Initially, Word was created to be used as a text editor. You can use it for creating digital documents such as notes, reports, letters, quizzes, homework assignments, and sometimes even books.
But is it a good fit for creating certificates?
Let's check that out.
Microsoft Word as a certificate maker
Word offers a selection of certificate templates good for many occasions. This software lets you find aesthetic templates that can be modified and adjusted to your needs. You can choose the font and change the color or orientation. It is possible to make it from scratch or to use a pre-made template.
But are they appealing?
It seems that a long time has passed since Word's templates were updated. Their appearance is far from professional so they might be a good option for individual usage, but not for companies.
What's more, to make certificates for a bigger group of attendees, you have to write everything manually. There is no other way of saving all the certificates on your computer or in the cloud.
Unfortunately, you have to copy the name from your list and paste them into a Word document. If you have lots of participants, it can take hours to create certificates for them in this software.
How to make certificates with Word?
Nevertheless, Word is pretty easy to use, and you are already familiar with its interface. So if you still wish to create certificates with Word – we will show you the easiest way to do that.
Firstly, think of the topic of the course or workshop. How do you want it to appear on a certificate? Funny, elegant? Think of certificate colors, fonts, and general appearance.
Using the template
To use a template, follow these steps.
Open the word and click on the File tab
Then click New
Type certificate in the Search text box to find some certificates templates
You can find a ready-to-fill-in template for different occasions. These can be business, casual, and also fun, kid-friendly certificates. For examples Certificate of Achievement, Certificate of Excellence, Certificate of Participation, Thank You Certificate, Most Valuable Player Certificate, Diploma Certificate, Christmas Gift Certificate, and some more. Choose the one that suits you best.
Choose the template.
Select Create.
Then the template is downloaded to your Word document from the cloud where Microsoft Words keeps them all.
Now you can edit the template as you want.
Customize the template as you need to use different fonts, sizes, and colors. There are many to choose from. Add the date and the recipient’s name, and if you want, add a personal message on the certificate.
You can change the position of the text, but it can be difficult to do it smoothly. There are no guidelines that are helpful in terms of placing the text, so it’s challenging to get any reference points.
All of the templates are available for users who have a legally registered version of Microsoft Word. This is the only way they can use the templates as their own. To use Word for certificates, you have to pay for the Microsoft Office application pack. Alternatively, you can use Word docs in your browser.
Creating a certificate from scratch in Word
It is possible to create certificates in Word on your own. These are the steps you need to follow:
Open a new Word document.
You will see a blank document.
Click the Layout tab.
Change the orientation into Landscape.
It is a typical format for certificates, but if you want to keep it vertically, skip this part.
Go to the Design tab.
Select Page Borders.
Choose a Style or Art, the color and size you like. Click the Box option. To see the outcome, click OK.
Then add text boxes. Change the font, sizes, and colors as you want.
You can select an image from the internet or a computer and upload it if needed.
Drawbacks of making certificates in Word
Word is a great program for many things – but making a certificate is not one of them.
⛔️ It is hard to make certificates intuitively
Microsoft Word is not a tool whose main feature is creating certificates. There are many other options it’s better suited for - writing notes, resumes, newsletters, business reports, marketing materials, calendars, team collaborations, and many more. It’s great to have that many opportunities, but it is easy to get lost.
⛔️ Word documents do not provide precision
The templates are colorful but a little bit out-of-date. Making them from scratch is possible, but you need to write all the details manually. Even if you have a list, you need to copy and paste each entry, name by name.
⛔️ Sending certificates to your attendees takes a lot of time
There is also another issue with sending certificates to all your participants. It is not a problem if you only have a handful of people to send them to. But if there are hundreds of attendees, it can get messy. In such a case, you need to send the certificates to all of your course participants manually, one by one.
Writing the names one by one is time-consuming. Additionally, sending certificates to your participants does not speed up the process. You would spend hours creating end sending them.
Word is not intended to be used as a certificate generator. The templates and possibility to generate the diplomas are rather one the options than the purpose of it. That is why you can face some troubles while creating certificates for your attendees.
As mentioned, Word is one of the most popular text editors – millions of people use it. Once you choose a Word template, there is a high chance that your certificates will look the same as everyone else’s.
But what would you say, regardless of the number of participants, about designing and sending the certificates in 15 minutes?
Yes, it is possible. Also, it is easy, accessible, and enjoyable.
A better alternative for creating a Certificate in Word
Certifier will help you save time and will make the process easy and fast. It is a certificate issuer and creator. This tool allows you to build custom digital certificates in minutes, not hours. Only with a few steps and a few clicks.
The tool is oriented in that task; to build and send the certificates to the recipients. That is why it is so intuitive. You do not need to look for options that you can use to change, add a text box, or to change the color. All the options there are to make your certificates visually appealing.
Certifier offers over 200 templates for literally every occasion. Ready-made certificate templates are available in the gallery. They are suitable for business and casual purposes. Everyone can find what they need.
Webinar Certificates, Marketing Course Certificates, Social Media Workshops, Certificate for the Employee of the Month, Certificate for the Most Effective Player in a Team, Diploma for the Scariest Halloween Costume, and many more.
You can find everything that you need or design it from scratch. And be happy with the results.
If you want to create a modern certificate in minutes ➡️ sign up for a free trial
Certifier Features
Now you know what Certifier is, so let us show you some more advantages of this tool.
#1 Certificates can be shared effortlessly
Certifier enables creating visually appealing certificates. It is an important factor, especially if you run a business. With Certifier, you can make elegant, clear, and appealing certificates or diplomas that can be easily shared on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter.
If certificates are unattractive, there are lower chances of sharing them on social media. Thanks to Certifier, these problems are solved.
#2 High-quality user experience
Additionally, the interface makes the experience really enjoyable and intuitive. Task manager contains only 5 tabs, and each of them is used for creating certificates. The whole process can be done quickly and painlessly.
#3 Marketing insights provided
After sending the certificates to your recipients’ group, you can get the statistics of who opened, downloaded, or shared the certificates. You can get information about sharing to LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook. So, it is also a way of promoting your business.
➡️ See more free Word certificate templates: 64 Free Word Certificate Templates
#4 You can edit after sending
Another feature that none of the certificate generators has on the market, is the ability to edit certificates after you’ve sent them out. You can easily correct mistakes if there were some. All you need to do is find the certificate with a mistake, correct it and resend it with a couple of clicks.
How to create certificates in Certifier?
Similarly to Word, Certifier provides pre-made templates of certificates and also gives the opportunity to make a certificate from the ground up. Follow these steps to make your own certificates.
Sign up
To create certificates, you should create an account. All the certificates will be in one place, stored safely in the cloud. No need to create a separate folder with documents. After creating the account, confirm your email address. Confirmation is in the email box that you gave.
Make a list of participants
All you need to do is make a CSV file with 2 columns - the participants’ names and email addresses.
Design a certificate
Choose Design to make certificates. You can use a pre-made template or do your own and adjust it and change it as you like. All the tools for editing are in one place, close at hand.
👉🏻 If you want to create a certificate from scratch
- Choose your certificate paper size and orientation.
- Upload a background.
- Fill the document with text, adjust the font size, decide on colors upload your logo or other elements.
👉🏻 Using certificate templates
Head to the library and choose the template suitable for the occasion. For sure, you will find an appropriate option for you. A webinar, online schooling, a course, and workshops.
Add attributes
If the design is done in both cases: editing a template or making certificates from scratch, add attributes. This option enables to sending of certificates in bulk to the recipients.
Attributes include Recipient Name, Certificate ID, Issuer Name, Issue Date, Expiry Date, and Course Name. Remember that placing all the mentioned data is not a good idea.
Do you want to know about good practices in certificate design? Learn from the best ➡️ 14 Best Practices of Certificate Design (Google, Harvard, AWS, etc.)
Send to the attendees
You have uploaded the spreadsheet with names and email addresses, so it is almost ready. Now all you need to do is to click Publish and Send. And a printer-friendly PDF document is already in your participants’ email boxes.
In a nutshell - Comparison Table
Here is a table with the aspects that we already mentioned to give you a broader look.
If you want to create beautiful, professional-looking certificates and not spend forever on sending and writing them, Certifier is a great option. It is tailored for your needs – templates for every occasion, easy to use, and fast to send.
Also, it offers many benefits that give marketing insights and promote your business.
Sign up for a free trial and take advantage of the enjoyable and easy process of making certificates!
