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Key Terminology

Understanding these core terms will help you configure and use Smart Certificates more effectively. Each term below plays an essential role in the certificate generation process.

Placeholder / Merge Tag

Definition:
A placeholder — also called a merge tag — is a special token used within your Google Slides™ certificate template that gets replaced with actual data from a Google Form™ response.

Format:
Placeholders are wrapped in double curly braces. For example:

Each placeholder must exactly match the question title in your Google Form. This ensures the correct data is inserted when generating certificates.

Google Slides Template

Definition:
A Google Slides™ presentation that acts as the design template for all generated certificates.

Requirements:

  • Must contain at least one slide with placeholders.
  • Should be designed using your branding, layout, and fonts.
  • Use {{ }} to indicate where response data should be inserted.

💡 You can create your own from scratch or start with one of the pre-built templates available in the add-on.

🆔 Certificate ID / Number

Definition:
A unique identifier automatically assigned to each certificate. This helps with:

  • Verifying the authenticity of the certificate
  • Tracking issuance in bulk
  • Preventing duplicates

Format:
By default, this ID is generated as a unique string, and it can be inserted into your template using the {{Certificate ID}} system tag.

Verification Link / QR Code

Definition:
Each certificate can include a unique link or QR code that allows anyone to verify its authenticity.

Usage:

  • Insert the {{Verification Link}} tag to show a clickable URL
  • Insert a QR code in the certificate using system tags (auto-generated)
  • The QR links can point to a certificate preview or a custom verification page

This feature is particularly useful for institutions or public-facing credentials.

⚙️ System-Generated Fields

Definition:
System-generated fields are dynamic placeholders created by the Smart Certificates add-on. They are not part of the original Google Form™ response but provide additional metadata that can be included in certificates and emails.

These fields are especially useful for tracking, verification, and enhancing certificate content.

Available System-Generated Fields:

PlaceholderDescription
{{Reached Percentage}}The percentage achieved by the respondent (based on score/criteria).
{{Reached Points}}Total points earned by the respondent.
{{Form Name}}The title of the Google Form used for collecting responses.
{{Verification Link}}A unique URL that can be used to verify the authenticity of the certificate.
{{Certificate No.}}A unique certificate number assigned to each recipient.
{{Date}}The date the certificate was generated.

🔍 Usage Tip: These fields can be inserted into your Google Slides™ template or email content just like any regular placeholder.

Having a solid grasp of these terms will make it easier to design templates, configure delivery settings, and customize your workflow with confidence.