Agiloft has launched Agiloft University, extending its availability beyond its annual Summit, where it has previously held the University. The new initiative will deliver training courses to help create the next generation of contract ops professionals. Attendees will attain certifications such as Agiloft Administrator. Two other certifications are available within the University. What is not clear is whether this is also open to partners to attain certification as Agiloft Implementers. While the University is open to all Agiloft users, there is no indication of pricing. Agiloft may have taken a similar decision as Salesforce and is delivering it free of charge, like Salesforce Trailhead. If so, this is a wise decision as it allows users to gain knowledge about Agiloft and extend brand awareness and loyalty to Agiloft as they move between companies.
The University will offer various online content, including online tutorials, videos, learning plans, and other training materials. Courses are available for new and more experienced users. Organisations should consider building access to the university into their onboarding process. For those that prefer a face-to-face and hands-on learning experience, Agiloft will also hold classes during its next Agiloft Summit in Las Vegas on January 24-26. At the Summit, UniversityLIVE will offer twelve courses in two streams, intro and advanced, on January 24th.
Eric Laughlin, CEO of Agiloft, commented, “This year (2022) we saw the rise of the contract operations pro and the start of a talent war to secure their services. As contract lifecycle management (CLM) establishes itself as a business-critical function in the enterprise, a new breed of in-house professional is needed to handle the processes and technology used to manage contracts. Agiloft University will deepen that talent pool and empower users to become Agiloft Administrators within their organizations, giving customers a competitive advantage and helping them futureproof their CLM.”
What can Agiloft users learn
The university is open to all Agiloft users, which means the courses are open to sales, legal and procurement teams. It is unclear whether the course materials are tailored specifically to each function or are generic, like those at the UniversityLIVE. The courses will cover several areas where students can:
- Learn to configure their CLM system to streamline operations, increase revenue, and reduce risk
- Learn how to enhance usability, automate reporting, and expand user adoption to maximise ROI on their investment in Agiloft
- Improve security and compliance with instructions on advanced permission structures, secure notifications, and other critical security features
- Learn how to create templates using Agiloft’s robust Contract Assistant for Microsoft Word
Other courses not called out in the press release are likely to include:
- Updates on the latest releases as they roll out, including the Agiloft Winter 22-23 release
- The Agiloft Contract Assistant for Outlook
- How to use the Agiloft integration hub, including Community Connectors, Community Recipes, and the Automation Institution
Gordon Loudon, VP of Professional Services and Training at Agiloft, said, “Agiloft University will give our customers the tools and training to meet the needs of today’s contract-driven enterprise. With the ability for business users to become Agiloft Administrators and contract operations professionals, they will serve a business-critical role in the continuous improvement and day-to-day operations of a CLM system.”
Enterprise Times: What does this mean?
Details on how the University works were not available before the launch. What will it look like? How will users access it? Is there guided training towards certifications, including knowledge paths? Can users track their training? Are there additional tests to test knowledge beyond certification tests? Are the certification tests chargeable? What help is available for users within the University? Will Agiloft extend the courses to more generic subjects (as Trailhead does), and can partners add further courses to the platform?
The Agiloft University is a great idea. It will offer training to enhance the ROI for organisations that have deployed Agiloft. It should also help reduce the time to value for those deploying it. Recent research from Docebo showed that organisations must invest in training and career development for staff. With Agiloft University, firms may achieve this without additional outlay.
Rose Booble, Global Technical Training Manager at Agiloft, commented, “Customers continue to choose Agiloft because of our unmatched adaptability, scalability, reputation for implementation success, and overall customer-centric approach. But CLM operations require professionals who can understand contracts inside and out, as well as how they flow through a complex organization. That role requires dedicated, trained professionals who understand contracts and the various stakeholders who need access to the information and insights they contain. Agiloft University will ensure our graduates have the skills they need to ensure their CLM is both optimized and a strategic competitive advantage for their corporation.”
