Getting Started with Thinkific Automations
Certifier Automations follow a simple “trigger → action” flow:
A trigger happens in Thinkific: a learner completes the course you selected.
An action happens in Certifier: a credential is created and, depending on your settings, issued and emailed to the learner.
The available Thinkific trigger is:
Certifier checks Thinkific for new course completions every 15 minutes.
⚠️ Important: Before starting, make sure the Credential Template you want to use is ready in Certifier.
Before You Begin: Create a Thinkific API Access Token
Your Thinkific site must have API access. Thinkific currently states that API access requires the Grow/Pro + Growth plan or above.
If you are unsure whether your plan includes it, check Thinkific’s API Access Token guide.
Only create a token that you can store securely:
Log in to your Thinkific site as an administrator.
Go to Settings.
Open Code & analytics.
Scroll to API Access Tokens.
Click Add API access token.
Enter a recognizable name, such as
Certifier, choose an expiration date, and click Save.
Copy the API Access Token and store it securely.
⚠️ Important: Thinkific displays the token only once. Certifier needs the API Access Token itself, not the SSO Signing Secret.
Step-by-Step Setup
Step 1. Create Your Automation
In Certifier, go to Automations.
Click Create Automation.
Select the Thinkific template.
Click Use Template.
Step 2. Configure the Trigger
Open the Trigger Configuration
Click the Trigger card. The template should already have the following options selected:
App: Thinkific
Event: Course completed
Click Continue to open the configuration.
Connect Your Thinkific Account
Open the Account field.
Select an existing Thinkific connection or click + Connect New Account.
Paste the API Access Token you created in Thinkific.
Click Connect.
⚠️ Keep the token private. Never include a visible production token in a screenshot or support message.
Select the Course
In the Course field, select the Thinkific course you want Certifier to monitor.
Click Save & Continue.
Your Thinkific trigger is now configured.
Step 3. Configure the Action
Next, you’ll need to configure the action. To do so, open this guide in a new tab: Configuring Certifier Action: Issue Credential
For the required recipient fields, use:
Recipient Name: Student Name
Recipient Email: Student Email
💡 Tip: Leave Issue Date blank to use the date on which Certifier processes the completion. Thinkific’s Completed At value includes a time, while the Issue Date field accepts only YYYY-MM-DD.
You can also map Course Name, Completion Percentage, or other available Thinkific data to matching custom attributes.
⚠️ Important: The instructions for this step are laid out 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 and Activate
Click Save & Activate.
Give the automation a clear name, such as
Thinkific – Product Design – Course completed.Click Confirm & Activate.
Your automation is now live!
⚠️ Important: Once an automation is active, it cannot be edited.
To change the course, field mapping, Credential Template, or delivery settings, delete the automation and create a new one.
What It Looks Like in Practice
A learner completes the selected Thinkific course after the Certifier automation has been activated.
Certifier detects the completion within approximately 15 minutes.
Certifier creates the credential using your selected Credential Template.
If Issue Credential and Send Credential are set to True, the learner receives the credential by email.
Important Notes
Only new completions are processed. Learners who completed the course before the automation was activated are not issued credentials retroactively.
One automation monitors one course. Create a separate automation for every Thinkific course that should issue a different credential or use different settings.
Use a new test enrollment. Test with a learner who has not already completed the selected course.
Name and email are required. A completion cannot produce a credential unless the learner has both a name and a valid email address.
Allow up to 15 minutes. Thinkific completions are checked on a schedule, so issuance is not immediate.
Keep the API token active. Revoking the token or letting it expire will break the connection. Create a replacement connection and recreate affected automations before the token expires.
Existing completions are not a bulk-import method. To issue credentials for past graduates, export the learner data and issue credentials through Certifier’s Credentials section.
Wrapping Up
With the Thinkific Course completed trigger, Certifier can issue credentials automatically whenever learners finish the course you selected.
If you still have questions, contact us through the chat icon or email [email protected].