.png?height=120&name=61a69bd62207876ebe6cd252_chero-logo-with-r%20(1).png){kind=logo}
Learn to create and manage certificate templates.
Certificate templates are used as a shortcut to processing certificates. A user can create a certificate template to reference specific coverages, Named Insured(s), verbiage, and endorsements.
To download a comprehensive step-by-step walkthrough, click HERE.
This guide will review selecting the most common ACORD form, the ACORD 25.
Scroll through the walkthrough below.
Or
Locate and click the topic below to jump to that segment of the walkthrough.
Starting the Certificate Template
To begin creating the certificate template, on the left menu, click “COI Templates”.
Any existing templates already created will display within your Certificate Templates manager.
From here you can create a new template, or edit, deactivate, download, or clone existing templates.
To create a new certificate template, click “Create Template”.
You will be prompted to enter the name for your template and select the ACORD form type used for the certificates issued from this template.
After filling out the required fields, click “Create” Template”.
This will take you to the Template Editor.
The Notes tab on the left will house any notes on file for the selected insured, including General information regarding the Insured(s) and COI processing instructions.
The ACORD form will populate on the right. Anywhere on the ACORD for that has a grey selector indicates an area that can be updated for the template.
You can add or modify your certificate template by choosing any of the following grey selectors on the ACORD form:
- Agency contact name, number, and email
- Named Insured
- Certificate policies
- Description of Operations
- Certificate Holder
- Signature
Back to Top
Adding the Agency Contact to the Template
Within the contact section of the ACORD form, click “Select Contact”.
You will now be able to update the contact within the Template Editor.
Selecting an Existing Agency Contact
To select an existing contact, click the contact’s name.
You can scroll through the list of the existing contacts…
…Or type ahead to find the name of the contact you would like to select.
Edit an Existing Agency Contact
To edit an existing contact, select the desired contact name and click “Edit Existing”.
Within the edit form, proceed with the revisions and click “Save”.
Adding a New Agency Contact
To add a new contact, click “Add New”.
Within the create form, fill out the applicable fields and click “Save”.
Once you have selected, revised, or added an Agency Contact, click “Update Certificate” to reflect the change on the ACORD form.
The Agency Contact on the ACORD form has been updated:
Back to Top
Adding the Named Insured to the Template
Within the Insured section of the ACORD form, click “Select Named Insured(s)”.
You will now be able to update the Named Insured within the Template Editor.
Selecting an Existing Named Insured
To select an existing Named Insured, click the First Named Insured.
You can scroll through the list of the existing Named Insureds…
…Or type ahead to find the Named Insured you would like to select.
You can also add Additional Named Insured(s) to be reflected on the ACORD form.
Click on the “Additional Named Insured(s)” dropdown and selected the additional Named Insured(s) you’d like shown.
Edit an Existing Named Insured
To edit an existing Named Insured, select the desired entity and click “Edit Existing”.
Within the edit form, proceed with the revisions and click “Save”.
Please Note: To edit any Additional Named Insureds, follow these same steps.
Adding a New Named Insured
To add a new Named Insured, click “Add New”.
Within the create form, fill out the applicable fields and click “Save”.
Once you have selected, revised, or added a Named Insured, click “Update Certificate” to reflect the change to the ACORD form.
The First Named Insured on the ACORD form has been updated:
Any Additional Named Insured(s) will show in the Description of Operation:
Back to Top
Adding Policies to the Template
Within the Policies section of the ACORD form, click “Add Policy” to begin adding policies to the certificate template.
This will take you to the Line of Business (LOB) editor.
On the far left of this section you can switch through various LOBs to add.
You can also select existing LOB profiles or add new LOBs profiles.
Selecting an Existing Policy LOB
To add an existing LOB, click the “Choose Profile” dropdown and select the policy you would like to add.
This will populate the data from your Agency Management System (AMS).
You can either select the next LOB on the left to add to the certificate…
…Or click “Save” in the lower right of the LOB editor to finish adding the selected policy(ies) to the certificate template.
Editing an Existing Policy LOB
Please Note: While you are unable to increase the limits pulled from your AMS to show on the certificate, you can update to show a lower limit.
To edit an existing LOB, within the LOB editor click “Edit Existing”.
This will ensure the values are no longer greyed out and are ready for you to edit. Proceed with the revisions.
Please Note: Any changes you make to the LOB within the Template Manager will update not just the certificate, but the LOB across the board.
After your edits are complete, click “Save” in the lower right of the LOB editor to add the revised policy(ies) to the certificate.
Adding a New Policy LOB
Don’t see the policy you want to show on the certificate template? Add a new LOB while issuing a certificate by clicking “Add New”.
This will allow you to create a new LOB Profile right from within the editor, without having to leave your certificate template and entering the policies.
Please Note: While you are unable to increase the limits pulled from your AMS to show on the certificate, you can update to show a lower limit on this screen.
The ACORD Form type will already be selected determined by the ACORD form you selected at the beginning of the process.
Select the desired policy from the Policy drop down.
After selecting the policy, the LOB Type and LOB Type Name will pre-populate.
Enter a name for the LOB profile you are creating.
Review and confirm the data pulled from the AMS.
When ready to select to add the new policy to the ACORD form, click “Save” in the lower right of the LOB editor to update the data on the certificate template.
Additional Insured and/or Waiver of Subrogation Boxes
If you need to check the Additional Insured and/or Waiver of Subrogation boxes, you can do so while within the LOB editor. Select the policy, check the Additional Insured and/or Waiver of Subrogation boxes, and click “Save”.
The selected policies and any applicable revisions or additions are now reflected on the ACORD form:
Back to Top
Adding the Description of Operations to the Template
To add verbiage to the Description of Operations (DOO) to show on any certificate issued from the certificate template, click “Edit Description of Operations”.
You will now be able to update the DOO verbiage within the Template Editor.
Please Note: Any previously selected Additional Named Insureds will be reflected in the “Additional Named Insureds” box, indicating this will be present in the DOO as well.
You can either select previously entered verbiage templates from the Language Library, or manually enter the verbiage in the free form DOO box.
Language Library
To view your verbiage templates, click “Language Library”.
You can search for your desired language library template by scrolling through the existing entries, or by utilizing the type ahead feature in the search bar at the top.
Once you found the language you want to add, check the box on the far left.
From here you can either edit that existing template or add to the DOO.
Editing Language Library Template
To add an existing Language Library template, ensure the template you want to edit is checked and click “Edit”.
Within the edit form, proceed with the revisions and click “Save”.
Create a New Language Library Template
To create a new Language Library template, click “Create New”.
Within the create form, fill out the applicable fields and click “Save”.
Once you have selected, revised, or added a template, ensure the template is checked and click “Add Description of Operations”.
After you’ve finished adding all language from the library, click “Close”.
The Description of Operations also allows for free form edits. You can manually type out the DOO verbiage or include additional verbiage to a template added from the Language Library.
Once you have reviewed the verbiage to be referenced on the certificate template, click “Update Certificate” to reflect the change to the template.
The DOO of the ACORD form has been updated:
Anything that did not fit on the first page of the ACORD form has overflowed to the additional remarks schedule of the certificate, also known as the Certificate Hero 101:
Back to Top
Adding the Certificate Holder to the Template
If you are creating a certificate template that is not Certificate Holder specific, you can leave the Certificate Holder section blank, and this section can be added later within the certificate processing flow.
However, if you are creating a certificate template for a specific Certificate Holder, you can add the Certificate Holder to the ACORD form as well.
Within the Certificate Holder section of the ACORD form, click “Select/Add Holder”.
You can select any Holder that has historically been entered by your agency. You can also add a new Holder.
Selecting an Existing Holder
To select an existing Holder, click the Holder name.
You can scroll through the list of the existing Holders…
…Or type ahead to find the Holder you would like to select.
Once you have selected the Holder, you can choose to show the address already on file for that Holder, or to forego showing an address.
Edit an Existing Holder
To edit an existing Holder, select the desired Holder and click “Edit Existing”.
Within the Holder name edit form, proceed with the revising the name of the Holder. If you need to update the Holder address, click “Edit”.
Within the Holder address edit form, proceed with the revisions, and click “Update Address”.
Back on the Edit Holder screen, when all revisions are complete, click “Save”.
Add a New Holder
To add a new Certificate Holder, click “Add New”.
Enter the new Holder name.
To add an address to show on the certificate, click “Add Address”.
Fill out the address form and click “Add Address”.
After reviewing the new Holder information, click “Save”.
Once you have selected, revised, or added a Holder, click “Update Certificate” to reflect the change to the ACORD form.
The Holder on the ACORD form has been updated:
Back to Top
Adding the Signature to the Certificate Template
Within the Signature section of the ACORD form, click “Sign Here”.
You will now be able to update the Signature within the Template Editor.
Selecting an Existing Signature
To select an existing Signature, click to choose a signature.
You can scroll through the list of the existing signatures…
…Or type ahead to find the signature you would like to select.
Edit an Existing Signature
To edit an existing Signature, select the desired Signature and click “Edit Existing”.
From here, you will be able to either upload a new signature, and/or edit the signature name.
Within the edit form, proceed with the revisions and click “Save”.
Adding a New Signature
To add a new Signature, click “Add New”.
Within the create form, fill out the applicable fields and upload the new Signature.
Then click “Save”.
Once you have selected, revised, or added a Signature, click “Update Certificate” to reflect the change to the certificate.
The signature on the certificate has been updated:
Back to Top
Completing the Certificate Template
Once your template is completed and you are ready to move forward, in the upper right corner click “Save Template”.
This will take you back to the Certificate Templates manager.
Back to Top
Certificate Templates Manager Actions
Within your Certificate Templates manager, there are several actions you can take with existing templates.
Edit
Allows a user to revise an existing certificate template.
Within the Template Editor, along with making any needed revisions, you can also deactivate the template, or rename the template.
When you have completed your revisions, click “Save Template” to return to the Certificate Templates manager.
When you click to “Rename” your certificate template, you’ll be prompted to add the new certificate template name.
Click “Yes, Rename This Template” to apply the change.
When you click to deactivate the certificate template from within the Template Editor, you will receive confirmation the certificate has been deactivated.
The same button you clicked to deactivate the template has also been renamed “Activate” to allow you to reactivate the certificate template.
When you click to reactivate the certificate template from within the Template Editor, you will receive confirmation the certificate has been reactivated and that button has again been renamed “Deactivate”.
Deactivate
Deactivate will mark the certificate template as inactive so it will no longer show within the Certificate templates manager.
The certificate template can still be viewed by updating the filters to show inactive certificate templates.
After clicking “Deactivate” from the actions menu, you will be prompted to confirm proceeding with deactivating the selected certificate template.
Download
Download will provide a certificate sample using the selected certificate template.
Clone
Cloning a certificate template will create an exact copy of an existing certificate template.
Why clone a certificate template?
Perhaps you have an existing master certificate template that you find you regularly use when issuing a certificate for a specific insured/holder, and the only thing you add to their certificates is specific verbiage (i.e., Additional Insured and Waiver of Subrogation verbiage is required with each requested). You can clone the existing master certificate template that does not include the verbiage, update the cloned certificate template to include said verbiage and holder information, and save for the certificate template future use for that holder/insured.
After clicking Clone, you will be prompted to enter a name for the cloned template.
Click “Submit” to enter the Template Editor.
Within the Template Editor, after making the necessary updates to the new cloned template, click “Save Template” to return to the Certificate Templates manager.
