Sending Data to Pendo

You can send training data from Skilljar such as Student sign-ups, Course Enrollments, and Completions directly to Pendo.

Skilljar sends data to Pendo via our Javascript-based events engine (available in the Theming section of your Skilljar dashboard). Once configured, Skilljar will call Pendo’s Analytics Javascript tracking software development kit (SDK) to track Student sign-ups and associated training events in real-time. You can do this without any developer involvement by following the below guide. 

• Note: You will need an active Pendo account and Pendo API key to use this integration. Skilljar doesn't maintain Pendo. For specific Pendo product support, please visit their help center. 

What is Pendo?

Pendo is a third-party analytics platform that allows you to track activity data from events within your Skilljar training platform and forward them along to downstream systems. You can use Pendo to extract insights and analyze user behavior to improve the user experience of your training program. 

You can learn more about Pendo and receive specific product support for its platform via its website.

Considerations Before Installing Pendo

When adding Pendo to your Skilljar LMS (learning management system), there are a few considerations before you use the Pendo install script.

1. Check that your Pendo contract allows for multiple apps, then create a separate app in your Pendo subscription. (You don’t want the LMS data mixing with your app’s data.)
2. Important: The Visitor IDs in Skilljar instance must match the Visitor IDs that are in Pendo. If the IDs don’t match, it’ll be very challenging to tie back the data from your Skilljar instance to Pendo.
3. To make sure your visitors are using their Pendo Visitor ID, enable your Skilljar instance to only be accessible through single sign-on (SSO). 
4. Just like with any other Pendo install script, add any relevant metadata that might be useful for you to see in Pendo. Your engineering team might be able to add a metadata field, such as “hasBeenToLMS”, which can allow for better segment building and guide targeting.

For more Pendo tips, see Pendo's article, 3 ways to use Pendo to optimize your Learning Management System (LMS).

Installing Pendo Javascript & Tracking Anonymous Users

To install Pendo analytics javascript, you’ll first need to generate the javascript code via your Pendo platform. After you have that, follow these steps:

1. From your Skilljar dashboard, expand the Theming header on the left and select Themes. Alternatively, select Theming from your dashboard home page. 
2. Select the theme that you’re using for the domain to open the settings. 
3. Scroll down and expand the Code snippets header.
4. Scroll down to the Analytics Tracking Code Snippet box and add the Pendo analytics javascript code snippet to load their tracking library (see below). The code within the Analytics Tracking Code Snippet loads on every page.
• IMPORTANT: Before adding the snippet below, you’ll need to replace YOUR_API_KEY with your Pendo API key.
5. When you’re finished, select Save to apply the changes.

Example Pendo Analytics Javascript - Add to Analytics Tracking Code Snippet:

<!-- START Load Pendo Tracking and Initialize anonymous user -->
<script>
(function(apiKey){
    (function(p,e,n,d,o){var v,w,x,y,z;o=p[d]=p[d]||{};o._q=o._q||[];
    
v=['initialize','identify','updateOptions','pageLoad','track'];for(w=0,x=v.length;w<x;++w)(function(m){
        
o[m]=o[m]||function(){o._q[m===v[0]?'unshift':'push']([m].concat([].slice.call(arguments,0)));};})(v[w]);
        
y=e.createElement(n);y.async=!0;y.src='https://cdn.pendo.io/agent/static/'+apiKey+'/pendo.js';
        
z=e.getElementsByTagName(n)[0];z.parentNode.insertBefore(y,z);})(window,document,'script','pendo');

        // This function creates anonymous visitor IDs in Pendo unless you change the visitor id field to use your app's values
        // This function uses the placeholder 'ACCOUNT-UNIQUE-ID' value for account ID unless you change the account id field to use your app's values
        // Call this function after users are authenticated in your app and your visitor and account id values are available
        // Please use Strings, Numbers, or Bools for value types.
        pendo.initialize({
            visitor: {
                id: 'VISITOR-UNIQUE-ID' // Required if user is logged in, default creates anonymous ID
            },
            account: {
                id: "Training User",
            },
            disableGuides: true
        });
})('YOUR_API_KEY');
</script>
<!-- END Load Pendo Tracking and Initialize anonymous user -->

Tracking Student Events

Student Sign Up - Add to Conversion Code Snippet

In your Skilljar dashboard, go to your Theme, scroll down and expand the Code Snippet header. Add this code to the Global Code Snippet:

<!-- START Pendo Track Logged In User via Identify  -->
<script>
if(typeof skilljarUser !== 'undefined'){
  pendo.identify({
      visitor: {
        id: skilljarUser.id,             
        email: skilljarUser.email, 
        full_name: skilljarUser.name         
      }
  });
}
</script>
<!-- END Pendo Track Logged In User via Identify  -->

Course Enrollments - Add to Conversion Code Snippet

In your Skilljar dashboard, go to your Theme, scroll down and expand the Code Snippet header. Add this code to the Conversion Code Snippet:

<!-- START Pendo Track Course Enrollment -->
<script>
pendo.track("Course Enrollment", {
  courseId: skilljarCourse.id,
  courseName: skilljarCourse.title,
  publishedCourseId: skilljarCourse.publishedCourseId
});
</script>
<!-- END Pendo Track Course Enrollment -->

Course Completion - Add to Course Completion Code Snippet

In your Skilljar dashboard, go to your Theme, scroll down and expand the Code Snippet header. Add this code to the Course Completion Code Snippet:

<!-- START Pendo Track Course Completion -->
<script>
pendo.track("Course Course Completion", {
  courseId: skilljarCourse.id,
  courseName: skilljarCourse.title,
  publishedCourseId: skilljarCourse.publishedCourseId
});
</script>
<!-- END Pendo Track Course Completion -->

Viewing Custom Event Data in Pendo

Now that the Pendo event tags have been installed in Skilljar, it’s time to confirm they are being received in Pendo. Generate some test data by signing up as a new student on your Skilljar domain, enrolling in a course, and then completing the course to make sure everything has worked.

Next, in Pendo, go to the People tab and select Visitors in the left-hand navigation. Here you will see a stream of site visitors being sent to Pendo by Skilljar if everything was set up correctly:

Note: If you don't see any data in this table, you may need to wait up to 20 minutes for Pendo to update or carefully check each configuration step above for errors.