NextKick creates belt certificates automatically from each student's testing results. This guide shows you how to design a certificate template, use it in a test, and give students their certificates.
Before you start
Set up your rank system. See How do I set up a Rank System?
Know how belt tests work in NextKick. See How to Run a Belt Test.
Make sure each student's Date of Birth is on their profile if your certificate shows it.
Step 1: Open Certificate Templates
Go to Events → Testing.
Click Certificate Templates in the top right, next to Create and Export.
Your saved templates appear on the left. Click a template to preview it, or click Edit Certificate to change it.
Step 2: Create a certificate template
Click + Add New Certificate.
Enter a Certificate Title, for example "Color Belt Certificate".
Under Certificate Templates, choose a background:
Basic Template, Simple Template, or Special Template
Blank (Transparent) if you print on pre-designed certificate paper
+ Add Custom Template to upload your own design as an image (one file, up to 10MB)
Under School Logo, click + Add Logo, then click the logo to place it on the certificate.
Under Master Information, enter the Master Name and Role (optional).
Drag the fields you need from Certificate Fields onto the certificate.
Under Master Signature, click + Add Signature. Choose Attach Image to upload a signature, or Draw Signature to sign on screen. Then click the signature to place it.
Click any text or image on the certificate to change its style in the Style Panel.
Click Add to save the template.
Each field fills in automatically for every student:
Field | What it shows |
Student Name | The student's name |
Date of Birth | The date of birth on the student's profile |
Current Rank | The rank the student held before the test |
Next Rank | The new rank the student tested for |
Promotion Date | The testing date |
School Name | Your school's name |
Certificate ID | A unique number for each certificate (see Step 3) |
Tip: Built-in templates leave blank spaces for names and ranks. Drag a field into each blank space, or the certificate will print with gaps. For example, add School Name after "conducted by".
Tip: Made a mistake? Undo All clears your changes to the certificate.
Step 3: Set up certificate numbers (optional)
If your certificates show a Certificate ID, set how the numbers look.
Click Certificate ID Settings at the bottom of the left panel.
Enter a Certificate ID. This is the prefix, for example "CERT" or your school's initials.
Enter a Certificate Start Index. This is the number the next certificate starts from.
Click Update.
For example, a prefix of "CERT" and a start index of 2001 creates "CERT-2001", "CERT-2002", and so on.
Tip: Enter the start index as a plain number, like 1, 100, or 2001. Leading zeros like "0001" aren't supported.
Step 4: Choose the template when you create a test
Go to Events → Testing and click Create, or edit an existing test.
In the Certificate Templates section, click the template you want.
Finish setting up the test and save it.
To check which template a test uses, open the test and go to the Testing Information tab. Click View next to Certificate.
Step 5: Generate and print certificates after the test
Go to Events → Testing and open the test.
On the Candidates tab, check the students who passed. Use the Promoted filter to find them quickly.
Click Actions → Generate Certificates.
To print or download, keep the same students selected and click Actions → Print Certificates or Download Certificates.
Option | What it does |
Generate Certificates | Creates the certificates and saves each one to the student's profile under Documents. Students see it in the NextKick app under More → Documents → Certificate of Promotion. |
Print Certificates | Opens the generated certificates for printing. |
Download Certificates | Downloads the generated certificates to your computer. |
Tip: You must generate certificates before you can print or download them.
The number in brackets, for example Generate Certificates (3), shows how many students you selected. These options stay grayed out until you select at least one student.
Preview one student's certificate
In the Certificate column, click View next to a student. The Certificate Preview shows the certificate with the student's details filled in.
Tip: Preview one certificate before generating them all. It's the quickest way to catch a missing date of birth or a field in the wrong spot.
FAQ
Can I use my school's own certificate design? Yes. In the certificate editor, click +
Add Custom Template and upload your design as an image file (up to 10MB). Then drag the fields onto it.
Can I use different certificates for different tests? Yes. You choose a template for each test, so you can use one design for color belts and another for black belts.
Why is a field blank on a student's certificate? Check the student's profile first. For example, Date of Birth stays blank if it isn't on the profile. If the blank space is part of the template, drag the matching field onto it.
Where do students find their certificates? In the NextKick app, under More → Documents, on the Certificate of Promotion tab. You can also find it on the student's profile under Documents.
Can I print certificates on pre-printed paper? Yes. Use the Blank (Transparent) template and place only the fields you need, like Student Name and Next Rank.
Can I fix a certificate after I generate it? Yes. Fix the student's profile or the template, or choose a different template on the test. Then select the students and click Generate Certificates again. The new certificate replaces the old one.