We're anxious for 2020 to (finally) be over. But looking back at the year, we're also super hyped about all the awesome new features and functions we've rolled out in the Trainual app. 

So, we thought it'd be fun to share a handful of our team’s favorite new Trainual features from 2020 (AKA some good things that came out of this year). And give you a sneak peek at what you can look forward to in 2021. So, here they are:

A complete redesign

TL;DR: Your go-to business playbook has a fresh new look. 

We're still huge fans of the OG platform that we first launched with. But we have to admit, our app was begging for a sleek, new interface. And since we rolled out the Trainual redesign in June, our app’s been looking pretty sexy - if we do say so ourselves. 

And while our product might look a little different, it still has all the power and grit you rely on to help you scale your business. But now, it’s better, faster (4 times faster to be exact), and all-around more robust than before!

Plus, it's way easier to use! Optimized for both mobile and web, building content in Trainual is now super intuitive. And with new and improved search logic, your team can find the how-tos and need-to-knows they need in seconds.

New user permissions

TL;DR: Anyone can now help you build content. Without you giving everyone full Admin access. 

First and foremost, we wanted to make this a year that fostered a "culture of creation." Meaning, anyone on your team felt like they owned the content related to what they do - and, as a result, could easily help you build it. 

But the rigid, old Admin or General user structure made this impossible. 

So in early 2020, we launched the first generation of user permission levels. Complete with mid-tier permission levels. So, anyone on your team (regardless of their Trainual role) could hop into Trainual and start documenting. Without you needing to give everyone Admin access. 

Plus, we added Content Access to provide an additional level of content creation functionality for your company. This enables users to have a higher-level permission level, only for certain Subjects. That way, even General users can chip in and help build content on the things that they're the expert on.

Due Dates

TL;DR: Hold your team accountable for getting their training done with Due Dates. 

When it comes to your training, say good-bye to anything less than 100% completion rates. By assigning Due Dates, you can seamlessly communicate what training content is top priority. And when your team needs to know it by. Ultimately eliminating any excuses for your team members not to be up to speed.

Pro Tip: We find that 7 days is the perfect amount of time. That way, the training gets done ASAP - but not at the expense of other work.

Once the due date is set, Trainual keeps track of completions. And it even automatically nudges your team to go through the Subjects as the deadline approaches. 

Simply go to Advanced Settings inside any Subject, and turn on the Enable Due Dates switch. Then, just set your deadline!

Plus, you always have a pulse on where your team's training is at with reports. At a glance, see who's up to date, on track with their training, or needs some extra attention. That way, no one falls behind. 

👉 Due Dates is only available to Premium users. Upgrade now to unlock the feature.

Teams

TL;DR: Make managing everyone’s progress easier by picking teams. 

Forget about filtering through all your Trainual users and reports, trying to figure out who knows what. Instead, create teams so one person can manage a few users, making sure they’re staying up to date on their training - rather than one person trying to manage everyone. 

Teams provide Admins and Managers an easy way to group users together by department, location, or anything else you can imagine. And you can even add one user to multiple teams - if need be. 

And because we know that teams change whenever someone gets promoted, hired, or decides to move on, we wanted to make it as easy as possible to update your roster. From the Users tab, go to any user you want to update, and click the edit pencil next to their name. Then, just add or take away any teams they fit into.

Quick Embeds

TL;DR: One feature that gives you 700+ ways to make your content more engaging.

Let’s be real - no one wants to read a block of text on their first day at a new job. But a lot of the time (you know - in the old days), that's how employee handbooks were. Because embedding anything required a lot of technical skills and back-end code digging. 

But with Quick Embeds, you now have one tool that gives you 700+ ways to make your Trainual content more engaging. And all you have to do is drop a link. (Seriously, it takes less than 3 seconds.)

And in less than 3 months, we've already seen our customers add over 18k and counting rich media embeds (.pdfs, videos, and graphics included). 

To start embedding, just click the lightning bolt in the top left of the step editor and drop a link to whatever you want to add. Quick Embeds will do the rest for you! 

🔥 Tip: This feature supports all your favorite content apps, including Youtube, Vimeo, Wistia, Instagram, and Canva - just to name a few. (Browse the complete list of supported apps here.)

Subject Title Emojis

TL;DR: See what’s-what in Trainual at a glance with Subject Title Emojis. 

You can now make any of your Subjects stand out at a glance within the Trainual app!

Simply add an emoji to a Subject title to effortlessly communicate what’s new, differentiate what’s most important, or organize content by theme. (Or just use it to add a little something extra – totally up to you.)

To add an emoji, open a Subject in Admin view. And click on the book icon to the left of the Subject title to drop down tons of emojis to choose from!

Permalinks

TL;DR: Make sure your linked steps stay linked – even if you move them around.

Never again worry about sending a broken link - at least when it comes to Trainual content. 

By sharing a permanent link (AKA permalink) to any of your Subjects, Topics, or Steps, your team can reference it on the fly again and again. No need to replace the link if you reorganize your how-tos and need-to-knows. Because now, everything stays linked like it's supposed to.

To create a Permalink Shortcut, click the 3-dot menu to the right of the Topic title and click "Copy Link." Then, just paste and send.

🔥 Tip: When your team comes asking questions, send them a permalink to the right content. We've found that people are more likely to go through their content again if you send them directly to the answers they need.

Dark Mode

TL;DR: Trainual got a little easier on your eyes with Dark Mode. 

One really good thing that came from 2020: you finally had the power to choose between light and dark! (Mode - that is.)

Dark Mode makes your go-to training app a little easier on the eyes! By flipping your content to a darker color scheme, Trainual Dark Mode saves battery life and your eyes from screen strain (especially at night).

Today, Dark Mode is used by more than a third of all Trainual users. So (dad joke alert) we’d say our customers were happy to join the dark side in 2020. 

But if you’re one of them, just go to your User Settings. Then, select ‘Advanced Settings’ and hit the Dark Mode toggle to join us on the dark side. (You can always go back to Light Mode by hitting the switch again.)

Subject Owner

TL;DR: Make sure your playbook gets built without doing any of the heavy lifting yourself. 

Launching officially in January 2021, Subject Owner is newly in BETA and already a crowd-pleaser. Probably because it makes content creation a team sport and gives you a game-winning strategy. 

Taking our "culture of creation" and kicking it up a notch, Subject Owner allows you to assign your top players part of your playbook to own. That way, your playbook gets built with all your company's best practices. And always stays up to date. 

But the best part is - you don't have to do a thing to make it happen (except decide who owns what).

👉 Want first dibs on the feature? Just fill out this Typeform, and we’ll set you up with Subject Owners BETA ASAP.

Plus, a sneak peek at what’s coming in 2021

We already have a ton of new features scheduled to hit your account in the new year. Including:

• A new Trainual Slack integration. An easier than ever way to search for need-to-knows and create new training content - straight from your favorite communication tool. AKA finally turn everyday conversations into meaningful training opportunities.
• Single Sign-On (SSO). Basically, you’ll soon be able to log onto Trainual without needing to remember another password. Instead, just use one universal password that works for a bunch of your favorite apps and tools. 
• Tons of new integrations. But we’re only focusing on the ones that will actually make your business easier. Integrations with top human resource tools, applicant tracking systems, and even more rich media partners to make your content stickier included. 
• A brand new My Desk. That way, your team can navigate through content and complete your training more seamlessly. Plus, we’re adding tons of new, more insightful ways to measure your team’s progress.