Connectors make it easy to create Learners in the LMS from Users in your human capital management (HCM) or customer relationship management (CRM) system, and keep them in sync throughout their journey as a Learner. Automated data exchanges are facilitated by mapping User profile fields to Absorb LMS equivalents, and by specifying the HCM or CRM events that will trigger a sync. Besides User profile fields, Connectors also represent the Learner’s Department and reporting structure within the LMS. This facilitates efficient delivery of training and provides Supervisors visibility over their team’s progress toward completion.

By leveraging template based Connectors, automated data exchanges can be up and running quickly. Our Integrations team will also work to scope out your business needs, and create flexible solutions as required when using Connectors.

Features and Benefits

HCM Connectors include the following features:

Connectors provide the following benefits:

Sync Behavior

Connectors detect relevant changes in your source system and push updates to Absorb in near real-time. For UKG Pro, updates run on a scheduled cadence.

• Trigger-based: Most syncs run when a new/updated user or other allowed change occurs in your source system.
• Near real-time: Typical updates appear in the LMS within minutes.
• UKG Pro cadence: Updates run on a ~3-hour schedule.

Syncing Learners

Syncing Learners from your HCM or CRM system to your LMS can significantly streamline User management and enhance the learning experience for your employees. This guide will help you configure your field mappings to sync Learner data from your system of record to your Absorb LMS. By syncing Learners from your system of record, you can streamline User management, reduce Administrator overhead, improve training efficiency, and enhance the learning experience for your employees.

This is a 3-step process:

1. Identify key data fields.
2. Configure field maps and event triggers.
3. Test with a subset of Learners.

Identifying Key Data Fields

Before syncing Learners, it is crucial to identify the key Data Fields that need to be mapped between your User system of record and your LMS. Common fields include User IDs, Employee IDs, Names, Email Addresses, Job Titles, Departments, and any other relevant Learner attributes. You will find the comprehensive list of fields that the LMS can accept from your User system of record at the bottom of this article. Some are required, while others are optional. With your implementation specialist, discuss your use case and determine which fields are essential for a successful sync.

Configuring Field Maps and Event Triggers

Field mapping is the process of aligning the Data Fields in your User system of record with the corresponding fields in your LMS. This ensures that the Learner information, such as Names, Job Titles, Departments, and other relevant data, is accurately transferred between systems.

During the use case consultation, the Absorb integration expert will determine if any changes or additions need to be made to the default field mapping and make the required modifications. This includes the addition of any Custom Fields.

The Absorb integration expert will help you identify which event triggers should initiate a sync. Events are evidenced by changes to User fields, and any other business object the system of record has been provided access to in this Connector. The Absorb expert will configure automated workflows that will detect relevant events and initiate a sync.

Testing and Troubleshooting

After configuring the field maps and event triggers, it is recommended to test the sync process with a small subset of Learner data. This allows you to quickly identify any issues or discrepancies and make necessary adjustments before syncing all Learners. Additionally, it's important to monitor the sync process regularly to ensure ongoing data integrity and resolve any potential syncing errors.

Default Password Assignment

The Default Password feature is an optional, request-based capability and is not part of the standard User creation workflow. When enabled, it allows organizations to automatically assign a password to Users during creation or update actions through Absorb Connectors.

By default, newly created Users receive an activation email to set their password. These activation links expire after seven days and may be missed, particularly by external Users, which can delay onboarding and increase administrative effort.

When this feature is enabled, a predefined password can be assigned during automated User provisioning. This allows Users to log in immediately without relying on activation emails. The feature can also be applied during User update actions, providing additional flexibility for automated workflows.

This configuration must be completed by the Absorb Technical Services team. Organizations that require this functionality should work with an Absorb Technical Services representative to request enablement.

The assigned Default Password is temporary. Upon first login, the User is required to set a new password to ensure account security.

Syncing Departments

This section contains information on how to sync Departments from a User system of record, and recommended testing procedures to follow once the sync is complete.

Automatic Department Sync

Departments may be synced from the User system of record prior to the first User ingestion automatically. Departments can also be kept in sync going forward using the connector. This will allow your Users to be assigned the correct Department on first sync, in line with the structure defined in your HCM system. For CRM systems, working with your implementation specialist you can align on client companies to map to Absorb Departments. From there, your contacts will be assigned to the correct Department on first sync, in line with the structure in your CRM system.

Optional – Manually Configuring Departments in the LMS

If you already have a Department structure setup in the LMS that mirrors your HCM Department structure or CRM client company, then you can keep these in sync going forward so long as the LMS Departments contain a matching External ID.

In your LMS, recreate the Department structure found in your HCM or CRM system.  Start with the node in your Department hierarchy under which your Learners reside. Create this as a top-level Department, and then create the child Departments.

Default Department Assignment

In cases where the mapping process fails to find a match for a Department from the system of record in the LMS, the User will be assigned to a Default Department. The Default Department is both a fallback, and a placeholder until your LMS Administrator can resolve the Learner into their appropriate Department. The Default Department needs to be identified and created in the LMS prior to first the sync.

Testing on a Subset of Users

Once your Department structure is set up in the LMS, it is highly recommended to perform thorough testing on a subset of Users. This allows you to identify any issues, validate the accuracy of Department assignments, and ensure a smooth import of Learner data to the LMS. Testing also provides an opportunity to refine the mapping process and troubleshoot any discrepancies before full implementation.

Syncing Supervisors

Supervisor relationships sync along with the Learners, as each Learner has a Supervisor attribute (specifically the “supervisorExternalID” field). Supervisors are also created in the LMS as Learners during the Learner sync, provided they exist in the HCM or CRM system. 

Following the Learner sync, it is important that the LMS Administrator update specific roles for their Supervisors depending on how your LMS Portal is configured.  By default, Supervisors are granted Learner permissions and scope only. However, the connector provides you the possibility to set the Supervisor as an Admin and assign the specific Role(s) to it. 

Syncing Managers

Managers have a slightly different structure than Supervisors and represent a more modern method of identifying a Manager/direct report relationship in the LMS. In this instance, a User record is identified as a Manager, and their direct reports are assigned at the Manager User level.

On User sync, once all Users (both Managers and Employees) are available as LMS Users, the Manager assignment can be made.

Following the Learner sync, it is important that the LMS Administrator update specific roles for their Managers depending on how your LMS portal is configured. By default, Managers are granted Learner permissions and scope only. However, the connector provides you the possibility to set the Manager as an Admin and assign the specific manage Role(s) to it. 

Sync Learners from Absorb

A Learners profile data from Absorb LMS can be synced into your system of record, such as a CRM or data warehouse. This reverse sync approach, where Learners are pushed from the LMS to downstream systems, enables engagement, advanced reporting, and centralized Learner tracking.

By syncing Learners from Absorb LMS, organizations can unlock several high-value use cases:

• CRM Integration: Automatically create or update Learner records in CRM, or similar platforms when a new User is created in Absorb. This allows learning progress to be monitored (combined with the Learner progress sync) where client teams work most, inside the CRM.
• BI & Analytics Enablement: With Learner profiles and enrollments centralized in a data warehouse or BI layer, organizations can perform rich segmentation, trend analysis, and cohort tracking based on learning activity and demographics.
• Customer Training Visibility: Track external Learner progress through onboarding programs and training certifications without leaving your CRM or CX tools.

Learner data that can be synced:

• Learner details
• Custom Fields

Syncing Learner Progress and Engagement from the LMS

In this section, we will describe how the LMS can send Learner progress and Learner engagement activities from the LMS back to your system of record. Tracking employee progress through Course Enrollments from start to finish ensures that compliance and upskilling goals are met. Customer Learner progress can be tracked through product training, which allows customer education teams to implement strategies for:

• Faster onboarding
• Reduced support tickets
• Greater product and feature adoption
• Higher retention

Additionally, some* Connectors provide Learner engagement insights, such as:

• Online Course and Curriculum enrollment progress
• ILC Session attendance
• Assessments taken
• Assigned Task completion
• Competencies and Certifications earned

Online Course Workflow Automation

The Absorb Connector now supports one-way synchronization of Online Courses and their associated URL-based Lessons from your external systems into Absorb LMS. This allows organizations to create and maintain Online Course structures automatically, reducing manual setup and ensuring consistency across platforms.

When an Online Course is created or updated upstream, the Connector can provision the corresponding Course in Absorb, along with supported Lesson types. At this time, the Connector supports URL-based Object Lessons and URL-based Video Lessons. Physical files or uploaded media are not supported through the Connector and must be added manually within Absorb if required.

As Course or Lesson details change in the source system, the connector updates the Online Course structure accordingly in Absorb. This helps ensure Learners always access the most current Lesson Content and reduces the administrative effort associated with maintaining online training materials.

By automating Online Course creation and Lesson updates, organizations can streamline Course deployment processes, improve data consistency, and maintain a unified learning ecosystem without relying on manual content configuration.

ILC Workflow Automation

The Absorb Connector now supports one-way synchronization of Instructor-Led Courses (ILCs) and their related components such as Sessions, Venues, and Enrollments from your external event or marketing platforms into Absorb LMS.

When new ILCs or Sessions are created upstream, the Connector can automatically create or update the corresponding records in Absorb. This includes changes to schedules, instructor assignments, and venue details, which help ensure that training information remains accurate and reduces the need for manual updates within the LMS.

The Connector also enables real-time synchronization of Enrollment. When Learners register through supported platforms, they are automatically enrolled in the appropriate ILC in Absorb. This immediate enrollment provides timely access to learning materials and supports consistent Learner communication and engagement.

By automating these key elements of the ILC workflow, organizations can improve operational efficiency, maintain consistent data across systems, and deliver a more streamlined experience for learners and instructors.

Terminology

The following terms are used throughout this article:

FAQs

The following questions are frequently asked about Connectors:

Limitations

Connectors are flexible, and can address many use-cases across a variety of implementations. The following limitations should be considered to determine if another kind of integration is better suited for your use-case.

• Connectors cannot create or modify Admin, Supervisor, or Reviewer roles in the LMS. All Users are created as Learners by default.

• Department structures are created in a flat format. Full hierarchical syncing is supported only for select systems and must be scoped in advance.

• Sync frequency depends on the source system. Most syncs run in near real-time, but some systems (such as UKG Pro) update on a scheduled cadence.

• Connectors rely on vendor APIs. Absorb cannot enhance, expand, or fix issues originating from a third-party vendor API.

  • Field availability is limited to what each vendor’s API provides. Any additional fields must be reviewed and scoped during implementation.

• Connectors do not alter the core functionality or User interface of Absorb LMS. They facilitate data exchange only.

  • Two-way (outbound) data syncing is available for specific systems and must be scoped before implementation.

• Connectors cannot sync Roles, Permissions, or feature toggles beyond those included in the standard configuration.

• Data retention for sync logs is limited. Failed syncs must be retried within the defined retention period to avoid data loss.

• Connectors are not designed for historical data imports. Large historical loads may require CSV or API-based methods handled by Absorb staff.

Appendix: Full List of User Fields

The following tables list the fields that can be synced between your system of record and Absorb LMS.

Enrollments

Assessments

Tasks

Competencies

Certificates

Online Courses

Online Course Object Lessons

Online Course Video Lessons

Venue Mapping

Instructor Led Courses (ILCs)

ILC Sessions

ILC Enrollments

* Only available for enrollment update.