Introduction #

User onboarding in ScholarLMS refers to the process of bringing users onto your platform and giving them access to the right courses.

As an admin or manager, your goal is to:

• add users to your platform
• organize them properly
• enroll them into relevant courses
• choose the right onboarding method based on your use case

This guide helps you understand how onboarding works in ScholarLMS and which method to use in different scenarios.

Understanding Onboarding: Two Key Steps #

Onboarding in ScholarLMS typically happens in two stages:

1. Adding Users to the Platform

This is where users are created in your LMS.

2. Enrolling Users into Courses

Once users exist, they must be enrolled into courses to start learning.

You can use different methods for each stage depending on your needs.

Common Onboarding Methods #

Here are the most common ways to onboard users, based on real scenarios.

Quick Start: Add a Few Users Manually

If you’re just getting started or adding a small number of users:

• Add users one by one
• Assign basic details and roles
• Enroll them into courses manually

Refer to:

• Adding a New User
• Enrolling Users in a Course

Bulk Onboarding: Add Many Users at Once

If you have a list of users (e.g., from Excel or another system):

• Upload users in bulk
• Optionally enroll them into courses during upload

Refer to:

• Bulk Upload Users

Self-Service Onboarding: Let Users Register Themselves

If you want users to sign up on their own:

• Enable email-based self-registration
• Users create their own accounts
• You can combine this with course self-enrollment

Refer to:

• User Self Registration by Email

Controlled Access: Invite or Assign Users to Courses

If you want full control over who accesses courses:

• Manually enroll users
• Use Cohorts (groups of users)
• Sync users automatically into courses

Refer to:

• Enrolling Users in a Course
• Cohort Sync Enrollment

Open or Flexible Access

If you want easier access to courses:

• Enable Self Enrollment (users join using a key)
• Enable Guest Access (view-only access)

Refer to:

• Course Self Enrollment
• Course Guest Access

Commercial Onboarding (Selling Courses)

If you’re selling courses:

• Users purchase access through your platform
• Enrollment happens automatically after payment

Refer to:

• eCommerce Enrollment

Supporting Settings for Onboarding #

Before onboarding users, it’s helpful to configure some defaults:

• Default user settings (language, preferences, etc.)
• Role assignments
• Enrollment defaults

Refer to:

• User Default Settings

Choosing the Right Method #

Here’s a simple way to decide:

• Small team or internal training → Manual user creation + Manual Enrollment
• Large user base → Bulk upload + bulk enrollment
• Public platform → Self Registration + Self Enrollment
• Structured organizations → Cohorts + sync enrollment
• Paid courses → eCommerce Enrollment

Summary #

User onboarding in ScholarLMS is flexible and can be adapted to different needs.

You’ve learned:

• how onboarding works in two steps
• the most common onboarding methods
• how to choose the right approach for your use case

Next, explore the linked guides to implement the method that fits your platform.