Certifications Overview
Portal:
/lms· Desk: Learning workspace
Overview
Smooth LMS certifications recognize course or cohort completion through LMS Certificate records—printable PDF credentials with customizable templates. Certification differs from Smooth HR Employee Compliance (regulatory tracking) but complements it when HR files completion proof on the employee record.
Courses enable certification via Enable Certification on LMS Course. Cohorts may require live evaluations through LMS Certificate Request before certificates issue. This section covers the full certification lifecycle.
Certification modes
| Mode | Trigger | Records involved |
|---|---|---|
| Auto completion | 100% course progress | LMS Certificate via create_certificate |
| Paid certificate | Course flagged paid cert | Payment workflow then certificate |
| Evaluator-led | Course requires evaluation | LMS Certificate Request → evaluation → LMS Certificate |
| Manual issue | Admin issues from desk | LMS Certificate created by staff |
LMS Certificate stores member, course or batch, issue date, template, and links to print/download URLs.
Certificate templates
Certificate template (print layout) defines layout—logo, signatory lines, course title merge fields.
Default template applies when none specified. Customize via desk Print Format list; set default in LMS Settings → Certification Template.
Learners download PDF via /api/method/frappe.utils.print_format.download_pdf?doctype=LMS+Certificate&name={{id}}.
Email notification uses certification email template on certificate creation—configure Email Account for outgoing mail.
Eligibility rules
validate_certification_eligibility and certificate validation enforce:
- Enrollment in course or cohort
- 100% progress when course Enable Certification tied to completion
- No duplicate certificate for same member + course
- Admin roles (Moderator, Course Creator, Batch Evaluator) may bypass some checks when manually issuing
Batch certificates require LMS Batch Enrollment; course certificates require LMS Enrollment.
Learner experience
- Complete all lessons and pass required assessments.
- Course progress reaches 100%.
- Get Certified or View Certificate appears on course page (
CourseCertification.vue). - Click to create or view LMS Certificate.
- Download PDF; share link if public certificate URLs enabled.
Profile Certificates tab lists historical credentials across courses.
HR filing workflow
LMS certificates prove training completion—not the same as professional licenses stored in HR Certification child table on employee—but HR teams routinely archive LMS PDFs:
- Employee downloads LMS certificate PDF.
- HR creates Employee Document with type "Training Certificate."
- Optional: create Employee Compliance with renewal if course repeats annually.
Coordinate naming so LMS course titles map to compliance type definitions HR expects.
Desk paths
| Task | Path |
|---|---|
| View certificates | /app/lms-certificate |
| Templates | /app/lms-certificate-template or Print Format |
| Certificate requests | /app/lms-certificate-request |
| Settings | /app/lms-settings |
In this section
Tips
- Enable certification only when course content is stable.
- Match certificate template branding to company letterhead policy.
- For evaluated courses, train evaluators on scheduling before launch.
- Export certificate list reports for quarterly compliance audits alongside LMS Statistics.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | What to do |
|---|---|
| Get Certified hidden | Check progress < 100% or certification disabled on course |
| Duplicate certificate error | Certificate already issued—view existing |
| PDF download fails | Verify print format and permissions |
| Email not sent | Configure default outgoing Email Account |
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, then mark the matching compliance row Complete with the correct renewal date.
Where should quiz PDFs be stored for audits?
Use Employee Document 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 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 and updates 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 with document types and expiry |
| Regulatory compliance tracking | Smooth HR | 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 and 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 | Store course completion certificate on the employee file |
| Quiz Submission Report PDF | Employee Document | Retain scored test results (safety quizzes, policy acknowledgments) |
| Mandatory training status | 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.
Related guides
Last updated: May 2026