There are many reasons why you want to issue digital certificates. Thus, you are looking for an easy, quick, and free program to accomplish this task. Sounds like a familiar scenario, right?
In today's article, we will tell you about creating certificates in a widely used program – Microsoft PowerPoint. What's more, you'll learn whether it's worth using this system to manage certificates and what other options you have to issue certificate documents successfully.
So, let's get started!
Certificates are your best option
Digital certificates and badges have become very popular recently. Here are a few reasons why:
can be shared on social media
can be signed with digital signatures
don't need to be handed out in person but sent to an email address
can be issued by a third-party certificate authority
are a great idea for rewarding project participants
So, if you're having trouble deciding how to reward your students, learners, webinar participants, etc., you can bet on impressive certificates! These documents can prove to be the perfect reward and a memento that will motivate recipients' further development.
What's more, such documents can be designed to fit in with your brand's visual identity and be a kind of its promotion! To achieve this, you can use editable certificate templates or build them yourself.
And best of all, the certificates are quick to build. All you need is a little creativity and good software that will do the work for you. Often such software comes with a fee, but who says you have to buy it? If you don't produce hundreds or even thousands of documents a month, a basic version of certificate maker will suffice.
But you can also use a tool you probably already have, which is Microsoft PowerPoint.
PowerPoint certificates
With PowerPoint, you can design as many certificates as you need. With this tool, you will be able to build, for example: academic certificates, award certificates, certificate of completion, certificate of appreciation, and many more.
The simple interface and wide popularity of PowerPoint are definitely among its best features. It not only allows you to create business presentations and colorful slide designs but also other simple projects, including just various credentials.
Thanks to its ease of use, many people find it useful. However, PowerPoint has some limitations that definitely slow down document creation ⛔️
➡️PowerPoint is similar to Google Slides, so if you want to know how to make a certificate in its alternative, check out this blog post: How to Make Google Slides Certificate in 5 Steps.
Why is PowerPoint not the best opinion available?
💻 It’s not a Certificate System
First of all, you have to remember that PowerPoint is NOT a dedicated system for certificate creation. You won't find many basic features there (not to mention drop-down menus, pre-made certificate elements, ready certificate layouts, certificate template styles, etc.).
While PowerPoint does offer you some templates, there are only a few of them. What’s more, using such award templates has one key disadvantage: they are very popular, which means your competitors can also use them.
As a result, you either have to create your project from scratch, or search the Internet for other awesome certificate template designs.
Pst! Certifier provides a library of free certificate templates that you can customize to your liking!
⏳ Can be time-consuming
Creating online documents in PowerPoint can be tedious. Imagine you want to send certificates to 50 recipients. With PowerPoint, you will have to type the name of each recipient MANUALLY.
The tool doesn't give you a function that fills in the names of the participants in the document yourself. And that will make delivering certificates to client not so fast anymore.
📤 Can’t send certificates in bulk
There is no such option in PowerPoint as sending certificates in bulk, which allows you to send all your documents in one go. Instead, you have the standard format for sending documents – which is – surprise – manual.
This is a huge inconvenience with 50 recipients waiting for their documents, let alone with more participants in your course.
🛠 Can’t manage your credentials
In PowerPoint, you don't have any options related to managing digital credentials. You can't see who successfully received the certificate, who opened it, whether any of the participants added it to social media, etc.
You can only save the file to your computer's desktop and come back to it when you want to edit it.
So, as you can see, PowerPoint is not as perfect a solution as you thought. Although it's easy to use, it lacks the features that are key to building, managing, and sending certificates.
The best way of creating certificates
So, instead of opting for PowerPoint, why not bet on a tool that will deliver certifications like a pro?
Certifier is an advanced certificate software that will help you create great projects, make your documents shine, and send them in a few moments. Using it, you won't have to worry about the kind of problems you encounter when using PowerPoint.
In addition to managing certificates, with this tool, you will be able to manage your recipients, create different groups and send documents only to selected users. What's more, you have marketing insights in real time so that you can make key decisions for your business.
Your company doesn't have to be a certification authority to use our system – even freelancers, small businesses, and individuals who want to benefit from the successful creation of awards can take advantage of it. Certifier is intuitive and easy to use, so that everyone can use it.
In Certifier, you can create digital certificates in two ways. Using ready-made templates (for example, a certificate of achievement template) and manually, that is, from scratch (using built-in features).
➡️ Ready-made templates
It's important for a certificate tool to have templates that will allow you to create quickly. In Certifier, you can choose from a variety of certificate themes that won't require a lot of work from you, thanks to the ready-made elements.
You can choose different types of templates, including:
🖋 Award certificate template
🖋 Appreciation certificate template
🖋 Classic certificate template
🖋 Academy certificate template
There are more than 300 templates, so you are sure to find something for you.
➡️ Creating from scratch
But if you want to get carried away with your creativity, you can bet on your own design. Choose a font, arrange the text, adjust the elements, set the background color, or, if you want, have fun with some bright colors.
Don't forget the certificate elements that need to be on the document, including a place for the appropriate authority to sign if it's a self-signing certificate.
Creating certificates in PowerPoint
Let's return to our main topic, which is designing certificates in PowerPoint. To successfully create a project using this tool, you need to follow certain steps. Here they are:
Step 1: Open a blank presentation
To do so, go to the PowerPoint or download the app. You will have a choice of a blank presentation, but below you will also find some ready-made templates that you just need to fill in.
We, however, are starting today with the blank presentation, so it's one you can choose. Immediately after that, a white rectangle will appear on which we will create.
At the top is the Menu, and on the right is the window with themes, which you can close. On the left, you have a preview of your certificates, so if you add a new slide, it will appear there too.
Step 2: Define and type text
If your screen looks like in the previous step, we can go on. Now, we will start with defining and typing text on the certificate.
To insert the text, you have to click on the project where it says Click to add title – there you add title, and Click to add subtitle – there you add other content.
But, if you want to add a new text field, you have to find Insert in the Menu. Then, on the left side, there is an A in the rectangle. If you click on this option, you will add a new text box!
Think carefully about what you wish to type and put text where you want it to appear. For example, like we just did.
We opted for two fonts – Century Gothic and STXingkai – and arranged the elements so that the awardee's name is in the center, along with the reason for the award.
Of course, you can arrange the text as you like and choose the best option. All that matters is that it should not be close to any edge so that it will not be cut off during eventual printing.
Step 3: Choose the background
Next, choose the color of the background to be on the certificate. You can choose from the colors that are available in PowerPoint and cover the entire space with them.
To do this, you need to go again in the Menu to the Drawing field, choose a rectangle and draw one of the sizes of your slide.
Then fill this rectangle with a color. To do this, go to the Shape Format tab, find Shape Styles, and select Shape Fill.
But if you want your background to be white – this is also a good choice. Then, to make it more attractive, you can focus on adding some other elements.
Or you can find images on the Internet that will fit the theme of the course/event/webinar and make a background from them. Or even better – find a graphic that will be perfect to cover the entire background.
The possibilities are many, but the choice is yours. For us, it worked out like this. We paste the background and match it to the design.
Step 4: Add elements
The background is ready, and the text also, so now it's time for the extras. Include such elements as you want in the design. We, for example, will add a rectangle under the certificate name to make it more visible. We'll also change the font color to match the design.
To do this, we select a rectangle from the Drawing section, draw it in a way that suits our needs, and fill it with color – just like in the previous step.
We will not add new graphics because then the certificate will not be readable. And now it looks good!
Step 5: Save your project and send it to recipients
And that's it! You can save your project by clicking on File and on Save or Save As.
Keep the certificate in a prominent place and send it to the participants of your event. Unfortunately, you have to do this manually.
Best practices for creating certificates
Can you see it? It's not complicated. You probably don't have to learn much to get into a routine with it. In addition to this guide, we've got three best practices for you that are sure to come in handy when designing certificates: whether in PowerPoint or Certifier.
Choose the main style
When choosing a template or creating a project from scratch, follow one style. Choose the one that best suits the theme of the course/webinar/training/classes. This way, your activities will be consistent and will be positively received by the audience. And moreover, the whole project will be clear and attractive. If you want to mix several styles, you need to do it carefully. After all, you want your project to be visually appealing, right?
Include branding
To make your credentials give 100%, try to include elements of your brand, for example, logo, color combination used by your brand, style, font, etc.
Such a procedure will make credentials become a promotion of your company and increase its recognition in the market. For example, if you add your company's logo to a document and someone shares your credential on social media, you are thereby increasing the chance that more people will know about your business and the courses you offer.
This, in turn, can lead to more interest in your products and more sales. Such a simple procedure, and so many benefits.
Less is more
Following the rule of less is more, you can assume that the simpler the certificate design, the better it will be for your target audience! Include key information and put it in the foreground.
Don't overdo the elements you add. Put more emphasis on the readability of the certificate and its structure. Graphics are great, but they can focus attention and distract from the content of the document.
Use a maximum of two fonts, but one will also be a good option. What's more, don't mix colors – bet on those related to your brand or those that match, such as two shades of yellow.
To sum up
As you can see, issuing digital certificates is a piece of cake. But only if your chosen platform supports your efforts. Then, even if you have a complicated project to do, you will still be successful in delivering the certificate files to the right people.
You don't need to struggle with unintuitive systems. Go to Certifier, sign in, and you'll be able to design attractive certificates in no time! 🎨
