Re-certification - Article

Set up certificate renewal so participants are reminded, receive a new attempt, and repeat only the learning needed to stay qualified.

Updated: 29 Sep 2026

38 min read

Summary

Use Re-certification to renew a time-limited certificate through a new, traceable learning attempt. Configure the certificate's fixed or rolling expiration first, decide how long before expiry renewal becomes available, and define what the participant must do again. When the renewal window opens, Eurekos creates a new activity- or module-level attempt while preserving the earlier certificate and attempt as history. By default, progress is recalculated for the new attempt; optional module-attempt rules can carry selected Course progress forward or stop first-attempt access restrictions from repeating. Administrators can monitor attempts, extend a current unexpired certificate, and stop or start new attempts for eligible participants.

In this article you will learn:

How expiration, renewal availability, attempts, and certificate validity differ
When to use a fixed expiration date and when to use rolling months after completion
How the expiration alert and re-certification availability window work together
How to enable re-certification on an activity- or module-level certificate
How original certification criteria can differ from renewal criteria
What happens when a new activity-level or module-level attempt is created
Which progress, schedules, deadlines, confirmations, ratings, and certificates reset or remain historical
How Configure rules for module attempts, Keep progress, and Override access restrictions upon activity recertification work
How Group Assignments behave in activity-level renewal
Which standard emails are sent and when Automated Email Workflows add value
How to extend expiration for an individual without changing the certificate for everyone
How to stop and start new attempts for eligible participants
How blocked, cancelled, forced-complete, and manually certified participants are handled
How renewal appears to participants, managers, instructors, administrators, Analytics, and reports
How to troubleshoot missing attempts, premature renewal, carried progress, email, deadline, and reporting problems

What re-certification is

Re-certification is the controlled process of earning a new certificate attempt when an existing time-limited certificate approaches expiration.

It is designed for credentials that must remain current, such as:

Annual compliance certification
Product or service authorization valid for 24 months
Periodic safety or clinical competence
Partner accreditation tied to a commercial agreement
Continuing professional education that must be renewed
Instructor or operator qualifications requiring repeated assessment

Re-certification is configured on the certificate, not as a separate Training Activity type. The certificate supplies the validity date, the renewal window, and the certification criteria. Its connection determines whether the new attempt applies to one Course or Event module or to the complete multi-module Training Activity.

Re-certification is not the same as repeating an activity
A repeated or cloned Training Activity is a separate delivery with its own activity record and participant enrollment. Re-certification creates a new attempt for an existing participant within the certification lifecycle of the connected activity or module. Use Repeat for another scheduled cohort or occurrence; use Re-certification when the same person's credential must be renewed and the attempt history must remain connected.

For creating the credential, choosing its layout, and configuring issuance, see Certificates.

Understand the lifecycle

A re-certification design connects five different dates or states.

Concept	What it controls	Example
Original issue/completion date	When the participant earned the current certificate	15 May 2026
Expiration date	Last date of the certificate's configured validity	15 May 2028
Expiration alert	When advance planning communication is sent	Two months before expiry
Re-certification available from	When the new attempt may be created and started	60 days before expiry
New certificate issue date	When the participant satisfies the renewal criteria	20 April 2028

The current certificate can remain valid while the new attempt is available. This overlap lets participants renew before a compliance gap occurs.

A simplified lifecycle looks like this:

Lifecycle showing a certificate being issued, remaining valid, and expiring. During the validity period, the expiration alert communicates with the participant, while the separately configured renewal window provides access to a new attempt that can result in a re-earned certificate. — Re-certification lifecycle with independently configured expiration alerts and renewal access.

The alert and the renewal window are separate controls. An alert can tell the participant to plan before the training is available. Conversely, opening a new attempt without suitable communication can leave participants unaware that action is required.

Keep related controls separate

Control	What it means	What it does not do
Certificate expiration	Ends the current credential's validity	Does not by itself limit access to the training
Re-certification window	Makes a new certification attempt available before expiry	Does not extend the existing certificate
Expiration alert	Sends lifecycle communication before expiry	Does not create a new attempt unless the renewal window is reached
Access expiration	Removes or limits access to a Training Activity after configured conditions	Is not certificate expiration
Mandatory deadline	Defines when the current attempt should be completed	Is not the certificate's expiry date
Repeat activity	Creates another linked delivery or occurrence	Is not a new certification attempt in the same lifecycle
Force completion	Administratively completes the current attempt	Does not pre-complete a future renewal attempt
Extend expiration	Changes one participant's current unexpired certificate date	Does not redesign renewal criteria for everyone
Stop new attempts	Suspends future/new re-certification attempt handling for an eligible participant	Does not revoke or delete historical certificates

These controls can be used together. For example, a mandatory renewal attempt can receive a fresh Deadline while the previous certificate remains valid until its expiration date.

Decide whether re-certification is the right model

Use Re-certification when:

The same named credential expires and must be earned again.
Renewal should preserve a connected attempt history.
Participants should be prompted automatically before validity ends.
Current and previous certificates must remain auditable.
The renewal path can be expressed through the same Training Activity and certificate structure.

Use another approach when:

The next cohort is a separate scheduled delivery rather than a personal renewal cycle—use Repeat or create another Training Activity.
The qualification changes materially in name, meaning, accrediting authority, or required evidence—create a new certificate and, where appropriate, a new Training Activity.
Access should merely end after a period—use Access expiration.
A completion deadline is required without credential validity—use Mandatory.
The certificate was earned outside Eurekos and only a reminder is needed—use the manual external-certificate reminder options from the user profile rather than assuming a full Eurekos attempt exists.

Plan the renewal policy

Before configuring the certificate, agree on:

What legal, regulatory, product, or business rule determines validity?
Does everyone expire together, or does each person receive the same period after completion?
How early may someone renew?
How much time do participants realistically need to complete the renewal path?
Should the current credential remain valid throughout the renewal window?
Must all original content be repeated?
Can prior Course progress or a module certificate carry forward?
Are first-attempt prerequisites still meaningful during renewal?
Are live Events available during every renewal window?
Does a practical assessment require instructor capacity?
Should required feedback, user confirmation, or Assignment work repeat?
Does renewal grant or restore a Skill or Skill level?
Which participants, managers, instructors, and administrators need communication?
Who may extend validity, stop attempts, force completion, or make exceptions?
Which report proves that certification was current at the required time?

A compact policy table is useful:

Decision	Example policy
Credential	Authorized Installer – Level 1
Validity	24 months after completion
Alert	Two months before expiration
Renewal available	60 days before expiration
Renewal evidence	Refresher Course completed AND practical assessment passed
Carried progress	Product introduction retained; assessment repeated
Deadline	45 days after renewal attempt starts
Escalation	Participant at opening, manager after 30 days, administrator before expiry
Exception authority	Certification owner may extend an unexpired certificate
Evidence	Certificate and Progress reports retained according to policy

Re-certification setting reference

The certificate editor brings the lifecycle decisions together. The exact display can depend on platform configuration, but the operational settings are:

Setting	What you enter or select	Result
Expiration method	Specific date or months after completing the training	Determines how each issued certificate receives its expiration date
Specific date	One calendar date	Every governed certificate expires on the common date
Months after completing the training	Number of months	Each certificate expires after the same rolling period from its participant's completion
Expiration alert	Number of months before expiration	Schedules the standard planning notification before validity ends
Enable re-certification	Enabled or disabled	Determines whether the expiring certificate can create a renewal attempt
Re-certification available	Number of days before expiration	Determines when the new attempt is created and opened
Renewal issuance criteria	The evidence required for the next certification attempt	Determines what the participant must complete, pass, attend, or have assessed again

Expiration method and renewal availability solve different problems: one ends the current credential's validity; the other opens the next attempt. Configure both from the approved policy rather than choosing dates only because they appear convenient in a test activity.

Choose the expiration model

Re-certification depends on an expiring certificate. Configure the certificate’s expiration model before defining when the renewal window opens.

Expiration model	When to use it	What happens and what to plan for
Specific date Every certificate governed by the definition expires on the configured calendar date, regardless of the participant’s enrollment or completion date.	Use a fixed date for a controlled cohort or a common regulatory, contractual, product, academic, or seasonal cycle. Examples: All 2027 safety authorizations expire on 31 December 2027. Partner status must be renewed before the new commercial year. A product-version credential ends on a common support date.	Participants who certify late in the cycle receive a shorter validity period. If the re-certification window is already open when they certify, their renewal attempt may become available soon after the original certificate is issued. Test late-completer scenarios and confirm how the common expiration date will be managed for the next cycle.
Months after completing the training Each participant’s expiration date is calculated from the date on which they earn the certificate.	Use rolling validity for ongoing enrollment when every participant should receive the same certification period. Examples: Certification remains valid for 12 months after completion. Product accreditation remains valid for 24 months. A professional credential must be renewed every 36 months.	Expiration and renewal dates are distributed throughout the year. This gives participants the same validity period but requires dependable automation, communication, monitoring, and reporting because participants enter renewal continuously.
No expiration The certificate remains valid indefinitely unless it is revoked or otherwise governed through a separate process.	Use no expiration when the qualification is permanent or when future renewal is managed through another documented and controlled process.	A certificate without expiration does not create the normal time-driven re-certification cycle. Do not enter an arbitrary far-future date merely to postpone a validity decision. Document the intended validity and renewal policy first.

Expiration model

When to use it

What happens and what to plan for

Specific date

Every certificate governed by the definition expires on the configured calendar date, regardless of the participant’s enrollment or completion date.

Use a fixed date for a controlled cohort or a common regulatory, contractual, product, academic, or seasonal cycle.

Examples:

All 2027 safety authorizations expire on 31 December 2027.
Partner status must be renewed before the new commercial year.
A product-version credential ends on a common support date.

Participants who certify late in the cycle receive a shorter validity period. If the re-certification window is already open when they certify, their renewal attempt may become available soon after the original certificate is issued.

Test late-completer scenarios and confirm how the common expiration date will be managed for the next cycle.

Months after completing the training

Each participant’s expiration date is calculated from the date on which they earn the certificate.

Use rolling validity for ongoing enrollment when every participant should receive the same certification period.

Examples:

Certification remains valid for 12 months after completion.
Product accreditation remains valid for 24 months.
A professional credential must be renewed every 36 months.

Expiration and renewal dates are distributed throughout the year. This gives participants the same validity period but requires dependable automation, communication, monitoring, and reporting because participants enter renewal continuously.

No expiration

The certificate remains valid indefinitely unless it is revoked or otherwise governed through a separate process.

Use no expiration when the qualification is permanent or when future renewal is managed through another documented and controlled process.

A certificate without expiration does not create the normal time-driven re-certification cycle. Do not enter an arbitrary far-future date merely to postpone a validity decision. Document the intended validity and renewal policy first.

Governance considerations

For a specific-date model, assign ownership for maintaining the certificate definition when the common expiration date changes. Decide whether the next cycle represents the same continuing credential or a materially different qualification that requires a new certificate definition.

For a rolling model, ensure that expiration alerts, renewal availability, automated communication, and reporting can operate continuously rather than only during an annual campaign.

The expiration model determines certificate validity. The separately configured re-certification window determines when the participant can begin the next attempt.

Configure the expiration alert

The expiration alert warns before the current certificate becomes invalid. Enter the number of months before expirationas part of the certificate's expiration lifecycle.

Use it when participants and their relevant managers need planning time for:

Completing a self-paced refresher
Booking a live Event
Arranging practical assessment
Gathering evidence or approvals
Avoiding loss of access that depends on a current Skill or certificate

The standard expiration message is commonly presented as Time to plan your re-certification. It is sent to the participant and the Manager of the participant's organization according to the configured certificate lifecycle and available relationship data.

Choose the interval based on the real effort and scheduling constraints. An alert one month before expiry may be adequate for a short online refresher but too late for a program requiring a scarce classroom session and assessor.

The alert does not guarantee that a new attempt exists. Coordinate it with the days before expiration renewal setting:

Alert before the window: useful planning notice; the participant may need to wait before starting.
Alert at the same time: one clear call to action when the attempt opens.
Alert after the window: the attempt is available earlier, but the participant is not proactively told through the expiration alert until later.

Enable re-certification

Open Course Administration → Certificates.
Edit the certificate connected to the relevant Course, Event, or multi-module Training Activity.
Confirm that expiration is configured as a specific date or months after completion.
Enable Re-certification.
Enter how many days before expiration the new certification attempt becomes available.
Review or configure the issuance criteria for the renewal attempt.
Save the certificate.
Review Used in and every connected activity or module.
Test the lifecycle with certificates representing early, normal, and late expiration dates.
Validate the new attempt, progress, emails, participant display, Skills, deadlines, and reports.

Re-certification can be applied through a certificate connected at:

Activity level for renewal of the complete multi-module learning path
Course module level for renewal of that Course credential
Event module level for renewal of that Event credential

The level matters because it determines the scope of the new attempt and which progress can reset or carry over.

Enable expiration to configure renewal rules.

Configure the renewal availability window

The days before expiration value determines when the new certification attempt is available.

Example:

Current certificate expires: 30 September Renewal available: 60 days before expiration New attempt opens: approximately 1 August

At the opening of the window:

A new attempt is created for the eligible participant.
The participant's current certification view can move to a renewal or Pending state.
The standard Re-certification available email is sent only when the new attempt is actually created.
The earlier certificate and earlier attempt remain available as historical evidence.
The current certificate can remain valid until its expiration date.

Select a window long enough for the complete process. Include:

Expected Course duration
Test retries and remediation
Event frequency and seat capacity
Instructor availability
Assignment review time
Practical-assessment scheduling
Participant absence or leave
Manager and administrator escalation time

Opening too early can create unnecessary repeat work or allow a new certificate before policy intends. Opening too late increases the risk of expired credentials and operational non-compliance.

Define original and renewal criteria

Re-certification can repeat the original certificate criteria or use a separate set of renewal criteria.

Configuration	When to use it	What happens
Use the original issuance criteria	Leave Re-certification requires different issuance criteria cleared when participants must repeat the same requirements used for their initial certification.	The new attempt evaluates the participant against the certificate’s original issuance criteria.
Use different re-certification criteria	Select Re-certification requires different issuance criteria when an already-certified participant may follow a different renewal route—for example, a refresher Course and updated assessment instead of the complete original program.	A separate criteria builder appears. Add the Courses, tests, Events, assessments, Existing Training, or other evidence required specifically for re-certification. Multiple criteria can be combined where necessary. The original criteria continue to govern initial certification.

Different criteria should not mean weaker evidence by default. The renewal requirements must still demonstrate the competence, attendance, knowledge, or compliance outcome that the renewed certificate represents.

Test the initial certification and re-certification routes separately. In particular, confirm that every referenced module or assessment is available during the renewal window and that the configured logic cannot issue the certificate without the intended current evidence.

Certificate expiration settings with re-certification enabled and separate re-certification issuance criteria configured using a test requirement. 4:36 PM — Configure separate issuance criteria when re-certification should follow a different route from initial certification.

For example:

Original certification Full foundation Course AND live workshop attendance AND practical assessment passed Re-certification Short refresher Course AND updated knowledge test passed AND practical assessment passed

Use different renewal criteria when prior qualification justifies a shorter update path, while still proving continued competence. Repeat the original criteria when regulation or policy requires complete retraining.

For each renewal criterion, confirm:

The referenced Course, video, Question Set, Event, Existing Training, or assessment remains available.
The evidence can be collected during every participant's renewal window.
Adaptive rules do not hide a mandatory renewal requirement.
Access restrictions do not make the new attempt impossible.
Scheduled Events have viable future occurrences.
A responsible instructor can complete practical assessments.
Any required Training Feedback or Complete button has a clear participant action.

Do not rely on yesterday's course structure
Re-certification can begin months or years after the original setup. Review linked content, H5P objects, SCORM/xAPI behavior, schedules, instructors, Locations, email text, and access rules before each renewal cycle or material product/regulatory change.

What happens when a new attempt is created

A new attempt is not a deletion or rewrite of the previous one. It is another attempt in the same certification history.

By default:

The earlier certificate remains historical and stays valid until its expiration date.
The new attempt is shown as upcoming, renewal, or certification Pending according to the interface context.
The pending attempt does not show a new certificate download link because the new certificate has not been earned.
Course and module statuses are recalculated for the new attempt and normally begin again from Not started.
Scheduled scenarios are recalculated from their dates; a module whose relevant date has already passed may resolve differently from an unscheduled Course.
The participant must meet the configured renewal criteria.
Authorized users can select earlier attempts in Progress/Analytics to inspect their results.

The attempt does not normally require the participant to self-enroll in a new activity. It is created from the certificate lifecycle for the existing certification context.

Activity-level re-certification

An activity-level certificate creates a new attempt for the overall learning path. Each included module is recalculated within that new activity attempt.

Use this when the credential represents the complete program. Review every module, because one carried, scheduled, adaptive, nested, or group-based component can change the new attempt's initial state.

Module-level re-certification

A certificate connected to a Course or Event module creates a new attempt at that module level. This supports a module credential with its own validity cycle inside a larger activity.

Module-level renewal is independent from an activity-level renewal. If both levels have expiring certificates, participants can have overlapping attempt cycles. Use this only when the organization genuinely needs separate credentials and renewal clocks.

Process showing a previous certificate and attempt retained in history when a new re-certification attempt is created. Progress normally resets or is recalculated, while optional activity-level rules can carry selected Course progress or override first-attempt access restrictions. Satisfying the renewal criteria issues a new certificate with a new validity period. — New-attempt behavior in re-certification: earlier records remain, while current progress resets or follows optional carry-forward rules.

Progress reset and recalculation

“Reset” does not mean every technical record is erased. It means the new attempt receives its own current progress context while previous attempts remain available for history.

Review these behaviors:

Area	New-attempt behavior
Course progress	Normally recalculated and starts again unless Keep progress applies
Certificate	The new attempt has no new certificate until renewal criteria are satisfied; the earlier issued certificate remains historical
Schedules	Re-evaluated against their configured dates; already-passed dates can affect the initial status
Event attendance	Must satisfy the renewal attempt's attendance rules; a historical attendance record is not automatically new attendance unless specific carried behavior applies
Practical assessment	Must reach the renewal result required by the criteria
User confirmation	The Complete button appears again in each new attempt when required
Mandatory deadline	Reapplied to the new attempt using the original duration from the new-attempt date
Force completion	Remains on the attempt where it was performed; the future attempt is separate
Ratings	The participant can leave a rating in each attempt
Historical analytics	Earlier attempt details remain selectable to authorized users

Test exact module types. Native Course, SCORM, Event, Assignment, Existing Training, adaptive modules, and Group Assignments do not all generate or retain evidence in the same way.

Configure rules for module attempts

Some platforms have the optional Settings → General → Configure rules for module attempts setting. When enabled, additional certification configuration becomes available at activity level, and two module controls can support activity-level re-certification:

Keep progress on Course modules
Override access restrictions upon activity recertification on Course and Event modules

If you need this complex use case, contact Eurekos support to have this configuration enabled.

Keep progress

Aspect	Guidance
What it is	A Course-module option that carries previous module progress, including certificates, into the next activity-level re-certification attempt.
When to use it	Use it when the Course does not need to be repeated during every renewal—for example, permanent foundation knowledge that supports an annually repeated assessment.
What happens	The carried module can appear with its previous progress in the new activity attempt. If the Course forms part of the activity-level certificate criteria, its carried result can immediately satisfy that part of the new certification rule. Depending on the complete rule, the activity-level certificate may be issued and the new attempt may be completed without the participant reopening the Course.

Use Keep progress intentionally. Carrying everything can turn re-certification into an empty administrative cycle, while carrying nothing can force unnecessary retraining.

Important special cases:

Keep progress applies to Course modules.
It is designed for activity-level re-certification.
If re-certification is configured at module level, Keep progress is ignored because a new module attempt is created.
When a carried Course also has an access restriction, it can appear restricted while still displaying carried progress.
Transfer into the new attempt can be processed asynchronously, so an immediately opened attempt may need time before the carried state is visible.

Override access restrictions upon activity recertification

Aspect	Guidance
What it is	A Course- or Event-module option that makes its configured access restrictions apply only to the first activity attempt.
When to use it	Use it when a prerequisite establishes eligibility for the original program but should not prevent an already-certified participant from entering a renewal attempt.
Example	Original attempt: The Foundation Course must be completed before the workshop opens. Renewal attempt: The already-certified participant may proceed directly to the refresher workshop.
What happens	The module restriction is overridden in later activity-level re-certification attempts. The option does not erase the original prerequisite record or disable restrictions for unrelated first-time participants.

Do not override a restriction that remains a regulatory, compliance, or safety requirement for every attempt.

Design these controls together

Desired renewal behavior	Keep progress	Override access restriction
Repeat everything in order	Off	Off
Retain foundation Course and open later modules	On for foundation	On where the first-attempt prerequisite would otherwise block renewal
Repeat Course but skip an old entry prerequisite	Off	On for the affected later module
Retain Course result but keep another current eligibility check	On for Course	Off for the continuing eligibility restriction

Always test a first-time participant and a renewing participant. A configuration that works in the new attempt may unintentionally weaken the original journey if it is attached at the wrong level.

Group Assignments in re-certification

When an activity-level re-certification contains a Group Assignment, the Assignment module's training status is transferred automatically into the next attempt. This resembles Keep progress, but the transfer is automatic for the Group Assignment rather than selected through the Course-module option.

At new-attempt creation, the Group Assignment status at that moment becomes the initial fixed status for the attempt. Group activity can still affect the appropriate current attempts: when a submission is updated or an instructor changes its status or grade, members can be affected according to their group membership and attempt context.

This requires careful testing when group members are on different renewal attempts. Before opening the cycle:

Confirm current group membership.
Decide whether the earlier group outcome should satisfy renewal.
Check members who join or leave after the attempt is created.
Review the submission and assessment available to each attempt.
Avoid mixing first-time and renewing participants in one group unless the outcome is intentional.

Learn more in Assignments.

Mandatory deadlines in new attempts

When the Training Activity is Mandatory, its Deadline is reapplied to each new re-certification attempt. Eurekos preserves the configured duration and calculates it from the new-attempt date.

Example:

Mandatory deadline: 30 days after enrollment/attempt start New re-certification attempt: 1 August New attempt deadline: 31 August

This is separate from the certificate's expiration date. A participant can therefore have:

A current certificate expiring on 30 September
A new renewal attempt available on 1 August
A mandatory completion deadline on 31 August

That design deliberately requires renewal before the old certificate expires. If the deadline were later than expiry, the participant could become uncertified while still being within the Training Activity's allowed completion period.

Coordinate:

Re-certification availability
Mandatory duration
Certificate expiration
Event dates and seat availability
Automated Email Workflow triggers

The deadline is also recalculated when an applicable signup returns to Registered after a status change according to the Mandatory rules.

Completion behavior in new attempts

If User confirmation is required on a module, the Complete button appears again in every new re-certification attempt after the underlying completion criteria are met. The renewal certificate waits until the participant gives the required acknowledgement.

Don't show congratulations message continues to affect only the popup experience. It does not stop completion, certificate issuance, or future attempts.

Changing Completion behavior after a participant has already received a certificate does not rewrite the participant's existing training status. Test it against the next attempt before using it as part of a renewal-process change.

Force completion and re-certification

Force completion applies to the participant's current attempt only.

When an authorized user marks the current activity or module complete:

The current attempt becomes complete.
A connected certificate can be issued.
Required feedback can be bypassed.
The actor, timestamp, and optional completion comment remain audit evidence.

When a future re-certification attempt is created, that new attempt remains separate. The previous forced completion does not automatically complete it.

Use force completion for documented exceptions, not as a renewal method. If the policy permits renewal solely through administrative recognition, define an explicit governed process and supporting evidence rather than repeatedly overriding a design whose criteria cannot be met.

Standard re-certification emails

The certificate lifecycle provides standard messages without requiring an Automated Email Workflow for the core events.

Message	Trigger	Typical recipients	Important condition
Time to plan your re-certification	Configured expiration-alert point	Participant and Manager of the participant's organization	Certificate expiration and alert must be configured; manager delivery needs a valid relationship/context
Re-certification available	A new re-certification attempt is actually created	Participant	Sent only when the attempt exists, not merely because re-certification was enabled
Certificate achieved	Renewal criteria are met and the new internal certificate is issued	Participant	Certopus uses its external email flow

Review the current templates and language versions under Settings → Email Sending → System Emails. Confirm sender, links, terminology, and notification-scheme behavior. Registered and Expired signups can receive relevant re-certification messages when the remaining lifecycle conditions are met; Cancelled, Reserved, and Waiting list signups are excluded, and a cancelled participant must first be reactivated through the approved process.

Add Automated Email Workflows when needed

Use an Automated Email Workflow for additional communication such as:

Reminder 30 days after the renewal attempt opens if incomplete
Escalation to an Immediate Manager before expiration
Instructor reminder to schedule practical assessment
Course Administrator task to review participants at risk
Organization-specific instructions or support contacts

Do not duplicate the standard lifecycle messages without purpose. Map the complete communication journey and confirm whether each message is driven by certificate expiry, attempt availability, Mandatory deadline, activity Schedule, Event date, or participant completion.

Learn more in Automated Email Workflows, Email Sending, and System Email Notification Overview.

Re-certification for manually uploaded certificates

An administrator can upload a certificate earned outside Eurekos to a user's profile. A participant re-certification reminder can be enabled as part of that manual certificate process.

Use this for external qualifications that need visibility and reminder support. It is not automatically the same as an Eurekos certificate connected to a Training Activity:

There may be no Eurekos issuance criteria.
There may be no automatic activity or module attempt.
The external evidence and renewal process require their own governance.

Document where the participant should renew, who validates the external result, and how the replacement certificate is uploaded.

Extend an individual's certificate expiration

Authorized instructors and administrators can postpone the expiration date of a certificate for an individual participant from the relevant participant statistics/Progress context.

Use an extension for an approved exception such as:

The participant is on leave during the renewal window.
A required Event was cancelled.
Assessor capacity or a technical problem prevented timely completion.
A regulator or credential owner approved temporary continued validity.

To extend:

Open the Training Activity's participant Progress or statistics.
Select the relevant participant and certificate at the correct activity or module level.
Choose the expiration-extension action.
Enter the approved new date.
Confirm the change.
Record the business justification in the organization's governing process.
Verify the new date in the participant view and report.

Important limitations:

The certificate must have an expiration date.
Only the current attempt can be extended.
The certificate must not already be expired.
An activity-level extension does not silently extend a separate module-level certificate, or vice versa.
Extending validity does not prove that renewal requirements were completed.

Decide whether the existing renewal attempt and its deadline should continue during the extension. An extension solves certificate validity; it does not automatically redesign every surrounding date or message.

Stop or start new attempts for an individual

Administrators can use Stop new attempts and Start new attempts from the participant actions in the Training Activity context for special cases.

Use Stop when new renewal attempts should be suspended for one eligible participant—for example, an approved exemption, a duplicate certification process, or a temporarily inapplicable qualification. Use Start to resume attempt creation when the participant should re-enter the governed lifecycle.

The control:

Is available only for activities with re-certification enabled.
Applies to supported Course and Event module certification contexts.
Is not available for Cancelled or Blocked users.
Does not revoke the participant's historical certificate.
Does not replace an expiration extension when the current certificate must remain valid longer.
Should be documented because it changes the person's future renewal processing.

After using either action, verify the participant's attempt state, current certificate validity, notification timeline, and reporting result.

Blocked and cancelled users

Blocked users

Blocked users do not receive new re-certification attempts or the related emails. Their earlier certificates and attempt history can remain visible to authorized roles for historical and audit purposes.

When a user is unblocked and otherwise eligible, a new re-certification attempt can be created. Review current eligibility, certificate dates, attempt history, and communication immediately after unblocking; do not assume every missed lifecycle event will replay automatically. Use Progress and reporting to confirm the authoritative state.

Cancelled participants

Cancelled participants do not have the manual Stop/Start new attempts action. Cancellation and certificate history are separate states; cancelling an enrollment does not by itself erase an issued certificate.

If a Cancelled or Expired signup should resume renewal, use the approved reactivation or enrollment process and then verify whether a current attempt and deadline exist. When reactivation happens inside the certificate's active re-certification period, Eurekos can create the new attempt immediately even when the scheduled re-certification date is later. Displayed renewal dates remain based on the configured schedule, and Stop new attempts does not prevent this reactivation-triggered creation; govern the status change itself and verify the attempt, certificate expiration, and Mandatory deadline separately.

Skills and access during renewal

A certificate can grant Skills or Skill levels. When a certificate expires, its Skill-level contribution is deducted from the participant's current total. This can affect:

Access restrictions based on Skills
Self-enrollment eligibility
Qualification dashboards
Workforce or partner readiness reporting

Opening re-certification before expiry provides time to earn the next certificate before the Skill contribution lapses. However, making an attempt available does not itself renew the Skill; the participant must earn the new certificate.

If a Skill controls access to the renewal activity itself, test for circular logic. A participant must not lose the Skill needed to enter the very training that restores it unless a deliberate alternative route or restriction override exists.

Participant experience

Participants can see renewal-related information in their training, Progress, and profile contexts according to platform configuration and permissions.

The experience can include:

Current certificate and expiration date
Re-certification date or availability information
A Re-certificate, renewal, upcoming, or Certification pending status
A new attempt with recalculated module progress
The standard Re-certification available email
A Complete button when confirmation is required
The newly issued certificate after renewal
Earlier attempts selectable in Progress/Analytics
Historical expired certificates available for download

The Certificates section of the user profile preserves historical credentials. A new pending attempt can appear without a certificate link until it is earned. The User Transcript can include certificate expiration and re-certification information.

Monitor renewal operations

Use Progress for individual diagnosis and attempt comparison. Review:

Current and previous attempt selector
Activity- and module-level status
Certificate issue and expiration dates
Re-certification readiness or pending status
Course, H5P, SCORM/xAPI, Event, Assignment, and Existing Training evidence
Attendance and practical assessment
Mandatory deadline
Administrative completion actions

Use Certificates Analytics and Learning Performance for portfolio supervision:

Current issued certificates
Upcoming expirations
Renewal readiness
Eligible-versus-issued gaps
Average time to certification
Organization or cohort differences

Use detailed reports for audit evidence. Depending on report type and configuration, fields can include certificate name, activity/module source, issue date, completion date, expiration, status, re-certification date, and attempt-related progress. Use the participant's attempt history and the re-certification log to distinguish an attempt created through reactivation from one created by scheduled processing; this explains why an attempt can exist before the date expected from the ordinary schedule.

Analytics may emphasize the latest issuance to avoid double counting when the same participant earns the same certificate again in the selected period. Detailed reports and the attempt selector preserve the history needed to understand earlier cycles.

Expired certificates remain historical evidence. Blocked users can remain visible to authorized roles; deleted-user and Cancelled-signup treatment depends on the report and platform governance configuration.

Govern configuration changes after issuance

Re-certification settings can affect people who already hold the certificate. If re-certification is enabled after the first certificate was issued, Eurekos can include those participants according to their configured dates.

Before changing a live certificate:

Review Used in and identify every activity and module connection.
Export a baseline of current certificates, expiration dates, and attempts where required.
Identify participants already inside or near the proposed window.
Test fixed-date late completers and rolling cohorts.
Compare original and renewal criteria.
Review Keep progress and restriction overrides.
Check Mandatory deadlines and Event availability.
Review standard emails and Automated Email Workflows.
Confirm Skill and access effects at expiration.
Decide whether the change belongs in the existing certificate or a new credential definition.

Do not remove a connected certificate to stop renewal. Removing a Certificate feature after issuance can remove the associated issued certificates after confirmation. Use the specific Stop new attempts control for an individual or redesign the certificate through the governed process.

Common re-certification designs

Re-certification design and requirement	Recommended configuration	Why it works
Rolling product authorization A partner remains authorized for 24 months from certification and must complete an update before expiry.	Certificate expires 24 months after completion Alert two or three months before expiry Re-certification available 60 days before expiry Refresher Course and practical assessment as renewal criteria Product Skill granted by the certificate Manager escalation before expiry	Every partner receives the same validity period, while early renewal reduces the risk of gaps in certification, Skills, or dependent access.
Annual compliance cohort All employees must hold the same annual compliance certificate by year-end.	Fixed certificate expiration date Re-certification window aligned with the annual campaign Mandatory deadline inside the validity window Renewal criteria updated for the new policy year Standard participant message with manager and administrator escalation	Fixed expiration aligns reporting and audit evidence across the cohort. The certificate owner must govern the next cycle’s expiration date, content, and renewal criteria.
Foundation retained, assessment repeated The permanent foundation Course does not need to be repeated, but the annual test and practical assessment must be passed again.	Activity-level certificate Keep progress enabled for the foundation Course Keep progress disabled for the refresher and test path First-attempt restrictions overridden only where they would block renewal unnecessarily Renewal criteria require current assessment evidence	Prior learning is recognized without weakening the recurring competence check.
Live Event renewal Operators must attend a refresher Event every year.	Event- or activity-level expiring certificate Renewal window opened early enough to reserve a seat Future Event dates or linked delivery choices available to every renewing participant Attendance used as certification evidence Automated reminders for booking and manager escalation	The process accounts for actual scheduling and seat capacity instead of opening renewal after the final suitable Event has occurred.
Temporary extension A participant cannot attend the only available assessment because of approved leave.	Extend the individual’s current, unexpired certificate to an approved date Preserve the renewal attempt unless policy requires otherwise Document the reason and decision owner Book the next valid assessment Verify the revised expiration date in reporting	The governed exception protects continuity without changing the certificate validity applied to the wider population.
External certificate reminder A professional qualification is renewed through an external body, while its evidence is stored in Eurekos.	Upload the external certificate to the user profile Enable the participant re-certification reminder Explain the external renewal route Validate and upload the replacement certificate when earned	Renewal reminders and evidence are managed without implying that Eurekos issued or assessed the external credential.

Verify the renewal configuration

Use representative participants and the module types included in your program. Check both a normal renewal and relevant exceptions before enabling or changing the process for existing certificate holders.

Scenario or check	Expected result or evidence
Fixed or rolling validity	A representative participant receives the intended expiration and renewal dates. Test a late completer in a fixed-date cycle and confirm who maintains the next cycle.
Alert and renewal availability	The alert arrives with useful planning time, and its wording reflects whether renewal is already available. The window allows time to complete training and any required assessment.
Original and renewal evidence	A new attempt requires the intended renewal criteria, not an unintended repeat of the original path. Test the Course, H5P, SCORM/xAPI, Event, Assignment, or Existing Training evidence actually used.
Retained progress and prerequisites	Keep progress retains only Course work that need not repeat and does not unintentionally satisfy the entire new certificate rule. Restriction overrides apply only where first-attempt prerequisites should no longer block renewal.
Activity- and module-level attempts	Progress resets or carries forward at the intended level. Do not expect module-level re-certification to honor the activity-level Keep progress behavior.
Completion dependencies and delivery capacity	Required feedback, participant confirmation, adaptive rules, attendance, and practical assessment form a reachable renewal path. Future Events, seats, and responsible assessors are available within the renewal window.
Deadlines, Skills, and access	The new attempt receives the intended Mandatory deadline. Certificate expiry and Skill changes have the expected access consequences, and participants can still reach the renewal work they need.
Communication and exceptions	Participant and manager messages reach the intended recipients without unnecessary duplication. Blocked or Cancelled users, extensions, Stop/Start new attempts, and Force completion are handled through the documented exception process.
Reporting and history	Progress shows the correct current and previous attempts, certificate dates, and renewal state. Reports provide the required evidence, with a named owner monitoring upcoming expirations, overdue renewals, and exceptions.

Troubleshooting

Problem	What to check or do
Re-certification settings are missing	Confirm that the certificate has an expiration model and that the administrator has permission to edit it. Re-certification is configured on the certificate, not directly as a Training Activity feature.
No new attempt was created	Check the certificate’s expiration date, configured days-before-expiration window, current date, participant eligibility, certificate connection, and whether new attempts were stopped. Blocked users do not receive new attempts.
The attempt opened earlier than expected	Recalculate the opening date from the participant’s actual certificate expiration date and the configured number of days. With rolling expiration, participants have different dates. With fixed expiration, late certification may place someone inside the renewal window immediately.
The attempt opened later than the expiration alert	The alert and renewal window are configured separately. This can provide intentional planning time. If participants should act immediately, align the settings or make the alert wording explain when the training becomes available.
The participant received no expiration alert	Confirm that certificate expiration and an alert interval are configured, the participant’s email address is valid, and any required Manager relationship exists. Review the System Email template, language and notification scheme, Email Sending logs, sender configuration, provider delivery, and spam handling.
The participant received no Re-certification available email	Confirm that a new attempt was actually created. Then review the participant’s status and email address, the System Email template, language and notification scheme, and Email Sending logs. Saving the re-certification configuration alone does not send this email.
The Manager did not receive the planning email	Verify the participant’s organization and current Manager relationship, the Manager’s active account and email address, organizational scope, and notification configuration. Then review Email Sending logs, sender configuration, provider delivery, and spam or quarantine handling.
The pending attempt has no certificate link	This is expected until the participant earns the new certificate. Select the earlier attempt or open the certificate history in the participant’s profile to access the currently or previously issued document.
The previous certificate disappeared from the current attempt	The new attempt does not display a new certificate before it is earned. Use the attempt selector or profile history to view the earlier certificate. If the historical record is also missing, investigate whether the Certificate feature was removed.
A historical certificate was removed	Check whether an administrator removed the connected certificate from the activity or module and confirmed the destructive warning. That action removes associated issued certificates; it is not part of the normal re-certification reset.
Every Course returned to Not started	This is the default behavior for a new attempt. Enable and govern Configure rules for module attempts and Keep progress only for Courses whose previous results should carry into activity-level re-certification. Request Eurekos support to have it enabled if you require this feature.
Keep progress is not visible	Confirm that Settings → General → Configure rules for module attempts is enabled and that you are editing a Course module in an activity-level certification context. The option is not a general Event or Assignment control.
Keep progress is enabled, but the Course still looks empty	Confirm that the participant had progress in the previous attempt, the option was saved before the new attempt was created, and the correct attempt is selected. Carried progress can be processed asynchronously, so check again after processing completes.
Keep progress did not work for module-level re-certification	This is expected. Keep progress is ignored when the certificate renews at module level because Eurekos creates a new module attempt.
The new activity certificate was issued immediately	Inspect the carried Course progress and every activity-level certificate criterion. A Course using Keep progress may already satisfy part or all of the certificate rule. Remove carried progress only when the governing policy requires that evidence to be repeated.
A carried Course is shown as restricted	This can occur when the Course has both previous progress and an active access restriction. Decide whether the restriction should still apply. Use the specific renewal override only when the restriction represents a first-attempt prerequisite.
The access-restriction override is missing	Confirm that the platform-level module-attempt configuration is enabled and that the Access restrictions feature belongs to a supported Course or Event module.
A renewing participant is still blocked by a first-time prerequisite	Enable Override access restrictions upon activity recertification on the affected module when the prerequisite should apply only to the first attempt. Do not weaken a requirement that remains mandatory for every renewal.
A first-time participant bypassed a prerequisite	Review the restriction rule and module-attempt context. The renewal override should affect later activity attempts, not the first attempt. Confirm that the participant is not being viewed in an already-created renewal attempt.
A scheduled module is already Completed in the new attempt	Schedules are recalculated against their configured dates. A date that has already passed can produce a completed schedule state. Confirm whether the old dated module belongs in a rolling renewal design. Provide a future Event or another renewal criterion when new participation is required.
No future Event is available during the renewal window	The certificate configuration cannot create instructor capacity or a new Event occurrence. Add suitable future Events, use linked delivery choices, or open the renewal window earlier. Do not use force completion as the standard solution to unavailable Events.
Attendance from the original Event satisfied—or failed to satisfy—renewal unexpectedly	Confirm whether renewal occurs at activity or module level, which Event is referenced, and whether any carried-progress or schedule behavior applies. Renewal attendance should represent the approved evidence for the current certification cycle.
The SCORM Course did not reset correctly	Open the new attempt and inspect SCORM completion, success, score, time, and package resume behavior. Verify that the package supports a fresh attempt and reports the Passedstate required for certification.
The participant completed SCORM but received no renewed certificate	Check whether the package reported Passed as well as Completed, and whether any other renewal criteria remain unmet. Validate any platform configuration used when the package does not send a success signal.
The Complete button appears again	This is expected when User confirmation is required. Each re-certification attempt requires its own acknowledgement after the other completion criteria have been satisfied.
Required feedback blocks the new certificate	Confirm that the correct Training Feedback questionnaire is connected and available in the current attempt. Test that the participant can access and submit it without an impossible certificate-dependent completion loop.
A forced-complete participant must train again	Force completion applied only to the earlier attempt. The new attempt follows the configured renewal criteria. Use another documented exception only when the policy owner approves it.
The new Mandatory deadline is unexpected	The configured Mandatory duration is reapplied from the date on which the re-certification attempt starts. Compare the new-attempt date, deadline method, certificate expiration, and any later signup reactivation.
The Mandatory deadline falls after certificate expiration	The two controls are configured independently. Shorten the completion duration, open renewal earlier, or revise the policy so participants have a realistic opportunity to complete renewal before their credential becomes invalid.
The deadline falls before the required Event	Align the renewal window, Mandatory duration, and Event calendar. A participant cannot satisfy an attendance requirement before the first suitable Event occurs.
Group Assignment status carried forward unexpectedly	Activity-level re-certification automatically transfers the Group Assignment’s training status into the next attempt. Review whether the Group Assignment is appropriate for a repeated competence requirement and test different member and attempt combinations.
Group members show different renewal results	Members may be on different attempts or their group membership may have changed. Review membership at attempt creation, subsequent membership changes, submission updates, and instructor assessment history for each participant.
An individual certificate cannot be extended	Confirm that the certificate has an expiration date, belongs to the current attempt, and has not already expired. Also confirm that the administrator or responsible instructor can access the correct activity or module context.
Extending the certificate did not change the attempt deadline	Certificate expiration and the Mandatory deadline are separate controls. Change only the dates authorized by the approved exception and communicate the resulting validity and completion dates clearly.
Extending the certificate did not remove the open renewal attempt	An extension changes the current certificate’s validity; it does not necessarily remove an attempt that already exists. Decide whether the participant should continue the attempt and use the specific attempt control only when governance requires suspension.
Stop new attempts is unavailable	Confirm that re-certification is enabled in the relevant Course or Event certification context, the participant has an eligible status, and the administrator has the required permission. The action is unavailable for Cancelled and Blocked users.
Starting new attempts did not immediately create a completed renewal	Start new attempts resumes renewal processing; it does not satisfy the renewal criteria. Confirm that the renewal window has been reached and then review the evidence required in the new attempt.
A blocked user missed renewal	Blocked users receive neither new attempts nor related emails. After unblocking the user, inspect the participant’s current certification lifecycle and use the authorized process to restore access or address any certification gap.
A reactivated participant has an unexpected deadline	Mandatory can recalculate the deadline when a signup returns to Registered. Compare the participant’s status history, new-attempt date, and configured deadline duration.
A Skill or restricted activity became unavailable at expiration	The expired certificate’s Skill-level contribution was removed from the participant’s current total. Verify whether the participant earned the renewal certificate, whether another valid source grants the Skill, and whether the access rule creates circular renewal access.
The participant earned the new certificate but still appears Pending	Confirm that the current attempt is selected and that any activity Schedule or end date, required feedback, user confirmation, or remaining module condition has been satisfied. Certificate issuance and overall activity completion can occur at different times.
The participant sees several simultaneous renewal paths	Review whether module-level and activity-level certificates both have re-certification enabled and whether reused certificates have overlapping renewal windows. Retain only the distinct renewal cycles required by the business.
A live certificate change affected existing holders	Re-certification enabled after issuance can apply to existing certificates according to their dates. Review Used in, identify affected certificate holders and active windows, and communicate or correct the governed configuration.
The manually uploaded certificate produced no Training Activity	The manual profile option provides reminder support for external evidence; it does not automatically create a connected Eurekos certificate attempt. Define the external renewal process and replacement-certificate upload procedure.
Analytics counts differ from attempt history	Analytics can emphasize the latest issuance to prevent double counting, while attempt-level views and detailed reports preserve earlier cycles. Align the selected period, certificate, activity, organization, user status, and attempt filters.
The latest certificate is visible, but an older one is missing from a report	Confirm whether the current view is an analytical summary or a detailed lifecycle report. Use the attempt selector and the Certificate or Progress report configured to preserve historical evidence.

FAQ

Can reactivation create a re-certification attempt before the scheduled date?

Yes. If a Cancelled or Expired signup is reactivated while the certificate's re-certification period is active, Eurekos can create the new attempt immediately even when the scheduled re-certification date is later. Verify the attempt, certificate expiration, and Mandatory deadline after reactivation.
Why does the displayed re-certification date differ from the attempt creation date?

The displayed re-certification date remains based on the configured certificate schedule. Reactivation can create the actual attempt earlier. Treat the scheduled date, attempt creation time, certificate expiration, and Mandatory deadline as separate lifecycle values.
Does Stop new attempts prevent an attempt created by reactivation?

No. Stop new attempts controls scheduled creation for eligible participants, but it does not prevent an attempt triggered by reactivating a Cancelled or Expired signup during the active re-certification period. Govern and audit the status change itself.
Which signup statuses can receive standard re-certification emails?

Registered and Expired signups can receive relevant standard re-certification messages when the remaining lifecycle conditions are met. Cancelled, Reserved, and Waiting list signups are excluded, and blocked users receive neither new attempts nor related emails. Reactivate a cancelled participant through the approved process first.
What happens to re-certification when a user is blocked or unblocked?

While blocked, the user receives no new re-certification attempt or related email. Earlier certificates and attempt history remain available to authorized roles. When the user is unblocked and otherwise eligible, an attempt can be created; review eligibility, certificate dates, attempt history, and communication immediately.
How can I tell whether an attempt was created by reactivation or by the schedule?

Review the participant's attempt history together with the re-certification log. The creation timestamp and surrounding signup-status changes help distinguish a reactivation-triggered attempt from ordinary scheduled processing and explain why an attempt may exist before the expected schedule date.
Does re-certification remove the earlier certificate or attempt?

No. The current certificate and earlier attempts remain as historical evidence. The new attempt has its own progress and pending certification state, while the existing certificate follows its configured validity and expiration lifecycle.
Can renewal criteria differ from the original certification criteria?

Yes. The administrator can define criteria appropriate for renewal rather than repeating every original requirement. Document the intended renewal evidence, test every valid route, and verify that carried progress or alternative criteria cannot issue the new certificate unintentionally.
Does Keep progress apply to module-level re-certification?

No. Keep progress is ignored for module-level re-certification because Eurekos creates a new module attempt. When the platform option Configure rules for module attempts is enabled, Keep progress can instead carry selected Course-module progress into a new activity-level attempt.