Most articles covering SCORM video are geared toward the LMS administrator opening the package on the receiving side. However, this article is targeted at those who created the content prior to handing it over to the LMS (editor, producer, motion designer) to ensure the video tracks completion, continues from where the user left off and does not fail across multiple LMS.
If you produce training video production on a regular basis, there is a good chance you’ve received a video back due to either incomplete tracking or the package size was too large (i.e., 1.6 GB) and caused the LMS to choke. Solutions to these issues are usually located above the packaging process.
What is SCORM? (and what is a “SCORM video”?) The complete guide
SCORM is short for Sharable Content Object Reference Model. It is a standard developed by Rustici Software (SCORM.com), which outlines how e-learning content communicates with a Learning Management System. A SCORM package (.zip file) contains a manifest (imsmanifest.xml), which explains to the LMS how to begin presenting the content, what to track and how to determine its scoring.
A “SCORM video” is merely a shorter version of saying: we need this wrapped up in a SCORM compliant format. The actual video inside is simply referred to as the content object. When someone asks you: “can I get this as a SCORM video?” What they really want you to do is create an HTML5 player around their MP4, wrap the player in a SCORM compatible package, set up the manifest to call out cmi.completion_status = completed; cmi.success_status = passed; along with other attributes such as time-on-task and quiz scores when the learner completes viewing the video.
Why can’t you just upload your MP4 to your LMS platforms?
You can upload an MP4 into most newer LMS systems. The MP4 will play. However, it will not track.
An uploaded MP4 plays within the LMS’s HTML5 player and sends no information back to the grade book. Even though the learner may reach the final point of the MP4, the LMS may mark the asset as “viewed” if it even assigns an attribute at all. In addition, the system provides no record of watch percentage, pause points, etc., nor does it provide records of quiz results.
Wrap your same MP4 in a SCORM compliant package and the player makes an api call to the LMS reporting completion status (i.e. Cmi.completion_status = completed), success status (i.e., cmi.success_status = passed), time on task and quiz results. If compliance reporting, certificate triggering and auditing are requirements for your training, then using SCORM (or xAPI, see below) is required.
Even if your use case involves only counting how many times an internal video was played and you only require native analytics from the LMS, for example, onboardings, regulatory and certifications require SCORM (or xAPI).
SCORM Versions: 1.2, 2004, xAPI & cmi5
Most of the search traffic revolves around this question. Most articles do half of it right. Below is the Version Map.
SCORM 1.2 was released in 2001 and is still the most widely accepted version of SCORM as of 2026. All LMSs that accept SCORM also support 1.2. Basic tracking is provided including completion status, scores, times completed and lesson_status which combines completion and pass/fail results. Use 1.2 as the base version unless you are sure about what version your LMS accepts.
SCORM 2004 (the 4th edition is currently valid) was released in 2009 and provides better sequencing options, two distinct completion and success statuses and provides better interaction tracking. If you have complex branching logic or you require “viewed all” and “completed successfully”, choose 2004.
xAPI (Tin Can API) is the newer alternative to SCORM, published in 2013. This alternative allows for tracking of learner activity beyond a traditional LMS and reports to a Learning Record Store. Flexibility abounds with xAPI. However, xAPI does not act as a direct replacement for SCORM in most LMS systems due to the additional requirements needed for an LMS system to support an LRS.
cmi5 is xAPI within an LMS using a launch profile similar to SCORM from an administrator perspective. For new development projects on an LMS that will be able to provide cmi5 support, cmi5 provides a cleaner solution than other alternatives.
Based upon acceptance rates by LMS vendors, here is the true 2026 ordering: SCORM 1.2 for universal compatibility, SCORM 2004 4th Edition for increased tracking capabilities, cmi5 if available from your LMS vendor, and xAPI for analytics beyond the confines of your LMS. Do not take the “SCORM is Dead” YouTube videos seriously. In their 2025 SCORM explainer Titus Learning Team clearly states: “SCORM continues to remain the top standard.”
Converting a Video Into a SCORM Packaging content
There are three primary ways to accomplish converting a video to a SCORM compliant format.
Path #1: Authoring Tool
Drop the MP4 file into iSpring Suite, Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate, Lectora or ActivePresenter. Add a quiz or completion trigger. Export as either SCORM 1.2 or SCORM 2004. Cost for these applications varies but some approximate pricing follows:
- iSpring Suite is $970/user/year, with iSpring Cloud AI at $720 and iSpring Suite AI at $1,290.
- Articulate 360 is $1,449/user/year on Personal and $1,749/user/year on Teams.
- Lectora’s Studio Gold Suite pricing is $129/month.
- ActivePresenter provides a free tier without requiring sign-up and provides export capability for SCORM 1.2/2004 out-of-the-box (Source).
- Example of iSpring usage by one user: “I started using iSpring Suite when I was beginning my eLearning career and I am now a Senior ID and continue to use iSpring Suite today. It’s one of the best SCORM compliant authoring tools available.” (iSpring Blog)
Path #2: Dedicated Wrapper
If you simply wish to track a video for completion and do not need quizzes, then consider using a dedicated wrapper. Rustici’s SCORM Cloud includes a Content Packager. Cinema8 creates interactive video wrapping. LearnBrite creates simple wrapping for standard video. Generally faster than opening an entire authoring application if all you need to create is the manifest.
Path #3: Code it!
Hand rolling requires creating the imsmanifest.xml file, creating an HTML5 player that makes calls to the SCORM API (`API.LMSInitialize`, `API.LMSSetValue`, `API.LMSCommit`, `API.LMSFinish` for 1.2; `API_1484_11` for 2004), and zipping it. There are open source wrappers such as pipwerks/scorm-api-wrapper which can greatly reduce the complexity of doing the programming work.
If you are producing a one-off video with a single multiple choice check, ActivePresenter or Camtasia ($179-$180/year) would be the quickest route. If you are creating more complex branching scenarios then Articulate or Lectora. If you are producing content weekly, then coding is likely going to pay off financially quickly.
Video types: HTML5 video; SCORM packaged video; LMS native video
There are three options that represent a trade-off curve.
- HTML5 Video, will play in all environments, has no tracking information and is the lightest payload option available. It should be used if you do not need to know whether learners viewed the video.
- Video wrapped into a SCORM package will play wherever SCORM plays, and reports completion and any questions as well as their answers back to the LMS. The SCORM wrapper adds about 50 to 200KB to the overall file size. If the video is an important part of a course or program, and completion needs to be reported, this is a good option.
- Native video within an LMS (such as Vimeo, Kaltura or built-in LMS hosting) will only work within the confines of the LMS and does not require a SCORM wrapper. Since each LMS has its own player, and they are different than one another, this type of video works best for internally produced content where the LMS provider is able to host the content. This is where video hosting options for LMS become relevant, because while native players offer a higher level of quality than the other two options, quality varies across platforms.
As stated by iSpring regarding SCORM wrapped video, “while many modern authoring tools are capable of producing SCORM content using HTML5, these productions tend to have lower quality than native HTML5 versions, particularly if you have a large amount of rich media such as videos in your courses.” (Source). You should test your encoded outputs. I have personally observed 4K master recordings being re-encoded down to around 720p, with some degradation of audio.
What to measure, Completion status; Time spent viewing; Quiz results; learner data
In practice there are four metrics that are generally tracked in video-based courses: Completion (cmi.completion_status in 2004, cmi.core.lesson_status in 1.2); Success (cmi.success_status in 2004); Total time spent watching (cmi.total_time); Score (cmi.score.scaled or cmi.core.score.raw).
You should wire completion to trigger at least 95 to 100% of the way through viewing the video. In general you should also wire success based on the learner achieving a minimum score on a quiz, rather than simply completing the video.
If your LMS allows you to use both SCORM 1.2 and xAPI, you may also track xAPI verbs played, paused, seeked and completed directly from the video itself providing watch-curve data that cannot be captured by SCORM 1.2.
The best settings to ensure smooth SCORM packaging
The best way to avoid headaches when you export your master is by having the right settings from the start. This includes:
Video Codec and Container: H.264 MP4. DO NOT USE H.265, VP9 OR PRORES. All SCORM packagers and LMS video players will be using H.264 Baseline or Main Profile.
Video Resolution and Bitrate: Video resolution 1080P @ 4 to 6 Mbs for one-on-one video training. 720P @ 2 to 3 Mbs if you’re looking to save some space on your files and your users are using their corporate VPNs. More than 8 Mbs on 1080P is just unnecessary overhead.
Audio Settings: Use AAC for your audio codec. Use stereo at 128 to 192 Kbps. One narrator? Use mono. It does not matter as long as there is only one person speaking.
Caption Options: Include a separate .VTT file along side your video. Both iSpring and Articulate support importing VTT files. Using closed caption tracks is better then using burn-in captions because they can be audited for accessibility purposes.
Chapter Markers: Make sure to include chapter markers in your master. These will automatically convert into a navigation bar on both iSpring and Articulate authoring systems. Without these markers, students will have to “scrub” through the video blindly.
Duration of Individual Videos: Do not use videos longer than 8 minutes. While videos longer than this may work, learner drop-off rates increase significantly after 10 minutes, and using a 25 minute video that has to resume between browsers will expose all weaknesses in how bookmarks are handled within an LMS. Consider breaking up longer sessions into individual chapters and then put each one into its own SCO in a SCORM 2004 package.
File Naming Conventions: Avoid using spaces or special characters in your filenames. Also, always use lower case letters. Example: module_03_safety_lockout_v04.mp4, not Module 3, Safety Lockout (FINAL FINAL v4).mp4. Authoring tools will handle spaces. Some LMS unzip programs will not.
To get even more information about e-learning video production specs please refer to our full video production specs article below.
Test Your SCORM Video Before Roll-Out
Always test your SCORM video on SCORM Cloud first. This is what I mean by always, Rustici’s testing tier costs $3.60 per user on Medium ($100/month), $.40 per user on Big ($300/month), and $.25 per user on Bigger (4000 users) (Rustici Pricing). So if your company produces new modules each week and your packaging team has to run quality assurance tests, Big is probably your best bet. If your course doesn’t fire completion events on Cloud, it won’t fire completion events on your production LMS either.
Once you’ve successfully tested on Cloud, test your course on a staging version of your production LMS. Most companies have different configurations of behavior between Cornerstone, Docebo, SuccessFactors, Workday Learning, Moodle, and Canvas. Resume points are also inconsistent between platforms. A course that passes on Cloud and Moodle can fail when you configure it strictly on Cornerstone.
Most common SCORM packaging errors caused by editors
All ‘the package does not work’ tickets can be traced back to the following issues:
- A master was created using HEVC. The authoring software then encodes to H.264 again. The video will have an audio drift. The completion trigger will fire prior to the last frame of the video being shown.
- Captions were embedded into the image. They were delivered as sidecar VTT files. Both the embedded captions and sidecar captions show up on the screen.
- Chapter markers were inserted in the NLE. However, they were removed when exporting because “Match Sequence Settings” removes chapter markers.
- Filenames contain parentheses or ASCII characters. The unzipper in the LMS silently fails and a blank SCO is loaded.
- One 22 minute video is packaged as a single SCO instead of 3 chapters SCOs within a SCORM 2004 package. This makes resuming where a learner left off very difficult.
- A VTT file contains CRLF line endings and was authored on Windows. Any LMS player that cannot read CRLF line endings will fail to recognize them and turn off the display of captions.
The majority of these issues are fixed with a spec sheet placed against the editor’s wall. We maintain a SCORM Video Production Spec Sheet (file naming convention, codecs, captioning, chapter markers, etc.) and treat it like a check list for each hand-off.
If you’re looking for tools to convert long-form footage to small sections of trackable modules, please refer to our notes on authoring tools that export microlearning based on SCORM and video for interactive training that uses branching scenarios.
FAQ about SCORM video production
Will SCORM be used in 2026? Yes. It is currently the most widely adopted LMS content standard. XAPI and cmi5 are increasing in popularity however; many enterprise level LMS’s continue to require SCORM.
Use SCORM 1.2 or 2004? If possible, use SCORM 1.2 for compatibility across all platforms. Use SCORM 2004 4th edition when separate completion and pass/fail states are required or when sequencing is required.
Can SCORM be used without an LMS? No. SCORM packages call an LMS API. SCORM Cloud is the exception as it is a hosting platform that allows for SCORM to be played from anywhere.
Can a SCORM video be updated without uploading again? Not through standard SCORM functionality. Easygenerator‘s “Dynamic SCORM” includes a remote link to a video, allowing for updates to occur without having to upload again (Easygenerator). Dynamic SCORM is vendor specific and not a part of any standard SCORM capabilities.
Does Camtasia export xAPI? No. Camtasia exports SCORM 1.2 and 2004 with quiz tracking information. One article compares Camtasia to other products stating “One drawback of this product is it does not support xAPI” (Source). For xAPI/cmi5 export, consider using Articulate, iSpring or Lectora.
How large should a SCORM video package be? Ideally under 500MB if possible. Many LMS systems set upper limits on how much data may be uploaded per session (i.e., 1GB).
Which is the least expensive packaging tool available? ActivePresenter offers a free version with SCORM 1.2 & 2004 export and no sign up required. For a paid option, Camtasia is offered starting at $179-$180 per year if you wish to edit your videos in addition to creating SCORM compliant versions.
If you need your videos edited and packaged as SCORM ready, our editors create H.264 masters with caption sidecars, chapter markers and follow the filename standards needed for seamless packaging. Send us a sample episode and we will begin producing your first episode according to your exact specifications for your LMS team.
