How to create certificates in bulk from Excel or Google Sheets

What you need before you start

• Your recipient list in Excel or Google Sheets.
• A certificate design. Build one in Saandru's designer, generate one with the AI template studio, or upload your own background image.
• A Saandru plan with bulk upload. Bulk issue is on Starter (250 rows per batch) and Growth (500 rows per batch). On the Free plan you issue one at a time, up to 50 a month, which is a good way to test your template first.

Step 1: Set up the spreadsheet

Use one row per recipient and a single header row. Keep column names short and plain, because you will match them to placeholders later. For a course completion certificate:

Rules that save trouble later:

• No merged cells and no blank rows in the middle of the list.
• One value per cell. If first and last names are separate, either keep both columns and use both placeholders, or join them into one column.
• Names exactly as they should print, including initials and spacing. Ask people to confirm spellings on the registration form, not after the certificate arrives.

Step 2: Clean the data

• Trim stray spaces. =TRIM(A2) works in both Excel and Google Sheets. Copy the result and paste it back as values.
• Be careful with automatic capitalisation. =PROPER(A2) fixes "ANANYA RAGHAVAN", but it also turns "McDonald" into "Mcdonald". Check the result.
• Write dates as text. Type "14 October 2026" exactly as it should appear, or format the column as plain text. Otherwise the spreadsheet may change the format on export.
• Remove duplicates. In Excel use Data, Remove Duplicates. In Google Sheets use Data, Data cleanup, Remove duplicates.
• Check email addresses for obvious typos such as "gmial.com".

Step 3: Export it as CSV

• Excel: File, Save As (or Save a Copy), then choose CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited).
• Google Sheets: File, Download, Comma Separated Values (.csv).

Choose UTF-8 in Excel so accented letters and other special characters survive the export. Both programs save only the sheet you are looking at, so open the right tab first.

Step 4: Design the template with placeholders

In Saandru's designer, add a text field for each column you want on the certificate and name its placeholder after the column, such as name, course and date. Then:

• Find the longest name in your list and test with it. Leave room so it does not crowd the seal or the signature.
• Place the QR code in a bottom corner with a clear margin. Our QR verification guide covers size and placement.
• Keep a separate template for each kind of certificate, such as participant, volunteer and winner, rather than one template with conditional text.

Step 5: Upload and match columns

Upload the CSV and match each column to its placeholder. Saandru remembers the mapping, so next month's batch with the same columns takes seconds. If your list is longer than one batch, split it into several files of 250 or 500 rows and upload them one after another.

Step 6: Preview a few rows

Before you issue, look at a handful of certificates, chosen on purpose:

• the longest name in the list;
• a name with initials, such as "R. K. Sundaram";
• any name with accents or other special characters;
• the first and the last row, to catch an off-by-one header problem.

Step 7: Issue and check delivery

Issue the batch. Saandru creates a signed PDF and a verification page for every row, and emails each recipient. Emails go out at a steady pace to stay out of spam folders, so a large batch can take a while to finish sending.

Afterwards, check the audit trail. If a certificate went out with a mistake, revoke it, fix the row, and issue that one again. The revoked certificate's page then says it was revoked, so the wrong version cannot be passed off as valid.

Checklist before you click issue

• Every row has a name and an email address.
• No duplicates, no blank rows, no merged cells.
• Dates and course names read exactly as they should print.
• The longest name fits on the template.
• The QR code is in place and scans from a printed test copy.
• You picked the right template for this group.
• The batch is within your plan's row limit and monthly allowance, or you have credits ready.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Fixing names after sending. Collect and confirm spellings at registration.
• Exporting the wrong tab. CSV export only saves the visible sheet.
• Letting the spreadsheet reformat dates. Store them as text.
• One giant template for everyone. Separate templates are easier to check.
• Skipping the printed test. A QR code that looks fine on screen can be too small on paper.

Frequently asked questions