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Learn how to create Certificates, associate them to your Courses, and automatically email them to your Delegates when they complete their Courses!

With your accessplanit platform you can upload certificate templates, that have been created in Microsoft Word!

There are special accessplanit merge fields that you can include in your Word documents, so that the information held in your accessplanit platform is automatically populated in your certificates when they are emailed out.

1. Open the Microsoft Word application

   

2. If you have an existing Certificate document, you can open this and use it as your Certificate template
   

3. If you do not yet have an existing Certificate document, use Microsoft Word’s tools to build the structure of your Certificate

   

4. Once you have the structure in place, you can add in ‘merge fields' which will pull information from your accessplanit platform into each Certificate that is generated, for example adding in the merge field of ‘course_label’ so that the name of the Delegate’s Course is included on their Certificate
   

5. The first step of adding a merge field is to find the label that is needed for the field, to do this, open the Document Template Merge Fields and Glossary and find the merge field that you would like to include, copy the label of the field from this page

   

6. Click into your Word document where you would like to place the merge field

   

7. Open the ‘Insert' menu in Microsoft Word and view the 'Quick Parts’ options

   

8. Click the ‘Field…’ option to open the ‘Field’ pop-up window

   

9. From the ‘Field names:' list scroll down and select the 'MergeField’ option

   

10. Paste in the merge field label into the ‘Field name:’ textbox

    

11. Click the OK button to add your merge field into your certificate template

    

12. Repeat steps 5-11 for each merge field in your certificate

    

13. Save your certificate file

    

1. Open the ‘Administration’ menu from the Profile options at the top-right of your platform

   

2. Open the ‘Document Templates’ menu option to access the page where you can add and edit Document Templates such as certificates and sign-in sheets

   

3. Click the ‘Add Document Template’ button to open the pop-up window where you can create a new Document Template

   

4. From the 'Add Document Template' window, complete the form to upload your certificate template

   1. Select your Training Provider from the ‘Account’ select option

   2. Provide a name for your Document Template, such as ‘Certificate of Attendance’ or ‘Certificate of Achievement’

   3. Optional: Provide a description for your document to inform your team what it is for

   4. Make sure the ‘Active’ checkbox is checked

   5. Leave the ‘Keep original document type when emailed’ option unchecked, this will mean that your certificate is sent in a PDF format so your Delegates cannot edit it easily

   6. Upload your file

   7. Leave the ‘Applies to’ option selected as ‘Course’ and the ‘Details Used’ option selected as ‘Delegate’

      

5. Click ‘Save & Close’ to finish creating your Document Template

1. From the Document Templates DataGrid, right-click your Certificate Document Template to view the context menu options

   

2. Click the ‘Edit’ option to view to the Document Template’s Details

   

3. Click the ‘Preview’ button at the bottom of the form to open the Document Generator window

   

4. From the Document Generator window, use the ‘Delegate IDs’ selector to select a Delegate who has completed a Course

   

5. Click the 'Generate' button to download a copy of the certificate for this Delegate
   

6. Review the certificate to check that the correct information is included, no information is missing, and everything is formatted as you expect

   

7. If you need to make any changes to your certificate, you can make these on your Microsoft Word document and save your changes, then update the file that is linked to your Document Template by using the ‘Upload New File’ option when editing your Document Template

   

To send your Certificate out automatically before or after your Courses run, the first step is to link your Certificate to the relevant Course Templates.

1. Open your ‘Course Templates’ DataGrid from your main menu on the left

   

2. Find the Course Template that you would like to assign your Certificate to by applying filters and/or searching the Course Templates DataGrid

   

3. Right-click on this Course Template in the DataGrid, this will show you the context menu options for this Course Template and click on the 'Edit' option

   

4. Scroll down to the ‘Document Templates’ section on the page

   

5. Use the ‘Select’ button to assign your Certificate to your Course Template

   

   
   

6. Click ‘Save’ at the top of the page to apply your changes

   

To send your Certificates out via email, you will need to create an Email Template which contains a link to the Certificate.

1. Open the ‘Administration’ menu option at the top right of your platform

   

2. Click on the ‘Email Templates’ menu option to open the Email Templates DataGrid

   

3. If you plan to copy from an existing Email Template, search for that Email Template, right-click on it and select ‘Edit’, then copy the contents of the Body, return back to the Email Templates DataGrid
   

4. Click the ‘Add Email Template’ button at the top of the Email Templates DataGrid

   

5. Give your Email Template a ‘Name’
   We recommend labelling your Email Template with the name of the anticipated recipient followed by a description of the email, such as “Delegate - Certificate of Attendance”

   

6. Select which Module your Email Template relates to, as Certificates only send about Delegates you will use one of the following:

   1. Delegates -this module is for sending emails to all Delegates and Trainers, please note that this module does not include course type specific fields for you to include in your email (such as eLearning Package information, Venue information, or Webinar Course joining information)

   2. Class Delegates - this module is for sending emails to Delegates and Trainers on Class Courses only, and it includes classroom specific fields such as venue that can be included in the body of your email

   3. Web Delegates - this module is for sending emails to Delegates and Trainers on WebCourses only, and it includes webinar specific fields such as webinar joining information that can be included in the body of your email

   4. eLearning Delegates - this module is for sending emails to Delegates on eLearning Courses only, and it includes eLearning specific fields such as the eLearning launch link that can be included in the body of your email

   5. Knowledge Document Delegates - this module is for sending emails to Delegates on Knowledge Document Courses only

      

7. Leave the ‘Email Type’ selected as ‘Normal’ as this is a transactional email, not a marketing email

   

8. Leave the ‘Creation Mode’ as ‘Free Text’ as you will be defining the content of your Email directly in the Email Template rather than first building Text Templates

   

9. Add in a ‘Subject’for your email
   We recommend including the name of the Course within the subject to catch the recipient’s attention in their inbox, you can do this by adding the merge field @@CourseOrAliasName into the Subject text box

   

10. Add in the ‘Body’ of your email
    If you copied the content from an existing Email Template, you can paste this content into here!

    

11. Use the ‘Field' drop-down option in the text editor to include merge fields such as the Delegate’s name within your Email Template

    

12. Ensure that you include the link to the Certificate, if you do not already have this link included, click on the ‘Quick Link’ option and select the ‘Certificate Link’ option to insert the link into your email

    

13. Update the wording of your Certificate link by clicking on the ‘Edit’ Link button

    

    

14. We also recommend making sure that your certificate link is underlined and centred so that it stands out on the email to your Delegates

    

15. Click ‘Save and Close’ to save your Email Template

    

16. If you would like to test your Email Template before continuing, remain on the Email Templates DataGrid, search for your Email Template, right-click on it and select the ‘Edit’ context menu option

    

17. Click on the ‘Preview’ option at the bottom of the Email Template editor

    

18. Select a Delegate from the ‘Preview Object’

    

19. Enter your Email Address into the 'Send sample to' option

    

20. Click the ‘Send Email’ button to send a copy of this Email Template for this Delegate to your Email Address

1. Open the Delegates Smart Grid that relates to your Email Template, for example if you have used the ‘Web Delegates’ module to build your Email Template, open the ‘Web Delegates' Smart Grid
   If you have used the 'Delegates’ module, you can use any Delegate Smart Grid

   

2. Apply filters to your Smart Grid to only display the Delegates that you would like to send your Certificate to
   For example, apply a filter to only display Delegates that have completed Courses, and their Invoice is paid

   

3. Use the Select-All checkbox option at the top left of your Delegate list

   

   If your list of Delegates spans over multiple pages, there will be an option at the top of your list of Delegates which will quickly selected every Delegate that meets your filter

   

4. Click on the bulk ‘Email’ option besides the Select-All checkbox

   

5. In the ‘Email Details’ pop-up window, set the Creation Type to ‘Template’ as you will be using an Email Template instead of writing an email from scratch, select your recipient from the ‘To Address’ Property, and finally select your 'Email Template'

   

6. Click ‘Send’ to send your Email Template for each of your selected Delegates!
   

7. To view the emails that you have sent, open the Communications DataGrid.

Workflow Templates are used to automate communications, this is the step where you will define the circumstances needed for your Certificate email to send, when it will be sent, and who it will be sent to!

1. Open the ‘Administration’ menu option at the top right of your platform

   

2. Click on the ‘Workflow Templates’ menu option to open the Workflows DataGrid

   

3. If you are creating a new Workflow from scratch, click ‘Add Workflow Template’ to open the new Workflow form

   

4. From the new Workflow form, enter a ‘Title’ for your Workflow Template
   We recommend labelling your Workflow with the name of the anticipated recipient followed by a description of the email, such as “Delegate - Certificate”

   

5. Select the same Module that you used for your Email Template
   

6. Provide a useful Description so that your team know what this Workflow is for
   

7. Leave your Workflow inactive for now

   

8. Click ‘Save’ to create your Workflow

   

9. After you have saved your Workflow Template with the basic details, you will be able to access the tab menu on the left to add further information

   

10. Click to open the ‘Settings’ page for this Workflow Template using the tab menu on the left

    

11. Add Rules to your Workflow to decide which Delegates will receive your automated Certificate Email
    Here are some common rules used for automated Certificate Emails, you can include as many any combination of these, as required:
    

    1. Only send to Delegates that have completed the Course

       

    2. Do not send to Delegates for their sessions (i.e. they will only receive certificates for completing non-sessional Courses and the parent Course of Sessional Courses, not each Session)

       

    3. Do not send to Delegates that have not yet completed the post-Course Survey

       

    4. Only send to Delegates that have completed specific Courses

       

    5. Only send to Delegates that have a fully paid Invoice

       

12. It is very unlikely that you will need to make any changes to any of the other settings available in the Settings page, to read more about these options please see our guide Workflows Overview
    

13. Once you have saved your Rules in the Settings page, open the Actions page to add your Workflow Email Action!

    

14. Click the 'Add Workflow Action' button

    

15. Enter an ‘Action Label’ for your Email Action
    We recommend labelling your Workflow Email Actions with the details of the email and when it will send, such as “Certificate - when the Delegate completes the Course”

    

16. Select the Action Name ‘Send an email message’
    

17. Click the ‘Save’ button at the top of the form to display the other settings on the page

    

18. After you have saved your Workflow Action with the basic details, you will be able to provide more information
    

19. Use the Action Date options to define when your email will send
    For example: ‘1 Days After Course End Date' to send the email a day after the Course
    For example: '5 minutes After Current Date Time’ to send the email 5 minutes after the Delegate meets the Workflow rules (recommended for this Workflow Action)

    

20. Check the ‘Send on Action Date Only’ if you do not want Delegates that are added to your Course after the email should have sent to receive it
    

21. Use the ‘To Address’ options to select who you would like to receive this email
    

    

    
    

22. Select your 'Email Template' from the drop-down box

    

23. As you have included a link to the certificate within the body of the email, you do not need to use the Attachments options to also attach the certificate to your email
    By including a link rather than an attachment for the certificate, your emails will have a smaller size and they will be less likely to be caught by spam filters
    

24. Click the 'Save' button to save your Workflow Email Action

    

25. Once you have added your Workflow Action, your Workflow is ready to be tested!

Before you set your Workflow to ‘Active’, we recommend that you first run a few tests to check that the formatting of your email works as you expect and to test your Certificate links.

1. Open the ‘Administration’ menu option at the top right of your platform

   

2. Click on the 'Workflow Templates' menu option to open the Workflows DataGrid

   

3. Search for your Workflow Template by applying filters and/or searching the Workflows DataGrid

   

4. Right-click on your Certificate Workflow, this will show you the context menu options for this Workflow

   

5. Click on the ‘Actions’ context menu option to open the Workflow Actions DataGrid for this Workflow
   

6. From the Workflow Actions DataGrid, right-click on your Workflow Email Action and select the ‘Edit’ option

   

7. Click on the ‘Preview’ button at the top right of the Workflow Email Action edit page

   

8. Select a Delegate from the ‘Preview Object’

   

9. This will show you a preview of the email and how it will display in the ‘Content’ section

10. Enter your Email Address into the 'Send sample to' option

    

11. Click the ‘Send Email’ to send a copy of this Email Template for this Delegate to your Email Address

    

12. If you notice any changes are needed to your Email Template, open the ‘Email Templates’ DataGrid from the ‘Administration’ menu option, edit your Email Template and save. You can then run through these testing steps again.

    

13. Once you are happy with the content of your Email Template and Workflow you can set your Workflow to Active!
    

14. Open the ‘Administration’ menu option at the top right of your platform
    

15. Click on the ‘Workflow Templates’ menu option to open the Workflows DataGrid

    

16. Search for your Workflow Template, right-click on it to view the context menu options and select the 'Edit' option

    

17. Scroll down to the ‘Active’ checkbox and check this box

    

18. Click the ‘Save’ button at the top of the page to save your Workflow as active!

1. Open the ‘Administration’ menu option at the top right of your platform

   

2. Click on the ‘Workflow Templates' menu option to open the Workflows DataGrid

   

3. Search for your Workflow Template by applying filters and/or searching the Workflows DataGrid

   

4. Right-click on your Certificate Workflow, this will show you the context menu options for this Workflow

   

   
   

5. Click on the ‘Actions’ context menu option to open the Workflow Actions DataGrid for this Workflow
   

6. From the Workflow Actions DataGrid, right-click on your Workflow Email Action and select the ‘Edit’ option

   

7. Scroll to the ‘To Address’ option and change the setting from ‘Field’ to ‘Constant’

   

8. Remove the existing content from the ‘To Address’ bar, and type in the email address(es) that you would like to receive your Certificate emails to, press enter after you have typed in each email address

   

9. Click the ‘Save’ button at the top of your page to save these changes

   

10. Repeat steps 4-6 if you have any additional Workflow Email Actions for this Workflow
    

11. Once you have set all of your Workflow Actions to send to an Administrator’s Email Address you can set your Workflow to Active!
    

12. Open the ‘Administration’ menu option at the top right of your platform

13. Click on the ‘Workflow Templates’ menu option to open the Workflows DataGrid

    

14. Search for your Workflow Template, right-click on it to view the context menu options and select the 'Edit' option

    

15. Scroll down to the ‘Active’ checkbox and check this box

    

16. Click the ‘Save’ button at the top of the page to save your Workflow as active!
    

17. During this testing period where the Certificate emails are being sent to an Administrator, if you would like to send your Certificate Email Template out to your Delegates you can do so manually by following the Manually send out your Email Template steps above
    

18. After a period of time, when you are confident that your Certificate emails are sending for the right Delegates at the right time, you then then update the Workflow Actions 'To Address' to the correct recipient and Save.