Certificate Management

Certificates recognise learner achievement. This article explains how to design a certificate, link it to one or more courses, and how certificates are emailed and downloaded.

For video walkthroughs, see the Coursebox YouTube video library.

Create a certificate

You design certificates in a drag-and-drop builder. Add text, headings, images, a background, lines and learner fields, then set the paper size and orientation.

1. Select Achievements from the left menu. The Certificates tab opens. The other tabs are Deleted certificates and Badges.

2. Click New Certificate.

3. Enter a name for the certificate in the field at the top left.

4. Use the toolbar on the left to add elements, and drag them into place on the canvas.

5. Click Save.

Toolbar (left side):

• Add text: add a paragraph of text.

• Add heading: add a larger heading, such as a title.

• Add image: upload an image, such as your logo or a signature. Select an image to set its width, height and opacity, or lock its aspect ratio.

• Add background: choose a preset background or upload your own.

• Add lines: add divider or signature lines.

• Add fields: add fields that fill in automatically for each learner.

• Position: arrange, align and layer elements (see below).

Select any text to change its Font, Size and Color, apply Bold, Italic or Underline, and set the alignment.

Add learner fields

Click Add fields and choose a field. Each one is filled in when the certificate is issued:

• Firstname Lastname: the learner's name.

• Course Title: the course they completed.

• Completion date: the date they finished the course, not the date they enrolled.

Add a background

Click Add background and choose a preset: Classic, Modern, Navy, Minimal, Elegant, Corporate, Emerald or Sunset. To use your own design, click Upload your own background. For A4, use an image of 210 mm x 297 mm.

Arrange, align and layer elements

Click Position in the left toolbar, or select an element and click Position in its settings panel. The panel has two tabs.

Arrange (select an element on the certificate first):

• Forward, Backward, To front and To back: move the element in front of or behind other elements.

• Align to page: line the element up with the Top, Middle or Bottom, or the Left, Center or Right, of the page.

• Advanced: type an exact Width, Height, X and Y position and Rotate angle. Click the lock to keep the width and height in ratio.

Layers lists every element on the certificate, including the Frame. Drag a layer up or down to change what sits in front, or use the arrows. Click the lock on a layer so it can't be moved by accident.

Set the paper size and orientation

Use the controls at the top right of the builder:

• Paper size: click the size (for example A4) and choose A4, A3, A2, A1 or Letter.

• Orientation: click Landscape or Portrait to switch.

• Undo, redo and zoom.

• Preview: see the finished certificate full screen.

Add a signature

A signature appears on every certificate issued from that template. You can add it in two ways.

Option 1: Upload a signature image

1. Click Add image and upload an image of the signature. A PNG with a transparent background looks best.

2. Drag the image so it sits just above the signature line.

3. Drag the corner handles to resize it, or select it to set its width, height and opacity. Lock the aspect ratio so it doesn't stretch.

Option 2: Type the signature as text

1. Click Add text. A text box saying Click to edit text appears.

2. Click the text box and type the signer's name.

3. With the text selected, change the Font, Size and Color. A handwriting-style font gives it a signature look.

4. Drag the text so it sits just above the signature line.

Click Save when you're done.

Edit, download, clone or delete a certificate

On the Certificates tab, click a certificate to open its menu:

• Edit: open it in the builder.

• Download: download a copy.

• Clone: make a copy to start a new design from.

• Delete: move it to Deleted certificates.

• Manage: link it to courses (see below).

Search certificates

Use the Search by certificate or course name bar at the top of the Certificates tab. It's shown in the first screenshot in this article.

Link a certificate to a course

1. On the Certificates tab, click Manage on the certificate. The Include Course window opens.

2. Under Required Learning, search for the course in Search by name... and add it. Each course you add appears as its own row.

3. Drag the handle on the left of a row to reorder it, or click × to remove it.

4. Click Save.

Award one certificate for completing more than one course

You can link more than one course to a certificate, for example to award one certificate for a full programme. Learners get the certificate only when they've completed every course under Required Learning.

1. Click Manage on the certificate.

2. Under Required Learning, search for and add each course.

3. Drag the rows to set the order.

4. Optional: tick Force Completion Order if learners must complete the courses in that order.

5. Click Save.

Download and email certificates

Certificates are emailed to the learner automatically when they complete the course, or, for a certificate linked to more than one course, when they complete all of them. This email follows the learner's own Certificate Completions notification setting. If they've turned it off, they won't get it. Admins, course owners and facilitators aren't notified when a learner earns a certificate. To get an alert when someone finishes a course, use the Zapier Course Completed trigger.

How learners download their own certificate

Learners don't need to wait for the email or ask an admin. Every certificate they've earned is on their profile:

1. Open your Profile.

2. Scroll to My Expertise and select Certificates.

3. Click the certificate icon next to a course to download the certificate.

Admins can download a certificate from its menu on the Certificates tab (see Edit, download, clone or delete a certificate).

Regenerate a course completion (resend a certificate)

Super Admins can regenerate a learner's completion and trigger the certificate again.

1. Go to Users and open the learner's profile.

2. Select the Reports tab.

3. Find the course and click the circular arrow in the last column, after Result.