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Create a Certification

Updated

 

The Goal: Create a new certification program in GrowthZone, configuring its name, completion criteria, pricing, and other settings so contacts can be enrolled.

Before You Begin:

  • If you plan to assign a Certification Category, set up your category lists first. See Continuing Education Initial Setup for instructions.
  • If you will provide a certificate on completion, create the Certificate Template first. See View/Modify Templates for instructions.
  • If the certification has prerequisites, those prerequisite certifications must already exist in the system.
  • If you will charge a fee, ensure the Fee Item is already configured.
  • If you will attach Terms & Conditions, create those in advance or be prepared to create them from this screen.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Go to Events & Learning, Continuing Education section, click Certifications. Then click the Add Certifications button.
  2. On the Add Certification window, configure the following:screenshot
    • Name (Required): Provide a name for the certification. This name will be used publicly when displaying certification opportunities in the Info Hub.
    • Code (Optional): Enter a code associated with this certification.
    • Version (Optional): Enter the version of this certificate. Useful if requirements change from year to year.
    • Description (Required): Enter a description of the certification. This will be displayed publicly and may be helpful for your members.
    • Certification Category (Optional): Select the category for this certification. Useful for sorting, finding, and reporting on certifications.
    • Certificate Template (Optional, but recommended): If you will provide a certificate on completion, select the desired template from the drop-down list.
    • Determine Certification completion via (Optional, but recommended): Select the completion method — All Components Completed, Hours/Credits, or Do Not Track Completion.
  3. If Hours/Credits is selected as the completion method, configure the following in the Hours/Credits/Units section:
    • Hours Required / Credits Required: Enter the required hours OR credits for certification completion.
    • Hours to Maintain / Credits to Maintain: If this certification requires hours or credits to maintain validity, enter those minimums here.
  4. Configure optional date and expiration settings:
    • Enrollment Start Date / Enrollment End Date (Optional): Select the start and end dates of the enrollment period.
    • Expires (in months after completion/activation) (Optional): Enter the number of months after completion that the certification expires.
  5. Configure additional options as needed:
    • Require Admin Approval (Optional): Creates a checkbox in the Tracking area requiring a staff member to approve before the member can proceed.
    • Prerequisites (Optional): Click the blue plus icon to add prerequisite certifications. Type-ahead functionality will find and populate associated code/version information. Repeat to add additional prerequisites.
    • Is Active: Enabled by default. When checked, the certification is available and will appear in the Info Hub for enrollment.
  6. If charging a fee, configure the Pricing section:
    • Fee Item: Select the Fee Item. Click the gray plus icon to create a new fee item if needed.
    • Short Description: Defaults to the fee item description. Edit if necessary — this appears as the line item on the invoice.
    • Member Price: Defaults to the fee item price. Edit if necessary.
    • Allow Invoicing: If checked, members can sign up and be invoiced later. If unchecked, members must pay by credit card at the time of enrollment.
  7. Note: Objectives are assigned at the component level and are displayed here for reference only.
  8. Terms/Conditions (Optional): Select the terms and conditions that apply to this certification from the drop-down list. Click the gray plus icon to create new terms and conditions if needed.
  9. Click Done to save the certification.

Common Pitfalls

  • Missing Description: Description is required and displayed publicly — do not leave it blank.
  • No completion method set: If you skip "Determine Certification completion via," the system cannot automatically mark contacts complete. Set this before enrolling members.
  • Fee item not pre-created: You must have a fee item ready before attaching pricing to a certification. Create it in advance or use the gray plus icon to create one on the fly.

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