Financial Learning Experience™ (FLEX™)

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Overview

Financial Learning Experience™ (FLEX™) is a centralized continuing education (CE) platform that provides e-learning content that firms have the option to leverage for their Firm Element or other training needs.

By delivering Firm Element training via the FLEX platform, your learners will be able to take their training directly from their FinPro account.

Currently, the platform includes courses from FINRA’s e-learning catalog. FINRA plans to expand the offering in the future to include courses from other CE content providers in the financial and securities industry. Additionally, FINRA plans to expand the course offerings to include content that may satisfy other CE training requirements such as Investment Adviser Representative CE (IAR CE).

Background

Past industry outreach found that firms—especially small and medium firms—encounter compliance challenges related to discovering and acquiring quality Firm Element content. As part of the CE Transformation initiative announced in Regulatory Notice 21-41, the Securities Industry/Regulatory Council on Continuing Education recommended that FINRA develop a catalog of CE content to serve as an optional resource for firms. The platform will simplify the experience by providing a one-stop shop for firms to locate content and registered persons to complete CE requirements.

Delivery Methods

The platform will provide firms with direct access to view, assign and track CE training for their representatives through three delivery methods:

  1. the firm’s own learning management system;
  2. the firm’s existing integrations with Degreed using FINRA as an outside provider; and
  3. FINRA’s learning experience platform.

License Types and Pricing

Firms can choose between two types of licenses.

  • Library License: a license where the firm is billed based on the number of users with unlimited course access.
    Pricing: $60 per user.
    * Volume discounts will be applied after exceeding 200 users. Use the calculator within the FLEX dashboard to determine your pricing.
     
  • Course License: a license where the firm is billed based on the number of courses launched.
    Pricing: $18 per course for the first 1,500 courses
    * Volume discounts will be applied after exceeding 1,500 courses at $15 per course

Billing will occur quarterly through E-Bill invoices based on a firm’s license type and consumption.

Email [email protected] to learn more.

Access to FLEX

  1. To gain access to the Financial Learning Experience (FLEX) dashboard within the FINRA Gateway, please contact your firm’s Super Account Administrator (SAA). They can grant you the entitlement role for Financial Learning Experience (FLEX). When editing entitlements, FLEX is the last privilege available to select on the list.
     

     
  2. SAA can assign the entitlement for “Select and Purchase Content” under the Financial Learning Experience (FLEX) by checking the box for “User” and/or “Admin.”
    Types of entitlement roles:
    • User: Can select and purchase content
    • Admin: Can grant access and create accounts, but not select and purchase content
       
  3. Once granted access to the dashboard, the CE Admin can take the following actions. For further instructions, please view the hyperlinked Quick Reference Guides:

Once users have been uploaded, they will have access to the platform via Financial Professional Gateway (FinPro). Course assignments will be viewable once the user accesses the platform via the Take Firm Element CE link in FinPro.

FINRA E-Learning Courses

FINRA offers a variety of interactive online courses that provide an affordable and convenient solution for Firm Element and other training. Courses are available on a variety of topics relevant to individuals in the securities industry including AML, firm operations, communications with the public, sales practice and product knowledge, among others.

Course content focuses on industry rules and regulations, best practices and other core subject knowledge. Scenarios and other assessments throughout the courses give learners the chance to apply the material to common situations. Many courses also have the option for users to take an exam at the end of the course to test their knowledge of the course content.

HOW TO ACCESS THE FLEX CATALOG

FINRA e-Learning Courses can also be purchased separately through the following training content providers.

Note: Use of FINRA's e-Learning courses does not guarantee compliance with regulatory requirements or create a safe harbor from regulatory responsibilities.

Earn Certified Financial Planner (CFP) CE Credits1

FINRA's e-learning library offers training on a range of compliance topics, including anti-money laundering, communications with the public, cybersecurity and senior investor issues, among others —with several courses offering CFP® CE credits (0.5 – 2.0 CE credits per course)

Earn CFP Credits:

  1. View the course catalog for a list of CFP-eligible courses.
  2. Purchase a CFP®-eligible course from:

Depending on which method you choose to purchase your CFP course, either FINRA or the vendor will report your credits to the CFP® Board upon course completion.

1 Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.