# Certifications Overview

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

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## 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

1. Complete all lessons and pass required assessments.
2. Course progress reaches 100%.
3. **Get Certified** or **View Certificate** appears on course page (`CourseCertification.vue`).
4. Click to create or view **LMS Certificate**.
5. 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:

1. Employee downloads LMS certificate PDF.
2. HR creates [Employee Document](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-documents) with type "Training Certificate."
3. Optional: create [Employee Compliance](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/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

- [Certificate Requests](https://smoothhiring.com/help/lms/certifications/certificate-requests)
- [Issue Certificates](https://smoothhiring.com/help/lms/certifications/issue-certificates)

## 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** |

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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

- [Certificate Requests](https://smoothhiring.com/help/lms/certifications/certificate-requests)
- [Issue Certificates](https://smoothhiring.com/help/lms/certifications/issue-certificates)
- [Employee Documents (HRMS)](https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-documents)

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_Last updated: May 2026_