Certificates

The system supports two types of certificate:

1. Certificate of Completion
2. Statement of Attainment

Certificates can be linked to catalogue items and generated when users complete the learning (certificate of completion) or are part way through the learning (statement of attainment).

Certificates are based on PDF templates containing form fields that are populated with user and learning details. Click on the thumbnail below to check a generated certificate of completion.

A default certificate can be uploaded to the system or specific certificated pending on the learning asset type.

You’ll need two applications to complete your certificate template. These are:

• A document editor, such as Microsoft Word
• A PDF editor, such as Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

There are two broad steps required in the process of creating a certificate template.

Step one – creating your document layout

Use a document editor such as Microsoft Word to create a document and add the static text and images. Once the design is complete and saved as a Word document, save the document in PDF format.

1. Open your document editor (e.g. Microsoft Word).
2. Create a blank certificate layout as required.
   Remember to leave blank spaces for the merge fields in the PDF – this is where details from the system, e.g. the learner’s name, will be added.
3. Save the document to local or network storage as a Word document.
4. Re-save the document as a PDF.

Step two – adding form fields to your PDF document

Use a PDF editor such as Adobe Acrobat Pro DC to add form fields into the PDF document. The required fields must be named using the correct field name as listed at the bottom of this page.

Example process using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC:

1. Open the PDF document you created in step one.
2. Go to theTools tab. Under Forms and Signatures select Prepare Form.
3. The PDF document you just opened should be automatically selected (if not, select Change File and choose the correct file). Select Start.
4. Adobe Acrobat will scan the file and add form fields where it determines they should go. As needed, use the Prepare Form toolbar to edit the created fields, delete fields, or draw new fields to fit with your design.
5. Each field added must be named correctly to match an available form field in the system (refer to the list at the bottom of this page for details).
   For each field in the PDF:
   • Right-click the field and select Properties.
   • On the General tab, enter the field name in the Name: text box.
     • For example, enter FullName to include the user’s given name and surname via the Full Name field.
       
   • On the Options tab, enter the same field name in the Default Value: text box.
     • For example, enter FullName again.
       
       The field in the PDF will now display the field name that was entered.
   • Repeat steps a to c above for all required fields.
6. Save the PDF.

Certificate form fields

The form fields are listed in the table below. These can be also be viewed in the system by navigating to Settings > Tenant Settings and accessing the Certificate Templates section.

Include QR Codes on Certificates

Janison Academy can generate and include QR codes on certificates.

Note the following points about enabling and using QR codes on certificates:

• When a certificate’s QR code is scanned, an unauthenticated preview page is displayed (i.e. without needing to be logged-in to the system), containing an overview of the learner’s enrolment and completion of the relevant catalogue item. The page also contains a link to log in to the system to see more details.
• Once QR codes are enabled, these preview pages will be available to unauthenticated users even without them having scanned an authorised QR code.

To enable the inclusion of QR codes on certificates

1. Go to Settings > Tenant Settings.
2. The Tenant Settings screen will display. Select Certificate & Statement of Attainment Certificates to expand the panel.
3. Select the QR Code checkbox.
4. Select Save Settings at the bottom of the screen.

Including the QR code token on a certificate template

To include a QR code on a certificate, an image field with the token QRCode needs to be added to the certificate template. Only one QR code can be added to a certificate. See the help content on creating certificate templates for more information.

Upload Certificate Templates in Settings

Certificate templates can be linked in the tenant settings area or in the catalogue item. Templates uploaded to a catalogue item override templates uploaded in tenant settings.

Browse to Settings > Tenant Settings.

1. Select Certificate Templates.
2. Enter a Format for Certificate Number (optional). You can read more about this topic in our document on certificate number generation.
3. If you are using one certificate template for all learning types, upload a certificate to the Default Certificate Template.
4. If you are using unique certificate template per learning type, upload a separate certificate to each learning type.

5. Select Save Settings.

Attach Certificates

Certificates can be added in two locations in the system:

1. On each catalogue item
2. At the Tenant Settings level

By default, certificate templates uploaded in the tenant settings will be used by all catalogue items. Linking a certificate template directly to a catalogue item will override the certificate template uploaded in the tenant settings.

Attaching certificates to a catalogue item

1. Browse to Manage Learning > Manage Catalogue
2. Search for and select required catalogue item
3. Click Edit Catalogue Item from the Actions menu
4. Scroll to and expand the Basic Settings section
5. Select either:
   • Has Certificate or
   • Has Statement of Attainment
6. This will activate two additional fields
   • Certificate Code and
     • Certificate Code and
   • Certificate Template.
     This is your PDF document created with layout and merge fields
7. Select Save Catalogue Item.

Certificate Number Generation

Certificates each have a unique number generated by the system. Once a certificate has been generated for a user, the number will not change. If the certificate number format is customised as outlined below, the certificate number will not change for a user who already has their certificate.

By default the number includes three tokens, {code}{########}/{year}.

• {code} is the first four characters of the catalogue item identifier.
• {########} are the numbers from the unique user enrolment guid.
• /{year} is the current year.

The example below is from a certificate where the certificate number has been generated using a default certificate format.

WHAT is first part of the catalogue item identifier {code} .

00000055 are the eight user enrolment numbers {########}.

/2017 is the year the certificate was generated {/year}.

Customising the certificate number format

You can include or exclude any of the three tokens outlined above by editing the Format for Certificate Number field. For example you could just include the user enrolment number. This would ensure a unique number for every certificate.

It would appear on the certificate like this.

You can add characters in addition to one or more of the tokens.

It would appear on the certificate like this.

Customising the certificate number at the catalogue item level

The certificate number can be customised further for individual catalogue items. Whatever you enter at the catalogue item level, it will replace the {code} token. In this example we have left the format for certificate number field blank in the tenant settings. We recommend selecting a format that will result in a unique number for each certificate.

We added Sydney in the Certificate Code field at the catalogue item level.

The certificate will be generated without the four letter catalogue item code, WHAT, this token will be replaced with Sydney.

In this example we have customised the format for certificate number field. Note that you must use the {code} token as part of your format.

We have again entered Sydney as the Certificate Code at the catalogue item level.

The certificate number will appear as below.

View Certificates

There are several places in the system where learners can access their certificates.

My Learning Transcript

Certificates can be accessed from My Learning Transcript. See the document on My Learning Transcript for further information on how to enable the Certificate column.

When launching a catalogue item

When a learner launches a catalogue item, an interim screen is displayed where the certificate can be accessed. Your screen may look different depending on the configuration of your catalogue items.

My Account

Learners can view certificates by accessing the account details from the home menu. The certificates field will need to be made visible in the details view of user settings for this section to display. You can read more about this topic in our document on user settings.

Statement of Attainment

The progress of competencies attached to a catalogue item or learning asset within a catalogue item can be shown on the Statement of Attainment (SOA).

An SOA can be downloaded before the learner has completed the catalogue item.

Please note the following prerequisites:

• SOAs must be enabled in tenant settings before an SOA template can be attached to a catalogue item.
• SOAs require competencies to be linked to the catalogue item or learning asset.
• All linked competencies for the catalogue item must be included on the SOA template.

To enable SOAs

1. Go to Settings > Tenant Settings.
2. The Tenant Settings screen will display. Select Certificate & Statement of Attainment Certificates to expand the panel.
3. Select the Statement of Attainment checkbox.
4. Select Save Settings at the bottom of the screen.

To create an SOA template

SOA templates are created in the same way as certificate templates and can include the same tokens as certificates, but must also include references to all linked competencies for the catalogue item.

Each linked competency must be referenced by a corresponding line in the SOA template. For example, if there are 10 linked competencies, there must be 10 lines referencing these in the SOA template. Each competency line must contain 3 fields:

• Competency ID – for example: Competency.0.ID
• Competency name – for example: Competency.0.Name
• Competency status – for example Competency.0.Status

An excerpt from an example SOA template is shown below:

To attach an SOA template

Note: While default certificate templates can be set at the tenant level and overridden at the catalogue item level, SOA templates can only be attached at the catalogue item level.

1. Navigate to Manage Learning > Manage Catalogue.
2. The Catalogue Manager screen will display. Select the required catalogue item.
3. The Catalogue Item: [Name] screen will display. Select Actions > Edit Catalogue Item.
4. The Edit Catalogue Item: [Name] screen will display. Under Basic Settings, select the Has Statement Of Attainment checkbox.
5. The Statement of Attainment Template section will display. Select Select files…, to browse your files and select the SOA template.
6. The selected file will be uploaded. Once complete, the Done and 100% messages will be displayed, along with the template’s file name.
7. Select one of the following:
   • Save Catalogue Item at the bottom of the screen to save the SOA template for the catalogue item.
   • Select files… to replace the uploaded file with a different file.
   • The X next to the uploaded file to remove it.
   • Cancel at the bottom of the screen to exit without saving any of your changes.