Creating a Certificate Template

A template defines a certificate's identity, layout, and validity. This article covers creating one. Designing the visual layout (the builder) and setting up automation each have their own article.

Start creating

Go to Learning → Certificates and click New Certificate. The Create Certificate Template form opens.

List of certificates with a 'New Certificate' button highlighted.

Basic Details

Certificate Name (required): the template's name, up to 50 characters.
Serial Prefix (required): a prefix for certificate serial numbers, up to 50 characters. Spaces and special characters are not allowed.
Description (optional): a short description.

Certificate Layout & Validity

Custom Fields

Select any custom fields you want to capture on the certificate (for example, a rank or student ID). These become fields you fill in when issuing.

Custom Fields are disabled when automation is turned on. Automated certificates cannot use custom fields, so if you plan to automate issuance, leave custom fields empty. If custom fields are selected, you will be told to remove them before you can enable automation.

Validity

Choose how long issued certificates remain valid:

Expire after: set a number and a unit (Days, Months, or Years).
Does not expire: no expiry.

How the PDF is generated

Choose the design method:

Use Certificate Builder (default): design visually on a canvas. After saving the form, use Go to Certificate Builder to lay out the certificate (see Designing with the Certificate Builder).
Upload Certificate Template: choose an orientation (Landscape or Portrait) and upload your own HTML Template file.

Save

Click Create Certificate (or Save when editing). You will see a confirmation that the template was created or updated.

Create Certificate Template page with fields and options for certificate details.

Use View Placeholder at any time to see the dynamic fields (merge tags) you can use, such as learner name and course name.

Some settings lock after creation. In particular, automation and its criteria cannot be changed when editing, and custom fields that have already been saved cannot be removed. Set these up carefully the first time.

What's next

To design the layout, continue to Designing with the Certificate Builder.
To issue automatically on completion, see Automating Certificates & Notifications.