Glossary
Alphabetical definitions of every core term. Each entry is the canonical short form; follow the link for the full explanation.
A
Assignment
A record that says a specific user must complete a specific training version by a specific due date. Assignments are created automatically by campaigns or by the onboarding auto-assignment engine, or manually by an administrator. An assignment tracks status (not_started, in_progress, completed) and whether the learner is overdue. See Campaigns, Assignments & Scheduling.
Audit log
The immutable, append-only ledger of every regulated action in the system - training completions, document approvals, role changes, and more. Entries can never be edited or deleted. See Audit Log.
C
Campaign
A named group of training assignments that links one or more trainings to a set of learners. Campaigns can be created manually or generated automatically by the onboarding assignment engine. Every assignment belongs to exactly one campaign. See Campaigns.
Certificate
A PDF document generated automatically when a learner completes a training and passes the quiz (and signs the evidence when required). Certificates are localized - the language on the certificate matches the training's configured language. See Downloading a certificate.
Controlled document
A governed document - a standard operating procedure (SOP), work instruction, policy, or similar regulated artefact - that follows the full QMS lifecycle (draft, in review, approved, effective, superseded, obsolete) and requires an e-signature for approval. Controlled documents live in the Controlled Documents section and may be imported from Word or PDF files. See Controlled Documents.
D
Document code
A human-readable identifier you assign to a controlled document - for example SOP-QA-001. It appears in the document header and in audit trails alongside the system UUID. Document codes are optional but recommended for cross-referencing with physical SOPs. See Controlled Documents.
E
E-signature
A typed or drawn signature captured through the signature dialog, stored alongside the signer's identity, IP address (server-side), and a manifestation statement. E-signatures are required for certain training completions and for all document approvals. They satisfy 21 CFR Part 11 requirements. See E-signatures and evidence.
Emailless employee
A user account created without a corporate email address, using an employee number and PIN instead. Intended for shop-floor workers who access Better Comply on a shared kiosk. Every emailless employee still has a full identity and all RLS policies apply. See Emailless employees.
Employee number
A unique identifier (1-64 characters) assigned to an emailless employee. Used alongside a PIN for kiosk login. Never displayed in the UI after creation. See Emailless employees.
Evidence
The tamper-proof record that a specific user completed a specific training version. Evidence rows are immutable: once created they cannot be edited or deleted. An evidence row may include a quiz result, an e-signature, and a manifestation statement. See Evidence and compliance.
F
Foreman
One of two supervisor relationships a worker can have. A foreman is the worker's direct line manager (manager_id). The foreman appears in team views, receives the weekly digest for that worker, and can send reminders. Contrast with Line lead. See Roles.
G
Grace period
The number of additional days (configured in weeks on the training settings) that a learner has after the due date before the system marks the assignment as overdue. During the grace period the assignment is due but not yet escalated. See Scheduling and grace periods.
L
Lifecycle state
The current QMS stage of a controlled document or document version. States for a document: draft, in_review, approved, effective, superseded, obsolete. The lifecycle state is the primary auditor-visible badge on every document. See Document lifecycle.
Line lead
One of two supervisor relationships a worker can have. A line lead is the supervisor responsible for the worker's production line (line_lead_id). Like a foreman, the line lead sees the worker in team views and receives the weekly digest. Contrast with Foreman. See Roles.
O
Objective
A short learning goal (up to 140 characters) attached to a training version - up to 5 objectives per version. Objectives appear to the learner before they start and are preserved on the evidence record. They map to ISO 9001 section 7.2 training traceability requirements. See Training authoring.
Onboarding rule
A rule that automatically assigns one or more trainings to users who match a combination of attributes (department, location, activity, plant, line, workstation). Rules run when a user's profile is first created or when their attributes change. See Assignment rules.
R
Recertification
A process that re-enrols learners who have already completed a training when a major new version is published. Prior evidence is marked as superseded; learners must complete the new version. See Scheduling and recertification.
Role
The single permission level assigned to a user, which determines what they can see and do. Roles: Employee, Team Lead, Quality Admin, HR Admin, Corporate Admin. See Permissions matrix.
S
Segregation of duties
The compliance requirement that the person who creates a training version cannot be the same person who approves it. Better Comply enforces this at the server level - the approval route returns an error if the creator tries to approve their own version. See Quality Review Queue.
Source
An internal controlled document that is attached to a training version as its authoritative reference material. Sources are the RAG anchor for AI-generated content and must include at least one attachment before a version can be approved. See Training authoring.
T
Training
A content module in Better Comply that consists of a name, a description, and one or more versions. A training can require a signature, have a recertification interval, and carry scheduling settings (due offset, grace period). See Training Materials.
Training version
A specific revision of a training's content, quiz, and settings. Versions follow a review workflow: pending_review - approved - active. Once a learner completes a version (creating evidence), its content and quiz are immutable. See Training authoring.
V
Version
See Training version for trainings, or Lifecycle state / Controlled Documents for document revisions.