Bridge the Gap: Assign Cornerstone Learning Based on Business Data

In the world of corporate learning, delivering the right training to the right people at the right time is critical—but not always simple. One frustrating limitation within Cornerstone Learning is that learning assignments cannot be dynamically triggered using external data sources. For organizations with employee data managed outside of Cornerstone (such as HRIS or other systems), this presents a major roadblock to automation.

But there’s a workaround that turns this limitation into an opportunity.

By combining Edge Import Data Feed, and User Groups, you can simulate dynamic behavior and keep your Cornerstone Learning Assignments aligned with real-world changes—without manual updates.

Why External Logic Is a Challenge in Cornerstone

Cornerstone’s dynamic assignment rules work well within the platform. But if your assignment logic depends on external conditions—like performance ratings from a different system, newly completed certifications, or flags from security violations/risks—Cornerstone won’t automatically recognize those changes.

Without a solution in place, L&D teams are stuck with:

• Manual updates to user groups

• Stale learning assignments

• A frustrating delay between system changes and training relevance

The Workaround: Automate with Edge Import Data Feed and User Groups

Step 1: Use External Logic to Build the Right User Groups

Start by creating the business logic outside of Cornerstone. For example:

• Use your HRIS, BI tool, or spreadsheet logic to determine which users meet certain criteria.

• Export the list of users and format it for Cornerstone’s User Group Edge Import.

Pro Tip: Design a reusable process or script to generate this file dynamically as your business rules change.

Step 2: Automate Group Updates with Edge Import Data Feed

Once you’ve defined and tested your Edge Import file, use Data Feed to automatically push updated User Group data on a regular basis. This ensures that:

• User groups stay in sync with external systems

• Learning assignments can react to business changes

Edge Feed supports Cornerstone FTP delivery, so once configured, this process runs without manual effort.

Step 3: Assign Learning Dynamically Using User Groups

With your user groups managed automatically, the final step is easy:

• Create a dynamic Cornerstone Learning Assignment

• Use the auto-managed User Group as the assignment audience

• Set assignment rules (e.g., recurring delivery, deadlines, retraining)

Now, whenever your external data changes and the Edge Feed updates the user group, Cornerstone automatically updates who receives the training.

Real-World Example

Imagine a company wants to assign cybersecurity training to employees flagged as "high risk" in their internal audit system.

1. The internal system tags users as "high risk" weekly.

2. A script outputs these usernames and the user group to assign them (for example, “Cyber High Risk”) in the Edge Import format.

3. Edge Feed uploads the file to Cornerstone daily, updating the user group.

4. A Cornerstone Learning Assignment automatically delivers the right training to those new users in the group.

Key Takeaways

• Cornerstone Learning Assignments can’t directly use external data for logic—but you can bridge that gap.

• Use external logic to create and manage user group membership.

• Automate updates via Cornerstone Edge Import Data Feed and FTP delivery.

• Assign training to dynamically updated Cornerstone User Groups to simulate real-time assignment logic.

Need Help Automating Your Cornerstone Assignments?

If your team is juggling manual updates or struggling to integrate Cornerstone with external data, we can help. From setting up Edge Import Data Feeds to building the automation logic behind your user groups, our team has the tools and experience to streamline your learning delivery.

Let’s talk about how to make your Cornerstone Learning Assignments truly dynamic.