📚 Certify

Certificate Distribution System

Complete User Manual & Guide

📑 Table of Contents

🚀 Getting Started

What is This System?

The Certificate Distribution System is a comprehensive platform designed to manage certificates for conferences and workshops. It helps you:

💡 Tip: This manual will guide you through every feature step-by-step. Take your time to read each section carefully.

🔐 Logging In

Accessing the Admin Panel

1 Open your web browser and navigate to the admin login page. The URL will typically be: your-domain.com/admin/
2 Enter your credentials:
  • Username: Enter your admin username
  • Password: Enter your password
3 Click the "Login" button to access the dashboard.
⚠️ Important: Keep your login credentials secure. Do not share them with unauthorized personnel.
📝 Note: If you forget your password, contact your system administrator to reset it.

📊 Dashboard Overview

The dashboard is your main control center. It shows you important information at a glance and provides quick access to all features.

What You'll See on the Dashboard

👥

Total Participants

Shows the total number of registered participants in the system.

🏆

Certificates Generated

Displays how many certificates have been created so far.

📋

Surveys Completed

Shows how many participants have completed their surveys.

⚠️

Pending Actions

Alerts you to items that need your attention (like name change requests).

Quick Actions Section

The dashboard includes quick action buttons organized into three categories:

Core Management

Survey & Workshops

System & Settings

Recent Activity

The dashboard also shows recent activity, such as:

👥 Managing Participants

Participants are the people who attend your conference or workshop. This section covers everything about managing them.

Viewing Participants

1 Click on "Participants" in the navigation menu or dashboard.
2 You'll see a list of all participants with their information:
  • Full Name
  • Email Address
  • Institution
  • Mobile Number
  • Attendance Status
  • Certificate Status

Adding a New Participant

1 Click the "Add New Participant" button (usually at the top of the participants page).
2 Fill in the participant information:
  • Full Name - Enter the participant's complete name
  • Email - Enter a valid email address
  • Mobile - Phone number (optional but recommended)
  • Institution - Where they work or study
  • Other fields - Fill in any additional required information
3 Click "Save" or "Add Participant" to create the participant.
✅ Success: The participant will be added to the system and a QR code will be automatically generated for them.

Importing Participants from CSV

If you have many participants, you can import them all at once using a CSV file.

1 Click on "Import Participants" in the navigation menu.
2 Prepare your CSV file with the following columns:
  • Full Name
  • Email
  • Mobile (optional)
  • Institution (optional)
  • Other required fields
3 Click "Choose File" and select your CSV file.
4 Click "Import" to upload and process the file.
📝 Note: Make sure your CSV file has the correct format. The first row should contain column headers.

Editing Participant Information

1 Find the participant in the list and click the "Edit" button (usually an icon or link).
2 Make your changes to the participant's information.
3 Click "Save" to update the information.

Searching for Participants

You can search for participants using the search box at the top of the participants page.

1 Enter your search term in the search box (name, email, institution, etc.).
2 Optionally, select a specific field to search in (Name, Email, Institution, etc.).
3 Click "Search" or press Enter.

Deleting a Participant

⚠️ Warning: Deleting a participant will also delete their attendance records and certificates. This action cannot be undone.
1 Find the participant you want to delete.
2 Click the "Delete" button (usually a trash icon).
3 Confirm the deletion when prompted.

✅ Tracking Attendance

Tracking attendance is crucial for determining who is eligible for certificates. You can mark attendance in two ways: using QR codes or manually.

Using the QR Code Scanner

This is the fastest way to mark attendance during the event.

1 Click on "QR Scanner" in the navigation menu or dashboard.
2 Select the attendance type:
  • Main Conference - For main conference attendance
  • Workshop - For workshop attendance
3 If marking main conference attendance, select the day number (Day 1, Day 2, etc.).
4 If marking workshop attendance, select the specific workshop.
5 Click "Start Scanner" to activate your camera.
6 Point your camera at the participant's QR code. The system will automatically:
  • Scan the QR code
  • Identify the participant
  • Mark their attendance
  • Show a success message
💡 Tip: Make sure you have a good internet connection and adequate lighting for the QR scanner to work properly.

Manually Marking Attendance

If QR scanning isn't available or a participant lost their QR code, you can mark attendance manually.

1 Click on "Attendance" in the navigation menu.
2 Click "Mark Attendance" or "Add Attendance".
3 Search for and select the participant.
4 Select the attendance type (Main Conference or Workshop).
5 If it's a main conference, select the day number.
6 If it's a workshop, select the specific workshop.
7 Click "Save" to record the attendance.

Viewing Attendance Records

1 Go to the "Attendance" page.
2 You'll see a list of all attendance records with:
  • Participant name
  • Attendance type
  • Date and time
  • Day number (for conferences)
  • Workshop name (for workshops)

Removing Attendance

⚠️ Warning: Removing attendance may affect certificate eligibility. Only remove attendance if there was an error.
1 Find the attendance record you want to remove.
2 Click the "Delete" or "Remove" button.
3 Confirm the removal.

🏆 Certificate Management

Certificates are the main deliverable of this system. This section covers everything about generating, managing, and distributing certificates.

Understanding Certificate Types

There are several types of certificates in the system:

Main Conference Certificates

Given to participants who attended the main conference (usually requires attendance on multiple days).

Workshop Certificates

Given to participants who attended specific workshops.

Speaker Certificates

Special certificates for conference speakers.

Organizer Certificates

Special certificates for event organizers.

Automatic Certificate Generation

The system can automatically generate certificates when participants meet certain requirements.

1 Go to "Auto-Generation" in the navigation menu.
2 Review the eligibility rules:
  • Required attendance days
  • Survey completion requirement
  • Other eligibility criteria
3 Click "Generate Certificates" to automatically create certificates for all eligible participants.
💡 Tip: Automatic generation saves time, but you can also generate certificates manually for individual participants.

Manual Certificate Generation

1 Go to "Certificates" in the navigation menu.
2 Click "Generate Certificates" or "Batch Generate".
3 The system will:
  • Check which participants are eligible
  • Generate certificates for eligible participants
  • Show you how many certificates were created

Generating a Single Certificate

1 Go to the "Participants" page.
2 Find the participant you want to generate a certificate for.
3 Click the "Generate Certificate" button next to their name.
4 The certificate will be created immediately.

Viewing Certificates

1 Go to "Certificates" in the navigation menu.
2 You'll see a list of all generated certificates with:
  • Participant name
  • Certificate type
  • Generation date
  • Download count
  • Email status

Downloading Certificates

1 Find the certificate you want to download in the certificates list.
2 Click the "Download" button or icon.
3 The certificate PDF will download to your computer.

Sending Certificates via Email

You can send certificates directly to participants via email.

Sending Individual Emails

1 Go to "Participant Emails" or find the participant in the certificates list.
2 Click "Send Email" next to the participant's certificate.
3 The system will send an email with a link to download the certificate.

Sending Batch Emails

1 Go to "Participant Emails" in the navigation menu.
2 Select the participants you want to email (or select all).
3 Click "Send Selected Emails" or "Send All".
4 The system will send emails one by one (with a small delay between each to avoid email limits).
📝 Note: The system has email rate limiting to comply with email service provider limits. Sending many emails may take some time.

Resending Certificates

If a participant didn't receive their email or needs it resent:

1 Find the participant's certificate.
2 Click "Resend Email" or "Resend Certificate".
3 The email will be sent again.

📚 Workshop Management

Workshops are special sessions that may have their own certificates. This section covers managing workshops and their certificates.

Viewing Workshops

1 Go to "Workshop Certificates" or "Workshops" in the navigation menu.
2 You'll see a list of all workshops with:
  • Workshop name
  • Workshop code
  • Date
  • Number of attendees
  • Number of certificates generated

Generating Workshop Certificates

1 Go to "Workshop Certificates" in the navigation menu.
2 Select the workshop you want to generate certificates for.
3 Click "Generate Certificates" or "Batch Generate".
4 The system will generate certificates for all participants who attended that workshop.

Sending Workshop Certificate Emails

1 Go to "Workshop Emails" or the workshop certificates page.
2 Select the workshop.
3 Click "Send Emails" to send certificates to all workshop attendees.

Viewing Workshop Attendance

1 Go to the workshop details page.
2 You'll see a list of all participants who attended that workshop.

📋 Survey System

Surveys help you collect feedback from participants. They can also be used as a requirement for certificate eligibility.

Viewing Surveys

1 Click on "Surveys" in the navigation menu.
2 You'll see a list of all survey templates with:
  • Survey name
  • Description
  • Number of questions
  • Status (Active/Inactive)
  • Completion count

Creating a New Survey

1 Click "Create New Survey" or "Add Survey".
2 Enter the survey details:
  • Survey Name - A descriptive name
  • Description - What the survey is about
3 Click "Save" to create the survey template.

Adding Questions to a Survey

1 Go to "Survey Questions" or click on a survey to edit it.
2 Click "Add Question".
3 Enter the question details:
  • Question Text - The actual question
  • Question Type - Choose from:
    • Radio buttons (single choice)
    • Checkboxes (multiple choice)
    • Text input (short answer)
    • Textarea (long answer)
  • Options - If using radio or checkbox, enter the options
  • Required - Whether the question must be answered
4 Click "Save" to add the question.

Activating a Survey

1 Find the survey you want to activate.
2 Click "Activate" or toggle the status to "Active".
💡 Tip: Only one survey can be active at a time for participants. Make sure to deactivate old surveys before activating new ones.

Viewing Survey Responses

1 Go to "Survey Analytics" in the navigation menu.
2 Select the survey you want to view.
3 You'll see:
  • Total responses
  • Response rate
  • Individual responses
  • Summary statistics

Exporting Survey Data

1 Go to "Survey Export" or the survey analytics page.
2 Select the survey you want to export.
3 Click "Export" or "Download CSV".
4 The survey data will be downloaded as a CSV file that you can open in Excel or Google Sheets.

📧 Email Management

The system can send emails to participants, speakers, and organizers. This section covers email management.

Email Types

The system sends different types of emails:

Survey Invitations

Sent to participants inviting them to complete a survey.

Certificate Notifications

Sent to participants when their certificate is ready.

Speaker Certificates

Sent to speakers with their certificate access link.

Organizer Certificates

Sent to organizers with their certificate access link.

Sending Participant Emails

1 Go to "Participant Emails" in the navigation menu.
2 You'll see a list of participants with their email status:
  • Email sent
  • Email not sent
  • Email failed
3 Select participants you want to email (or select all).
4 Click "Send Selected Emails" or "Send All".
📝 Note: The system sends emails with a small delay between each to comply with email service limits. Sending many emails may take time.

Email Status Tracking

The system tracks the status of each email:

Resending Failed Emails

1 Find participants with failed email status.
2 Check that their email address is correct.
3 Click "Resend" to try sending again.
⚠️ Important: The system has daily and hourly email limits. If you reach these limits, you'll need to wait before sending more emails.

🎤 Speaker Management

Speakers are special participants who present at the conference. They receive special certificates.

Viewing Speakers

1 Click on "Speakers" in the navigation menu.
2 You'll see a list of all speakers with:
  • Full Name
  • Email Address
  • Session Title
  • Certificate Status
  • Email Status

Adding a New Speaker

1 Click "Add New Speaker".
2 Fill in the speaker information:
  • Full Name - Speaker's complete name
  • Email - Valid email address
  • Session Title - Title of their presentation
3 Click "Save" to add the speaker.
✅ Success: A unique access token will be automatically generated for the speaker.

Generating Speaker Certificates

1 Go to "Speaker Certificates" in the navigation menu.
2 Select the speaker(s) you want to generate certificates for.
3 Click "Generate Certificates".

Sending Speaker Certificate Emails

1 Go to "Speaker Certificates".
2 Select the speakers you want to email.
3 Click "Send Emails".
💡 Tip: Speakers receive an email with a unique link to access and download their certificate. They don't need to log in.

👔 Organizer Management

Organizers are people who helped organize the event. They also receive special certificates.

Viewing Organizers

1 Click on "Organizers" in the navigation menu.
2 You'll see a list of all organizers with their information and certificate status.

Adding a New Organizer

1 Click "Add New Organizer".
2 Fill in the organizer's information (name, email, etc.).
3 Click "Save".

Generating and Sending Organizer Certificates

The process is similar to speaker certificates:

1 Go to "Organizer Certificates".
2 Generate certificates for organizers.
3 Send emails with certificate access links.

⚙️ System Settings

System settings allow you to configure how the system works. This section covers the main settings.

Accessing Settings

1 Click on "Admin Settings" in the navigation menu.
2 You'll see several tabs with different setting categories.

Features & Settings Tab

This tab contains general system features:

Email & System Tab

Email-related settings:

Events & Workshops Tab

Configure your events:

Survey Management Tab

Survey-related settings:

Name Management Tab

Settings for participant name changes:

Saving Settings

1 Make your changes in any settings tab.
2 Click "Save" or "Update Settings" at the bottom of the page.
✅ Success: Your settings will be saved and applied immediately.
⚠️ Warning: Be careful when changing eligibility rules or auto-generation settings, as this may affect certificate generation.

📈 Statistics & Reports

The statistics page provides detailed insights into your event data.

Accessing Statistics

1 Click on "Statistics" in the navigation menu.
2 You'll see comprehensive statistics about your event.

Available Statistics

The statistics page shows:

Participant Statistics

  • Total participants
  • Participants by institution
  • Registration trends

Attendance Statistics

  • Daily attendance counts
  • Workshop attendance
  • Attendance rates

Certificate Statistics

  • Certificates generated
  • Certificates downloaded
  • Email success rates

Survey Statistics

  • Survey completion rates
  • Response summaries
  • Response trends

Exporting Reports

You can export statistics and reports for external analysis:

1 Go to the statistics page.
2 Look for "Export" or "Download Report" buttons.
3 Select the data you want to export.
4 Click "Export" to download the data (usually as CSV or Excel file).

🔧 Troubleshooting

This section covers common issues and how to resolve them.

Cannot Log In

1 Check that you're using the correct username and password.
2 Make sure your Caps Lock is off (passwords are case-sensitive).
3 Clear your browser cache and cookies.
4 Contact your system administrator if the problem persists.

QR Scanner Not Working

1 Make sure you've given the browser permission to use your camera.
2 Check that you have adequate lighting.
3 Try refreshing the page.
4 If using a mobile device, make sure you're using a browser that supports QR scanning (Chrome, Safari, etc.).

Certificates Not Generating

1 Check that the participant meets all eligibility requirements:
  • Required attendance days
  • Survey completion (if required)
  • Name validation
2 Check the certificate template file exists and is accessible.
3 Check system logs for error messages.
4 Try generating the certificate manually for that participant.

Emails Not Sending

1 Check that the participant's email address is valid and correctly entered.
2 Check if you've reached the daily email limit (the system will show a message if you have).
3 Wait a few minutes and try resending.
4 Check the email status in the participant emails page to see if there are error messages.

Participant Cannot Access Certificate

1 Make sure a certificate has been generated for the participant.
2 Check that the participant is using the correct access link from their email.
3 Verify the participant's name matches what's in the system (they may need to request a name change).
4 Resend the certificate email if needed.

Import Not Working

1 Check that your CSV file has the correct format (headers in the first row).
2 Make sure required columns are present (Name, Email, etc.).
3 Check for special characters or formatting issues in the CSV file.
4 Try importing a smaller batch first to test.

Getting Help

If you encounter issues not covered here:

📖 End of Manual

Thank you for using the Certificate Distribution System!
This manual covers all the main features of the system.
For additional support, please contact your system administrator.

Oman Pediatric Society
Certificate Distribution System User Manual

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