---
title: "What are positions?"
slug: "what-are-positions"
tags: ["Totara Platform", "Explainer"]
updated: 2026-08-13T16:01:10Z
published: 2026-08-13T16:01:10Z
canonical: "totara.help/what-are-positions"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://totara.help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# What are positions?

In Totara, the position structure defines the job roles that make up your organisation.

The position hierarchy allows you to set up one or more position structures.

![A diagram of an example company hierarchy divided into position levels.](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/Positions.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-06T06%3A36%3A07Z&se=2026-11-06T07%3A36%3A07Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=7w5lAS7iQivKDfFjr0faSrJlLqJk3DBKEioocOK1zzQ%3D)

## Benefits

The benefits to setting up your positional hierarchy in Totara include:

- More flexible reporting
- A user’s learning plan can automatically pull in all skills and courses assigned to their position/job role

## Setting up position hierarchies

There are two main steps to setting up your position hierarchy.

1. [Set up the framework](/totara-20/docs/create-a-position-framework) to capture the details of your organisational positions.
2. [Set up the position items](/totara-20/docs/create-a-position) which make up the structure.

## Examples

Below you will find several examples of position hierarchies (with screenshots).

### **Multiple position frameworks**

It is possible to set up multiple position frameworks. This could allow you to have frameworks for different teams, for example.

![List of position frameworks.](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/image-1647276250092.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-06T06%3A36%3A07Z&se=2026-11-06T07%3A36%3A07Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=7w5lAS7iQivKDfFjr0faSrJlLqJk3DBKEioocOK1zzQ%3D)

### **Positional hierarchy**

When building a position hierarchy you can have positions nested at various levels, with team members sitting below their team leads or heads of department.

![A positional hierarchy of roles within an organisation.](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/image-1647276258737.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-06T06%3A36%3A07Z&se=2026-11-06T07%3A36%3A07Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=7w5lAS7iQivKDfFjr0faSrJlLqJk3DBKEioocOK1zzQ%3D)

![Course badge](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/course-badge_positions-organisations-and-job-assignments.svg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-06T06%3A36%3A07Z&se=2026-11-06T07%3A36%3A07Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=7w5lAS7iQivKDfFjr0faSrJlLqJk3DBKEioocOK1zzQ%3D)The Totara Academy has a whole course dedicated to using [Positions, organisations and job assignments](https://totara.community/course/view.php?id=567) in Totara. Here you can learn more on how to use hierarchies and job assignments, see best practice, and give it a go yourself.

Join the [Totara Community](https://totara.community/) for more resources to help you get the most out of Totara.

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