A: No, you can use the CPD Centre to log any other CPD activities that you plan to undertake, or have already undertaken. Just click on the 'CPD Plan' tab, and then on 'Add Activity'. Once you have marked an activity as completed, the CPD hours will be logged on your 'Plan Summary' dashboard.

A: Learning objectives are given on many CPD activities to help you identify if that activity is going to fulfil your learning need. This is an important requirement of 'structured' CPD.

For activities that you undertake on the CPD Centre, the learning objectives will already be filled in to save you time.

A: Once you enter a start date for your CPD plan, a plan is created for a year unless you specify otherwise. SPS and IDD regulations have annual targets and setting up a yearly CPD plan helps you manage your activities to ensure that you have completed the requisite hours. You will need to apply for your SPS ('Statement of Professional Standing') annually, and meeting these targets will ensure you are ready for your next SPS application (if applicable).

A: Yes, absolutely. Some firms, networks and Accredited Bodies may require that you complete more than regulatory target hours so it's worth checking before you begin your plan. You can log as many hours and activities as you wish via the CPD Centre.

A: The solutions for Marketplace Changes activities (Newsbrief) was first published in September 2012, consequently no solutions are available for Marketplace Changes activities created prior to this date. You will need to find other solutions for these activities.

You may have already undertaken CPD that will count for these activities which you can record against this activity. You can do this by selecting the 'Complete' button which can be seen once you have opened up the appropriate activity.

A: No. The CPD Centre allows you to record all of the information about your request to your chosen Accredited Body.

You can update the status and important dates in the CPD Centre including attaching a copy of your SPS.

 Click on the SPS tab to see a list of SPS records you have added.

 Click on the Accredited Body name to open up a specific SPS record.

 Click 'Request SPS' and follow the wizard to record details about a new SPS request.

A: You can customise your template at any time by adding and removing activities. Once your CPD plan has been created, you can remove an activity by going to the dashboard view (found at 'Plan Summary' on the 'CPD Plan' tab), clicking into the activity and selecting 'Cancel' at the top right of the activity screen. Cancelling an item will create a gap in your CPD plan, which you can fill by selecting another activity from the CPD Content tab, or if the activity is not listed you can add it manually by clicking on 'Add Activity' on the 'CPD Plan' tab.

A: No, you can keep paper copies of certificates if you prefer. If you are selected by your Accredited Body for a random check of your CPD records, you will need to send a copy of any supporting evidence along with your CPD report.

A: Yes. If for any reason you decide you need start again you can cancel your plan. However, you should only cancel your plan if you have created it in error, or you have just been trying out the CPD Centre to see if it works for you.

When you do cancel a plan all associated CPD activity, whether completed or not, will also be cancelled. This cannot be undone and you will need to create a new CPD Plan to continue logging CPD activity.

To cancel your plan click on the 'Cancel Plan' sub tab and follow the on screen instructions.

A: If you have an electronic copy of your CPD evidence, for instance a certificate of attendance, then you can email it to your CPD Centre email address or upload the file on the evidence tab. This address was created when you registered to use the CPD Centre and is unique to you. You can find your CPD Centre address by clicking on 'My Account' on the top right of your screen.

Once you have emailed a document to this address, it will be visible when you click on the 'Evidence' tab under 'Existing Supporting Evidence’, when you complete a CPD activity. You can then select the relevant file to store it against your activity record.

A: The CPD Centre expects that you undertake each of the activities in a specific order as listed in the activity screen. You need to take a test by selecting 'Check your Knowledge' before you select 'Brush up your Knowledge'.

A: The Marketplace Changes document (Newsbrief) you are trying to view has not yet been published. They become available the 6th of each month.

A: We have tried to make the Technical Knowledge and Marketplace activities manageable by spacing them out throughout the year. If you have selected one of our templates, you'll see that you have one Technical Knowledge activity to complete every 2 months, and a Marketplace Changes 'Newsbrief' update every month. However, you can complete the activities at any time and in any order.

A: Yes, you can send them to either a dedicated Kindle device or to a Kindle app on an iOS or Android device.

To do so you will need to attach the document to an email, type the word ''Convert'' in the subject heading of the email and then send it your Kindle email address.

A: The FCA requires that you complete a minimum of 35 hours CPD, of which 21 hours should be structured in order to apply for an SPS. Your firm, network or Accredited Body may require that you complete additional CPD hours.

A: Broadly, your CPD activities should:

1. Maintain your technical knowledge at the required qualification standard (currently level 4);
2. Keep you up-to-date on changes in the market and to legislation and regulation, and
3. Maintain and develop your skills and experience relevant to your role.

A: Using Safari or Chrome on your iPad.

The CPD Centre will work using the Safari Browser on your iPad. There is a technical issue with the iPad (that Apple are aware of) which does not support launching PDF’s at named destinations. Therefore, opening a PDF from tests within the CPD Centre will open at the start of the PDF and not at the relevant location a question is referring to.

A: You can download a PDF report detailing all of your CPD activities. Click on the Activity Report tab, and then on ‘Create Activity Report’ and follow the instructions provided.

You can choose to include the CPD activities in your plan, or for any specified date range, and you can choose whether your report includes only completed CPD activities, or also those you have planned.

A: The FCA states that structured CPD is:

'Designed to achieve a defined learning outcome and, as with unstructured CPD, is capable of being independently verified. To fulfil the CPD requirement, we would expect firms to:

1. identify the learning need;
2. identify the method to fill that learning need;
3. be able to demonstrate that the learning need has been fulfilled,
and
4. document the structured CPD activity.'

A: These organisations will randomly check 10% of their members'' CPD records each year. If you complete your CPD on the CPD Centre, you may still be selected for a random check, however the Accredited Bodies have already approved the content and solutions we provide, so as long as you follow all the steps we have laid out on the CPD Centre, and correctly evidence your activities, the risk of any issues with your CPD records should be minimal.

If you are selected to have your records checked, you can use the CPD Centre to generate a PDF report detailing all of the activities you have completed and logged, which you can then send to your Accredited Body.

A: The nature of the continuing professional development required has changed. A number of the previous means to accumulate CPD points will no longer be valid and you may need to rethink parts of your training programme.
You can find full guidance in the FCA's one-minute guide here. The main points to consider are:

• you need to complete a minimum of 35 hours CPD, of which 21 hours should be structured in order to apply for your SPS;
• your CPD activities should maintain your knowledge post-2012, in particular keeping you up to date with technical knowledge and its application, changes in the market and to legislation and regulation, and maintaining and developing your skills and experience;
• your CPD activities should address any learning gaps in your technical knowledge;
• any CPD you undertake should be measurable (in hours) and capable of being verified by your Accredited Body, and
• your CPD documentation should cover: your needs (knowledge gaps and the target learning outcome); how you meet your needs, and how the activity has met the target learning outcome.

A: Some parts of the CPD Centre use Pop Ups. This means that you will need to ensure your pop up blocker is switched off or you can add the CPD Centre to the list of exceptions.

For useful information about pop up blockers see the link below:

http://kb.mailchimp.com/article/how-to-disable-pop-up-blockers-in-your-browser

You may need to paste this into your browser address bar if it does not work directly from here.

A: Accrediting bodies will randomly check 10% of their members'' CPD records each year. If you complete your CPD on the CPD Centre, you may still be selected for a random check, however the Accredited Bodies have already approved the content and solutions we provide, so as long as you follow all the steps we have laid out on the CPD Centre, and correctly evidence your activities, the risk of any issues with your CPD records should be minimal.

If you are selected to have your records checked, you can use the CPD Centre to generate a PDF report detailing all of the activities you have completed and logged, which you can then send to your Accredited Body.

A: You should familiarise yourself with the dashboard view (found at 'Plan Summary' on the 'CPD Plan' tab). This shows your current progress and any activities outstanding or due in the next 30 days. This is designed to help you keep on track throughout the year.

You can begin with one of the 'Technical Knowledge' activities or 'Marketplace Changes' activities (if you have set up your CPD plan by selecting one of our templates) by clicking on the respective 'Development Area', or by working through your CPD To Do List, found on the left hand side of the dashboard screen.

You can also search the ‘CPD Content’ tab for upcoming CPD events and other activities, or manually add any other activities that you undertake, or conferences, seminars and training courses that you attend by going to 'Add Activity' on the 'CPD Plan' tab.

A: Each monthly Newsbrief is published and becomes available to view around the 6th of each month.

A: Your firm's compliance representative can advise you on the appropriate date to begin your CPD plan. Alternatively, matching your SPS dates will help you to complete the required activity at the right time.

A: Yes, you can use the CPD Centre to log any other CPD activities that you plan to undertake, or have already undertaken. Just click on the 'CPD Plan' tab, and then on 'Add Activity'. Once you have marked an activity as completed, the CPD hours will be logged on your 'Plan Summary' dashboard.

A: We have tried to make the Technical Knowledge and Marketplace activities manageable by spacing them out throughout the year. If you have selected one of our templates, you'll see that you have one Technical Knowledge activity to complete every 2 months, and a Marketplace Changes 'Newsbrief' update every month. However, you can complete the activities at any time and in any order.

A: When you are issued with an SPS, log the start and end date on the CPD Centre, and we will then remind you when your SPS is approaching its expiry date. You can log your SPS details by clicking on the 'SPS' tab and following the instructions.

A: You first need to create a CPD plan, in which to log your activities and track your progress towards achieving your required CPD hours.

Go to the homepage and follow the steps provided to get started and set up your CPD plan.

A: Your CPD activities need to be capable of being verified by your Accredited Body. If you are undertaking a 'Technical Knowledge' or 'Marketplace Changes' activity on the CPD Centre, then your Knowledge Check results will automatically be logged as an online test result, and you don't need to provide any further evidence.

Other activities can be evidenced by, for example, a certificate of attendance.

A: To record CPD against an activity that does have a solution allocated follow the steps below:

1. Identify the relevant activity within the Activity List screen.
2. Click on the Activity title from within the Activity List to open up the activity.
3. Click the 'Complete' button located at the top right of the activity.
4. Follow the instructions in the simple 3 step wizard.

A: When you have recorded your SPS request details in the CPD Centre you can attach your certificate when you have received it from your accrediting body.

To add your SPS certificate follow the steps below:

1. Click on the 'SPS' tab.
2. Open up the relevant SPS record by clicking on the Accredited Body name.
3. Click on the 'Edit' button.
4. Click on the 'Certificate' tab.

If you have a scanned version of your Certificate on your PC then:


5. Click on the 'Browse' or 'Choose File' button. This opens up a window for you to select a scanned file from your PC.
6. Select the appropriate file.
7. Click 'Open'. This will load the file into the CPD Centre.
8. The file will appear just above the 'Browse' or 'Choose File' button. You can click on the file name to view what you have loaded. How this is viewed will depend on the browser and operating system you are using on your PC.
9. Ensure the file is selected with the small checkbox to the right of the file name.
10. Click 'Save'.
11. The Certificate is now attached to your SPS record and can be seen in the 'Certificate' tab.

If you have a smart phone you can take a photograph of your certificate and email it as an attachment to your CPD Centre Document Email Address. Your Document Email Address can be seen by clicking the 'My Account' link at the top of each page.


12. Once received by the CPD Centre continue from step 8 above.

A: Broadly, your CPD activities should:

1. Maintain your technical knowledge at the required qualification standard (currently level 4);
2. Keep you up-to-date on changes in the market and to legislation and regulation, and
3. Maintain and develop your skills and experience relevant to your role.

A: You will need to submit an application to your Accredited Body, following their guidelines for SPS applications.

You can log the date of your application on the CPD Centre, to help keep track of your progress and, when you are issued with an SPS, log the start and end date. The CPD Centre will then remind you when your SPS is approaching its expiry date. You can log your SPS details by clicking on the 'SPS' tab and following the instructions.

A: In addition to ''Technical Knowledge'' and ''Marketplace Changes'', ''Personal Development'' activities are those that maintain or develop your skills and experience relevant to your role.

If you have selected one of our templates to help set up your CPD plan, you will have a number of hours of ''Personal Development'' activities to complete. You can select these activities from our ‘CPD Content’ tab, or manually add any other activities that you undertake throughout the year.

The templates are set up to give you a number of ''Personal Development'' activity slots to fill in (for instance, our model template gives 2 activities of 4 hours each). There is no need to stick to this prescription; you can undertake as many activities of any duration as you wish. Your CPD plan will automatically recalculate how many hours have been completed, and how many still need to be fulfilled. You can view your progress at any time on the dashboard view (found at ''Plan Summary'' on the ''CPD Plan'' tab).

A: Firms that have (or are planning to have) advisers utilising the CPD Centre for managing their CPD Plans and Activities can contact Redland Business Solutions to discuss the provision of a suite of CPD Oversight functions designed to give a centralised view and management capability of CPD across their community of users. Contact Redland via email at ‘sales@redland-solutions.co.uk’ or by phone on 01527 871938.

These CPD Management functions are supported by Redland’s Insight platform and provide managers and supervisors with the ability to examine trends and be proactive in identifying corrective action to ensure the adviser community are progressing with CPD, IDD or SPS as effectively as possible. This includes a set of dashboard functionality relating to CPD, IDD and SPS related activity and covers how a community of users (e.g. a Region or Branch) is performing against expected CPD targets, where a community of users is in relation to progress against their CPD, IDD or SPS ‘year’, types and levels of CPD activity completed or planned to be undertaken, etc.. This information can then be used to proactively manage communication with advisers via a Notification mechanism (either broadcast to the community or to individuals). The dashboards support a ‘drill down’ from a summary level overview to individuals CPD Plans and even individual CPD activity within the plan.

A: The login page contains links from which you can request an email that will provide you with either a reminder of your username or an email with a link to use to reset your password.

Simple enter the email address you used when registering with the CPD Centre and click 'Send'.

A: You should check with your firm's compliance representative, network or Accredited Body to be clear on the CPD that you need to complete.

Generally speaking, if you are registered as a retail investment adviser then you will need to demonstrate that you are meeting the post-RDR requirement of maintaining your knowledge to the current qualification standards, which cover the six subjects of regulation and ethics, personal taxation, pensions and retirement planning, protection, investments and application standards.

The IDD requires that insurance distributors and their employees have appropriate knowledge and ability; demonstrated by completing a minimum of 15 hours per year of CPD. The IDD sets out criteria for minimum knowledge, which include areas such as product and market knowledge. Firms are currently required by our Senior Management Arrangements, Systems and Controls sourcebook (SYSC) to ensure their employees have the knowledge, skills and expertise necessary to carry out their responsibilities. It is expected that firms undertake ongoing training, and firms subject to TC must complete 35 hours of CPD.

A: Yes, but you must switch compatibility view on first otherwise some features will not work properly. To turn compatibility view on, press the ALT key to show the menu, then select 'Compatibility View settings' from the Tools menu. Click the Add button to add the CPD Centre URL to the list of sites that you want to use compatibility view with.

A: The solutions provided in the ''Technical Knowledge'' are written by FIT. and ''Marketplace Changes'' areas are written and updated by respected financial journalists.

Content in the eMarket is provided by various third parties. The provider of the content is described in each activity.