How do I build a new integration with Blue Ocean Brain outside of the options currently offered?

Learn which integrations are currently offered by BOB and how to set up new flat-file integrations.

Which integrations are currently offered through BOB?

How do I start the integration setup process with the BOB team?

How will the new integration function within your LMS/LXP?

Does BOB support the setup of API integrations?

Does BOB support the setup of flat-file integrations?

What is required to set up the flat-file integration?


Which integrations are currently offered through BOB?

Blue Ocean Brain currently offers integrations with the following technologies:

  • Cornerstone – this is a flat-file transfer process that may require manual importing on the customer’s end
  • Degreed
  • Docebo
  • EdCast
  • HealthStream
  • LCVista CPE
  • LinkedIn Learning
  • MS Teams
  • Oracle
  • Slack
  • SuccessFactors
  • Workday Learning

How do I start the integration setup process with the BOB team?

Reach out to your Customer Success Manager to get started. They will connect you with the appropriate BOB team members to kick off the project.

How will the new integration function within your LMS/LXP?

Integrations with Blue Ocean Brain can be set up to pass completion data or both content and completion data from BOB to your learning system in a one-way flow of information.

If your organization prefers to have the content and completions flow into your learning system, the user experience would be as follows:

  • The content tiles would appear within your learning system, searchable within your system and linked to BOB via URL
  • The user would click on the lesson within your learning system, and a new window would pop open with the Blue Ocean Brain lesson
  • The user would then navigate through the lesson, clicking through each article and answering the Show What You Know questions
  • The user would close the window, and the completion would appear within your learning system

If your organization prefers to have only the completions flow into your learning system, the reports area of your learning system would populate the BOB completion data.

Does BOB support the setup of API integrations?

BOB does not currently have a public API that can be used to set up an API integration.

The current integrations supported by BOB are the only ones that currently leverage the API integration:

Does BOB support the setup of flat-file integrations?

Yes, the BOB team supports setting up new flat-file integrations.

What is required to set up the flat-file integration?

If you choose to have content and completion data sent via SFTP file(s), setting up single sign-on access for users is a required pre-requisite before configuring the integration.

For completions-only files sent via SFTP file(s), SSO setup is not required as a pre-requisite.

Our Implementation team will connect with your development team to understand the following details:

  • Do you want to see only completion data within your learning system or both content and completion data?
  • If content files are sent, are completions and content (as applicable) sent as one file or as separate files?
  • If content files are sent, will the content be accessible within the learning technology or only used to map completions data?
  • If content files are sent, should BOB send a full listing of lessons/articles or incremental lessons/articles?
  • In the completions files, should BOB send a full listing of all completions for all-time or incremental files over time?
  • In the completions files, should BOB send partial completions (i.e. “in progress”) or full completions of the content?
  • To pass the data via SFTP, would you prefer BOB set up a server or should BOB use your server?
  • Should the files be configured as standard CSV files or non-standard CSV files (e.g. pipe-limited, tab-delimited, etc.)?
  • Which fields are required for the content/completions files?
  • What is the value of the User ID that will be used to map the data to your learning system?
  • When BOB sends the content and completions file, in which format should the files be sent?
    • Both files in the same zipped folder
    • Both files in the same unzipped folder
    • Separate files, unzipped
    • Separate files, zipped in their own folders
    • Separate files, unzipped in their own folders
  • What should the naming convention be for the content/completions files?
  • Files are sent to the SFTP server daily. Is there a different cadence that should be used?
  • Does your learning system support removing lessons?
    • If not, how is content removed from your learning system?
    • If so, how do removed lessons appear within your completion data reports?
  • Is there manual effort involved in supporting the integration on your end? Are content and completions automatically imported?
  • Do you have any documentation to support the development of this integration into your learning system?

Once this information is collected, the BOB Implementation team will collaborate with the BOB Development team to determine the timing of the integration build. The Implementation team will collaborate with your team along the way to ensure that the integration is built according to expectations.