Certificate Designer User Guide

Dock

Updated on

May 5, 2023

This step-by-step guide will show you how to make customized certificate templates.

Custom Certificate Design

Video Demo

Start with a template

1. You can get to the template options in these two ways:

a) From the menu, select Designs and click Create Design

Select design to start a credential template

b) Go to Credentials>Issue Credentials>Select a template and then you will have the option to create a new design, select an existing template, or continue without a design.

A second way to get to the design templates

2. There will be several templates to get started. Choose a landscape or portrait template.

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Import a PDF Template

You can import an existing PDF design where you can add your custom credential fields.

1. Go to Designer and click Create Design

First step in creating a custom Verifiable Credential design

2. Ensure your PDF credential template is:

A max of 2 MB
A4 size: 21.0 cm wide x 29.7cm high (portrait) and 29.7 cm wide and 21.0 cm high (landscape)
If you’re exporting from Canva, be sure to flatten PDF when exporting the template in PDF format

3. If you’re using Canva to make a PDF design, go to Design, type “certificate designs”, choose a template, and edit the elements as you prefer. All of the custom fields will be set up in Dock Certs.

Setting up a Verifiable Credential certificate in Canva

4. Export the Canva design by clicking on Share and Download

Select PDF Standard as the File type, check Flatten PDF, and click Download.

5. Go back to the Designer section in Dock Certs, click Import PDF Credential, and select the PDF file.

6. Click on Attributes and select which credential fields you want to add to the template. You can choose which color, font, and size you want the information to appear in. Once this is done, select Save Design.

In this example, I added the recipient name (Subject Name) and the date that the certificate was awarded (Issue Date).

7. You will see the new design template saved

You can view the custom Verifiable Credential designs

Images

Add an image or QR code

Select Elements>Add Image or Elements>Add QR Code

Delete an image

Mouse over the image you want to delete and select Delete

Clone an image

Mouse over the image you want to clone and click Clone

Remove the template background image

Go to Setup>Remove Background Image

Add a background image

Go to Setup>Add Background Image

Text

Add text

Go to Elements and select the headings and text you want to add

Edit text

Click on the text you want to edit and select Edit

Delete text element

Hover over the text you want to delete and select Delete

Certificate Fields

Add certificate fields on the template

You can choose which fields you want to appear on your template. The details will appear on your design after you issue the credentials. Subject refers to the recipient or item that the credential is being issued to.

To add specific fields on your template, select Attributes in the menu then choose which details you would like to appear.

If you want your organization’s logo (Issuer Logo) and description (Issuer Description) to appear on your credential, you have to fill out those details in your Issuer Profile (DIDs).

If you don’t have a logo or description and want to add it to your certificate template, click on Issuer Profiles in the menu, select the profile you want to update or click Create Issuer Profile to make a new Issuer Profile.

Issuing a Credential With the Template

Using the template

Once you have finished your credential design, click Save & Issue on the top right

2. Add the recipient details. If you want to add recipients one by one, select Add Manually. If you want to add multiple recipients at once, select Import Spreadsheet.