Why Your Off-the-Job (OTJ) Hours Look Different Across Platforms

Summary

Apprentices and Coaches sometimes see different Off-the-Job (OTJ) hour totals depending on where they check. Sidekick, Guidance Hub, the Apprentice Dashboard, and the Learner Performance Dashboard (LPD) can show different numbers at the same time. Some of this comes from platforms updating on different schedules. Some of it is a genuine data error that needs fixing on our side. This article explains the difference and tells you what to do for each case.

Why the numbers do not always match

Each platform pulls OTJ data on its own schedule, and some update faster than others. A session you logged five minutes ago might appear on one screen before it appears on another.

The way OTJ targets are calculated has also changed over time, affecting apprentices differently depending on their start date. Some platforms have fully adopted the newest calculation rules while others are still catching up. This can create a gap between two screens for the same Apprentice.

We're keeping this section general on purpose. The exact refresh timings and calculation details are still being confirmed internally, so treat this as the general shape of the issue rather than exact mechanics. If you need specifics for your case, contact Support.

Break in Learning (BIL)

BIL is the single biggest cause of OTJ confusion we see. Two separate problems show up under this heading.

First, some Apprentices return from a BIL to find their target has continued rising as if no break happened, putting them further "behind" than they should be.
Second, some see the opposite: their target stayed frozen for longer than the break itself, so it looks artificially low.

Before reporting either of these, check whether your target simply reduced after your break. That can be an expected change, not an error.

See Why Your Off-the-Job (OTJ) Hours Target Has Reduced.

If what you're seeing doesn't match that, report it through the Multiverse Support Team rather than waiting for it to self-correct.

After Gateway

A related and easily-missed case: your OTJ target can still increase after Gateway. This can happen because of a government transition-hours recalculation for some standards. But we can't confirm from the screen alone whether that applies to your case, so don't assume a post-Gateway increase is correct without checking. Contact Support to verify it before treating it as expected.

Told about a change that hasn't shown up yet

If you were told by email or by your Coach that a number of hours would be added or deducted, and your tracker still doesn't reflect it, that's a separate case from the timing gaps above. Waiting won't fix it. Contact Support with the date you were told and the figure you were promised.

Is this a display delay, or a genuine error?

Not every mismatch is the same kind of problem. Use this to work out which applies to you.

What you're seeing	Likely cause	What to do
Numbers differ by a small margin across platforms, no other issues	Refresh timing or calculation-method gap between platforms	Keep logging as normal, recheck in 24 to 48 hours
Target jumped to a very different number (for example, showing hundreds of hours more than expected)	Likely a genuine data error, not a timing gap	Contact Support with both figures
Logged hours have dropped, reset, or disappeared	Likely a genuine data error	Contact Support immediately, do not re-log from scratch first
Target rising or frozen after a BIL	Known BIL calculation issue, unless your target simply reduced (see BIL section)	Contact Support so it can be corrected on your record
Target changed after Gateway	May be an expected recalculation, may not	Contact Support to confirm which applies to you
You were told a change would happen but don't see it	Update not yet applied to your record	Contact Support with the date and figure you were given

If you're not sure whether a gap counts as "small," or if it affects whether you look compliant ahead of a Gateway or Progress Review, treat it as worth checking rather than waiting it out.

What to do in the meantime

Keep logging your OTJ hours as normal, in the same place you usually use. Logging itself is not affected by this issue.
If the gap between platforms is small and nothing else looks wrong, check again in 24 to 48 hours before doing anything else.
If your total looks significantly wrong, has dropped, or shows a number that makes no sense, contact Support straight away with both figures you can see.
If you are approaching Gateway or a Progress Review and the numbers disagree, speak to your Coach. They can check your position with the data team directly. Their screen can show the same lag or mismatch as yours, so it isn't a separate source of truth.
If this follows a BIL, tell Support which dates the break covered. This helps them correct the target faster.
If you were told about a change that hasn't appeared, contact Support with the date and figure rather than waiting for it to update.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Questions	Answers
Question: Why do Sidekick and Guidance Hub show different OTJ percentages for the same Apprentice?	The platforms currently refresh on different schedules and are not yet fully aligned on the newest calculation rules. Small differences are expected. A large or sudden difference is not, and should be reported to Support.
Question: Which number is correct, the one on my Apprentice Dashboard or the one my Coach sees?	Neither view is confirmed as the definitive figure while this work is ongoing. Your Coach's tools can show the same lag yours does. If the two disagree by more than a small margin, ask your Coach to check your position with the data team, or contact Support directly.
Question: My target is much higher than I expected. Is that part of the same issue?	It can be, particularly after a Break in Learning. Contact Support with the figure you're seeing and the one you expected. Do not assume it will correct itself.
Question: My logged hours have dropped or disappeared. What do I do?	Contact Support immediately. Do not start re-logging your hours before you've reported it, as this can make reconciling the record harder.
Question: My OTJ target went up after I passed Gateway. Is that a mistake?	It might be an expected government transition-hours recalculation for some standards, or it might not be. We can't tell from the screen alone which applies to you. Contact Support to confirm before assuming either way.
Question: My hours didn't pause during my Break in Learning. Is that the same problem?	Yes, this is one of two known BIL-related issues, alongside targets that stay frozen too long. First check whether your target simply reduced as expected (see the linked article below). If not, report it to Support with your break dates.
Question: I was told my hours or target would change, but I still don't see it. What do I do?	Contact Support with the date you were told and the figure you were given. This is a separate issue from the timing gaps described elsewhere in this article, and won't resolve itself.
Question: Is there a date when this will be fixed?	Not yet confirmed. This article explains the current known causes and will be updated once the platforms are fully aligned.
Question: My OTJ target has recently reduced. Is that related?	That can be a separate, expected change. See Why Your Off-the-Job (OTJ) Hours Target Has Reduced before assuming this is the same issue.