Getting Started with Microsoft Excel Automations
Certifier Automations is a simple 2-step “trigger → action” system that issues credentials the moment your data arrives. With Microsoft Excel automations, you have two main options:
Push Data From Any Source to Microsoft Excel (Automated Flow)
Use Microsoft Excel as a universal bridge – send data from your CRM, LMS, event form, or any other system into a sheet, and Certifier will issue credentials for each new row. By the way, we’ve already covered how to integrate Microsoft Forms via Microsoft Excel – check out:
Work Directly in a Microsoft Excel (Manual Flow)
Use a spreadsheet to fill in rows directly – whether you’re working solo or sharing it with your team. Once a row is fully completed, Certifier issues the credential instantly.
Before You Begin: Copy Our Sample Spreadsheet
To get started quickly, copy our sample file. It contains three tabs:
Instructions & Tips: Overview and reminders for each step.
Input Sheet: Draft area where you fill in names, emails, and any extra details.
Live Sheet: The tab that Certifier monitors for new, complete rows.
⚠️ Important: Regardless of your workflow, we recommend starting with our template or an empty spreadsheet. Only add rows with actual recipients' data after activating the Automation.
If you're using a spreadsheet that already contains rows, those rows may be processed, and credentials may be issued as soon as you activate the Automation.
Please refer to point 1 in the "Critical Rules After Activation" section for more information.
How Microsoft Excel Automations Work
Trigger – The event that starts the automation. Here, it’s when a new row is added to the Live Sheet.
Action – What happens next. Certifier reads the new row’s data, then issues the credential.
Automated vs. Manual Flow
The main difference between Automated Flow and Manual Flow is the way new rows with data will be added to the connected Sheet (Live Sheet).
Here's how each Flow works in practice:
Automated Flow
Your external tool (CRM, LMS, form) adds a new row to the Live Sheet.
Certifier instantly issues the credential for that row – no manual work after setup.
Manual Flow
Draft in the Input Sheet. A working area where you and your team fill in rows completely at your own pace.
Publish to the Live Sheet. Once a row is 100% complete, copy and paste it to the Live Sheet. Certifier sees the new row and issues the credential immediately.
💡 Why This Matters: Certifier checks your Microsoft Excel sheet every 15 minutes. There's a small chance that the automation may fire on incomplete data, causing skipped or erroneous entries.
By preparing rows in the Input Sheet and only moving finished rows into the Live Sheet, you ensure Certifier always receives complete, valid rows.
Step-by-Step Setup
This guide walks you through setting up your first automation using Microsoft Excel. Let's get started!
Step 1. Create Your Automation
Go to Automations → + Create Automation.
Select the Microsoft Excel template.
Press Use Template.
Step 2. Configure the Trigger
Open the Trigger Configuration
To get started, click on the Trigger. The setup will be preconfigured for you – you'll just need to press Continue to move to Configuration.
Configure the New Row Added Trigger
Connect your Microsoft Excel account via OAuth: Press the Connect Microsoft Excel button, and complete login via secure OAuth – click on Continue and Allow.
Once you do that, your account will appear as selected. If you need to use a different account, just unfold the options and select or connect another one:
Select the Spreadsheet and the Worksheet: Click on the field below Folder ID and choose the correct folder in your OneDrive Cloud (if you haven't put the file in a specific folder, try "root"), and Sheet ID to choose our sample spreadsheet you copied earlier. Then, choose Live Sheet as the Worksheet.
Optional Props: If you see any optional properties, do not configure them, as this could break the automation.
Once you're ready, press Submit. And that's it! Your Trigger is set up 🤓
Step 3. Configure the Action
Next, you’ll need to configure the action. To do so, open this guide in a new tab: How to set up the Issue Credential Action.
⚠️ Important: The instructions for this step are laid down in a separate guide
We recommend opening the action setup guide in a new tab so you can easily return to this article afterwards. Once you finish configuring the action, make sure to come back here to finalize and activate your automation.
Step 4. Finalize & Activate
Now, there's just one more step – you'll need to:
Click Save & Activate.
Give your automation a clear name (e.g., “Conference Invites via Excel”) and press Next.
💡 Tip: Give your automation a clear name (e.g., include your group name) so you can easily spot it – especially if you're planning to connect multiple spreadsheets. Don’t worry, you can rename it anytime after activation.
You’ll see a confirmation warning saying that if there are any rows in your spreadsheet, Certifier may use them for credential issuance upon activation. Check the box and click Confirm & Automate to proceed.
And that's it! Once you choose to activate it, your new automation will be live. 🥳
⚠️ Important: Once your automation is active, it can’t be edited.
If you need to change anything – such as re-mapping columns, adding new custom attributes, or updating your credential settings – you’ll need to delete the automation and create a new one from scratch.
What It Looks Like in Practice
A new row appears in the Live Sheet – either pushed from some source (Automated Flow) or copied from the Input Sheet (Manual Flow).
Within 15 minutes, Certifier issues the credential and marks the row as “Processed.”
Your recipient receives their credential.
Critical Rules After Activation
Once your automation is active, these rules are essential to prevent errors, duplicates, and broken setups. Read each one carefully.
Rule 1: Existing Rows May Be Processed Unpredictably
When you connect a sheet with existing pre-filled rows, Certifier may process these rows and count against your usage.
Our sample Live Sheet’s header (Recipient Name | Recipient Email) may trigger one “Failed” run in Automation Runs because there’s no valid email. This is expected and harmless.
💡 Tip: As a rule of thumb, connect a sheet that contains only headers and does not store any existing recipients' data (name/email rows), as this data may be processed unpredictably and could count against your usage.
Keep the header row for guidance. Just start adding your real data below it after activating the automation.
If you have existing data, export it as a CSV or XLSX file, then go to the "Credentials" section to issue credentials.
Rule 2: Don’t Rename the File or Tabs
Renaming the file or any tab will break the automation – Certifier looks for the exact names you selected during setup.
Rule 3: Don’t Reorder Sheet Tabs
Moving sheets into a different order will cause Certifier to lose its connection to the correct tab.
Rule 4: Don’t Move or Insert Columns
Certifier tracks columns by letter (A, B, C…). Moving them or inserting new ones will break your mapping and cause errors.
Rule 5: Be Careful with Processed Rows
Certifier always starts from the next unprocessed row. This leads to several pitfalls:
Inserting above processed rows → duplicates: If you’ve already processed rows 1–5 and then insert a new row anywhere above row 6, your original row 5 shifts into row 6. Certifier sees row 6 as “next” and issues a duplicate for that person, while your new entry stays unprocessed.
Deleting and re-adding in the same positions → skipped: If you delete rows 1–5 (all processed) and paste new entries into positions 1–5, nothing happens. Certifier is still waiting for row 6, so your new rows won’t trigger.
Rule 6: Always Include Name & Email
Each row needs a valid Recipient Name and Recipient Email. Rows missing either – or with improperly formatted emails – will be skipped.
Rule 7: Allow Processing Time
Allow 15 minutes for each row to process. Re-adding or moving rows while processing is underway can cause conflicts or duplicates.
Rule 8: Don’t Edit Processed Rows
Any edits to already-processed rows will be ignored. To correct data, update credentials in the Certifier dashboard.
Keep that in mind and enjoy the automated workflow! 👑
Need more help?
If you still have some questions, do not hesitate to contact us via the chat icon or email us directly: [email protected].