# Certificate Requests

> **Portal:** `/lms` · **Desk:** Learning workspace

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## Overview

**LMS Certificate Request** schedules evaluator-led certification sessions for courses or cohorts that require live assessment beyond online quizzes. Learners book a slot; evaluators conduct reviews (often via Google Meet); upon success, staff issue **LMS Certificate** records.

Use certificate requests when policy demands human verification—presentations, practical demos, or oral exams—common in instructor-led cohort programs rather than self-paced compliance modules.

## When certificate requests apply

Enable evaluation requirements on **LMS Course** or **LMS Batch** settings (evaluation end date, evaluator assignment). When enabled, completing online content alone does not issue a certificate—the learner must:

1. Submit **LMS Certificate Request** choosing date/time slot.
2. Attend evaluation session.
3. Receive evaluator approval and certificate issuance.

Self-paced mandatory HR training typically skips this flow and uses auto-certification on progress completion.

## Request lifecycle

| Status | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| **Pending** | Request submitted, awaiting evaluation |
| **Completed** | Evaluation done; certificate may be issued |
| **Cancelled** | Learner or admin cancelled |

Validation rules on insert:
- **Evaluator** auto-set from course/cohort evaluator mapping (`get_evaluator`)
- **Slot** not double-booked for evaluator
- Evaluator not unavailable (respect **Course Evaluator** unavailability dates)
- Member cannot duplicate active requests per course/cohort rules
- **Timezone** captured for scheduling clarity

Notifications email evaluator and member on creation.

## Learner: booking a slot

1. Complete prerequisite course content in `/lms`.
2. Open course **Certification** tab when evaluation required.
3. Click **Schedule Evaluation** / **Request Certificate**.
4. Select **Date**, **Start Time**, **End Time** from available slots.
5. Confirm **Evaluator** (read-only, assigned by system).
6. Submit request—status **Pending**.

Google Meet link may populate on confirmation when integrated. Add session to personal calendar.

If slot unavailable, choose another date after evaluator unavailability window.

## Evaluator: conducting sessions

Evaluators (**Batch Evaluator**, assigned **Course Evaluator**):

1. Monitor **`/app/lms-certificate-request`** list filtered to their user.
2. Open request on scheduled date—note **Google Meet Link**.
3. Conduct evaluation per rubric (outside LMS or using linked assignments/quizzes).
4. Mark request **Completed** or leave notes on linked evaluation documents.
5. Issue **LMS Certificate** manually or via workflow when criteria met.

Evaluators should not approve requests for learners who failed mandatory quizzes—verify **LMS Quiz Submission** pass status first.

## Administrative configuration

**Course Evaluator** records map evaluators to courses with optional unavailability ranges.

**LMS Batch** assigns default evaluators for cohort members.

Set evaluation windows with **Evaluation End Date** so requests cannot schedule after program cutoff.

Configure email templates for request confirmations and reminders in **Email Template** list.

## Mapping to HR processes

Certificate requests mirror HR interview scheduling patterns but stay in LMS. After certificate issuance:

- File PDF under [Employee Document](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-documents)
- Update [Employee Compliance](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-compliance) for programs requiring evaluator sign-off

HR onboarding **Employee Compliance** items (I-9, background check) still live in HR—not LMS certificate requests.

## Tips

- Publish evaluator availability windows before cohort start.
- Limit concurrent requests per evaluator with slot validation already built-in.
- Record Google Meet links consistently for audit trails.
- Cancel stale **Pending** requests after evaluation end date passes.

## Troubleshooting

| Issue | What to do |
|-------|------------|
| Slot already booked | Pick different time; another member holds slot |
| Evaluator unavailable | Select date outside unavailability range |
| Cannot submit duplicate | Complete or cancel existing request |
| No evaluator assigned | Configure **Course Evaluator** for course |
| Meet link missing | Check Google Workspace integration settings |

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## Frequently asked questions

### Does LMS training completion automatically update Employee Compliance?

No. Smooth LMS tracks learning progress, quiz scores, and certificates. Smooth HR **Employee Compliance** is updated separately by HR when a regulatory or policy requirement is satisfied. Download LMS PDFs and attach them to [Employee Document](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-documents), then mark the matching compliance row **Complete** with the correct renewal date.

### Where should quiz PDFs be stored for audits?

Use [Employee Document](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-documents) on the employee record with an appropriate **Employee Document Type** (for example Training Record or Policy Acknowledgment). Include the **Quiz Submission Report** PDF exported from LMS. For organization-wide retention policies, align document type expiry settings with [Employee Compliance](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-compliance) renewal periods.

### Which desk workspace manages LMS content?

Open the **Learning** workspace from the app switcher. Desk paths use `/app/list name` slugs—for example `/app/lms-quiz` and `/app/lms-enrollment`. Learners consume training at `/lms` on the same site.

### How do new hires get enrolled in mandatory training?

When **Employee Onboarding** is created in HRMS, the LMS integration enrolls the employee user in every published **Mandatory** course and creates **LMS Training Assignment** rows with default due dates. Ensure the **Employee** record has a linked **User** with the **LMS Student** role.

### What is the difference between an LMS Certificate and HR compliance?

An **LMS Certificate** proves course completion inside Smooth LMS. **Employee Compliance** in Smooth HR tracks regulatory obligations (training renewals, I-9, background checks) with scheduled expiry alerts. Course certificates do not automatically appear on the HR compliance ledger—HR attaches LMS PDFs to [Employee Document](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-documents) and updates [Employee Compliance](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-compliance) when policy requires.

### Can managers view their team's quiz scores?

Managers with **Moderator** or **Course Creator** roles can open **LMS Quiz Submission** list views filtered by course and member. The **Statistics** dashboard summarizes average assessment scores by course. For official personnel files, export PDFs and store under the employee's HR documents rather than sharing desk login credentials.

## Glossary

| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **LMS Course** | Training container with chapters, lessons, and assessments |
| **LMS Enrollment** | Links a User (employee) to a course with progress tracking |
| **LMS Quiz** | Assessment document composed of linked questions |
| **LMS Quiz Submission** | Record of one learner attempt with scored results |
| **LMS Training Assignment** | Due-date tracker for assigned mandatory training |
| **LMS Certificate** | Issued credential after course or evaluation completion |
| **Mandatory course** | Published course flagged for auto-enrollment on onboarding |
| **Cohort (LMS Batch)** | Scheduled group of learners with shared live sessions and assessments |
| **Employee Document** | HR file-cabinet record for attachments on the employee profile |
| **Employee Compliance** | HR ledger for regulatory and policy compliance status with renewals |
## Smooth LMS + Smooth HR capability map

Use **Smooth LMS** for training delivery and assessments, and **Smooth HR** for employee files and compliance records — both on the same account.

| Business need | Primary app | How |
|---------------|-------------|-----|
| Online training library | **Smooth LMS** | **LMS Course** with chapters, lessons, video/PDF/SCORM, quizzes, assignments |
| Assign training + track progress | **Smooth LMS** | **LMS Enrollment**, **LMS Training Assignment**, cohort batches, progress dashboards |
| Print completed tests as PDF | **Smooth LMS** | **LMS Quiz Submission** → **Quiz Submission Report** print format |
| Course completion certificates | **Smooth LMS** | **LMS Certificate** with customizable print templates |
| Employee file storage | **Smooth HR** | [Employee Document](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-documents) with document types and expiry |
| Regulatory compliance tracking | **Smooth HR** | [Employee Compliance](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-compliance) with **Compliance Type** renewals |
| New hire document collection | **Smooth HR** | **Employee Onboarding** portal + e-signatures |

Course completion certificates from LMS are separate from HR compliance records until HR explicitly files them. Attach LMS PDFs to **Employee Document** or update **Employee Compliance** when a training record must appear on the official employee file for audits.
## LMS roles reference

| Role | Capabilities |
|------|----------------|
| **System Manager** | Full desk access; configure LMS Settings, print formats, AI keys |
| **Moderator** | Manage all courses, quizzes, enrollments, certificates, statistics |
| **Course Creator** | Author courses, quizzes, assignments; view learner submissions for own content |
| **Batch Evaluator** | Grade submissions, conduct certificate evaluations, manage cohort assessments |
| **LMS Student** | Access `/lms` portal; take quizzes; view own certificates and assignments |

HR users without LMS roles can still manage [Employee Document](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-documents) and [Employee Compliance](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-compliance) records when L&D provides exported PDFs.
## Connecting training records to Smooth HR

Smooth LMS and Smooth HR share one account. Completing a course does not automatically update HR compliance—you connect the two when your policy requires it.

| LMS artifact | HR destination | When to use |
|--------------|----------------|-------------|
| **LMS Certificate** PDF | [Employee Document](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-documents) | Store course completion certificate on the employee file |
| **Quiz Submission Report** PDF | [Employee Document](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-documents) | Retain scored test results (safety quizzes, policy acknowledgments) |
| Mandatory training status | [Employee Compliance](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-compliance) | Track renewal dates, expiry alerts, and audit-ready compliance status |

**Recommended workflow:** When an employee completes mandatory training and passes required assessments, download the LMS certificate or quiz PDF from the Learning portal or desk, then attach it to an **Employee Document** or update the corresponding **Employee Compliance** record. HR Managers can configure **Compliance Type** with renewal periods so expiring certifications trigger scheduled reminders—complementing LMS **Training Assignment** due dates.

New hires enrolled via **Employee Onboarding** may receive automatic LMS enrollments for courses marked **Mandatory**; HR still uses **Employee Compliance** for regulatory items (I-9, background checks) that live outside LMS.
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## Related guides

- [Certifications Overview](https://smoothhiring.com/help/lms/certifications/overview)
- [Issue Certificates](https://smoothhiring.com/help/lms/certifications/issue-certificates)

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_Last updated: May 2026_