Live Classes Overview

Live classes in Smooth LMS deliver instructor-led sessions over Zoom or Google Meet, linked to LMS Batch cohorts. When HR enrolls employees in a batch—manually or as part of a structured onboarding academy—learners automatically receive calendar events, join links, and reminders. Live classes complement self-paced mandatory courses enrolled via onboarding mandatory training and assignments from HR.

This guide covers creation, conferencing providers, participant sync with batch enrollment, and coordination with Smooth HR onboarding and compliance workflows.

Help URL: Overview

Integration context: HRMS + LMS Integration Overview

Table of Contents

1. What live classes do
2. Prerequisites
3. Zoom vs Google Meet
4. Create a live class
5. Batch enrollment sync
6. Learner experience
7. HR coordination scenarios
8. Recordings and attendance
9. LMS Settings related options
10. Troubleshooting
11. Related guides

What live classes do

Live classes appear in batch timetable and—when enabled—batch Live Class tab (Show Live Class in LMS Settings).

Unlike self-paced LMS Course lessons, live sessions have fixed date, time, duration, and timezone.

Prerequisites

1. LMS Batch with start/end dates and Batch Course links.
2. Conferencing account configured:
   • LMS Zoom Settings — OAuth token for Zoom API.
   • LMS Google Meet Settings — enabled with linked Google Calendar.
3. Moderator or Batch Evaluator role to create sessions.
4. Learners enrolled via LMS Batch Enrollment (creates LMS Enrollment for batch courses automatically).

Employees must exist as Users with LMS Student (Employee Auto Provisioning) before batch enrollment—same requirement as HR-driven assignments.

Zoom vs Google Meet

Zoom live class

Whitelisted create_live_class on LMS Batch:

• Requires Moderator/Batch Evaluator.
• Creates Zoom meeting via API.
• Saves LMS Live Class with passwords and URLs.

Auto Recording options: No Recording, Local, Cloud (per Zoom account policy).

Google Meet live class

create_google_meet_live_class:

• Requires enabled Google Meet settings + calendar.
• Creates LMS Live Class with conferencing_provider = Google Meet.

Choose provider based on corporate IT standards—HR IT policy may mirror Company Setup communications tooling.

Create a live class

From batch desk or LMS UI:

1. Open target LMS Batch.
2. Add Live Class (or API equivalent).
3. Enter Title, Date, Time, Duration, Timezone.
4. Select Zoom Account or Google Meet Account.
5. Optional Description (agenda, pre-reading links to self-paced courses).
6. Save — system creates LMS Live Class + Event.

Hosts use Start URL; learners use Join URL on session day.

Update date/time on class record propagates to linked Event (on_update handler).

Batch enrollment sync

When LMS Batch Enrollment inserts:

1. Validates payment/seats/roles.
2. Creates LMS Enrollment for each batch course if missing.
3. Calls add_member_to_live_class:
   • Finds all LMS Live Class rows for batch.
   • Adds Event Participants for member email.

Late enrollments after classes scheduled still receive calendar events for future sessions—not retroactive for past events unless manually added.

HR adding employees mid-cohort should enroll batch promptly so live roster matches People active list.

Learner experience

On /lms batch page learners see:

• Timetable with live class entries
• Join buttons when session window open
• Calendar invites if Google Calendar integration enabled

Reminders: scheduled send_live_class_reminder jobs email participants before start—configure email templates in LMS Settings.

Self-paced mandatory courses from Onboarding Mandatory Training run in parallel—communicate schedule in Onboarding Template tasks.

HR coordination scenarios

New hire academy

Combine:

• HR Employee Onboarding (Employee Onboarding) for paperwork.
• LMS batch for week-one live orientation sessions.
• Mandatory self-paced courses auto-enrolled at onboarding insert.

Compliance workshop

Annual harassment refresher:

• Live Q&A session in batch.
• Pre-work SCORM course assigned via Assign Training From Hr.
• HR marks Employee Compliance Complete after verifying attendance + LMS certificate (Compliance Vs Lms Certificates).

Manager training

Promoted managers join leadership batch; HR updates role in People and L&D enrolls batch separately from onboarding hook.

Recordings and attendance

Zoom Auto Recording stores recordings per Zoom cloud/local policy—Smooth LMS stores join metadata, not necessarily recording files. Export attendance from Zoom/Google reports if audits require proof; attach to Employee Document.

Quiz-based verification still uses LMS Quiz Submission PDF for assessment evidence.

LMS Settings related options

From LMS Settings — General:

• Show Live Class — batch tab visibility.
• Show day view in timetable — calendar UX.
• Send calendar invite for evaluations — related calendar behavior.

Disable guest access for employee-only cohorts.

Troubleshooting

Related guides

• Integration Overview
• Onboarding Mandatory Training
• Assign Training from HR
• Compliance vs Certificates
• LMS Settings
• Onboarding Overview
• Onboarding Templates
• Employee Onboarding
• People Overview
• Employee Documents
• Employee Compliance

Last updated: May 2026

Facilitator preparation guide

Before first session:

1. Confirm batch roster matches HR active list (People).
2. Test Zoom Start URL from host machine on corporate network.
3. Upload pre-read SCORM or PDF lessons as LMS Course prerequisites.
4. Add agenda to class Description with link to portal for HR questions vs L&D questions.
5. Schedule backup moderator from Moderator pool.

After session, export attendance; attach to Employee Document when required for compliance.

Hybrid program architecture

Architecture aligns three systems without duplicate data entry—see Onboarding Mandatory Training.

Timezone and global teams

Always set explicit Timezone on live class rows. Remote employees across US timezones may need duplicate sessions or recording policy documented in template Notes field.

Google Calendar integration respects organizer calendar timezone—verify calendar invite settings with IT.

Disaster recovery

If Zoom outage:

1. Postpone via editing LMS Live Class date—updates Event.
2. Notify batch via LMS email tab if enabled.
3. Optionally substitute self-paced module deadline extension via assignment due date edit.

Document comms template in HR crisis binder next to compliance contacts.

FAQ

Can live classes exist without batch? Stock product ties batch_name—create batch even for single session series.

Are instructors auto-added to Event? Host plus batch instructors included in participant builder.

Guest speakers without Employee record? Create limited User or forward join link outside LMS—mind security policy.

Technical architecture summary

LMS Batch
  └── LMS Live Class (date, time, zoom/meet)
        └── Event (calendar)
              └── Event Participants ← LMS Batch Enrollment members
Batch Course → LMS Enrollment (self-paced modules)

HR Employee links via User email only—no direct FK from Live Class to Employee. Reporting joins through enrollment member field and HR Employee.user_id.

When batch ends, retain Event history for audits; do not delete batch if Employee Documents reference attendance exports.

Capacity planning

Zoom concurrent meeting limits and Google Workspace licensing constrain simultaneous live classes. HR-wide onboarding waves (Onboarding) may require staggered batches—coordinate hire dates with L&D schedule before bulk Employee Onboarding submissions.

Use multiple smaller batches rather than one mega-batch when Show Employees roster exceeds facilitator capacity.

Accessibility and accommodations

Provide alternative self-paced path via assignment with extended due date when live session inaccessible—document accommodation in Employee Compliance notes field where appropriate.

Captions and recordings depend on Zoom/Google admin settings outside LMS—IT policy should align with HR getting started DEI commitments.

Post-session checklist for facilitators

1. Confirm attendance export saved to Employee Documents when required.
2. Mark related training assignments complete if live attendance satisfies policy without quiz.
3. Push learners to finish remaining self-paced modules from onboarding enrollments.
4. Update HR coordinator on stragglers via Employee Onboarding notes.
5. Schedule follow-up live session or office hours before batch end date.

Repeat for each session in multi-week onboarding academy programs.

Publish the facilitator checklist in your internal L&D wiki and link it from HRMS + LMS Integration Overview so HR coordinators know when live sessions replace or supplement desk-based compliance tasks.