General Questions

• What topics do you cover?
  Supply Chain Online has developed a set of core supply chain materials that reflect a wide range of issues and business initiatives companies face. See the preview for each module for a table of contents and specific information (start here, at our course catalog).
• Who are these modules designed for?
  Module SCM101 is designed as an introduction for those with little or no background in supply chain management, to give basic information enabling all readers to understand the concepts and strategies in subsequent materials. Modules SCM102 and up provide sufficient clarity and depth to suit a wide ranging audience, from those with little experience in logistics and supply chain management to those with many years of experience in the field. The feedback and ratings we publish on our web site come from users ranging from novice to expert, with no discernable difference in ratings between the various groups. Since our materials are available for a full year, readers can review the modules as often as they wish during the course of the year as they become more comfortable with the concepts.
• How much does the course cost?
  Complete pricing and discount information can be found in our course catalog.
• How long does it take to complete the material?
  Each module takes the average reader between 1 and 2 hours to complete; the total time to complete the course is estimated at approximately 8 to 10 hours.

Module Navigation - Quick Help

• How do I navigate through the course?
  When you are viewing a module, additional toolbars appear:
  
  
  
  
  Use of the browser "back" and "forward" buttons to navigate the modules is not recommended.
  
  If you use the "back", "forward", or "reload" buttons while viewing a module, you may be asked if you want to resubmit form data. Click "OK" to continue viewing the module, or you may receive an error message and experience difficulty navigating the module.

Lost Usernames and Passwords

• I've lost or forgotten my username or password!
  Click here to find out how to retrieve your username or reset your password. Passwords are stored in an encrypted format on our system; it is impossible for support to tell you your password. If you are unable to answer your security question to reset your password, support will need to verify your identity before your password can be manually reset.

System Status

• What does the "system status" icon mean?
  Support and our Network Operations Center (NOC) constantly monitor our systems to ensure optimal performance. To help users determine the source of potential problems, our status indicator is a useful tool. There are three status indicators:
  
  : no known problems. If you are experiencing trouble, please email support and ask for assistance.
  
  
  : notice of scheduled maintenance or other alert, or server response time may be slower than normal. If you are experiencing slow response, by the time this icon is generated we have been alerted and are working to solve the issue.
  
  
  : one or more of our systems is currently unavailable. By the time this icon is generated we have been alerted and are working to solve the problem.
  
  Clicking the system status indicator button in the toolbar will give an explanation of any current or scheduled outages. If you experience slow page load times while the status indicator shows (), the problem may exist along the network route between our server and your computer.

Certificate

• Are all readers eligible for the certificate?
  All readers can become eligible for the certificate by meeting the listed requirements. Depending on the specific options chosen by corporate account managers, users under corporate accounts may not be eligible for the certificate (check with your corporate training administrator if you have questions).
• Who issues this certificate?
  The certificate is issued by Supply Chain Online, LLC.
• Can you tell me if Company XYZ will hire me / give me a promotion after I earn your certificate?
  Making such guarantees would be irresponsible; the best person to ask would be the hiring manager for the position or group to determine the weight they would give the certificate with respect to a job applicant's overall standing.
• Does this certificate grant continuing education units (CEUs), and are you accredited?
  The certificate is a means of demonstrating accomplishment based on completion of our online course materials; it does not grant CEUs. At this time, Supply Chain Online, LLC is not accredited.
• Will my certificate have my name on it?
  Yes. The certificate is personalized with your name and the date you completed the last eligibility requirement.
• My name is misspelled or doesn't look right. What can I do?
  Please notify support with your concerns. At its sole discretion, Supply Chain Online may make minor alterations and re-issue your certificate. To prevent fraudulent use of the certificate verification system, we reserve the right not to re-issue certificates under a significantly different name (among the obvious exceptions would be a surname change due to marriage, for example). Supply Chain Online, LLC retains the sole right to determine the significance of any name change request and grant or deny such a change accordingly. Users are encouraged to enter their name carefully and correctly during the account registration process.
• How much does the certificate cost?
  There is no additional cost beyond the cost of the required modules.
• For how long will I be able to download the certificate?
  As long as you maintain passing scores on your most recent test scores for all required modules, you will be able to access your account and download the certificate for at least two years from the date of your most recent purchase. As long as your most recent score on each required test is a passing score, you will be able to access your account and download your certificate even after your seat licenses expire.
• Can you mail me a hardcopy of the certificate?
  Supply Chain Online does not mail printed hardcopies of certificates. It is the responsibility of the reader to download and/or print the certificate. The certificate can be saved on disk and printed by the reader.
• What if I lose my printed copy?
  For at least two years from your most recent purchase, you can download a new copy of your certificate from our server. It is recommended that you keep a softcopy (electronic version) of the certificate on your computer as well.
• Can I take the tests and get the certificate without buying the modules?
  You must be a licensed reader of the required modules in order to be eligible for the certificate.
• What if I re-take a test and I don't pass after my certificate has been issued/printed/downloaded?
  Re-taking tests once you have passed is not recommended. Our system will warn you (but will not stop you) if you attempt to re-take a test for which you already have a passing score. In the event that you re-take a test and you do not pass, your certificate will become invalid until you pass the test again. If your certificate is invalid, while you may have a printed certificate, any attempt to verify that certificate using our online verification system will fail. For this reason it is important to maintain the security of your username and password, as giving out that information could result in unexpected changes in the status of your certificate.
• What does "verification" mean?
  To guard against fraudulent certificates, Supply Chain Online maintains a keyed verification system. Every genuine certificate issued by Supply Chain Online has a verification code printed along the bottom. When this code is entered on our certificate verification page, the system will check the code and show whether the individual presenting the certificate has indeed met the listed requirements.
• Can I verify a certificate over the phone or by email?
  Validation can be performed 24 hours a day by using our certificate verification page.
• I know my certificate is valid, but verification isn't working.
  First, go to your "Account Home" screen, click "Certificate", and double-check that all requirements have been met. If you have met all listed requirements and your certificate still cannot be verified, check your entries on the verification page very carefully (including spelling and capitalization). If you continue to have difficulty, contact support and we will investigate the problem.
• For how long will someone be able to verify my certificate on your web site?
  Supply Chain Online will maintain your verification records for at least five years after your most recent purchase.
• Why does my certificate say "File is damaged and is being repaired"?
  In order to provide immediate response, we use a very fast computer program to generate your certificate. Occasionally this results in a minor structural flaw in the PDF file. Adobe Acrobat Reader is capable of fixing this minor structural flaw, and when you save the certificate to your computer, the certificate is automatically repaired. If your certificate does not open properly, please contact support and we will send you a corrected certificate file by email.

Corporate Accounts

• How can I find out if my company is a corporate client?
  Check with your HR or training manager to find out if you have corporate- or group-level access to our materials. For privacy and security reasons, we do not publish a list of corporate clients, and to protect our corporate clients from fraudulent use of their accounts, we do not provide end users with the access instructions to register as corporate users.
• How easy is it to become a corporate client?
  Simple. Just fill out an agreement specifying your corporate account preferences along with some additional information and options. We create a customized employee registration page and provide you with access instructions for your employees. Once we have the information we need from you, the system can typically be set up the same day. There are no monthly fees or hidden charges. Contact us to find out more or to set up access for your employees.
• How do employees register?
  Once you become a corporate client, your employees enter their name, email address, and other selected information on the customized registration form that we create for you. This system is available 24 hours a day and takes just a few moments to use. Once registered, employees have instant access to the course. Click here to see the process step by step, with screenshots.
• What is the minimum number of employees needed to set up corporate access?
  There is no minimum number of employees, though for groups of less than five people, it is more cost-effective to register individuals and purchase seat licenses on our web site with a credit card or by check. Our corporate access system is scalable to any number of employees located anywhere in the world where Internet access is available. Quantity discounts are reflected in monthly invoices.
• How much work is required of my IT department?
  None. If your company allows employees to access external web sites and uses a standard browser, employees can view our materials (they can even view our materials on the road or at home, without requiring access to the corporate network). And since employee registration takes place on Supply Chain Online's web site, all support issues (other than company-specific network or system issues) come straight to us. There is no additional burden on your help desk.
  
  Of course, we will work with your IT group to answer any questions or concerns they may have. Supply Chain Online shares a common goal with corporate IT departments: a smooth, functional user experience of the highest quality.

Modules and Seat Licenses

• What is a module / seat license?
  Our online course is divided into a series of approximately one- to two-hour modules (except module SCM101: 20-40 minutes). These modules are sold by seat license. When you purchase 1 seat license of a module, you receive unlimited online access to that module for one year. Your purchase is valid for one year (365 days) from the purchase date; after that time a new seat license is necessary to continue viewing the material online.
• Do seat licenses ever expire?
  Seat licenses are valid for one year (365 days) from the date of purchase.
• Do I have to access the pages in order?
  No. Although the modules and pages therein are designed to be read in sequence, you may move around the module using the navigation toolbar as you please. In fact there is a quick-select menu that will allow you to recall any page instantly (see quick help, above).

Testing

• What are stored test results?
  When you take the test at the end of each module, your test will be graded and your score will be saved in your account. You can review your test scores any time by clicking on the "Account Home" button and choosing the "Test Scores" tab at the top of the screen. Along with your score, the following information is stored: last test date, status (passed/not passed - see "Can you describe the tests?" below), and the number of times you have taken the test. The image below shows a sample of what your test results will look like in the "Test Scores" screen:
  
  
• Can you describe the tests?
  Our tests present multiple-choice or true/false questions with 2 to 4 possible answer choices. For each module, a set of questions has been created from which 10 are randomly selected when you take or re-take the test. A score of 70% or better is considered passing.
• How many times can I take the test?
  You can take the test as often as you wish. However, only the latest test result will be recorded in your account; if you have passed before and then re-test and you do not pass, your account will show that you have not passed the test. The number of times you take each test is recorded. Once your seat license for a module expires, you can no longer take the test for that module.
• How long will my scores be available?
  Test scores remain available as long as your account is active with Supply Chain Online (they will be available in the "Test Scores" screen even after your seat license for that module expires).
• Do you offer a certificate?
  Yes! For details, please see the certificate page by clicking here.

Orders / Billing / Refunds

• How do I buy access to the material?
  For individuals: First, create an individual account. Next, go to our online store and place the module(s) you want to buy in your shopping cart. Then just hit the "checkout" button in your shopping cart and enter your credit card information. Once your credit card is approved in real-time, you'll have access to your modules in seconds.
  
  For corporate users: Your company may be a corporate client of Supply Chain Online, and your company then pays for your access to the courses. If your company is already a corporate client, access and enrollment information will be supplied to you by your company.
• As an individual accountholder, how can I pay for these courses?
  The simplest way to pay is online with a credit card, which grants you instant access to our modules once your credit card is approved. You can also pay with credit card or check by fax or mail, but your account will not be credited with access to the modules until your check clears, which could take several days from the date we receive your payment. Instructions for paying by fax or mail can be found during the checkout process. We only accept orders on our web site or by fax/mail; phone orders will not be accepted. Please do not send credit card numbers over email, as your credit card number could be stolen.
• Why can't I buy more than one seat license of each module online?
  Our online store is designed for individual accountholders purchasing by check or credit card. Our corporate enrollment system is available for groups; discounts are available for corporate accounts. Contact us about setting up a corporate account for your company.
• Are there discounts available?
  From time to time, Supply Chain Online may offer retail promotions valid for individual account purchasers only. At the corporate level, we have a standard volume discount for corporate users. Corporate users are not eligible for retail promotions.
• Is your checkout process secure?
  Yes. We use an SSL-secure checkout page hosted by Payflow Link where you can enter your credit card information. During the last phase of the checkout process you will be directed to our secure page on the PayFlow Link server so that you may complete the transaction safely. At that point you will see our logo on the order form, though the URL reflects PayFlow Link's secure site.
• Can I purchase training for my entire organization?
  Yes, we can accommodate any number of readers from your company. Please contact us to set up a corporate account.
  
• What is your return / refund policy?
  Within 30 days of your purchase, you may request a full refund/credit for any seat license as long as your account password has not been used to view any material in that seat license.
  
  Once you have viewed any of the material in a seat license, it is considered "opened" software and cannot be refunded under any circumstances. We offer previews of our modules, with complete descriptions, sample pages, and access to the table of contents to give the purchaser an indication of the contents.
• Can I order the courses on one computer and view them on another computer?
  Yes. For example, if you purchase the materials at home you can view them on your computer at work simply by signing in using your browser at work, in the same manner you might check your bank balance or read an online newspaper from multiple locations.
  

Technical Questions

• I'm having problems viewing the modules.
  Please make sure you meet the requirements listed on the requirements page. If the requirements test indicates that your browser is supported and you are still having difficulties, please contact support for assistance.
• Printing doesn't work properly.
  Please read the following:
  
  

  1. Be sure you are clicking the "print" button in the yellow navigation bar:
     
     rather than hitting your browser's "Print" command (from the "File" menu or browser toolbar). This brings up a separate window with a "print" button that will result in a higher-quality printout. Printing from the module pages directly is not supported.
  2. Be sure your browser is set to print images; some browsers have this option turned off. This option can typically be found in "Page Setup" or a printer options screen.
  3. Ensure that your browser is supported by checking the requirements page.
  4. Netscape and other Mozilla-based browsers, such as Firefox, typically fail to print certain images. Internet Explorer is the recommended browser for printing.
  5. If you have tried or acknowledged all these steps and still cannot print, please contact support and we will work with you to solve the problem.
• How do I obtain technical support?
  We offer email-based support. The support email address, which is monitored, can be found on our contact page. It is not necessary to send support emails with "high" priority; support messages automatically receive the highest priority in our system. We will do our best to respond to your question in the same business day, and typically within the hour.
• What if your site goes down?
  Very rarely, we will need to take the site down for occasional maintenance and updates. Unless there is an emergency, we will restrict any outages to the hours of midnight to 4am, Pacific Time. We cannot guarantee the 100% uptime of our system or the network route from the end user's computer to our servers, though we will do our best to maintain constant operation of our servers and software. You can check the system status by clicking on the "System Status" link in our left-side navigation menu.

Usage and Licensing

• Can I download/print/save this material?
  Our modules are licensed to readers for online viewing and printing for personal use. To print a page of a module, you must be viewing that page. Module pages cannot be printed after your seat license expires. Making copies or otherwise distributing our materials to anyone other than the licensed reader violates our license agreement and terms of use. With the exception of the "print" button on the yellow module navigation toolbar, copying text, graphics, or any other content from our modules is expressly forbidden.
• Can I transfer my seat licenses to someone else?
  Seat licenses cannot be transferred from one account to another, or from one module to another in the same account.
• Can I share my seat license(s) with others?
  Seat licenses are for your individual access to the materials. Sharing online access to your account (even with those using your computer) or your printed pages is a violation of our license agreement.
• Can my account be suspended/terminated?
  Supply Chain Online reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts for attempted fraud/theft, license violation, suspicious activity, or attempts to compromise our system. Of course, normal usage of our services will not cause such actions to be taken.

Privacy Questions

• Is my email address secure?
  Yes. We do not sell or give away email addresses under any circumstances. Supply Chain Online has always maintained the absolute privacy of our customers' information; see our privacy policy for more information.
• Is my password secure?
  Your password is stored in an encrypted format on our system. This means no one, including anyone at Supply Chain Online, can ever know your password; this also means that support is unable to respond to emails requesting lost passwords - we are unable to retrieve them. Lost passwords can be reset via our "Reset Password" option on the sign-in page (you must correctly answer your security question first), and will be set to a random string of numbers and letters which will be emailed to you. After you sign in with your new password, you may use the "Account Settings" page to reset your password to something that is easier for you to remember.
• What about cookies and JavaScript?
  Our site uses cookies for the shopping cart application and also to authenticate you as a user when you sign in to view modules. Our site will not work without cookies enabled in your browser. The cookies we save on your machine contain no sensitive information about you. Similarly, we use JavaScript to provide a number of navigational and useful enhancements to the site.