> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.exec.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Programs and Certifications > Automatically certify participants when they complete a program, and track progress through the certification pipeline When you link a certification to a program, participants who complete all required components are automatically certified when the program ends. The certification pipeline gives you a real-time view of who is on track and who needs attention. *** ## Linking a Certification to a Program You can link a certification when creating a program or add one later. ### When Creating a Program During program creation, use the **Certification** dropdown to select an existing certification. If you do not have any certifications yet, [create one first](/certificates/create-certification). Certifications page showing available certifications to link to programs ### After Creating a Program From the program dashboard, the certification pipeline card on the right panel shows an **Add Certification** button if no certification is linked. Certifications must be enabled for your workspace. If you do not see the certification option, contact your Exec account manager. *** ## How Automatic Certification Works When you end a program that has a linked certification, Exec evaluates each participant: 1. **Required components are checked**: Every component that is not marked as optional is evaluated. Announcements, group meetings, and coaching intro sessions are excluded from this check. 2. **Status is determined**: * **Complete**: The participant finished all required components. A certificate is automatically issued. * **Did Not Pass**: The participant did not finish all required components. No certificate is issued. 3. **Certificates are issued**: For participants who passed, a certificate is created with: * The certification name and details * Issue date (when the program ended) * Expiration date (based on the certification's validity period settings) * A unique downloadable certificate 4. **Notification emails** are sent to participants with their completion status. If a participant already has an active certificate for the same certification (from a previous program, for example), the old certificate is revoked and replaced with the new one. *** ## The Certification Pipeline The certification pipeline is a dashboard that tracks participant progress toward certification across all programs linked to a specific certification. ### Accessing the Pipeline There are two ways to view the pipeline: 1. **From the Certifications page**: Click on a certification to see its full pipeline dashboard 2. **From a program dashboard**: The certification pipeline card on the right panel shows a summary for participants in that specific program ### Pipeline Statuses Each participant in the pipeline has one of four statuses: | Status | What it means | | ---------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Enrolled** | The participant is in a program linked to this certification, but has not started any components yet | | **On Track** | The participant is progressing through components with no past-due items | | **Off Track** | The participant has past-due required components that have not been completed | | **Did Not Pass** | The participant failed to meet certification criteria (has required components marked as Did Not Finish, Did Not Pass, No Response, or Missed) | ### Pipeline Statistics The pipeline dashboard shows four summary cards at the top: * **Enrolled**: Total number of participants in the pipeline * **On Track**: Count of participants progressing on schedule * **Off Track**: Count of participants with past-due work * **Did Not Pass**: Count of participants who failed to meet criteria ### Pipeline Participants Table Below the statistics, a table lists all participants with: | Column | What it shows | | ------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Name** | Participant name and avatar | | **Program** | Which program they are enrolled in | | **Expected** | Estimated certification date (based on the last component's end date) | | **Status** | Pipeline status badge (Enrolled, On Track, Off Track, Did Not Pass) | You can filter participants by name, group, or program. All columns are sortable. *** ## In-Program Pipeline View When viewing a program with a linked certification, the right panel shows a **Certification Pipeline Card** with: * The certification name * A visual progress grid showing each component's status as a colored badge: * Components the participant has completed * Components in progress * Components not yet started * Announcements are excluded from this view * An overall status label: "On Track," "Off Track," "Not Started," or "Certification Criteria Not Met" ### Program Completion Banner When a program ends, participants see a completion banner on their dashboard showing: * Their certification status (passed or did not pass) * A certificate preview if they were certified * The certification name and validity dates *** ## Best Practices **Set clear required vs optional components.** Mark components as optional if they are supplementary. Only required components determine whether a participant passes. This gives you flexibility to include bonus content without penalizing participants who skip it. **Monitor the Off Track count regularly.** Participants who fall behind early are unlikely to catch up on their own. Use [nudges](/programs/manage-participants#sending-nudges) and [extensions](/programs/manage-participants#granting-deadline-extensions) to help them get back on track. **Review certification settings before linking.** Make sure the certification's validity period and other settings are configured how you want them before linking it to a program. Changes to the certification after linking still take effect. *** ## Getting Help Need help with program certifications? Contact us at [hello@exec.com](mailto:hello@exec.com).