The Certificate Builder allows you to create and customize branded, professional certificates that auto-fill with relevant data. This article explains how the editor works, including grid layout, text tools, placeholders, and best practices.
In this article:
Understanding the Grid System
Certificate Layout Tools
Text Formatting & Placeholders
Creating Certificate Templates: Best Practices
Frequently Asked Questions
Additional Resources
Understanding the Grid System
Certificate layouts are built using rows and columns. Each row can contain one or more columns that hold text, images, or placeholders.
Accessing the Certificate Builder
You access the Certificate Builder from an existing certificate template. Use this section to confirm you are in the correct place before editing layout or formatting.
Follow these steps to open the Certificate Builder:
- From the admin dashboard, click Administration.
- Click Settings, then select Certificate Templates.
- In the Certificate Templates list, select an existing template or click +Create Template to create a new one.
- If creating a new template, complete the required fields and click Save.
- Click Go to Editor to open the Certificate Builder.
Once the editor loads, you can begin building or updating the certificate layout using rows, columns, text blocks, images, and placeholders.
Certificate Layout Tools
There are a number of ways to build out and customize your template. Using the appropriate menus, you can position text, images, and placeholders exactly where and how they should appear on the final certificate.
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Click the Background Image button on the right side of the builder to upload the image for this template. The background is used for borders, frames, and watermark-style designs. It sits behind all other content on the certificate and is separate from the logo controlled by your Theme settings (if using one of the default templates as a base). File requirements:
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When you first open a certificate template you’ll see a single empty row. This is your starting point for building the layout of the certificate. At the top of the row, the row toolbar appears. These controls help you begin structuring the certificate:
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You can create your own template from scratch. Click the EMPTY placeholder. Selecting this opens the element menu where you can add text blocks, images, and other elements. Once you select your base template or add your first element, the layout tools and column controls appear, allowing you to continue building and arranging the certificate structure. |
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When a row contains content and you click inside its boundary (but not directly on a text or image element), the column controls appear on the left side of the row.
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The top toolbar appears above the row and provides editing options that affect the active element or the row as a whole.
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Grid controls appear on the right side of the row and let you manage the row’s position and overall layout.
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Text Formatting & Placeholders
This section covers how to style text and insert placeholders. Use these tools to format headings, adjust spacing, and automatically pull learner or object data into the certificate.
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When you click into a text area, the text editing toolbar appears at the top of the builder. These controls let you insert placeholders and format the selected text.
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Placeholders automatically populate with real learner, object, or certification data when the certificate is generated.
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[CERTIFICATION_PLAN_DESCRIPTION]Description of the certification plan. -
[CERTIFICATION_PLAN_NAME]Name of the certification plan. -
[CLEARCO_ID]User’s ClearCompany system ID. -
[COMMENTS]Comments on the completion record. -
[COMPLETION_DATE]Date the learner completed the item. -
[COMPLETION_TIME]Time of completion. -
[COURE_CREDITS_]Credits assigned (if applicable). -
[CURRENT_DATE]Date the certificate is generated. -
[EVALUATION_MANAGER_FULL_NAME]Evaluation manager’s full name. -
[FACILITY]Learner’s facility (if used by your org). -
[FACULTY]Learner’s faculty/department. -
[FIRST_NAME]Learner’s first name. -
[FULL_NAME]Learner’s full name. -
[JOB_TITLE]Learner’s job title. -
[LAST_NAME]Learner’s last name. -
[LOCATION_]Learner’s location field. -
[OBJECT_AUTHOR]Author of the object. -
[OBJECT_LENGTH]Length/duration of the object. -
[OBJECT_NAME]Object or course name. -
[RECORD_ID]Completion record ID. -
[SCORE]Score the learner received. -
[THEME_LOGO_IMAGE]Logo defined in your active theme.
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When selecting a text element, a small text submenu appears at the lower right of the row. This submenu provides quick actions:
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Clicking … opens the More menu, which includes the following actions:
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Selecting Settings opens the full text-block configuration panel. This menu contains multiple tabs:
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Creating Certificate Templates: Best Practices
Follow these best practices to create certificate templates that look professional, align properly, and work reliably across different layouts and screen sizes.
- Use Preview Changes frequently to check layout and spacing.
- Optimal background size: 1485 × 1100.
- Logos on the default base template and logo placeholder come from the Theme that is assigned to the learner: Admin Dashboard → Settings → Themes.
- Keep text centered for formal certificates unless your branding dictates otherwise.
Creating Certificate Templates FAQ
The logo in the default base template and placeholder is set
by the Theme that is assigned to the learner,
not the
certificate editor.
Go to Admin Dashboard → Settings → Themes and
upload your logo
there.
Once updated, the new logo automatically appears anywhere you
use
the [THEME_LOGO_IMAGE] placeholder.
Background images must meet the editor’s requirements:
- Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, bmp
- Minimum width/height ratio: 1.35 (e.g., 1485×1100, 1080×800, 810×600)
- Maximum width: 1485px
To upload a new background, click Background Image in the right-hand menu of the editor.
If alignment seems off, there are two ways to correct spacing:
- Add line breaks: Place your cursor and press Enter to increase vertical spacing.
- Use the “More” menu: Click the … icon on the text submenu, then click Settings, followed by Spacing to adjust margins (top/bottom) to fine-tune the layout.
You can also use the alignment icons on the text toolbar to center or left/right align the selected text.
Placeholders such as [FULL_NAME] or
[COMPLETION_DATE] only populate when a certificate
is
generated for a learner.
In the editor, they always appear as bracketed text.
If a placeholder does not populate on an actual certificate, verify the corresponding field exists in the learner’s record.
Yes. Click a row or column to reveal structural controls, or click directly on an element to access its formatting tools:
- Move: Drag rows using the right-side move icon.
- Resize: Adjust column widths or add/remove columns.
- Spacing: Add margins or padding from the text “More” menu.
Rows, columns, and text elements all expose different toolbars depending on where you click.
Additional Resources
ClearCompany Learning: Certificate Templates
ClearCompany Learning: Certification Plans vs Assignments — Best Practices
ClearCompany Learning: Themes
ClearCompany Learning: Custom HTML Page Editor
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