Certificates - Genius Enterprise Legacy/Custom

Genius certificates are based on PDF forms. In order to create, update, or modify the certificate for the training offerings, one needs to have access to the PDF editor software such as Adobe or Nitro Pro 9 to create the form. 

What you will need to create and utilize a certificate:

1. A general idea of what the certificate should look like
2. All the graphic that will be used, including images, logos, static signatures, etc.
3. Variables for the learner and course properties.
4. Access to the system Administration to upload the new file

Certificate background

For any non-graphic designer use whatever program is the most convenient to create the certificate background and place static images, e.g. Power Point, Publisher, etc., that can export your final result into the PDF format.

• Add any graphic, logos, background images and watermarks prior to creating the form.
• Add any static disclaimers or text that should be a part of the final certificate.
• Leave enough room for the variables to be placed, e.g. a training may have a long multi-line title.
• Save the result in the PDF form.

Using PowerPoint to create the certificate base.

PowerPoint has multiple pre-loaded certificate options. Simply search for one to preview. Alternatively, you can create the design you want with the PowerPoint tools.

The final desired certificate look will contain the following variables:

• Learner full name (First name and Last name).
• Training offering full name.
• Date when the training was completed.
• A signature on the left

Static objects include:

• A signature on the right
• Certificate text
• Certificate background graphic

Remove all the boxes for the current variables, so that empty space is dedicated to the new form field in the PDF editor. Save the file as PDF document.

Example PDF form

If you are working with an existing PDF form, after upload right click on the desired box to “Unlock Form Field”.

Create the fillable PDF form using Adobe.

1. Open Acrobat, click on the “Tools” tab and select “Prepare Form.”
2. Upload the prepared PDF certificate. Single File option - converts an existing electronic document (for example, Word, Excel, or PDF) to an interactive PDF form.
3. Click Start. Acrobat creates the form and opens it in the Form Editing mode. The right pane displays options for editing the form. The toolbar contains form field tools for adding additional fields.
   
4. Add fields using the form field tools in the toolbar. Delete, resize, or arrange the fields as needed. Use Text fields for the learner name, training name, date.
5. Double-click the field to open the Properties window or use the “All Properties” link.
   • In the General tab, the Name - Specifies the unique name of the selected form field.
   • The Appearance tab determine how the form field looks on the page. Change the color, font family and size as needed.
   • The Options tab allows to change the Alignment and Multi-line (allows more than a single-line entry in the text field.)
6. To test the form, click the Preview button in the toolbar. Previewing a form allows you to view the form the same way the form recipients will and gives you a chance to verify the form. If you are previewing a form, you can click the Edit button to go back to the edit mode.
7. Save the form once complete.

Upload certificate to the system

Loading the certificate form into the system requires admin level access or privileges.  

1. Log into the system as an admin
2. Click on Administration > Operations menu > Certificates
3. Use “Add new certificate” link to upload newly created PDF form.
   
4. Fill out the enquired information for name, type (course, section, learning path or affiliation), show download certificate (yes, no – to allow the learner to download it or not), status (active, archived)
5. Save changes.
6. Use the certificate in the course, section or learning path normally.

In order to test the variables, enroll and complete a learner in the course. Log in as that learner and click on the completed course to download the certificate.

Genius allows an organization to have multiple certificates in the system for courses, sections, learning path and affiliations.

• If the course certificate is listed, it will be used as a default for all the sections of that course
• If section certificate is listed, it will overwrite the course level certificate.
• The learning path certificate is issued when all the required courses of the learning path are completed. At the same time, the learner can download the course/section certificate separately if allowed.
• Affiliation certificate is applied as a default when the course and section have none listed.