> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://faq.exode.biz/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Setting up certificates > How to turn on certificates in a course, choose a template, add a signature and stamp and set a validity period. You set up certificates separately for each course. Turn them on and save the settings once: after that, every student who completes the course gets a certificate automatically. > [!NOTE] > > The section is available to staff with the course management permission. A course bundle has no **Certificates** section — set up certificates in each course of the bundle. ## How to turn on certificates **1. Open the certificates section** Go to **Courses**, open the course and choose **Certificates** in the course menu. **2. Turn on certificates** Turn on the **Issue a certificate** toggle. The template gallery and the **Certificate details** block appear. **3. Choose a template** Scroll through the gallery and stop at the template you need: the template in the center is the selected one. The **Preview** button opens a sample certificate with test data and your school's name and logo. If you do not choose anything, the platform uses the first template in the gallery. **4. Fill in the certificate details** Fill in **Signature caption (full name)** and **Signer role**. The default role is “School director”. If needed, upload a **Signature image** and a **Stamp image** and choose a **Brand color**. **5. Set the validity period** If the certificate should be valid for a limited time, turn on **Certificate validity period** and enter the **Validity period in months**. If the toggle is off, the certificate never expires. **6. Save the settings** Click **Save** at the bottom of the page. You will see the **Certificate settings saved** message. The **Cancel** button restores the last saved values. > [!WARNING] > > Changes on this page are not saved automatically. If you leave the page without clicking **Save**, the platform warns you about unsaved changes. ## Settings fields | Field | What it sets | Limits | | - | - | - | | **Issue a certificate** | Turns on certificates in the course | A certificate is issued only if certificates are turned on and a template is selected | | Template | The certificate design | Chosen from the gallery. You can order your own template through the **Custom template** card → **Want to add my own** | | **Signature caption (full name)** | The name of the person who signs the certificate | No more than 255 characters | | **Signer role** | The position under the signature | No more than 255 characters | | **Signature image** | An image of the signature | An image. You can edit it before uploading | | **Stamp image** | An image of the stamp | An image. You can edit it before uploading | | **Brand color** | The accent color of the design | A color in HEX format. The **Clear** button returns the school theme color | | **Validity period in months** | How many months until the certificate expires | A whole number from 1. Empty means no expiry | ## When the student gets a certificate The only condition for issue is that the student completed the course. To do that, the student clicks the **Complete the training** button. When this button appears depends on the course progression settings: | Progression mode | When the **Complete the training** button appears | | - | - | | Sequential (default) | On the last lesson of the course, if the lesson has no practice or the practice is already passed | | **Free lesson progression** | When all lessons with content are completed | After the click, the platform issues the certificate in the background, usually within a few seconds. The course page updates by itself: first the student sees **Your certificate is being issued…**, then **Certificate received** with the **Share** and **View** buttons. ## What is locked in at the time of issue The certificate gets the values at the time of issue: * the student's full name from the profile; * the course name and the number of lessons with content available to the student; * the school name and its icon, which you set up in [Logo and icon](https://faq.exode.biz/en/general/school-setup/logo-and-icon.md); * the template, signature, stamp, signature caption, role and brand color from the course settings; * the issue date and the expiry date. If you change the settings later, certificates that were already issued do not change. Learn more in [Editing the certificate](https://faq.exode.biz/en/general/gamification/editing-certificates.md). ## Edge cases * **Certificates were turned on after students completed the course.** They do not get a certificate: the platform issues a certificate only at the moment of completion. * **Error when saving.** The “Select a certificate template” message means certificates are turned on, but no template is selected. The “The certificate template is unavailable” message means the selected template can no longer be used. Choose another template in the gallery and save again. * **The template became unavailable.** If the selected template was removed from the gallery by the time the course is completed, no certificate is issued. Open the section and choose another template. * **The certificate could not be issued.** The platform retries up to 5 times with an increasing interval. If all attempts fail, the certificate does not appear, and the student sees only the **You have completed the training** message. * **The student's name is empty in the profile.** The certificate is issued without a name, and the certificate shows “Course participant” instead (“Слушатель курса” on the Russian version of the page). If the student fills in their name later, the issued certificate does not change. Ask students to fill in their full name before they complete the course. * **Texts are too long.** The certificate page will not open if at least one value exceeds the limit: the student name and school name — 160 characters, the course name — 240 characters. ## Frequently asked questions > **Why did the student complete the course but get no certificate?** > > Check three things. Were certificates turned on and the settings saved when the student clicked **Complete the training**? Did the student click this button — going through all lessons is not enough. Is the selected template available? If it was removed from the gallery, no certificate is issued. > **Can I issue a certificate manually?** > > No. The interface has no button for manual issue. A certificate appears only after the student completes the course. > **Can I upload my own certificate design?** > > Not by yourself. Scroll the gallery to the **Custom template** card and click **Want to add my own**. This opens the support chat in Telegram, where you can discuss a custom template. > **Why don't I see my signature and stamp in the preview?** > > The preview shows the template with test data: a fictional student, course and signature. From your school data, it uses only the name, logo and theme accent color. The signature, stamp and brand color of the course appear in real certificates. > **Do I have to upload a signature and stamp?** > > No. If the images are not uploaded, these blocks are simply not shown on the certificate. > **Can I set the validity period in days or years?** > > No, only in months, as a whole number from 1. For example, for two years enter 24. If you do not need a validity period, leave the **Certificate validity period** toggle off. > **Where does the logo on the certificate come from?** > > From the school icon. If no icon is uploaded, the template shows the first letter of the school name. > **What color will the certificate be if I don't choose a brand color?** > > The accent color of the school theme. If it cannot be determined, the default orange color is used. > **The student takes the course in free order. When will they get a certificate?** > > When they complete all lessons with content and click **Complete the training**. If at least one lesson is not completed, the platform shows the “Not all course lessons are completed” error. *** *Updated: 2026-10-17 07:07 UTC* This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.