Reference data consists of reusable lookup lists that you assign to courses and course dates. JoomCourses uses three types of reference data: Locations, Experience Levels, and Groups.
Types of Reference Data
| Type | Purpose | Example Values |
|---|---|---|
| Locations | Venues where courses are held | "London Office", "Paris Center", "Online" |
| Experience Levels | Difficulty or skill level of a course | "Beginner", "Intermediate", "Advanced", "Expert" |
| Groups | Target audience or format of a course | "Corporate Training", "Individual", "Weekend" |
Managing Reference Data
Viewing Reference Data
Go to Components > JoomCourses > Reference Data to see all entries.
The list shows all reference data across all types. You can filter by type using the dropdown filter at the top of the list.
Creating Reference Data
- Click New in the toolbar.
- Fill in the fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | The name displayed to users (e.g., "London Office") |
| Alias | URL-friendly version of the title |
| Type | Select: Location, Experience Level, or Group |
| Code | An optional short code (e.g., "LON", "INT", "CORP") |
| Color | A display color for visual differentiation |
| Image | An optional image |
| Description | Additional details about this entry |
| Published | Whether this entry is active and available for selection |
| Language | Language assignment (for multilingual sites) |
- Click Save.
Editing and Reordering
- Click any entry to edit its details.
- Use drag-and-drop on the ordering column to change display order.
- Use the status icon to publish or unpublish entries.
How Reference Data Is Used
Locations
Locations are assigned to course dates. When editing a course date, you select a location from the dropdown. The location name then appears:
- On the course detail page, in the course dates table
- In email templates using the
{COURSE_LOCATION}variable - In the calendar view
Tip: Create a location for "Online" or "Virtual" for remote courses.
Experience Levels
Experience levels are assigned to courses. When editing a course, you select an experience level. It appears:
- On the course detail page (if the Experience Level field is enabled in settings)
- In course listings
- In email templates using the
{EXPERIENCE_LEVEL}variable
Tip: Keep your experience level list consistent and concise (3-5 levels work well).
Groups
Groups are assigned to courses. When editing a course, you select a group. It appears:
- On the course detail page (if the Group field is enabled in settings)
- In course listings
- In email templates using the
{GROUP}variable
Tip: Use groups to distinguish different delivery formats (Corporate, Public, One-on-One) or audience types.
Showing/Hiding Reference Data on the Frontend
You can control whether each type of reference data appears on the frontend:
- Go to Components > JoomCourses > Configuration.
- Under Course Information, toggle:
- Experience Level — Show or hide on course pages
- Group — Show or hide on course pages
- Under Course Dates Table, toggle:
- Location — Show or hide in the course dates table
Multilingual Support
For multilingual sites, you can create language-specific versions of your reference data:
- Set the Language field to a specific language when creating an entry.
- Create matching entries for each language.
- The system will display the entry matching the current site language.
- Entries set to All languages appear regardless of the current language.
Tips
- Create reference data early — Set up your locations, levels, and groups before creating courses so they're available for selection.
- Keep lists manageable — Too many options can overwhelm users. Aim for clarity over completeness.
- Use consistent naming — Standardize your naming conventions (e.g., always use "Beginner" not sometimes "Basic" and sometimes "Beginner").
- Use colors for visual differentiation in listings and the calendar.