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Bulk Generate PDF Training Certificates in Google Docs™

Need to issue many certificates after a workshop or employee training session? Use Mail Merge & Variables to generate certificate documents from spreadsheet data, then convert the completed batch to PDF.

The simplest starting point is Load Training Certificate Example in Google Docs™. It loads an example certificate template and source sheet into the current mail merge session.

  • A Google Docs™ file
  • The Text To Table Converter add-on
  • A few minutes to test the sample workflow
  1. Open any Google Docs™ file.
  2. Open Extensions > Text To Table Converter > Document Tools > Mail Merge & Variables....
  3. In the setup area, click Load Training Certificate Example.
  4. Wait while the add-on loads the copied certificate template and copied spreadsheet.
  5. Click Analyze Tags.
  6. Review how the certificate placeholders map to the spreadsheet columns.
  7. Click Create single document to preview one certificate first.
  8. Open the preview and check the participant name, training name, completion details, and formatting.
  9. If the preview looks correct, click Create all documents.

After Create all documents finishes, the results area switches from preview mode to batch results.

  1. Wait for the certificate batch to finish generating.
  2. In the completed results area, click Convert all to PDF.
  3. Let the add-on convert the generated certificate documents.
  4. Open the saved PDFs from Google Drive when the conversion finishes.

That button converts all generated documents to PDF and saves them to Google Drive. This is useful when you need certificates ready to share, archive, or print.

  • Use the left and right arrows to browse the generated certificate documents.
  • Open one generated certificate to review it again.
  • Delete a generated document if you need to rerun the batch.
  • Use Convert to PDF for one generated document, or Convert all to PDF for the full set.

Best Way to Replace the Example with Your Own Certificate Template

Section titled “Best Way to Replace the Example with Your Own Certificate Template”

Start by keeping the sample certificate template and changing only the spreadsheet. That makes it easier to confirm that names, dates, and course fields map correctly.

After your source sheet works, replace the template with your own certificate layout. Always test with Create single document before running the full batch again.


Create certificate documents and convert the finished batch to PDF without editing each certificate one by one.