How To Create Certificates of Completion

Finish successful employee training with a certificate of completion.

Handing out a certificate of completion at the end of a seminar or employee training course is a good way to validate effort and provide documentation for inclusion in a resume or portfolio. If the cost of commercial printing is prohibitive, consider using word-processing software to create your own. Creating certificates of completion using your imagination and a word-processing program is less costly but just as effective.

Things You'll Need

• Word-processing program
• Paper
• Printer
• Certificate of completion template (optional)

Instructions

1. Set page layout and margins. Page orientation for a certificate should be in a landscape type layout and margins should be as narrow as your software program will allow, typically 0.5 inches on all sides.

2. Create the outside border. Use formatting options in your program to experiment with different border types. For a more formal border, choose straight lines and for a more casual appearance, choose curves or swirls. If your program contains border templates in the formatting menu, select a template border to save time.

3. Draw a text box to fill the area inside the border. If your program displays margin lines by default, decide if you want to make them part of the design or remove them. If you decide to keep them, most programs have options for formatting a text box that enables you to modify margin thickness and color. If you do not want margin lines to show, look for an option to make the margin line invisible.

4. Type in the text you want to add using the default font, then set line spacing, signature and date lines. When you are satisfied with placement and wording on your certificate, start experimenting with different font styles and sizes. A good font style for a for the certificate title and recipients name is a script style that looks like cursive writing, set in a font size of approximately 26 for the title and 36 for the recipient's name. Use a smaller font size, such as 14 or 16, for the section of the certificate of completion that explains the accomplishment and the date line, and try a less decorative font type. The signature line at the bottom of the certificate should be set to the smallest font size, usually no larger than 10.

5. Print a test certificate of completion on plain paper and make adjustments if necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• For a business on a budget, using certificate paper with a preprinted border may be a more cost effective option.

• Another option for creating a certificate of completion is to modify a predefined template. Look for a template you can download to your desktop and save rather than using an onsite certificate creator.

• You will achieve better results by using a laser printer, especially when printing a certificate of completion that contains numerous graphics or multiple colors. Ink from an inkjet printer is wetter than laser toner and smears easily.

• If you use certificate paper with a preprinted border, print a test certificate on plain paper before committing the design to certificate paper. After printing the test certificate, place it behind a sheet of certificate paper, hold it up to a light source, and ensure design elements are in the right places and appear as you intended.

References

• "Word 2007: Inside Out"; Katherine Murray, Mary Millhollon and Beth Melton; 2007
• Computor Companion: Create a Certificate in Microsoft Word
• Open Office: Page Layout Tutorial

Resources

• Certificate Paper: General Information
• Office.Microsoft.com: Certificate Templates
• Open Office: Certificate Templates