What’s new in Blend-ed: July 2026 product updates

What shipped this month

• Blend-ed now provides an MCP server for connecting compatible AI assistants to LMS administration tools
• Courses and programmes can be sold through recurring Stripe subscriptions on every Blend-ed plan
• AI Course Creator can build structured courses from video recordings and transcripts
• Custom enrolment fields capture the delegate information required by accreditation and certification bodies
• Courses can be associated with competencies during enrolment
• The Discovery catalogue has been updated with Blend-ed's new design system

Running a training business isn't just about creating and delivering courses. There are delegates to enrol, payments to sort out, client content to update and accreditation records to keep organised.

Our July updates are designed to make those everyday jobs easier. You can now connect Blend-ed to compatible AI assistants, sell courses through Stripe subscriptions, turn recordings into course drafts and collect important delegate details during enrolment.

Connect compatible AI assistants to Blend-ed administration

Blend-ed now provides an MCP server that can connect the platform to compatible AI assistants and MCP clients.

MCP, or Model Context Protocol, is an open standard that allows AI applications to communicate with external tools and systems. You can read the official MCP specification for the technical details.

Instead of navigating through the platform for every repetitive task, an administrator can describe the required action in natural language. The connected assistant can then use the Blend-ed tools that have been made available to it.

The current release exposes a defined set of actions at two levels:

• Workspace level
• Organisation level

The assistant does not receive unrestricted access to the entire platform. What it can view or change depends on the tools and permissions assigned to its connection.

Workspace-level administration

Workspace-level tools are designed for teams managing multiple organisations or branded training portals.

Depending on the permissions provided, a connected assistant can help administrators:

• View an overview of organisations within the workspace
• Create an organisation
• Manage workspace users
• Carry out repetitive administration across multiple client environments

This is particularly useful for businesses operating a multi-tenant LMS, where every customer, department or training brand has its own organisation.

Tasks that previously required opening each environment separately can now be initiated through one connected assistant.

Organisation-level administration

Within an individual organisation, available tools include actions related to courses, users and analytics.

For example, an administrator may ask the assistant to:

• Create a course
• Update selected course styling
• Retrieve learner or course analytics
• Clone an existing course
• Prepare an adapted version for a different audience

Course adaptation is especially valuable for training providers that deliver similar subject matter to different clients.

A safety course written for plant operators may need different terminology, examples and formality when delivered to engineering managers. The connected assistant can produce an adapted draft from the existing course, reducing the amount of manual rewriting required.

The revised course should still be reviewed by the training or instructional design team before publication. The assistant accelerates the adaptation process; it does not replace subject-matter review or final approval.

Permissions and auditability

Giving an AI assistant access to administrative tools requires clear controls.

Every action completed through the Blend-ed MCP server is logged. Each connection key also has its own permission set, allowing administrators to control what the connected assistant can access.

For example, a key configured for read-only analytics cannot use tools for creating users or changing courses.

Administrators can therefore provide access according to the task:

• Analytics access for reporting workflows
• Course access for authoring workflows
• User-management access for administration workflows

The MCP server is currently running in production and is enabled on request. Customers interested in using it can discuss the required actions and permissions during their next Blend-ed check-in.

Sell courses and programmes through recurring subscriptions

Courses and programmes can now be sold through recurring Stripe subscriptions on every Blend-ed plan.

Training providers can define a subscription price, give delegates access through an active subscription and include invite-only products within the same purchasing flow. Customers can also view and download invoices from the billing area.

This creates a more practical commercial model for training products that are designed for ongoing access rather than a single purchase.

Examples include:

• Continuing professional development programmes
• Annual compliance libraries
• Refresher training catalogues
• Membership-based academies
• Ongoing certification preparation
• Subscription access to a collection of courses

Many certification and professional training businesses generate repeat revenue, but still rebuild the sale manually each year.

A learner completes a course, access expires and the provider later contacts them about the next programme or refresher requirement.

A subscription changes the payment and access model. Billing can recur automatically while the learner retains access according to the subscription rules.

This does not automatically renew a professional certificate where reassessment, attendance or refresher training is required. Those requirements remain part of the learning and certification workflow. What the subscription removes is the need to manually recreate the commercial transaction every cycle.

The release also supports subscription-only products and subscription flows across supported payment-gateway configurations. Training providers can therefore offer both:

• One-time course purchases
• Recurring subscription products

Both models can operate within the same catalogue.

Subscription payments sit alongside the ecommerce already available in Blend-ed, so training providers do not need to maintain a separate storefront or subscription-management system purely to sell learning access.

The feature is available across all Blend-ed plans.

Build structured courses from recorded sessions

AI Course Creator can now accept video and transcript input.

Training providers can upload content such as:

• Recorded webinars
• Classroom sessions
• Instructor-led workshops
• Product demonstrations
• Internal training recordings
• Client training sessions

AI Course Creator analyses the source material and prepares a structured course draft from it.

This can include an organised course structure, learning content and assessments based on the source recording and the selected course settings.

Most established training organisations already have a significant library of recorded sessions. The problem is rarely a lack of expertise or source material. The problem is the work required to watch each recording, identify the important concepts and rebuild the material as a course that learners can navigate.

Video and transcript input reduces that initial production workload.

The generated course remains a draft. Course teams should review it for accuracy, remove unnecessary discussion from the original recording, verify assessments and add any supporting context that learners will require.

The purpose is not to publish an unreviewed transcript as a course. It is to turn an existing recording into a structured starting point for course production.

Additional AI Course Creator updates

Course-creation audit logs

AI-generated course-creation activity can now be recorded through audit logging.

This provides a clearer operational trail for organisations that need to track when AI was used during content production.

Upload content directly while editing a unit

Video and document files can now be uploaded directly from within a course unit.

Previously, course authors could be required to leave the unit they were editing, upload the asset elsewhere and then return to add it.

The updated workflow keeps the author inside the current unit, reducing unnecessary navigation during course creation.

It is a small interface change, but it removes a repetitive interruption for teams building or updating large courses.

Manage flash cards and understand how learners use them

Flash cards can now be edited and managed after creation.

Course teams can update the flash-card content without rebuilding the activity, and analytics provide visibility into how learners interact with the cards.

This is useful for:

• Terminology practice
• Product knowledge
• Regulatory definitions
• Safety procedures
• Exam preparation
• Language learning

The analytics can help course teams identify whether learners are using the activity and where additional reinforcement may be required.

Capture delegate information during enrolment

Administrators can now create custom delegate-detail fields.

Delegates are prompted to complete the required information after signing in. They can also view and update the information through their account page.

Typical fields may include:

• Professional licence number
• Accreditation membership number
• CPD registration ID
• Employee or contractor number
• Professional-body reference
• Region or branch
• Job role
• Department

This is particularly important for accredited and regulated training providers.

Accreditation bodies frequently expect specific delegate identifiers to appear alongside enrolment, attendance, completion and certification records. When that information is collected through email or spreadsheets after enrolment, records become inconsistent and audit preparation becomes unnecessarily difficult.

Custom delegate fields capture the information as part of the learner record instead.

That means administrators do not have to contact every delegate individually before producing an accreditation report or preparing evidence for an audit.

Fields should still be limited to information the training provider genuinely needs. Organisations remain responsible for deciding which personal information they collect and how long it is retained.

Associate courses with competencies at enrolment

Courses can now be connected to relevant competencies during the enrolment workflow.

When a learner enrols, the associated competency requirements can be reflected in the learner's development or competency record, depending on how the organisation has configured its framework.

This reduces the need for administrators to manually map learners after enrolment.

It is useful for organisations that structure training around:

• Job-role competencies
• Technical capabilities
• Safety requirements
• Professional standards
• Onboarding competencies
• Leadership or management frameworks

Enrolment alone does not prove that the learner has achieved a competency. Achievement should still depend on the completion, assessment or evidence rules defined by the organisation.

The update ensures that the relevant competency is connected to the learner's training journey from the beginning.

Discovery catalogue redesign

The Discovery module has been rebuilt using Blend-ed's new design system.

The updated catalogue includes:

• Redesigned banners
• Improved course presentation
• More consistent layout and spacing
• A New badge controlled through course settings

For organisations operating a white-label LMS catalogue, the Discovery area is often the learner's first interaction with the platform.

The redesign provides a more polished and consistent experience while giving administrators better control over how recently launched courses are highlighted.

What the July release means for training providers

The July updates extend Blend-ed beyond course delivery into more of the operational work surrounding a training business.

The MCP server introduces a new way to carry out selected administration tasks without navigating through every screen manually.

Subscriptions allow training providers to build recurring-access products alongside one-time course sales.

Video-to-course creation helps teams convert existing recordings into structured learning assets.

Custom enrolment fields make delegate records more complete before reporting, certification or audit preparation begins.

Competency mapping connects enrolment more closely to workforce development and professional capability requirements.

Taken together, these improvements reduce the administrative work between creating training, selling it, enrolling learners and producing reliable records.

To see how these updates would work with your own courses, certification processes or client portals, book a Blend-ed demo.

What is the Blend-ed MCP server?

The Blend-ed MCP server connects compatible AI assistants and MCP clients to selected administration tools within the platform.

The actions available to the assistant depend on the tools and permissions assigned to its connection key.

Will every AI assistant work with Blend-ed's MCP server?

An assistant or client must support the Model Context Protocol and be capable of connecting to the Blend-ed MCP server.

Configuration and authentication are required. Compatibility does not mean that every MCP-enabled assistant automatically receives access to every Blend-ed feature.

What administration tasks can an AI assistant complete?

The current release supports a defined set of workspace and organisation actions, including selected organisation, user, course and analytics workflows.

The assistant can only use the actions permitted through its connection. Additional MCP tools may be introduced over time.

Are actions completed through the MCP server logged?

Yes. Actions completed through the Blend-ed MCP server are logged.

Each connection key has its own permissions, so an administrator can limit the assistant to the tools required for a particular workflow.

Is the MCP server available on every account automatically?

No. The MCP server is currently enabled on request.

Blend-ed will work with the customer to determine the required access and permission configuration.

Which plans include subscription payments?

Recurring subscription payments for courses and programmes are available on all Blend-ed plans.

Administrators can configure subscription pricing, subscription access and invite-only subscription products.

Does a subscription automatically renew a learner's certificate?

Not necessarily.

The subscription can automate recurring payment and continued platform access. Certificate renewal may still require the learner to complete refresher content, attend a session, pass an assessment or meet other certification rules.

Can Blend-ed create a course from a recorded webinar?

Yes.

AI Course Creator accepts video and transcript input and uses the source material to prepare a structured course draft. The course should be reviewed by the training team before it is published.

What delegate information can be collected during enrolment?

Administrators can create fields for information such as licence numbers, membership numbers, CPD registration IDs, employee numbers, job roles and other details required for training administration.

Does enrolling in a course mean a learner has achieved its competency?

No.

Enrolment associates the learner and course with the relevant competency requirement. Competency achievement should depend on the assessment, completion or evidence rules defined by the organisation.

Where can I see the full release history?

This article highlights the updates that have the greatest effect on training-provider workflows. The complete list of releases, improvements and fixes is available in the Blend-ed changelog.

Slug: /blog/blend-ed-product-updates-july-2026

Meta title: Blend-ed July 2026 updates: MCP, subscriptions and video-to-course AI

Meta description: Explore Blend-ed's July 2026 updates, including MCP-based LMS administration, Stripe subscriptions, video-to-course creation and custom delegate fields.

Author: Zameel Hassan, Head of Product

Category: Product updates