SumTotal LMS Reviews

Affordable but lacks up-to-date features and tech

Pros

The best feature of the SumTotal Learn platform in my opinion, is the intelligent assistant that lets you highlight text from the web to search across the SumTotal enterprise for relevant content.

Cons

By far the biggest drawback is the inconsistent mobile app. In a time when users expect content to be accessible from their mobile devices, SumTotal falls short. We have experienced login and connectivity issues, as well as employees not receiving credit for completed training.

An engaging e-learning training solution

Pros

Interactive training is a huge plus, along with the ease of taking courses and interesting quizzes. It's a great way to track the training progress of your teams!

Cons

I think more training should be available via mobile.

My personal experience with the platform was good

Pros

There are a lot of features in it which mainly cover all our needs, with really big capacity.

Cons

The interface is too complex. I don't see any clear opportunities to make it easier.

A groundbreaking change in e-learning

Pros

SumTotal has many unique features and is compliant with various industries. Some highlights include: Global Search, which lets you search all entities including navigation links, people, training objects and communities. - Extended Enterprise Learning, which works well for large organizations selling courses to external stakeholders or the public. - Learning Administration, which offers complete front end administration and configuration, saving the organization on AMC post implementation.

Cons

There are a few features that are evolving over time. Once these features are improved, they could become much more valuable. For example, SumTotal has a Content Library with all available courses but many times, I get lost in the Library. You need to know the exact course category to fully utilize this feature. Reports also need improvement, they should be more user friendly for customizing reports. These are not drawbacks but the features are still in progress.

The future looks bright for SumTotal Learning

Pros

What I love most about this app is its clean, easy and almost minimalistic front end interface, which improves the user experience. I also appreciate the high level of customization, allowing each student or teacher to adjust the app to their needs without any issues. Plus the cost is significantly lower compared to similar apps. We use SumTotal Learning as an LMS at the university and while the setup process was slow, the result was worth it. Though it's not as easy to use as we would like, it's still a great piece of software.

Cons

Unfortunately this app isn't perfect and requires a lot of improvements. The navigation isn't the best and you often spend a lot of time clicking through pop ups. The reporting system is undeveloped and pretty much useless for now. Some features don't work as expected, which can lead to miscommunication between professors and students. Also tech support is unhelpful and non responsive, leaving you to deal with most problems on your own.

Simple and user-friendly LMS

Pros

Customizing the LMS page for my company looks great and everything is presented in an easy to use format.

Cons

Every time I open a document in the program, it opens in a new window and redirects me two to three times. It's tedious but not completely broken.

The strongest LMS out there

Pros

If you're managing a large organization, SumTotal is the way to go. I worked for GE as an LMS Administrator, migrating courses from Plateau LMS to SumTotal LMS. It's one of the most robust systems I've seen!! easy to use (though it takes time to get used to) and packed with functionalities to cover all training activities. Just be prepared for the licensing costs. Customer support is top-notch.

Cons

The licensing cost is extremely high! it will drain your budget. Only a few organizations can manage it. Sometimes, tickets take too long to close but I understand that there are multiple business units working with just one ticketing system available. Imagine the volume!

The worst customer service experience

Pros

It has many useful features, such as coordinating in person training, offering online courses and reporting on various metrics. The advanced reporting feature is incredibly valuable especially for larger organizations with numerous courses being taken simultaneously, though it's a bit tricky to use at first.

Cons

It's incredibly difficult to use and administer and customer support is dreadful. I can't emphasize this enough. I have to follow up repeatedly to get a resolution on any ticket. It usually takes at least 2.5 weeks to close even the simplest ticket and that only happens when I remind them to respond every few days. It's frustrating because the system has good features but without an intuitive design and satisfactory support, it becomes a burden to manage and use.

Outdated database-style LMS, difficult to use

Pros

It's stable and provides basic LMS hosting options. There are a lot of customizable options to tailor the learning experience.

Cons

This platform is based on an old school database LMS system and it feels clunky to me. It requires an LMS admin to use, unlike some other systems that are more turn-key and easy to handle.

I've used many providers but SumTotal Learn is the most feature-rich

Pros

Reporting is extremely powerful! flexible with many options for sending automated reports. The course catalog is easy to use, though it can be overwhelming with hundreds of learners. SumTotal's ILT-specific features make it easier for learners. Automation is also super easy! just define how you want things to work and the system takes care of the rest. Integration with Skillsoft is seamless and the system is flexible when it comes to roles and permissions. Many systems simplify permissions too much but SumTotal allows for more customization. The price is unbeatable and their customer support is amazing. Years ago, it wasn't great but they have significantly revamped it, now they are responsive and helpful. They also do a fantastic job of communicating updates through monthly webinars, which keeps us informed about enhancements and what's coming.

Cons

It's not a dealbreaker for me but the interface reminds me of PeopleSoft. I think SumTotal could overhaul the site to make it more tablet-friendly. Also they don't offer a built-in video player but I learned from my implementation specialist that publishing videos in SCORM files is better for tracking purposes. I also wish SumTotal would improve the bulk import feature for online classes. They are releasing new features but I want to see more.