Recipient imports: choose what changes before updating credentials
An import can have a wider effect than the file you upload. Before changing recipient information, decide whether the intended result is a correction to one campaign, an update to shared recipient information, or a new credential. Treat those as separate decisions.
Short answer: Define the intended change, preserve unrelated history and compare actual results before processing a cohort.
Short answer
Write down what must change and what must remain unchanged. Match that decision to the documented import option, test with synthetic records, and compare the resulting credential views against the approved scope before processing a real cohort.
Separate the file from the change request
A spreadsheet describes proposed values. It does not explain whether earlier credentials should inherit them. An updated course title might belong only to a new achievement. A correction to a recipient’s name might have a different scope. Ask the program owner to approve the intended effect rather than simply approving the file.
Use a short change record:
| Decision | What to record |
|---|---|
| Target | Account or named campaign |
| Intended change | Fields and records that should change |
| Protected history | Existing credentials that must remain unchanged |
| New credential | Whether a new award is actually authorized |
| Future defaults | Whether later campaigns should inherit the values |
| Acceptance | Who checks the outcome and authorizes continuation |
This is a proposed operating checklist, not a claim that the platform enforces these approvals.
Check the scope of the import option
Sertifier’s recipient import guidance distinguishes account-level uploads from campaign uploads. It documents choices that preserve existing information, change campaign information, affect broader records, or create another credential. Some options also affect future defaults. Read the current documentation alongside the interface before choosing.
Do not equate a new row with a new achievement. Equally, do not assume that correcting a field requires issuing another credential. The intended outcome should determine the operation.
Test unchanged records as well as changed records
Build a synthetic test containing an existing recipient represented in a target campaign and an unrelated campaign. Record the starting values and credential identifiers. Choose the proposed operation and compare the result with the approved scope.
| Test observation | Acceptance question |
|---|---|
| Target credential | Did only the authorized fields change? |
| Unrelated credential | Did protected history remain unchanged? |
| Credential count and identifiers | Was a new credential created only when intended? |
| Later test campaign | Did defaults behave as expected? |
| Recipient-facing view | Does the visible result match the approved record? |
A successful upload message alone does not answer those questions. Stop when the changed scope differs from the approved scope. Keep test evidence free of real recipient information.
Review mapping separately
Sertifier’s spreadsheet upload instructions describe matching uploaded columns to recipient attributes. Check this mapping independently from the update choice: selecting the right scope cannot correct a column mapped to the wrong attribute.
Compare names, course fields and dates with the approved source. Preserve the file version used for the test in an access-controlled operational location. Do not publish recipient files or screenshots as evidence in a public guide.
Stop before attempting an improvised reversal
If unrelated credentials change, stop the batch. Record the operation, affected scope and observed difference. Ask the responsible administrator to determine the supported recovery path using the retained before-state. Do not assume that deleting a credential restores previous values or that re-importing a file reverses every effect.
For event-driven issuance, use the separate credentialing automation guide. It addresses duplicate events and uncertain retries. This checklist addresses the scope of an intentional recipient import.
Check the documented import choices
Match the approved change scope to the current account or campaign import behavior.
Frequently asked questions
Should every changed row create a new credential?
No. First establish whether the program authorized a new achievement or a correction to an existing record. Then select the supported operation for that decision.
Is checking the target campaign enough?
Include a protected, unrelated credential in the test when it could be affected by the chosen option. A correct target result does not prove that history stayed unchanged.
Where should I check the current import choices?
Use Sertifier’s account and campaign import guide, then confirm the exact option in your authorized test environment before processing real recipients.
