What's New for February '20

With the August 2019 release, OAuth 2.0 was made generally available. OAuth 2.0 is an industry-standard authentication and authorization protocol for APIs. Using this protocol reduces the time and effort needed by external developers to integrate with the Cornerstone system.

With this enhancement, the ability to select granular scopes is now available, allowing organizations to control the methods and endpoints an application can access through Cornerstone's APIs using the OAuth 2.0 API credentials. A "scope" is a mechanism in OAuth 2.0 which is used to limit an external application's access.

This enhancement is not available with UAT. This enhancement will be available with the Feb 7th release.

Beginning in March 2020, Cornerstone will begin back-end optimizations to improve People, User, and Organizational Unit (OU) searches. No changes to Core search features, specifically People, User, and OU searches, should be observed by administrators or end users. Search querying and results should match the existing experience.

This functionality will be released in a post-release patch.

Cornerstone integrates with the Ellucian Banner platform to provide a seamless process for creating and updating Users and OUs in Cornerstone. Banner will remain the system of record for User and OU data. This API based integration provides an automated data sync to simplify data management and eliminate duplicate data entry.

This functionality will be released in a post-release patch.

Cornerstone has two mobile application offerings in existence today:

• Cornerstone Mobile
• Cornerstone Learn (Introduced in February '18 Release)

In an effort to provide a more modern mobile experience, the Cornerstone Mobile app is scheduled for deprecation. The Cornerstone Mobile app will be deprecated and removed from the Apple App and Google Play stores on April 30, 2020.

When using the User data load in Data Load Wizard to update active period data, the Active value must be set to True, and an Activation Date and Deactivation Date must be provided.

This functionality was released with the 10 January 2020 patch.

When using the User data load in the Data Load Wizard, a new validation has been added. When converting an applicant to an employee via the User load in the Data Load Wizard, the user's GUID must be provided. Lack of a GUID will result in an error.

This functionality was released with the 6 December 2019 patch.

With the February ’20 Release, Edge Import is available to organizations as an Early Adopter for Employee/Organizational Unit (OU) loads and feeds and also for loading Learning Management System (LMS) historical data.

Note: The Employee load and feed currently cannot be used by organizations using Cornerstone HR (CHR).

The LMS data load is not available until a post-release patch.

With this enhancement, when an administrator navigates to Email Administration and selects one or more emails to be deactivated, a pop-up appears requiring the administrator to confirm their action. The pop-up states: "We have noticed that you are attempting to deactivate email(s). Are you sure you would like to continue?"

This functionality is not available during UAT.

With this enhancement, when CAPTCHA functionality is enabled in a portal, "www.recaptcha.net" is automatically used in regions where "www.google.com" is not accessible, allowing for all users globally to utilize CAPTCHA based validation.

With this enhancement, anytime a user resets their password, they are logged out of the system and are required to log in with the new password to access the portal.

This functionality was released with the 1 November 2019 patch.

With the May ’20 Release, jQuery 1.7 will be deprecated and replaced with jQuery 3.4 libraries in all portals.

If you have custom developed pages or core areas utilizing custom code inserted via header and footers, you should use the jQuery validation tool, introduced in the October ’19 Release, to generate a report of potential jQuery errors that need to be addressed. If these errors are not addressed prior to the May ’20 Release, pages utilizing the custom code will not work as expected.

The following features are available with the February '20 release:

• Aggregate Values and Totals
• Additional Summary Options for Chart Data
• Incumbent Permissions/Constraints Apply to Succession Reports
• Expand/Collapse Filter Section on Report Viewer
• Applicant User Alias - Note: This functionality was previously made available as part of the 6 December 2019 patch release.

With this enhancement, organizations using the Cornerstone Learn app can add up to ten custom links to the navigation panel of the app. These custom links can be configured via the Mobile Preferences page.

This enhancement will be made available during a post-release patch.

With this enhancement, users can register mobile devices and generate a device key as an alternative authentication method for logging into the Learn app.

This enhancement will be available in a post-release patch.

With this enhancement, the Cornerstone Learn app mobile login process has been improved to reduce friction and provide mobile learners with a more intuitive experience.

This enhancement is not available at the start of UAT.

With this enhancement, users of the Cornerstone Learn app can interact with playlists in the following ways:

• Search for and filter by playlists via Learning Search
• Follow playlists
• Access playlists via a new carousel on Learner Home in the app
• Consume training within playlists
• Launch external content from within playlists in the app
• View playlist metrics
• Share playlists with other users

These enhancements will be made available for both the Android version and the iOS version of the Cornerstone Learn app in a post-release patch.

With this enhancement, approvers with pending training approval requests can process them via a new Approvals tab in the Cornerstone Learn app.

The Cornerstone OnDemand and Coursera for business integration enables organizations to manage their Coursera content within the Cornerstone learning management system (LMS). With this integration, Coursera courses can be automatically synchronized to the LMS catalog, where they can be managed like other system training types.

This integration will not be available at the start of UAT.

With the February 2020 release, the following enhancements have been made to improve the curriculum versioning workflow:

• New auditing capabilities
  • A new Structure History page accessible from the Course Console for curricula captures versioning and structural updates
  • A new Structure History page accessible from the transcript displays user-specific curriculum updates
• Due date recalculation logic - Due dates are only recalculated for curriculum child training items that are versioned or added to the curriculum structure (this logic is applied when the Due X Days After Most Recent Assignment Date option is selected for the child training in the curriculum structure
• Expired appended training enhancement - Expired appended materials are hidden from the curriculum structure instead of remaining unactionable
• If a newer version of child training exists, the user will be upgraded to the new version instead of retaining the progress from a prior version, regardless of the child training item's sequence.

This enhancement was made available on Jan 23 2020.

With this enhancement, organizations can remix the Grovo courses included in content packages they have purchased. Organizations which have purchased Content Anytime or any other partial content package which includes Grovo courses will be able to remix the Grovo courses within that package using the Create Tool.

Cornerstone’s legacy Proxy Enrollment API, available as part of Cornerstone API, is scheduled for deprecation. It is being replaced by the new Learning Assignment API. The Proxy Enrollment API end-of-life is targeted to occur with the Feb 2021 Release.

With this enhancement, any portal using a DMS integration can automatically generate course codes when materials are created or versioned through DMS. If the existing course code preference is enabled, any materials created or versioned through DMS will also be associated with a course code.

The Cornerstone on Demand (CSOD) and edX for Business integration enables organizations to manage their edX content within the Cornerstone learning management system (LMS). With this integration, edX courses can be automatically synchronized to the LMS catalog, where they can be managed like other system training types.

With the February 2020 release, HTML security for training descriptions and training custom fields has been enhanced, allowing all HTML markup in these fields to be sanitized on output. This means HTML markup can be correctly formatted without presenting XSS risk. With this enhancement to HTML security, organizations no longer need to sign a waiver acknowledging the risk that previously existed for HTML markup.

With this enhancement, the system can identify duplicate External Content using the following criteria:

• Direct URL match
• Canonical URL match
• YouTube link variety

With a post-February 2020 release patch, an open beta of a reimagined Test Engine is available. The redesigned experience is called Learning Assessments and is available to test in Stage portals only. This beta version of Learning Assessments does not yet have feature parity with the existing Test Engine. The following features are available with Learning Assessments:

• Assessment Creation (allows administrators to define metadata for the assessment)
• Assessment Builder (allows administrators to build the assessment structure)
• Assessment Preview
• Settings Adjustment
• Assessment Home (allows administrators to view and manage previously created assessments)

This enhancement will be made available with the Feb 21 2020 patch.

A new Learning Assignment Tool public API is available via the Edge Marketplace. This public API offers flexibility when a custom solution for the Learning Assignment Tool is required by an organization. With the new Learning Assignment API, users can enjoy many of the same features that exist in the Learning Assignment Tool user interface.

This API is not available during UAT; it will be made available with the Feb 7th release.

Prior to this enhancement, a new version of a material would be assigned to users who were no longer included in a learning assignment's user criteria, because they previously had the material assigned to their transcript when they were included in the learning assignment's user criteria.

With this enhancement, this behavior has been corrected, and users who are no longer part of a learning assignment's user criteria do NOT receive an updated version of a material when the material is upgraded for the learning assignment.

In 2019, a redesigned Learning Details page was released as an Early Adopter enhancement. With the February 2020 release, the Learning Details page is still in an Early Adopter status, and the following additional enhancements have been made to this feature:

• A permanent Notify Me link is available for sessions (implemented Nov 1 2019)
• Users can generate an exception request when a session or curriculum they are requesting has a prerequisite training item that the user has neither requested nor completed (implemented Nov 1 2019)
• Optimizations have been made to page load performance (implemented Nov 15 2019)
• A session scheduling conflict pop-up displays when a learner attempts to register for a session that conflicts with another session (implemented Dec 20 2019)
• Session registration deadlines display on the Session flyout and in the Upcoming Sessions section (implemented Jan 10 2020)
• Session rosters are accessible to instructors via the Session flyout and in the Upcoming Sessions section (implemented Jan 10 2020)
• Training contact information displays on the Session flyout for each session (implemented Jan 10 2020)
• Prices for upcoming sessions display in the Upcoming Sessions section, when applicable (implemented Feb 7 2020)

Using Learning Search Preferences, administrators can allow users to filter by modality when searching for training. With the February 2020 release, modality filtering remains in an Early Adopter status, and when enabled, training items are mapped the following non-configurable modalities:

• Read
• Watch
• Attend
• Collections
• Listen (new with Feb 2020)
• Practice (new with Feb 2020)

The following additional features have also been added to Learning Modalities functionality with the Feb 2020 release:

• Modalities can be configured for individual training items
• Training can be mapped to multiple modalities
• Modalities can be configured in bulk via the Course Catalog

With this enhancement, a new training type called "online content" is available, which supports third-party online content hosted on the provider's servers and delivered to the Cornerstone system through a subscription. Online content is different from other training types because online content training is hosted outside the Cornerstone system, unlike other training types which are added directly to the Cornerstone system by administrators. When used in tandem with the Progress API, online content can be reported on in detail, including information such as completion status, time spent, score, and bookmarks.

With this enhancement, administrators can still apply an exact due date from the previous online course version to the new version if desired, but they can also apply relative due date criteria to the new online course version by selecting the new Apply Previous Version Due Date Criteria option. This more dynamic due date setting provides increased flexibility when configuring due dates for reversioned online courses.

With the February 2020 release, the following enhancements have been made to Learning reporting:

• A new Standalone on Transcript field for Custom Reporting and Reporting 2.0 allows administrators to report on whether a training item is standalone training on a user's transcript. This enhancement was made available with the Nov 15 2019 patch.
• New certification fields are available in Reporting 2.0. This enhancement will be available in a post-release patch.
• Subject reporting is now available for Reporting 2.0. This enhancement was made available on Jan 21 2020.

Compliance regulations are constantly evolving, so we have evolved the Content Anytime Modern Compliance subscription to include new Grovo microlearning lessons which meet compliance requirements for California, Canada, and the higher education markets. New Grovo lessons cover the topic of Sexual Harassment, designed for employees and supervisors in California and Canada, as well as educators, administrators, and employees at higher education institutions who need mandated training on FERPA and TITLE IX.

Cornerstone’s legacy Development Plan module is scheduled for deprecation with the May ’20 Release. Once deprecated, access to legacy Development Plans will no longer be available in client portals and all clients remaining on the legacy Development Plans module will be automatically upgraded to the Development Plans redesigned module.

This functionality was announced with the 20 May 2019 release.

With this release, the following changes and enhancements are now available:

• Check-Ins will be ready for General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
• Users can now Archive and Restore Walk-In topics.
• When managing topics, users can switch from Meeting View to Topic View .
• All Check-Ins Reporting 2.0 fields are now available.

With this release, compensation approvals will be moved to the Actions tab in the user's Universal Profile. None of the compensation approval functionality is changing.

This feature is not available at the start of UAT.

With this release, all product references to "Conversations" will be changed to "Check-Ins". This is a name change only; all functionality remains the same.

Not all references to “Conversations” within the Check-Ins application pages will be renamed at the start of UAT in Stage. URLs, the navigation bar, and configuration pages will only be accessible at the February 7, 2020 release.

The SMP PowerPoint Template Standard Report no longer needs Adobe Flash enabled to upload a template. The Flash icon has been removed and users will be prompted to upload a template be default.

This functionality was announced with the 15 November 2019 patch.

With this release, we are improving the response capability on mobile devices when using the following Performance Suite pages:

• Goals - Goals List, Goals Creation, Manage Shared Goals, Pending Goals, Goals Configuration, Goals Preferences, Goals Library, Goals Perspective.
• Skills Matrix - Skills Matrix, Skills Matrix Competency Details.
• Observation Checklists - Manage Observation Checklists, Checklist Details, Checklist Report, Checklist Summary, Observation Notes.
• Universal Profile - Bio, Feedback, Feedback Details, Snapshot (Dev Plans, Goals, Reviews).

Observation Checklists and Skills Matrix pages are mobile responsive as of the 20 December 2019 patch.

With this enhancement, administrators can require candidates to verify their email address before gaining access to sensitive application materials via My Profile on the career site. Verification is performed when the candidate clicks a verification link in a system-generated email that is automatically sent when they create their account. The link opens the career site, where a message appears indicating whether the verification was successful. From here, candidates can quickly access the job search page and their My Profile page.

This functionality was previously made available as part of the 1 November 2019 patch release.

OFCCP Compliance provider with non-government partnerships, which acquires Cornerstone job listings and distributes to state workforce agencies and their technology partners.

Prior to this feature, the only way a recruiter could send trackable communications was via in-product email. Only certain email types could be tracked, and tracking was unreliable as it required candidates to reply-all in order for tracking to be preserved.

The new Candidate Messaging feature allows recruiters to converse with candidates directly inside Cornerstone Recruiting through an instant messaging-style interface. Candidates will be notified of unread messages via email and SMS (where available and possible) and can respond directly to recruiters using a link in the notification.

This functionality was previously made available as part of the 1 November 2019 patch release.

Cornerstone and Clinch seamlessly integrate to deliver an optimized candidate experience to help talent acquisition teams recruit more effectively with less manual effort. Covering every step of the candidate journey - from first visit to the careers site all the way through apply, hire and pre-boarding.

With this enhancement, the resume carousel on Manage Candidates will be replaced by an applicant carousel. This is accessed when selecting a candidate and clicking View Resume from the More drop-down on Manage Candidates.

The applicant carousel is a centralized location for recruiters to evaluate a candidate's application, assess their qualifications, and easily take actions on a candidate. Recruiters can evaluate the resume and prescreening questions, read and write contextual information about the candidate, and take actions without navigating to another page. This reduces the time it takes to hire the right candidate and improves recruiter satisfaction.

This functionality was previously made available as part of the 20 December 2019 patch release.

The HireRight Global Employment Screening integration lets you order any of the HireRight 200+ global background screening and drug testing services directly from within Cornerstone. Status updates are provided in real-time, providing you with fast and reliable visibility into screening orders.

With this enhancement, recruiters can share candidates with hiring managers or business stakeholders at any point in the recruiting process and across all available requisitions. The request candidate feedback feature is a single workflow, allowing hiring managers to provide feedback quickly, reducing time to screen and hire the right candidates. In addition, this feature allows recruiters and hiring managers to better align on applicants and key competencies.

This functionality was previously made available as part of the 6 December 2019 patch release.

With this enhancement, the Group option is removed from the filter. This is being done to alleviate confusion and improve the onboarding experience.

This functionality was previously made available as part of the 20 December 2019 patch release.

The SHL Talent Assessments integration lets recruiters identify best-fit candidates, using targeted, predicted assessments, and provides an engaging, candidate-centric experience to help you attract the top candidates. This integration is available for clients using SHL TalentCentral.

This functionality was previously made available as part of the 1 November 2019 patch release.

A background screening solution between Cornerstone Recruiting and Sterling’s RISQ platform that frees teams from manual, time consuming tasks related to screening program, while also providing real-time screening results directly into Cornerstone.