Choosing training software for a care service: ten questions to ask

Start with what you need to show

Most services want three things: staff trained for the job they do, proof of it in one place, and warning before anything lapses. Keep those in front of you; everything else is detail.

Ten questions to ask any supplier

1. Can training be assigned by job role, so a new care worker, a senior and a cook each get the right set without anyone building it by hand?
2. Can we use our own content (our policies, our procedures, our videos), or only the supplier's courses? Do we pay per course?
3. Does it track certificates and qualifications from outside training, with expiry dates and a copy of the certificate?
4. Can managers see their own team only, and can a regional or head-office view see everyone?
5. What does a new starter see on day one, and is induction spread sensibly rather than all at once?
6. Can we get a matrix of people against required training, and a list of what's overdue, in a minute, for an inspection?
7. Does it work on a phone for staff who don't sit at a computer?
8. How is it priced: per user, per course, per site? What happens to the price as we grow?
9. Where is our data held, is it separate from other customers', and can we take a full copy if we leave?
10. How long from ordering to using it, and is there a set-up fee?

Catalogue or your own content?

A course catalogue is useful if you don't have training material and want ready-made modules. If you already have trainers, policies and induction material, a system built around your own content and your own roles often fits better and costs less. Many services use both: an accredited provider for some topics, and their own system to assign, track and evidence everything.

Watch for these

• Price per user that climbs steeply with staff turnover.
• Records you can't export.
• Reports that need someone at head office to run them.
• Certificates tracked in a different system from training.