CPDtracker: How it works

Introduction

CPDtracker is open to anyone to list and track their CPD activities throughout the year. CPDtracker automatically records when you listen to one of CPDcast's podcasts. You can also use CPDtracker to keep track of your attendance at internal and external accredited courses, and any other CPD activities you complete.

Solicitors, barristers and other legal professionals are encouraged to take responsibility of their own professional development and CPDtracker allows individuals just that level of management. Additionally, for organisations with a centralised CPD function, CPDtracker gives administrators or learning and development heads the ability to monitor the exact CPD status of each practitioner and even prints certificates on their behalf.

Using CPDcast

In order to take advantage of the CPDtracker tool, you will need to be registered as a CPDcast user. Signing up to CPDcast could not be simpler – simply follow this link. For users already registered but not yet using the service, CPDtracker can be accessed by signing into the 'My Account' section.

'My Account'

When you sign into CPDcast you will be taken to 'My Account' where you'll be shown a page which includes sections entitled 'My CPDcasts', 'My CPDtracker' and 'My Receipts'.

Figure 1: My Account

CPDtracker page is automatically set up to show information for your current CPD year but can be changed by clicking on the 'Previous Year' or 'Year After' icons.

The 'My CPDcasts' tab lists all details of podcasts you have bought from the CPDcast library. All your CPDcast purchases are automatically included in this list.

The 'My CPDtracker' section is for recording details of all your CPD activities including accredited courses undertaken, CPDcast purchases and other non-accredited CPD activity. Further information on how to update and maintain your own 'My CPDtracker' section is included below.

And finally, the 'My Receipts' tab shows information on any financial transactions undertaken via the CPDcast website. In other words, details of any podcasts purchased including price before and after VAT, and the receipt itself.

If you have only registered for a free CPDcast account in order to use CPDtracker the 'My Receipts' will be blank. Equally, if you're a registered user and have not bought any podcasts for the period shown or only downloaded our free podcasts this section will also appear blank.

CPDtracker

Let's take a closer look at the 'My CPDtracker' section. When you click on this tab for the first time, you'll see a page that includes sections called 'My Details', a table where you can add details of your CPD activity, a function called 'Add a new CPD record' and finally a 'My Options' function.

In order to ensure all details are correct and that the CPDtracker can be used as a verifiable certificate of CPD achievement (and that we can calculate each person's requirements), it is essential that all users fill out information on their annual CPD requirement – typically 16 hours for solicitors and 12 hours for barristers – plus their qualification year or date of call.

Until the information required (indicated in pink) has been filled in, you will not be able to use CPDtracker.

Figure 2: Information required to use CPDtracker

Once you have completed this section you’ll see that the 'My Details' section has been updated with your details and you can begin to use CPDtracker.

The section named 'Add a new CPD record' allows you to add details of your CPD activities, when you completed them and whether they are accredited or not. Don't forget to click on the 'Add' button when you've finished adding each record.

Figure 3: Adding a new CPD activity to CPDtracker

CPDtracker automatically calculates a user's CPD activity total but it is up to you to verify whether activities are CPD-accredited or not. At any time, you can edit or delete an entry and add notes for reference purposes.

Figure 4: Editing a CPD activity in CPDtracker

A final section, 'My Options', gives you the ability to download your year’s CPDtracker log as a printable PDF document, to request your CPD activity summary to be sent via email, to print your log directly and to make amends to their 'My Account' details. ‘My Options’ is located at the bottom of the page.

Figure 5: Download a PDF of your year’s CPD, Email it to yourself, Print your CPD certificate and Change your details

My Organisation's CPD' section

For organisations who have requested administrator access a fourth tab labelled 'My Organisation's CPD', will appear alongside 'My Receipts'.

Normally this will be for organisations who have chosen to buy one of CPDcast's corporate access accounts for multiple usage within one set of chambers or law firm.

(To request detailed screenshots of this exciting tool or to request a demonstration, please get in touch)

The 'My Organisation's CPD' section allows training heads or support staff to view the CPD status of individual colleagues including activity undertaken (and when), remaining hours to be completed and notes on transactions completed on the CPDcast website.

Just like 'My CPDtracker', when you first click on the 'My Organisation's CPD' tab, administrators will see a page show details of their team’s current CPD year. Remember this can be changed by clicking on the 'Previous Year' or 'Year After' icons to show different years.

The table includes the following information:

• The names of people using the CPDtracker tool (please note some of CPDcast's earliest users will not be signed up to use the tool)
• What position they registered with (solicitor, barrister, legal executive, paralegal, academic, student, other)
• The number of CPD points completed for the period shown
• The number of CPD points required for the period shown (calculated based on the information individual users provide)
• An option to print an individual's certificate (for example at the request of the SRA)
• An option to create a PDF document of individual or all CPD certificates (to submit your organisation’s annual CPD return)

For ease of use, individual lines within the table are shown in:

• Green: where an individual has already accumulated or exceeded the number of CPD points required for that time period
• Red: where an individual is yet to complete the number of CPD points required for that time period
• Grey: where individuals are not using the CPDtracker tool

In addition, the 'Administration Overview' and 'Detailed Administration Reports' show summary and in-depth information about your organisation's CPDcast users. 'Administration Overview' includes the following statistics:

• total users within the firm
• total CPDcasts purchased
• total CPDcasts accredited
• total quiz attempts
• total quiz passed

And finally, a more comprehensive overview of CPDcast listening behaviour can be shown in dashboard-style on a single screen or downloaded as a CSV file using the options under 'Detailed Administration Reports'.

If you have any questions on CPDtracker or would like to enable firm-wide CPD-tracking for your organisation, please feel free to call us on 020 7017 7616 or get in touch.