Reciprocal Distributions

The Reciprocal Distribution method allows an administrator to set up a distribution that delivers tasks based on the status of tasks delivered by another distribution

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This article covers the following topics. Click on the topic to go to that section of the article.

Reciprocal-Based Distribution Overview
Summary of Steps Required to Facilitate a Reciprocal Distribution
Creating a Reciprocal-Based Distribution

Reciprocal-Based Distribution Overview

The Reciprocal Distribution method allows an administrator to set up a distribution that delivers tasks based on the status of tasks delivered by another distribution. Reciprocal tasks can be delivered either when the corresponding distribution tasks are delivered (i.e., the corresponding distribution tasks don't have to be completed in order for corresponding tasks be be delivered by the reciprocal distribution) or when the corresponding distribution tasks are completed (i.e., the corresponding distribution tasks must be completed in order for the reciprocal distribution tasks to be delivered).

Note: The distribution that the reciprocal distribution is based on must be either a date range-based, rotation-based and delegation distributions.

An example of a reciprocal distribution might be that you set up a Learner Assessment distribution that delivers tasks to an assessor to assess learner performance; when those are delivered, you'd also like the learners being assessed by the assessors identified in the Learner Assessment distribution to automatically receive an Evaluation task to complete on their assessor.

Summary of Steps Required to Facilitate a Reciprocal Distribution

Build the distribution which you would like the reciprocal distribution to run off of; note that this distribution must use either a date range, rotation-based or delegation distribution method.
- E.g., if an admin wants a faculty evaluation task sent to the target of an assessment so that the learner can evaluate the assessor, the assessment distribution needs to first be set up.

Build a second Reciprocal-based distribution that will look at the first distribution in order to deliver tasks
- E.g., in the example given above, the next step would be to set up the evaluation distribution.

When building the second distribution, select the distribution method of Reciprocal Distribution on Step 2: Method
- When Reciprocal Distribution is chosen, the admin can then select the corresponding distribution they want the current distribution to be based on.
- The next step allows the admin to select either I want this distribution to deliver a task each time the corresponding distribution delivers a task or I want this distribution to deliver a task each time a task from corresponding distribution is completed.
- Step 3: Targets: allows the admin to select "The targets of this distribution will be determined by the corresponding distribution."
- Step 4: Assessors/Evaluators: allows the admin to select "The assessors (or evaluators) of this distribution will be determined by the corresponding distribution."
- Step 5: the selections available on Step 5 of the distribution will be determined by the type of distribution (assessment or evaluation) that was selected in Step 1

Creating a Reciprocal-Based Distribution

After you have created your first distribution, based on which you would like tasks delivered by a reciprocal distribution, create a corresponding reciprocal distribution.

Navigate to Admin> Assessment & Evaluation > Distributions tab. Click Add New Distribution.

Page 1: Form

Enter a Distribution Title and make it as descriptive as possible.

The optional Distribution Description allows you to clarify the intention of the task and will appear on the task card on the assessor/evaluator’s My Assessments page.

Select Assessment or Evaluation from the Task Type dropdown (depending on the type of distribution you to create). This selection is important; it will determine available settings in the Distribution Wizard going forward.

Leave the Disable Target Release checkbox unticked if you would like the evaluator to be able to choose to release their completed evaluation to the target.

Leave the Assessment/Evaluation Mandatory checkbox ticked if the assessment/evaluation is considered mandatory.

Leave the Disable Reminders checkbox unticked if you would like the tasks in this distribution to be included in the weekly reminder summary email notification. If you place a tick in this checkbox, initial task creation email notifications will be sent, but weekly reminder summary emails will be disabled.

Select a form using the Browse Forms dropdown.

Select a curriculum period from the Browse Curriculum Periods dropdown.

Select a course/program from the Browse Programs dropdown.

Click Next Step.

Page 2: Method

Note: the Previous Step button allows you to navigate back to Step 1. You can cancel out of the distribution on any page; it will only be saved once you complete all 5 steps.

Select a Distribution Method from the dropdown: choose Reciprocal.

Select the Corresponding Distribution: from the list of distributions that you have access to, select the distribution whose tasks you want your reciprocal distribution's task delivery to be based on.

Specify when the new task should be delivered: identify when you would like the tasks generated by your reciprocal distribution to be delivered based on the corresponding distribution.
- On previous task delivery: tasks will be delivered by the reciprocal distribution when the corresponding tasks are delivered, regardless of whether or not they are actually completed.
- On previous task completion: tasks will be delivered by the reciprocal distribution only when the associated tasks on the corresponding distribution are completed.

Task Expiry: If you check this box, the tasks generated by the distribution will automatically expire; i.e., they will disappear from the evaluator’s task list and no longer be available to complete. You can customize when the task will expire in terms of days and hours after the delivery. When in doubt, leave this field blank.

Warning Notification: If you choose to use the Task Expiry option, you'll also be able to turn on a warning notification if desired. This can be set up to send an email a specific number of days and hours before the task expires.

Click Next Step.

Step 3: Targets

The target is who or what the form is about (e.g., learners, faculty members, a rotation).

Target option: select the target will be the assessor/evaluator of the previous task.

Target attempt options: Specify how many times an assessor can assess each target, OR whether the assessor can select which targets to assess and complete a specific number.

Click Next Step.

Step 4: Assessors/Evaluators

Select an Assessor/Evaluator Option: select the assessor/evaluator will be the target of the previous task.

Click Next Step.

Page 5: Results

You can immediately save your distribution at this point and it will generate the required tasks, but there is additional setup you can configure if desired. (Not all options will display depending on the other parameters of the distribution.)

For more information on the Results page and settings, follow this link to the Distribution Overview help article and see the Step 5: Results section.

Note: When tasks are created, if the criteria for delivering the task has not yet been met, you'll see that detail in the distribution progress report.