To update a SCORM course you inherited, work on the catalog before you touch a single file. Inventory every package, test how it behaves today, score the risk, and choose to edit, rebuild or retire it. Then check what your LMS does with learner records when a new version goes in.
This is a portfolio problem. You may own dozens of client courses built in different tools, some with no source files, all of which must still play in current browsers and LMSs and keep client approval. Fixing them in the order complaints arrive wastes effort and risks learner data.
This guide covers the process: triage, checks, a scorecard, the edit-or-rebuild decision, learner data, re-testing and sign-off. For the hands-on unzip-and-edit steps, see our guide to editing a SCORM file without the source files.
Key takeaways
- Rank courses by risk and by use before choosing a fix. Age alone tells you little.
- A package with Flash content can still import into an LMS, but the content will not run. Uploading successfully is not a test.
- What happens to in-progress learners and completions when you upload a new version depends on the LMS and on how much the course structure changed. Read your LMS’s documentation first.
- Keep a copy of every released package and a change log, so you can roll back and prove what the client approved.
How do you inventory and triage a back catalog of old SCORM courses?
Create one spreadsheet row per package: client, title, SCORM version, authoring tool if known, where it is hosted, whether source files exist, learners per year, last edit date and contract status. Then test each package live. Triage means ranking by risk and use, not by age.
Pull the list from LMS admin screens, client contracts and old file shares, because the three rarely match. Enrollment data matters most: a course nobody launches is a retirement candidate.
Mark which packages have no source files. That fact narrows your options to editing the published package or rebuilding from whatever material remains, which the decision section below covers.
What should you check on every old SCORM package?
Check seven things: SCORM version, launch and playback, discontinued technology, accessibility, content accuracy, branding and tracking behavior. Run each test in the LMS the client actually uses, in current browsers, not only on your own machine.
| Check | How to test it | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| SCORM version | Open imsmanifest.xml at the package root and read the schemaversion element. Confirm the target LMS accepts that version. | A version the LMS does not list |
| Launch and playback | Launch from the real LMS in current Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari. | Blank screen, plug-in prompt or API error |
| Discontinued technology | Look for Flash files (.swf), plug-in prompts and references to retired players. | Any lesson that needs a plug-in to play |
| Accessibility | Keyboard-only run, screen reader spot check, captions, contrast. | Keyboard traps, unlabeled controls, uncaptioned video |
| Content accuracy | Ask the client or an SME to review policies, names, figures and regulations. | Superseded policy, law or product name |
| Branding | Scan logos, colors, footers, copyright years and company names. | Old logo or former company name |
| Tracking and completion | Finish the course, fail it, quit midway and resume. Check what the LMS records each time. | Status never reaches complete, score missing, resume fails |
The manifest check is quick. The scorm.com manifest reference says the schemaversion element defines the specific SCORM version of the manifest. Our SCORM 1.2 vs SCORM 2004 comparison explains when the difference matters. You do not need to convert a working SCORM 1.2 course just to modernize it.
Flash deserves special attention. According to Adobe’s Flash Player end-of-life page, Adobe stopped supporting Flash Player on December 31, 2020 and blocked Flash content from running in Flash Player starting January 12, 2021. Adobe also says browser vendors have disabled Flash Player. Microsoft ended Silverlight support on October 12, 2021 as well.
A SCORM wrapper around Flash content can still pass an LMS import, because the LMS only reads the manifest. The lessons inside simply will not run. Editing the manifest or the HTML around the Flash files does not revive them.
On accessibility, the W3C recommends adopting WCAG 2.2, the latest version. It is backwards compatible with WCAG 2.1 and 2.0, so content that conforms to 2.2 also conforms to the older versions. Check your client contract for the level it names. Legal requirements vary by country and sector, so treat this as a quality check, not legal advice.
How do you score which old courses to rescue first?
Score each package from 0 to 3 on six risk factors, multiply by the weight and add the results. The weights below are a starting point, not a standard. Adjust them to your clients, and rate learner volume separately so a risky course nobody takes does not outrank a lightly flawed course everyone finishes.
| Risk factor | Weight | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discontinued technology | 5 | None | Minor element, such as one widget | Several lessons affected | Core content will not run |
| Launch or tracking failure | 5 | Launches and tracks correctly | Cosmetic glitch | Intermittent tracking issue | Will not launch or never completes |
| Outdated or wrong content | 4 | Current | A few dated references | Several lessons need revision | Misleading or non-compliant |
| Accessibility gaps | 3 | Passes spot checks | Minor fixes | Many fixes | Blocks keyboard or screen reader use |
| SCORM version or LMS mismatch | 2 | Accepted as is | Accepted with warnings | Needs repackaging | Rejected by the LMS |
| Branding and design | 1 | Current | Small tweaks | Visible rework | Full restyle |
Weights add up to 20, so the maximum score is 60. As a starting point, read 0 to 10 as keep or light edit, 11 to 30 as edit, and 31 or more as rebuild or retire. One override matters more than the total: a 3 on discontinued technology or on launch and tracking failure means a light edit will not fix it.
Here is a hypothetical example. A package scores 3 for Flash (15), 2 for outdated content (8), 2 for accessibility (6) and 1 for branding (1), a total of 30. The total says edit, but the Flash override sends it to rebuild.
Should you edit, rebuild or retire an old SCORM course?
Edit when the problems are text, images, branding or small compatibility fixes and the structure can stay the same. Rebuild when core content will not run or the structure must change. Retire when nobody uses the course or the client no longer needs it.
| Decision | Choose it when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Edit | Scorecard shows text, branding or minor fixes, and no override applies. Works even without source files, if the package files are editable. | Structure changes put learner records at risk |
| Rebuild | Discontinued technology, wholesale content changes, accessibility beyond patching, or a needed structure change. | Treat it as a new course in the LMS, with a new learner-data plan |
| Retire | No enrollments over a period you agree with the client, or the topic is obsolete. | Export completion records before removing anything |
If you rebuild and still have the slides or handouts the course came from, you do not have to start from nothing. Our guides cover turning PowerPoint into editable SCORM and PDF handouts into SCORM modules. If the old course came from Articulate Rise, see how to migrate Rise courses without rebuilding them.
Pro tip: Show The Scorecard To The Client. Share the scorecard and the three options with the client before you quote. A client who sees a Flash score of 3 understands why you recommend a rebuild, and the conversation shifts from price per hour to risk per course.
What happens to learner data when you update a SCORM course in an LMS?
It depends on the LMS and on how much the course changed. Some systems keep in-progress learners on the old version, some resume them on the new one, and some reset them. Completions are usually kept on a minor update, but not everywhere. Read your LMS’s documentation before uploading.
The table shows documented behavior as of October 2026. Treat it as evidence that behavior varies, not as a rule for your system.
| Platform | What its documentation says |
|---|---|
| SmarterU | Replacing the file shows the new version to learners who have not started. In-progress learners keep the older version. Moving them means unenrolling them, which restarts the course. |
| Skillsoft Percipio | Minor changes can replace the package. Learners who started see the new version and can resume if it is backward compatible, otherwise progress may be lost. Completed learners stay complete. Detected major changes, such as table-of-contents changes, block replacement. |
| SCORM Cloud | A new version keeps old versions and their history. New registrations use the latest version. By default, existing registrations stay on their current version. Moving them creates a new instance, which effectively resets progress. SCORM Cloud says it cannot guarantee old state fits a new version. |
| Studytube | Asks when to reset users to the new version: always, never, only if the registration is incomplete, or only if it is complete. |
Two patterns repeat. First, structure changes are the dangerous part. Percipio and SCORM Cloud both warn that changes to a multi-lesson course’s structure can break resumed progress. Second, completion records are treated differently from in-progress state, so ask explicitly which one your client cares about.
Before any upload, download a copy of what is live. Percipio’s documentation notes that it keeps only the most recently uploaded package files and recommends downloading a copy first. Export completion records for compliance courses too.
Pro tip: Rehearse The Upgrade With Two Test Learners. In a staging course, park one test learner mid-course and let another finish. Upload the new version and see what each one sees. Seeing both outcomes first-hand beats guessing from a help article.
How should you version and store updated SCORM packages?
Give each course a stable ID and a version number in the file name, such as client-topic-v2.1-2026-10.zip. Archive every released package with its change log entry. Use a minor bump for in-place fixes and a major bump when the structure changes, since structural changes are the case LMS documentation warns about.
Keep the archive outside the LMS, because some systems keep only the latest files.
How do you re-test an updated SCORM course?
Test the updated package in a staging copy in the client’s LMS, then in current browsers, from launch to completion. Verify what the LMS records, not just what the learner sees. A course that plays but reports the wrong status has failed.
Work through these steps in order:
- Launch from the LMS in current Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari, plus a phone or tablet if learners use them.
- Open the browser console and note any errors during launch and navigation.
- Complete the course and confirm status, score and time in the LMS report.
- Run the fail path and the quit-and-resume path.
- Repeat the keyboard-only and screen reader spot checks from your earlier audit.
- Repeat any step that your upgrade rehearsal flagged.
How do you get client sign-off and keep a change log?
Send the client a short package: a before-and-after list of what changed, the test results, and a plain statement of what happens to current learners. Get approval in writing, and record it in a change log that lives next to the archived package.
Use the same log fields for every course, so any later question about what changed has an answer:
Course ID / title: Client: Version (old to new): Date: What changed, and why: Tested in (LMS, browsers, devices): Learner-data decision (replace, new version, restart): Approved by / date: Archived copy (old package location):
What does the one-page SCORM rescue checklist look like?
Print this list and run it per course. It compresses the process into steps you can tick off, from inventory to sign-off.
INVENTORY [ ] Package listed: client, version, host, source files, learners per year [ ] Enrollment history reviewed CHECK [ ] Manifest schemaversion read; LMS accepts it [ ] Launches in current Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari [ ] No Flash or other discontinued technology [ ] Keyboard and screen reader spot checks done [ ] Content reviewed by client or SME [ ] Branding current [ ] Completion, score, fail and resume verified in LMS DECIDE [ ] Scorecard total and overrides recorded [ ] Edit, rebuild or retire agreed with client PROTECT [ ] Live package downloaded and archived [ ] Completion records exported [ ] LMS update behavior read; upgrade rehearsed with test learners DELIVER [ ] Retested in staging [ ] Change log filled in [ ] Client approval received in writing
What should you do next?
Start with a one-hour pass: list your ten busiest client courses, launch each in current Chrome, and score the six risk factors.
Disclosure: SimpliAuthor and SimpliTrain are made by the same company that publishes this site. According to its published pages, SimpliAuthor offers a paid Visual SCORM Editor for editing compiled SCORM without the source files, and a free SCORM converter that turns PDF, PowerPoint, Word and MP4 files into SCORM 1.2 or SCORM 2004 packages. Check those pages for current details, and test with a non-critical course first.
If you also manage the LMS side, you can request a SimpliTrain demo to see its unified LMS, TMS and LXP platform. It is optional, and the checklist above works with any LMS.
Frequently asked questions
Can I update a SCORM course if I do not have the source files?
Often yes, for simple changes. A SCORM package is a zip of web files, so text, images and branding can sometimes be edited directly. Heavily compiled output is harder, and Flash content cannot be edited back to life. The source-free editing guide covers the steps.
Will learners lose progress when I upload a new version of a SCORM course?
It depends on your LMS and on the size of the change. Some systems keep in-progress learners on the old version, some resume them on the new one, and some reset them. Structure changes carry the most risk. Check your LMS documentation, then rehearse the upload in staging.
Do old SCORM 1.2 courses still work in modern browsers?
SCORM 1.2 is still widely supported by LMSs, and scorm.com calls it the industry workhorse. What matters is the technology inside the package. HTML-based courses are candidates to play today, while Flash courses do not. Only a test in your LMS and current browsers settles it.
Can Flash-based SCORM courses still be used?
No. Adobe stopped supporting Flash Player on December 31, 2020 and blocked Flash content from running on January 12, 2021. The SCORM wrapper may still import into an LMS, but the Flash lessons will not play. Rebuild the content in HTML5 or another supported format.
How do I find out which SCORM version a package uses?
Unzip the package and open imsmanifest.xml at its root. The schemaversion element defines the SCORM version of the manifest. You can also check which version your LMS accepts on import. Our SCORM 1.2 and 2004 comparison explains how the versions differ.
Should I convert old SCORM 1.2 courses to SCORM 2004?
Not by default. SCORM 1.2 remains widely adopted, and conversion adds testing work and learner-data risk. Convert only if your LMS or a client requirement demands SCORM 2004 features, such as its sequencing model. Otherwise spend the effort on content, accessibility and tracking.
