If your program asks practitioners to document their learning, then you know the drill: They finish a course, download the completion certificate, and upload it to their application. Then they have to type the exact same information (the course name, the date, the number of hours, etc.) into the system by hand. Not only is it tedious, but it can also lead to typos and mistakes that slow things down and affect your program’s data.
We’ve spent a ton of time and effort working to reduce manual data entry for LearningBuilder end users. We made the Learning Hub so Activities could be added to applications automatically. We built Professional Portfolios so Activities only need to be entered once and can be used wherever needed. And now, we’re excited to introduce Text Extraction!
The new Text Extraction feature in LearningBuilder is powered by an LLM, and is part of our efforts to use artificial intelligence in intentional and highly functional ways. With this feature, Admins indicate which fields they want to extract, and Text Extraction leverages an LLM to pull out the most likely matching value for that field. Here’s what that means:
- There’s less manual data entry because the form fields are filled in directly from the uploaded document.
- You’ll see fewer typos and fewer mismatches between documents and forms.
- Applications get finished faster, with less back-and-forth during reviews.
- End users can review the extracted information and decide what to keep.
We first introduced this new feature back in April at our 2026 LearningBuilder Academy. We made it available for testing in our “Academy Special” release, version 13.6. And with the release of LearningBuilder version 14.0, it will be widely available in production for a preset number of uses per month!
It’s Already in the Document! Why Type it Again?
Though we know it’s hard to believe, there’s actually a good reason to upload evidence and then enter the data as two separate steps: Your certification program needs the original document on file, and you also need the structured data from that document in your system (i.e., database) to store, use, audit, and report on.
The problem is, if users enter data incorrectly, it can cause issues later for both them and your staff. Every time someone types information by hand, there’s a risk of typos, wrong dates, or numbers that don’t match the document. These small errors can add up over time and cause cascading effects for program reporting, application reviews, and more.
Upload, Review, Apply. Form Filling? Say Goodbye!
Our new Text Extraction feature uses AI to make the document-to-data process much easier. Instead of repeating the same steps, end users just have to review the information. Here’s how it works:
- Step One: Upload the Document. The practitioner uploads their completion certificate or other supporting document as usual.
- Step Two: Let AI “Read” It. Text Extraction scans the file and pulls out the values that match the right form fields.
- Step Three: Review and Apply. The practitioner sees the extracted values, reviews them, and chooses which ones to use. Nothing is entered until they approve it.
Now, practitioners spend their time checking the information instead of typing everything in again.
Human-in-the-Loop, User-Driven Efficiency
We designed Text Extraction to assist your end users, not make decisions for them. AI makes this process extremely accurate, but nothing is perfect. That’s why the end user is always in control, can clearly see what was extracted, and can easily discard anything that doesn’t look right.
In practice, that means a practitioner reviews every value that Text Extraction finds before anything is applied and decides what to keep. They are the ones who ultimately sign off on the accuracy of the provided information.
Happy Users, Harmonious User Data
Your practitioners might notice the benefits first, but your program stands to gain, as well. Less manual entry means cleaner data in your system the first time, which means your staff stays focused. Plus, a faster, easier application process means more practitioners over the finish line with less back-and-forth for corrections. This is the kind of AI support that end users are coming to expect, housed within the certification management platform you already trust.
LearningBuilder’s Certification Management Solutions Continue to Evolve
Text Extraction is one way we are using emerging AI to address common frustrations and complexities in certification management: always with care and intention, and always keeping your users in the driver’s seat.
If you would like to take advantage of this feature and upgrade to LearningBuilder 14.0, you’ll need Large File (S3) Uploads in order to support Text Extraction. If you still use our legacy uploader, we’re offering an automated migration package with additional benefits, so be sure to ask your Customer Success Lead to start the process.
If you’re not yet a LearningBuilder client but are exploring certification management options in the marketplace, we’d love to learn more about your needs. Schedule an intro call with us and let’s talk!
