Introduction to How to Issue Credentials

Written By Vik

Last updated 1 day ago

Issuing credentials is more than just sending a certificate; it's about creating a lasting, trusted record that represents achievement, identity, and affiliation. Whether you're a university registrar, a training provider, or a certifying body, your recipients expect a fast, secure, and professional experience; and that’s exactly what Wauld empowers you to deliver.

Traditionally, issuing credentials involves juggling multiple tools; manual spreadsheets, email threads, mismatched names, lost attachments, or delayed deliveries. You might’ve had to:

  • Email PDFs one by one.

  • Track recipient lists manually.

  • Deal with reissues when details were wrong.

  • Handle recipient support requests for expired links or missing certificates.

These challenges waste time and can erode trust.

That’s where Wauld changes everything.

Wauld introduces a modern, structured, and scalable credential issuance workflow built for speed, clarity, and control. With built-in preview, audit logs, expiration controls, recipient sharing settings, and reissue capabilities, you can:

  • Issue hundreds of credentials in a few clicks.

  • Ensure every credential is accurate and branded.

  • Allow recipients to securely store, view, and share their credentials anytime.

  • Track every action; from issuance to sharing to verification; in one place.

Before You Begin: Make sure you’ve completed your document design. This includes layout, branding, and attributes for data fields. If you're new to designing credentials, we recommend starting with Introduction to Design and Branding

Who Can Issue Credentials?

In Wauld, every role except Designers can issue credentials:

  • Workspace Admins

  • Workspace Users

  • Co owners

Designers are responsible for layout and template creation, but cannot issue credentials.

Credential Issuance

Credential issuance is streamlined into four major steps:

Step 1: Add Recipients

To begin, you need to specify who will receive the credential. Wauld allows you to add recipients using one of the following methods:

  • Manual Entry – Add individual recipient details like name and email.

  • Bulk Upload via CSV – Upload a list of recipients with all necessary information in one go.

Each credential is tied to a recipient's email address, which serves as a unique identifier. While the name can vary for each credential, the email must be accurate and cannot be changed later.

To learn more, visit Adding Recipients (Manual, Bulk CSV)

Step 2: Preview the Credential

Before issuing, Wauld lets you preview the document design as it will appear to the recipient. This ensures all dynamic fields are correctly mapped and the credential looks as expected.

Here’s what you can validate in the preview:

  • Recipient name

  • Issuance date

  • Custom attributes (course name, score, ID number, etc.)

  • Branding (logo, colors, layout)

To learn more, visit Previewing Credentials

Step 3: Choose Issuance Options

Before finalizing the issuance, choose how credentials are delivered and what permissions recipients will have.

Key Configuration Options:

  • Delivery Method: Send via email, or download.

  • Download Permissions: Allow or restrict recipients from downloading as PDF or PNG.

  • Sharing Permissions: Decide if recipients can share credentials via LinkedIn, email, or public URL.

  • Expiration Settings:

    • Never expires

    • Expires after a set duration (e.g., 1 year)

    • Expires on a specific date

To learn more, visit Issuance Options

Step 4: Issue Credentials

After reviewing everything:

  1. Click on the "Issue" button.

  2. Confirm the action and the credentials will be:

    • Assigned to the recipients' email addresses.

    • Delivered based on the selected options.

    • Available for tracking and managing via the issuer portal.