Cornerstone LMS Reviews

“Straighforward Platform That's Versatile”

Pros

I love their Intuitive, appealing interface.

Cons

The interface lacks user-friendliness.

“A lot of functionality; meets objectives of the organization”

Pros

Robust reporting capabilities and the ability to construct curricula based on individual videos.

Cons

Obtaining technical support can be extremely challenging. Insufficient training materials further compound the issue.

“Decent product, but support was nonexistent”

Pros

My former employer transitioned to Cornerstone four years ago. Their product resembles being a customer of a cable company - once operational, it's fairly reliable. However, the customer service experience was abysmal, overshadowing the product's strengths in customization and reporting.

Cons

The platform's simplicity leaves much to be desired. Improvements in intuitiveness would greatly benefit users.

“Modular and scalable”

Pros

The application is very user-friendly, modular and scalable, with a strong set of features. One of the biggest advantages is the ongoing improvement that comes with the SaaS model which keeps the platform evolving over time.

Cons

One limitation shows up in the learning cloud when an organization wants to actively push learning from the top down. Even though that functionality does exist, the system is still geared more toward a pull approach, where learning is driven more by the user than by the organization.

“Real-time reporting”

Pros

Reporting and analytics are easily one of the strongest parts of CSOD. It provides up-to-date, real-time reporting across multiple data groups which makes pulling reports fast, simple and efficient. Because of that, managers can quickly spot trends, assign resources more effectively and stay on top of compliance for their direct reports.

Cons

There are still a couple of areas where the system could be improved such as adding a way to manually upload completion dates for curricula and making it possible to report on proxy enrollments.

“Transforming learning”

Pros

Using this system feels very user-friendly and the newer social features have the potential to really transform learning and collaboration.

Cons

At times making the system fit specific business needs isn't very simple. It can take a while to adjust business processes so they align with how the system works.

“Top-tier implementation support”

Pros

Right from implementation, the support makes it possible to start using the product immediately. That help continues afterward through formal support channels as well as client user groups. On top of that, the platform receives regular updates that keep improving its functionality.

Cons

The only real downside that comes to mind is that the platform is very powerful so it takes a while to fully learn. You can absolutely start using it on day one but developing it properly does require time.

“Positive impact on business”

Pros

Being able to build custom pages has been especially valuable for both our internal development work and the final content we deliver to users. In Talent Management, ongoing education really matters and when people are well supported with learning resources, it positively impacts the business as a whole.

Cons

There honestly isn't much to complain about with the platform. If I had to point out one area for improvement, it would be the limited support available for international colleagues who need global assistance. Regional support and training options would make a real difference.

“Users are glad with it”

Pros

The interface is clean and our users have responded really well to how simple it is to navigate. We're also able to manage security permissions very specifically, giving users access to some, most or all features depending on what they need. On top of that, we can set those permissions by location which is a big deal for our organization.

Cons

Whenever we need an enhancement, there isn't a simple way to make it happen. We can't just pay to have updates developed so instead we have to submit a suggestion and wait, hoping enough others see the benefit and vote for it to be added. That gets frustrating especially when the changes we're asking for aren't optional improvements but actual requirements tied to audit findings that we can't resolve without those system updates.

“Happy customer”

Pros

Adopted Cornerstone in 2014, which was a significant improvement over our previous LMS. The reporting functionality was particularly laudable, enabling us to monitor our company's learning and development comprehensively. One desired addition would be a preview link for all courses to streamline accessibility.

Cons

Admins may encounter a steep learning curve.

“simplicity stands out”

Pros

Working in a fast-paced retail setting, having a simple and user-friendly interface really matters and Cornerstone delivers on that for us. The navigation is simple and our end users have been able to move through it without trouble.

Cons

Reporting is where we still run into challenges. Most of our training offerings are built around curricula and reporting in that area feels a bit lacking right now.

“Supports multiple languages”

Pros

Being able to integrate Adobe Connect with Cornerstone OnDemand has been very beneficial for our organization. It's also helpful that the platform supports multiple languages across different environments which fits well with our company's global initiatives.

Cons

The module removal tool and the custom reporting server struggle to handle large record volumes. There are also limitations when it comes to managing customer records especially in terms of how user-friendly it is to set up new users or remove existing ones.

“Undo button missing”

Pros

I do value how many functions it offers especially the ability to upload different kinds of training and distribute them in multiple ways. The success center is also useful because it lets me look into how other users are working in the system and review their approaches. A lot of the time, when an issue comes up someone else has already run into it before and shared helpful guidance.

Cons

A big frustration is that many features do not have an "undo" button. Since the system is so large, there usually is not a quick way to fix a mistake or reverse it. We had an admin who was clearly in over their head and did not ask for help and that ended up creating complete chaos in the system. It has taken nearly six months and countless consulting hours with Cornerstone just to get everything back into order.

“Complex system and poor support”

Pros

From an end-user perspective, the platform has been a big step forward. Our users have been very happy with it and coming from such an outdated system, this newer and more modern experience has been a real improvement for them.

Cons

On the other hand, I have a lot of frustrations with Cornerstone. Managing the system on the admin side is complex and too many parts of it can't be customized which makes it hard to adapt to our actual needs. Because of that, we've had to change a lot of our internal processes just to work around the system. Also, features that seem like they should operate similarly often feel completely disconnected which gives the impression that teams within Cornerstone, like Curriculum and Certifications, are working in silos. The technical support has also been disappointing. Our customer service experience has fallen well short of expectations and Cornerstone seems to struggle with managing its third-party vendors. When we need help, it's been very hard to get and on several occasions we've had to wait more than a month and a half for support which is simply unacceptable.

“Leader in talent management”

Pros

It clearly stands out as a leader in talent management and that comes through in the product. Tech moves quickly and Cornerstone keeps pace with regular quarterly enhancements that continue to improve the platform and better support client needs. Our users are able to navigate it with very little instruction because the interface feels familiar, much like other websites they already use. The search functionality is strong, the customization options are excellent and the reporting capabilities have been especially valuable for us. On top of that, the support from Cornerstone and even the wider client community has been incredibly helpful in shaping how we use the system to deliver a high-quality learning and development experience.

Cons

There are times when it seems Cornerstone is expanding more quickly than it can fully maintain some of its older features. While clients do have input into the product roadmap and enhancement priorities, a few smaller updates that customers have been asking for have taken a while even as other areas of the platform continue to grow. More attention to product development support and user experience in those legacy areas would go a long way toward improving this.

“client-focused platform we trust”

Pros

Having a real voice in how a product evolves matters a lot to me and CornerStone on Demand has been the best software provider I've worked with when it comes to client service. They genuinely listen to feedback, help work through complicated challenges and act like a true partner in making sure we succeed. From an admin standpoint, the system is very user-friendly, quick to learn and manageable to maintain even with a small team supporting a large, complex organization like ours.

Cons

Honestly there isn't much to dislike about CornerStone on Demand. If anything some screens could take fewer clicks and a few workflows could be a bit more organized but overall it does what we need it to do and the CSOD team consistently looks for ways to improve the product.

“We are new to Cornerstone but I have been very impressed with what I have seen so far.”

Pros

Compared to other platforms, Cornerstone stands out as the most user-friendly and intuitive for administrators like me. I appreciate not needing expertise in coding languages to achieve my goals, and the exceptional customer support further enhances the experience.

Cons

The downside lies in the UI.

“Very Advanced Product”

Pros

The customization options with CSOD are impressive, allowing for granular security preferences. However, it could be more user-friendly, enhancing accessibility for users.

Cons

No downsides to report. Five stars all around. I genuinely adore it.

“Can fine-tune it as much as we want”

Pros

I really appreciate how much you can fine-tune the system. User preferences, for example, can be customized at a very detailed level which is a big plus. It's also nice that there's both an iOS and Android app available even though not every feature works through the mobile apps yet.

Cons

The platform feels extremely broad in terms of functionality. When I need to track down a specific answer, it can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. It would be much better if the wording and function titles were more user-friendly and clearer.

“vibrant team”

Pros

I loved the Santa Monica headquarters. It's located in a lively part of Southern California and the office itself feels very well suited to modern ways of working. The environment can be as flexible or as structured as each employee needs to do their best work. The software we purchased is also very powerful. To me, Cornerstone brings together all the pieces needed to help clients succeed.

Cons

If I could change one part of the implementation and rollout, it would be the order and priority of how information is delivered to the customer. I would have preferred to do the on-site training first, then move into the software training afterward or alongside it. A learn-and-test-as-you-go approach would have worked better for me. Even so, I genuinely enjoyed the entire experience and would happily go back again. Katie and Richard were fantastic!