How an Award‑Winning London Architecture Practice Simplified CPD Tracking with People Inc. HR

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CASESTUDY

From spreadsheets to a single CPD dashboard:

How a London architecture practice simplified Continuing Professional Development (CPD) tracking and reporting by configuring People Inc. HR to capture learning hours, points and RIBA requirements in one place.

Delivered by PeopleFirstHR — UK HR software implementation specialists

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Results at a glance

One clear view of CPD progress across the practice (hours, points and remaining target)

Structured vs unstructured learning captured consistently for every activity

Automated reminders for refresher training and expiring learning

Employee Self Service access so staff can view CPD and training history without chasing HR

Faster reporting to support compliance and professional membership requirements

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BACKGROUND

Client snapshot

Organisation: Award‑winning architecture practice

Location: London

Industry: Architecture

Key requirement: Track Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for professional membership (RIBA)

Existing challenge: No simple, consistent way to record, analyse and report CPD progress across employees

Solution implemented: People Inc. HR (with CPD tracking configuration)

Implementation partner: PeopleFirstHR

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THE CHALLENGE

CPD compliance was essential — but tracking was fragmented and time‑consuming

For architects, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) isn’t optional. It’s a formal requirement tied to professional membership and ongoing competence.

This London‑based practice needed a reliable way to record and monitor CPD for every employee — without relying on multiple spreadsheets, ad hoc notes, or manual chasing.

In particular, RIBA Chartered Members are expected to complete 35 hours of learning per year and meet additional obligations, including:

• A balance of structured learning (with clear aims/outcomes) and unstructured learning
• A minimum proportion aligned to mandatory RIBA Core Curriculum topics
• Capturing learning outcomes as points, reflecting what was achieved
• The ability to record and track CPD activity consistently over time

The issue wasn’t a lack of commitment — it was the lack of a straightforward system that made CPD easy to record and easy to report on.

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THE SOLUTION

Configure People Inc. HR to track CPD hours, points and training status

As part of the client’s People Inc. HR implementation, PeopleFirstHR configured the system so CPD could be recorded in a structured, repeatable way — and then reported on instantly.

This gave the practice a practical, HR‑friendly way to manage CPD alongside wider people processes and employee records, in one system.

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IMPLEMENTATION

Practical tools that made CPD easier to manage (without adding admin)

People Inc. HR was configured to support CPD tracking in several complementary ways:

What we delivered

Mandatory training matrix by job role

So training needs are identified and managed when someone joins — or moves into a role with additional requirements.

Expiry periods and automated reminders

Not just for CPD activity, but for any training that needs refresher attendance. This reduces the risk of missed renewals.

Structured and unstructured learning points

So every learning activity can be recorded in a consistent format, aligned to professional expectations.

Targets vs achievement tracking

A clear method to calculate:

• Target points for the period
• Total points achieved (pulled from training records)
• Remaining balance needed within the period

Reporting for both employer and employee

A suite of reports to quickly check CPD and training status across the organisation.

Employee Self Service access

Employees can view CPD status and training history themselves — alongside other HR tasks such as holiday booking and updating contact details.

Timeline

CPD tracking was implemented as part of the wider People Inc. HR installation, using standard features plus a small amount of configuration to match the practice’s exact requirements.

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IMPACT

Better visibility, less chasing, and simpler CPD reporting

With CPD activity captured consistently in one place, the client gained immediate clarity on progress and compliance.

Key benefits included:

• Less manual effort coordinating CPD and training activity
• Easier identification of employees with the same learning needs (or similar target dates)
• More efficient scheduling of training — helping to reduce cost and effort by grouping attendees
• Improved confidence that CPD requirements are being tracked accurately and proactively

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Why PeopleFirstHR for CPD tracking and People Inc. HR implementation?

PeopleFirstHR helps UK organisations implement HR systems in a way that reduces admin and makes compliance easier to manage day‑to‑day.

If your organisation needs to record and report on training and Continuing Professional Development, People Inc. provides practical tools for busy HR teams — backed by a comprehensive implementation, training and ongoing support programme so your team becomes confident, capable users.

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Ready to improve how you track training and CPD?

If you’d like a simpler way to record CPD hours, points and progress — and generate clear reports without spreadsheets — talk to PeopleFirstHR.

☎ 0330 223 6180	✉ enquiries@peoplefirsthr.co.uk

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FAQ’s

What is CPD (Continuing Professional Development)?

CPD is the ongoing learning and skills development professionals complete to maintain competence and, in many roles, professional membership. For architects, CPD supports continued eligibility for memberships such as RIBA Chartered Membership.

Can People Inc. HR track CPD hours and learning points?

Yes. CPD activities can be recorded with structured/unstructured learning, learning points, and reporting that shows progress against targets and what’s still outstanding.

Can employees view their own CPD status?

Yes. With Employee Self Service, employees can view training history and CPD status without relying on HR to run reports or provide updates.

Can the system send reminders for refresher training?

Yes. Expiry periods and automated reminders can be configured so refresher training isn’t missed, reducing compliance risk and last‑minute scrambling.