonder if Captivate has this feature?
It had, but they decided to scrap it (in version 7, so some time ago), because it "never really worked well".
Just to clarify: Why is a SL user(me) actively arguing against a feature? Could I not just ignore it?
The feature is only possible to build in two ways, one is bad from a perspective of the integrity of the results, both are bad from an IT-security perspective. Not critically bad, but bad enough.
But this feature, once it is there, will be cheap. Cheap in comparison to changing existing elearning infrastructure.
Usually the question: do we need the results of the users and how do we get it? is asked at the start of establishing online training at or for a company. According to the answer to this question, an LMS will be set up and ways to access it will be provided.
If the answer to this question changes afterwards, the secure and reliable way to react is costly in money and time: change the infrastructure in a way that gives these new users access without compromising the rest of the security.
Once there is a feature like the one we are talking about, this will be the road people take in this situation, if they want to or not, because it is so much cheaper than changing the infrastructure.
If changing the infrastructure is not something you are able to do, why not look into the direction of PDF-certificates? (If you need the user name on them: there is a solution. And if you want to do something more against fraud by the students, you could think into the direction of hashes.)
16 Replies
Hi Darby,
We want every feature in our software to work well. Unfortunately, there’s no way to email quiz results easily, accurately, and consistently. For example, if you use Gmail or your computer’s security settings are high, you can’t email results. Also, you run the risk of learners tampering with results since they can access the email before it’s sent. Given these limitations, we decided not to include the email results feature in new products.
You may want to reach out to your LMS team to see if they have an option to email results.
This is a gap in the features of Storyline 2; I currently use iSpring to create my quizzes which are hosted on our LMS - it works very well and emails me the results automatically (there is no possibility of the learners tampering with the results!). I love the features of SL and am starting to get better at creating with it. I was intending to convert my courses and add the tests using SL but as I cannot have the results automatically emailed to me, I will still have to create the tests in iSpring (which sort of defeats the object of converting the courses to SL).
I agree it's a gap. I read the reasoning that Articulate have issued, and Ashley has quoted here, and can't see that that is reason enough not have this feature. The settings on our computers are our issue really, and we can arrange to adjust them as needed to allow the email to be sent, and as an organisation, we are prepared to take the risk of tampering.
We are struggling to get results feeding into our LMS when using Mobile devices, for a number of reasons, and one solution would be to email those result out, so we can input them to our LMS manually. It's very frustrating not to be able to do this, and adds to the work we are having to do to try and get round other limitations of Storyline that we are facing.
I really think you should put this feature in. I'm sure it would work fine from the software point of view, and it would be down to your subscribers to either make it work for them or not.
Just my tuppence worth. :-)
Thanks for sharing Paul. I see where you submitted an official request as well, so again, thank you :)
I am now also dealing with this as some of our course developers are using iSpring and the question has come up of how to reproduce this functionality in SL3.
I'm not sure I follow the "easily/accurately/consistently" thing, as in iSpring this is all happens unbeknownst to the user, AND the user never needs to enter any data, it pulls their email address automatically from where the package is hosted from. There hasn't been any issues with this reporting amid hundreds of users who've completed the courses in high tech industry environments.
Since this post was recent-ish I thought it'd be worth replying. I submitted a ticket as well. Big solution gap here, I really hope Dev reconsiders supporting this functionality if it has indeed been scrapped.
Agree, I am just starting off with Articulate, but this is something we definitely would benefit from. We can't hook certain users to our LSO (contractors, for example), and need a way to show proof of competency via the quiz results...asking them to print out the results slide and remember to bring it in, then file the paper is going to cause a problem at some point. It would be so much easier to have the results instantly emailed to us, we could have them set to go before they enter the building. Definitely something we want to see.
After following this thread for a while, I have to bring in a dissenting voice:
I do not think that this email feature is a good idea for an elearning authoring tool.
The proper tool that usually handles user data, and with that also emails, would be the learning management system, where the courses are deployed.
Why is that?
Conceptual reasons
An elearning course authored in an authoring tool like Articulate or Captivate is just a package of learning content that can be hosted on a website or on an LMS or given out on CDs.
Using these course packages should not put you into the limitation that you only ever use this one authoring tool to produce the courses:
Example: You might want to build most of your courses with Articulate, since it is easy to use and has all the course features that you usually need, but sometimes, you might want to make something more video heavy, with picture in picture recordings of the computer screen and a camera and for this you decide to use the Camtasia recording tool, that can also produce course packages in the SCORM format.
Since all the user data and the emails are handled by the learning management system, this is not a problem at all, as it would be if this would be handled by the individual packages.
This is a reasonable separation of concerns, like the one web developers know, when the write content and structure in HTML and layout and design in CSS.
Technical/Security reasons
To send an email, you need an email server. A course package like the one that Articulate or Captivate or iSpring produce is not and has not a server. So you will need to use one, but how?
The sane answer would be: use the server that also hosts the course, but that is the LMS. It usually has a mail functionality.
The two other options are less nice:
The old iSpring solution was to send the mail from the computer of the student, without the student knowing it. This needs some interfacing with the email client that the student uses and also requires all students to have the same or at least a similar email client. Because all this happens on the students computer and with the students email client, it is open to tampering by the students and also not very reliable. This is why iSpring stopped using this method completely in 2016.
The new iSpring solution is to use an email server that iSpring owns. So every email is in reality sent via servers at iSpring, even if you host the course on your own servers. This will not work in very tight company settings, where internet access is regulated by strict firewalls and proxy servers. But even if it works: if you are doing this in the EU, you would better speak to your DPO or your company lawyer or both. Probably they will try to talk you out of it, because it means giving away personal data to a third company.
This particular course is not designed for those within the purview of the LMS, but those without, those that cannot have user accounts with us. I'm not sure I understand why having this as an option would restrict us from using other programs, but considering how hard we fought to get THIS one, that will not be an issue for us. The alternative I suppose we will be going with is a printout of the results page, which they have to remember to print and bring, and if there was a problem we won't know until they are on site. I am not looking forward to the headaches that are sure to ensue, but I guess I will call them part of our growing pains with this.
We have never had any problems using iSpring to send us the results of the SCORM tests we have on our MOODLE site. It works very well. I'm disappointed I can't get the same result using SL and it has stopped me from changing all our courses over to SL. My personal opinion is that it is a big gap in SL features.
Why do you need this feature in SL, when you are using a LMS that already has that feature?
When you use Moodle for the emails, you are free to choose between SL, iSpring, Captivate, Camtasia, eXe and all the other authoring tools, emails will look the same and come from the same server.
When you rely on mails from your SCORM packages, you can use iSpring and that's it.
And again: sending via the students mail client IS open to tampering, sending via a server of a different company is a problem for private data protection in many countries.
I love this forum! So many diverse perspectives with care towards delivering the best possible learning solutions. Personally, I don't want to receive email results from the 10k employees completing quizzes in my courses. LMS will records test scores and if the client wants them, analytics can be run.
However, every situation is unique and in Darby's situation, email results may be needed for reasons not up to me. So with that, in one of my courses, I created a way for learners to open their default email program and send an email to HR that would include their policy acknowledgement form as an attachment. Using Java Script, it will populate the email to:, the subject: and some email body content. I know it worked, because HR recipients were wondering how they were suddenly receiving acknowledgement forms from new hires they weren't able to receive from before. It's not a "stellar" solution, but it does work. Darby, if you need to receive email for results, you could add in your description on the screen for the user to take a screen shot of their results page and either include it in the body or attach it as an image. This may require further instruction; up to you. This will confirm that what they send you in the body of the mail is corroborated by the screen shot.
To execute this script, you would select the trigger "execute java script"on a custom email button you would add to the results page and copy/paste the code into the java script window. You would need to change the text that suits your situation. I've put in the script 'Enter your xxx here' as an example. Make sure you retain all spacing as you see it. You will have to publish it to test it, because java script does not run in preview.
I'm confident this will work, based on my use of it. Hopefully, it will be glitch-free for you and for anyone else who may wish to try!
Good Luck...and if you need further assistance, please reach out. I'm happy to do what I can to help.
Lisa
Code:
FYI: This forum automatically gives double spacing between returns. The code below is all single spaced, and each is it 's own line. The 4th and 5th line are not word wrapped in SL; only here.
(LIne 1) var player = GetPlayer();
(Line 2) var email = 'Youremailaddress@xx.com'
(Line 3) var subject = 'Enter Subject of Your Email';
(Line 4) var emailBody = 'Good Day, \n' + '\n' + 'Attached is my results screen from my quiz score. \n' + '\n' + '\n' + 'Thank you.';
(Line 5 ) var mailto_link = 'mailto:' + email + '?subject=' + subject + '&body=' + encodeURIComponent(emailBody);
(Line 6) win = window.open(mailto_link, 'emailWin');
The difference is that iSpring allows you to have the email sent to you, but you don't have to if you don't want it ... SL doesn't even allow the option ...
The iSpring facility sends me detailed information on the time learner spent on the test and which questions they got right and wrong. If you're referring to creating the same test in MOODLE I wouldn't consider doing that as the quiz feature is not even close to being as user friendly as iSpring (or SL would be if email results would be available). We have delivered thousands of test results, over may years, using iSpring and have never had any 'tampering' issues and if you have effective data privacy policies and systems in place there should be no problem (we only operate in the UK).
The difference is that iSpring gives you the choice to have results emailed (you don't have to) but SL doesn't even give the option. Don't get me wrong, I like SL, it just doesn't meet my needs in this respect and it seems like it is never going to.
It's terrific iSpring is working well for so many users. In some circumstances, certain development software has been identified as the software for company's, consulting firms and so on to use. If in Darby's case it's SL, then there can be work-arounds that may help solve a SL shortcoming. It's always great to have options. While SL may not be perfect for everyone, it has come along way from the initial days of Studio 2 in 2004!
Happy Development Everyone!
I may download a trial version of iSpring as a result of this thread. Some contractors cannot access the LMS but still need to take the course and they still have to pass the assessment. I assumed the only way to do this was to put on drive and have them screenshot their results, or to put in PDF format and have them submit the results that way. I wonder if Captivate has this feature?
It had, but they decided to scrap it (in version 7, so some time ago), because it "never really worked well".
Just to clarify: Why is a SL user(me) actively arguing against a feature? Could I not just ignore it?
The feature is only possible to build in two ways, one is bad from a perspective of the integrity of the results, both are bad from an IT-security perspective. Not critically bad, but bad enough.
But this feature, once it is there, will be cheap. Cheap in comparison to changing existing elearning infrastructure.
Usually the question: do we need the results of the users and how do we get it? is asked at the start of establishing online training at or for a company. According to the answer to this question, an LMS will be set up and ways to access it will be provided.
If the answer to this question changes afterwards, the secure and reliable way to react is costly in money and time: change the infrastructure in a way that gives these new users access without compromising the rest of the security.
Once there is a feature like the one we are talking about, this will be the road people take in this situation, if they want to or not, because it is so much cheaper than changing the infrastructure.
If changing the infrastructure is not something you are able to do, why not look into the direction of PDF-certificates? (If you need the user name on them: there is a solution. And if you want to do something more against fraud by the students, you could think into the direction of hashes.)
I hope you find a good solution to your problem!
This discussion is closed. You can start a new discussion or contact Articulate Support.