How to Create Certificates Using Pabbly Connect with Google Sheets and Switchboard Canvas

Learn how to create automated certificates using Pabbly Connect, Google Sheets, and Switchboard Canvas in this detailed tutorial. Transform complex automation concepts into accessible, actionable steps that eliminate unnecessary manual work while maximizing existing application capabilities.

Watch Step By Step Video Tutorial Below

1. Accessing Pabbly Connect for Certificate Creation

To start creating certificates using Pabbly Connect, first, log into your Pabbly Connect account. If you’re new, you can sign up for free and enjoy several tasks each month. Once logged in, navigate to the dashboard to create a new workflow.

Click on the plus sign to create a workflow and name it ‘Create Certificates Using Google Sheets’. This naming helps in identifying the workflow later. The Pabbly Connect platform operates on a trigger-action model, where a trigger initiates a sequence of actions.

2. Setting Up Google Sheets Integration with Pabbly Connect

To integrate Google Sheets with Pabbly Connect, first select Google Sheets as your application in the trigger window. Choose the ‘New or Updated Spreadsheet Row’ as the trigger event. Pabbly Connect will provide you with a webhook URL to capture data from your Google Sheets.

• Copy the webhook URL provided by Pabbly Connect.
• Open your Google Sheets and go to Extensions > Add-ons > Get Add-ons to install the Pabbly Connect Webhooks add-on.
• After installation, refresh your Google Sheet and set up the webhook URL in the Pabbly Connect Webhooks add-on.

Now, specify the trigger column, which will be the final data column in your sheet. This column will trigger the data capture each time new information is added. This setup ensures that every time you add a new employee’s details, it gets sent to Pabbly Connect automatically.

3. Integrating Switchboard Canvas with Pabbly Connect

Once you have set up Google Sheets, the next step is to integrate Switchboard Canvas using Pabbly Connect. In the action window, select Switchboard Canvas and choose the action event as ‘Create Images’. This action allows Pabbly Connect to generate certificates based on the data received from Google Sheets.

To connect Switchboard Canvas, you will need to enter your API key. This key can be found in your Switchboard account under the API settings. After entering the key, select the certificate template you want to use for the certificates. Make sure to map the employee name and other details from the Google Sheets response to the corresponding fields in the certificate template.

4. Converting Certificate Images to PDF Using Cloud Convert

After generating the certificate image, the next step is to convert it into a PDF format using Cloud Convert, facilitated by Pabbly Connect. Add an action step and select Cloud Convert as the application. Choose the action event ‘Convert a File’ and connect your Cloud Convert account.

• Map the image URL received from the Switchboard Canvas response as the file URL.
• Specify the input format as PNG and the output format as PDF.
• Set a file name that includes the employee’s name and ‘certificate’.

After configuring these settings, send a test request to ensure that the PDF is generated successfully. If the process takes time, you can add a delay action step to allow for the conversion to complete before proceeding.

5. Sending the PDF Certificate via WhatsApp Using Pabbly Connect

The final step is to send the generated PDF certificate to the employee’s WhatsApp number using Pabbly Connect. Add another action step and select WhatsApp Cloud API as the application. Choose the action event ‘Send Template Message’ and connect your WhatsApp Cloud API account.

In this step, you will need to select the message template that you previously created and approved on WhatsApp. Map the recipient’s mobile number from the Google Sheets response and include the PDF URL of the certificate in the message. This ensures that the employee receives their certificate directly via WhatsApp.

Once everything is set up, send a test request to verify that the message is sent successfully, confirming that your integration works as intended.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned how to create automated certificates using Pabbly Connect, Google Sheets, and Switchboard Canvas. By following these steps, you can efficiently manage certificate generation and distribution through WhatsApp, streamlining your workflow and enhancing productivity.