To configure a certificate, switch editing on, go to your course’s homepage and click on certificate. Then go to the Administration block on the left-hand side of the screen and click on Edit certificate.

On the new page that opens you can edit the Name of the certificate and adjust its dimensions. By default the certificate is set up with portrait A4 dimensions: 210 mm wide and 297 mm high. (If you’d prefer a landscape-oriented certificate, you should change the Width field to ‘297’ and the Height field to ‘210’.) Left and right margins are set at 0 mm by default.

If you click on the Save changes and preview button at this stage, you will see that your certificate is a blank sheet of paper. Certificates do not work from a pre-loaded template: you need to add any design elements, including creating any artwork – which must leave space for dynamic elements such as learners’ names and the date the certificate was issued.

(We have created a very basic example of a certificate’s background image for you to download and use in the following instructions to see what a certificate would look like. You may also want to adapt this image for your own use.)

To add a background image to the certificate, switch editing on, go to your course’s homepage and click on certificate. Then go to the Administration block on the left-hand side of the screen and click on Edit certificate.

Under the Right margin field, ensure that Background image is selected from the drop-down list and click on the Add element button.

You can add a background image in either of two ways: 

• You can drag an image saved on your computer into the area indicated. After that:
  • click on the image and update the Author details – these default to your name, which might not be correct
  • select the correct licence in the Licence chooser field
  • click on Update to confirm. 
• You can click on the Add... button at the top of the box. After that:
  • click on the Choose File button and navigate to where the image you want to use is saved on your computer
  • update the Author details, if necessary
  • select the correct licence in the Choose licence field
  • click on Upload this file to confirm. 

A thumbnail of your image will then appear in the Upload image box.

Click on the Save and continue button so that the platform can register that the image has uploaded.

After the page refreshes, go to the Image drop-down list and change the selection from ‘No image’ to ‘Course image: [your image’s filename]’.

Click on the Save changes button to return to the Edit certificate screen.

The Background image element has now been added to your list of elements. Now if you click on the Save changes and preview button you’ll see a preview that includes the background image you just uploaded.

You are now ready to add other elements to your certificate. There are several options available in the drop-down list, but the most common ones are ‘Student name’ and ‘Grade’.

For example, select ‘Student name’ from the drop-down list and click on the Add element button.

On the new screen select the Font, Size and Colour that you want the name to appear in. All three should be chosen so that they complement the background image. You can choose the colour by clicking on an area of the colour block or by typing a hex colour code into the field below it.

Click on the Save changes button. The Student name element now appears in your list of elements.

When you have added all the elements you need, click on the Reposition elements link.

A preview of the certificate will appear, showing the elements that you have defined stacked on top of each other in the top-left hand corner of your certificate. (Note that Student name will appear as your name.) Drag each one into the correct position on your certificate.

Click on the Save and close and then the Save changes and preview buttons to ensure that you’re happy with your final design.

You can update the size or colour of text in any of the dynamic elements by clicking on the cog icon next to each element in the box. You may need to click on the Reposition elements link to adjust where any edited elements are placed on your certificate before saving the changes.

You can add a second page to the certificate using the + Add page link. Configuring the second page is done in the same way as the first page.

When learners start to meet the restriction criteria and the certificate is issued to them, the Course Manager will see the following information for each learner: name, email address, awarded on (day, date, time), code, file download link (PDF).

(The learners will only see the link to their own certificate on the page.)