How To: Design a certificate template

Overview

A certificate template contains the following components:

• A name
• A background image
• Text to be displayed on the certificate (dynamically inserted), which can include
  • Pre-defined text
  • Values from the learner's profile (e.g. Name)
  • The name of the certification
  • The date the certificate was awarded
  • The expiry date (where applicable) for the certificate
  • The score associated with the certificate

You will need to supply the background image (in PNG or JPG format), the text (in Word or Notepad format), and a marked up sample (in PNG or JPG format) with your request. Please ensure that images are high quality and the correct orientation and size (A4 aspect ratio). Finally, please provide the name that you would like for this template (you will use this to select this template when configuring a certification).

Styling

We only support a number of fonts so any text that you want in a specific font, must be included in the background image.

Below is a lot of fonts we support:

• Roboto-Regular (This is the default)
• Roboto-Bold
• Courier
• Courier-Bold
• Courier-Oblique
• Courier-BoldOblique
• Helvetica
• Helvetica-Bold
• Helvetica-Oblique
• Helvetica-BoldOblique
• Symbol
• Times-Roman
• Times-Bold
• Times-Italic
• Times-BoldItalic
• ZapfDingbats
• Almarai-Regular

Text to be dynamically inserted can either be positioned centrally (vertically or horizontally), or positioned in a predefined location on the page. Where text should be positioned in a predefined location, you should supply guidance on the expected location with the request.  

Anything other that dynamically inserted text must be included in the background image. This includes any logos, signatures, and lines.  

Examples

The following examples show how to supply a marked up sample, specifying the required wording, placeholders to be added, and the background image that should be supplied in each case.

Note: All of the examples use the landscape orientation, but portrait layouts can also be used; simply supply the background images and marked up sample in the require orientation. These examples also are all using A4 page size, but US letter can also be supported. 

Example 1

This first example does not include any text in custom fonts, so all text can be inserted automatically, and no text is required in the background image. 

This image shows a marked up version of the template. Placeholder text (to be replaced with actual values) is included in square brackets.

The background image required to go with this is shown below. Note that the title text (in the alternate font), as well as the signature, and job title are all included in this image.

In addition to supplying the two images above, the following text should be supplied in a text file (note the alignment requirement next for the DATE text:

Certificate of Completion
[LEARNER NAME]
has successfully passed
[CERTIFICATION NAME]
on [DATE]
with a score of [SCORE]

Finally, a name must be provided e.g. "Pass Certificate with Score".

Example 2

In this example, all text is aligned centrally horizontally, with the learner's name on a line. Additional predefined text appears below the line, with the name of the certification, the award date, and the score added dynamically. The template also contains the fixed text "CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION" in an alternative font, as well as a logo, signature (with job title), and other iconography. 

This image shows a marked up version of the template. Placeholder text (to be replaced with actual values) is included in square brackets.

The background image required to go with this is shown below. Note that the title text (in the alternate font), as well as the signature, and job title are all included in this image as text styles cannot be changed for text added by the system.

In addition to supplying the two images above, the following text should be supplied in a text file:

[LEARNER NAME]
HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED
[CERTIFICATION NAME]
ON [DATE]
WITH A SCORE OF [SCORE]

Finally, a name must be provided e.g. "Completion Certificate with Score and Signature".

Example 3

This example is very similar to the first example, however this certificate is an "Certificate of Attendance" rather than a "Certificate of Completion". When you are designing your certificate template(s) give consideration to why your user's might be awarded a certification (e.g. completing an item, passing an item, attending an event session, after validation of submitted CPD records), and ensure you have an appropriate template to meet the requirements. You can have multiple certificate templates configured on your system.

This image shows a marked up version of the template. Placeholder text (to be replaced with actual values) is included in square brackets.

The background image required to go with this is shown below. Note that the title text (in the alternate font), as well as the signature, and job title are all included in this image.

In addition to supplying the two images above, the following text should be supplied in a text file:

[LEARNER NAME]
HAS ATTENDED
[CERTIFICATION NAME]
ON [DATE]

Finally, a name must be provided e.g. "Attendance Certificate with Signature".

Example 4

This example is the same as the first example, except "COMPLETED" is replaced with "PASSED". You should consider if you require a different certificate for when a user passes a course, as opposed to completing a course. 

This image shows a marked up version of the template. Placeholder text (to be replaced with actual values) is included in square brackets.

The background image required to go with this is shown below. Note that the title text (in the alternate font), as well as the signature, and job title are all included in this image.

In addition to supplying the two images above, the following text should be supplied in a text file:

[LEARNER NAME]
HAS SUCCESSFULLY PASSED
[CERTIFICATION NAME]
ON [DATE]
WITH A SCORE OF [SCORE]

Finally, a name must be provided e.g. "Pass Certificate with Score and Signature".

Example 5

This example includes the expiry date for the certificate, in addition to the values included on the previous examples. This example also displays the award date in an alternative location on the certificate. Note the red box that indicates the desired location for the date. When requesting text other than centrally aligned, please indicate the required location, using a box to show the boundaries, as well as preferred alignment within that area. In this example the text is right-aligned within the bounded area. 

This image shows a marked up version of the template. Placeholder text (to be replaced with actual values) is included in square brackets.

The background image required to go with this is shown below. Note that the title text (in the alternate font), as well as the signature, and job title are all included in this image.

In addition to supplying the two images above, the following text should be supplied in a text file (note the alignment requirement next for the DATE text:

[LEARNER NAME]
has successfully passed
[CERTIFICATION NAME]
with a score of [SCORE]
this certificate expires on [EXPIRY DATE]

[DATE] (align right within area)

Finally, a name must be provided e.g. "Pass Certificate with Expiry Score and Signature".

A Word document containing the source for each of the examples on this page, can be found attached to this article.