Totara 19 is here so we wrap up all the extra features you can expect to get your hands on in the latest upgrade.

As organisations continue to prioritise flexible, adaptive learning solutions, Totara remains a leading choice for those looking to drive impactful learning and development.

The latest release of Totara introduces a host of powerful new features designed to enhance learning experiences, improve user engagement, and streamline administrative tasks.

With each upgrade, Totara has pushed the envelope on what a learning platform can offer, from personalised learning paths to robust reporting tools and seamless integrations with popular enterprise systems.

Here’s what you can expect to see in Totara 19.

Totara 19 – Learn [+ Engage]

Totara Learn is a dynamic learning management system designed to support corporate training, compliance, and personalised learning experiences.

It empowers organisations to deliver flexible, scalable, and engaging learning programs.

Regular upgrades are crucial to keep Totara Learn at peak performance, as each update brings improved functionality, security enhancements, and new features that make learning management more efficient and user-friendly.

Here are what features you can expect in Totara 19 for Learn:

New Inspire theme

Building off the Venture theme, Inspire is cleaner and more contemporary. It features a modern left-hand navigation menu for ease.

This gives you access to a refreshed interface. And with our branding controls, you can create a truly bespoke landing page and user experience.

Totara Engage added to Totara Learn

Totara Engage has been sunsetted as an individual product. That means you now get all of the functionality of Engage directly within Learn.

That means even greater functionality in the heart of your LMS and access to forums, playlists and so much more as part of your core LMS.

Course enrolment approval workflows

In Totara 19, you can access a new approval workflow for course enrolments.

You now have more control over who can approve and reject requests to enrol in courses.

The approval process is customisable meaning you can allow multiple stages with different approvers to be configured. This gives you greater flexibility in managing access.

Clone certifications

You can now duplicate certifications, saving huge amounts of time.

The new clone function allows you to copy an existing certification including details, recertification paths and course sets, as well as notifications.

This means you can create a template certification that you can use to quickly duplicate as opposed to starting from scratch each time.

Section 508 accessibility improvements

Accessibility is enhanced in Totara version 19, with changes made to improve compliance with section 508 accessibility standards.

This ensures your platform is a better experience for more learners.

AI course tag recommendations

When editing a course, you can now add tags using the AI tag recommender.

This will suggest relevant tags from the available tags on your site based on the course content.

This feature is a kickstarter when it comes to developing other useful interactions using Totara’s AI plugin.

Totara 19 – Perform

Totara Perform is a powerful platform for managing performance, supporting everything from goal setting and appraisals to continuous feedback and competency development.

It enables organisations to create a culture of growth and improvement by aligning individual goals with broader business objectives.

Regular upgrades to Totara Perform are essential, as they bring new tools, refined workflows, and enhanced user experiences that streamline the performance management process.

Here’s what to expect from Totara 19 for Perform:

Totara goal tasks and linked courses

Within Totara goals, you can now add tasks to enable employees achieve goals via small, simple steps.

Each task can also have a course linked to it which helps you link learning to development.

Users and their managers can tick off the task list as they make progress towards their goal.

Comments on Totara goals

There’s a new comments tab on goals which allows users and managers to comment on goals.

This helps users stay on track and understand any context around why they are, or aren’t, achieving theie goals.

Totara goals transition mode

There is a new Totara goals transition mode option on the Enable goals setting in configuration.

This allows you to use Totara goals while still using legacy goals.

Goal reporting

Within reports, there is a new report source so you can report on Totara goals and related tasks and courses.

This source allows you to identify trends between impactful learning resources.

The report includes metrics such as goal completion rates and course utilisation. 

Manager view of team’s goals

Managers can now view the goals page for each of their team members, enabling them to support their team in setting goals and monitoring their progress.

Totara goal UI improvements

You will notice a few changes to the Totara goals page to aid better user experience. This includes improved sorting and filtering.

You can also now see the number of comments and goal progress on goal cards.

Performance activity UI improvements

A new header now displays and configures a performance activity’s title, activity type, and description.

The previous General tab has been removed, with its settings distributed across other tabs for easier access.

Additionally, the Content tab has been enhanced to provide a clearer view of the content within each activity section.

New performance activity participation and response reporting capabilities

Two new capabilities have been added for participation and response reporting on performance activities: mod/perform:report_on_staff_responses and mod/perform:manage_staff_participation.

These can be used if you experience performance issues with performance activity reporting.

Ready to upgrade?

Many Totara partners stall upgrades for their customers.

Not at BuildEmpire.

We know how important it is to be on the latest version of the platform.

It means all the latest tools in your arsenal, but also the best interface for your users too.

Looking to switch providers? If you’re considering LMS migration, then BuildEmpire is the partner for you.

We work with you to build a solution you need, rather than an out-of-the-box solution that doesn’t solve your problems. Whether it’s help setting up your LMS, migrating your platform, or creating bespoke builds, we can help.

Switch your learning provider to BuildEmpire by booking a demo.