How to Get Custom User Information and Show It on Your LearnDash Course Certificate: A Complete Guide

In today’s competitive e-learning landscape, personalization has become a key factor in increasing student engagement online and satisfaction. 

Imagine the pride a learner feels when they receive a course certificate that not only acknowledges their achievement but also reflects their individual journey. 

By incorporating custom user data into LearnDash certificates, course creators can provide a more meaningful and personalized experience that goes beyond a generic completion certificate.

But why should you, as a course creator, invest time in adding these custom fields? 

The answer lies in the long-term benefits of building a trustworthy and credible brand. Personalized certificates instill confidence in your learners, making them more likely to share their experiences with others and recommend your courses.

This can lead to increased enrollment and a stronger community around your brand.

However, displaying custom information on your LearnDash WordPress certificates isn’t as straightforward as it might seem. You’ll need to customize your registration forms and integrate them with LearnDash certificates effectively. 

This LearnDash tutorial will walk you through multiple methods for achieving this goal, with a particular focus on using the Flexible Checkout Fields LearnDash plugin—a user-friendly solution that simplifies the process. 

Whether you’re a seasoned developer or new to the world of coding, this complete guide will equip you with the knowledge to personalize your certificates and enhance the learner’s experience using the best learning management system.

Using the Flexible Checkout Fields For LearnDash WordPress Plugin

The Flexible Checkout Fields plugin is designed to make the process of customizing checkout forms in WooCommerce effortless, even for those who may not have extensive coding knowledge. 

This plugin allows course creators to easily add, modify, and manage custom fields that gather essential user information during the registration process. 

Here’s how it simplifies the addition of custom fields:

1. User-Friendly Interface: The plugin provides an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that allows you to create and customize fields without touching a single line of code. This accessibility means you can focus on enhancing the user experience without getting bogged down by technical complexities.
2. Variety of Field Types: With the Flexible Checkout Fields plugin, you can choose from a range of field types, including text fields, checkboxes, radio buttons, and dropdown menus. This flexibility enables you to gather the specific information you need from users, such as their job title, company name, or any other relevant details.
3. Conditional Logic: The plugin supports conditional logic, allowing you to show or hide fields based on previous user selections. This feature ensures that users are only presented with relevant questions, streamlining the registration process and enhancing the overall user experience.
4. Easy Integration with User Meta: Once the custom fields are added, the plugin seamlessly integrates with WooCommerce to save this data as user meta. This means that the information collected during checkout is readily available for use in LearnDash certificates, ensuring a smooth transition from registration to certification.
5. No Need for Coding Skills: For those who may feel overwhelmed by the technical aspects of WordPress development, the Flexible Checkout Fields plugin eliminates the need for coding. The straightforward setup process allows course creators to focus on what they do best—developing engaging content for their learners.

By leveraging the Flexible Checkout Fields plugin, course creators can easily enhance their LearnDash user management, capture valuable user data, and ensure that this information is utilized effectively in LearnDash certificates. This approach highlights the benefits of integrating plugins with LMS, providing a seamless way to manage and display user information

This not only adds a personal touch to the learning experience but also builds a stronger connection between learners and their achievements.

Step-by-Step LearnDash Tutorial to Using the Flexible Checkout Fields Plugin

Now that you understand how the Flexible Checkout Fields plugin simplifies the process of adding custom fields, let’s dive into a detailed step-by-step guide on how to set it up and effectively use it for your LearnDash WordPress courses.

Step 1: Install the Flexible Checkout Fields Plugin

To start, you need to add the Flexible Checkout Fields plugin to your WordPress site:

1. Navigate to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
   • Search for Flexible Checkout Fields.
   • Click Install and then Activate the plugin.

Step 2: Add a Custom Field in WooCommerce Checkout

Now that the plugin is installed, let’s add a custom field called License Number:

1. Go to WooCommerce > Checkout Fields.
2. You will see tabs like Billing, Shipping, and Order. Choose the Billing tab to add a new billing field.
3. Click on Add New Field.
   • Set Field Type to Single Line Text.
   • Enter Label as “License ID”.
   • Make the field required if needed.

Here’s how our checkout page looks.

Step 3: Save License Number as User Meta

By default, the Flexible Checkout Fields plugin saves custom fields to the order. To make sure that this data is available for LearnDash certificates, we need to save it as user meta.

Instead of editing theme files, we will use the Code Snippets plugin to add a small piece of code that saves the license number to user meta.

1. Install Code Snippets Plugin:
   • Navigate to Plugins > Add New and search for Code Snippets.
   • Click Install and Activate.

2. Add New Snippet:

• Go to Snippets > Add New.
• Title the snippet “Save License Number as User Meta”.

Paste the following code:
// Hook into WooCommerce checkout process to save custom field data as user meta

add_action(‘woocommerce_checkout_update_user_meta’, ‘save_license_number_to_user_meta’);

function save_license_number_to_user_meta($user_id) {

    if ($user_id && isset($_POST[‘billing_license_number’])) { // Replace ‘billing_license_number’ with your field key

        update_user_meta($user_id, ‘license_number’, sanitize_text_field($_POST[‘billing_license_number’]));

    }

}

• Save and Activate the snippet.

Step 4: Use the License Number in LearnDash Certificates

Now that the License Number is being saved as user meta, you can use it dynamically in LearnDash course certificates.

1. Create or Edit a Certificate in LearnDash WordPress:
   • Go to LearnDash LMS > Certificates and either Add New or edit an existing certificate.
   • Click Launch Certificate Builder to open the Gutenberg-based editor.
2. Add a Shortcode Block:
   • In the Certificate Builder, click on the + (Add Block) button.
   • Add a Shortcode block, and enter:
     [usermeta field=”license_id”]
   • Position the shortcode block wherever you need the License Number to appear on the certificate.

3. Save the Certificate and Assign it to a Course:
   • Publish the certificate.
   • Go to LearnDash LMS > Courses, select a course, and navigate to the Settings tab.
   • Scroll down to Display and Content Options, select the newly created certificate in Course Certificate Option.
   • Save or Update the course.

Step 5: Testing the Certificate

To verify everything is working correctly, follow these steps:

1. Complete a Test Checkout:
   • Use a test user to go through the checkout process, filling in the License Number field for example “JD/1122/2024”.
2. Complete the Course:
   • Log in as the test user, enroll in the course, and complete it to trigger the certificate.
3. View the Certificate:
   • Click on the Certificate button after completing the course.
   • Verify that the License Number appears correctly on the certificate as per the shortcode block you added.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Data Not Updating: If you update the license number manually and it doesn’t appear on the certificate, it could be due to caching. Clear any LearnDash plugin or browser cache and try regenerating the certificate.
• Ensure Correct Meta Key: Double-check that the meta key in the shortcode (billing_license_id) matches what was saved using the Code Snippets plugin.
• Certificate Regeneration: Sometimes the certificate data is cached. If changes aren’t showing, try completing the course again to generate a fresh certificate.

By following these steps, you can successfully collect and display custom user data, such as a License Number, on LearnDash certificates, even without knowing how to code. 

This is a great way to make the course completion process more personalized and aligned with your specific requirements.

Alternative Methods for Extending Fields in the Registration Form

While the Flexible Checkout Fields plugin provides an easy and effective way to add custom fields during LearnDash WooCommerce checkout, there are several alternative methods available for those who want more flexibility or control over the registration process. 

Here, we will explore custom coding approaches and other plugins, including Gravity Forms and the WooCommerce Checkout Manager.

Custom Coding Approaches

For users who are comfortable with coding, adding custom fields to the LearnDash WooCommerce registration form can be done through simple PHP snippets. This method provides complete control over how fields are displayed and managed. 

Step-by-Step Process for Custom Coding Approaches Using Code Snippets Plugin

Step 1: Add Custom Field to WooCommerce Checkout Form

Objective: Add a custom “License ID” field to the LearnDash WooCommerce checkout form.

Instructions:

1. Go to Snippets > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Create a snippet titled “Add License ID to Checkout Form”.
3. Insert the following code and save the snippet.

// Step 1: Add custom field to WooCommerce checkout form

add_action(‘woocommerce_after_checkout_billing_form’, ‘custom_woocommerce_checkout_fields’, 5);

function custom_woocommerce_checkout_fields($checkout) {

    woocommerce_form_field(‘license_id’, array(

        ‘type’        => ‘text’,

        ‘class’       => array(‘form-row-wide’),

        ‘label’       => __(‘License ID’, ‘woocommerce’),

        ‘required’    => true,

    ), $checkout->get_value(‘license_id’));

}

Step 2: Save Custom Field Data as Order Meta

• Objective: Ensure the data from the custom field is saved with the order.
• Instructions:
  1. Create a new snippet titled “Save License ID as Order Meta”.
  2. Add the following code and save/activate the snippet.

add_action(‘woocommerce_checkout_update_order_meta’, ‘save_custom_checkout_field’);

function save_custom_checkout_field($order_id) {

    if (!empty($_POST[‘license_id’])) {

        update_post_meta($order_id, ‘license_id’, sanitize_text_field($_POST[‘license_id’]));

    }

}

Display Custom Field in Order Admin Panel

• Objective: Display the custom field data in the order details within the admin panel.
• Instructions:
  1. Create a snippet titled “Display License ID in Admin Order”.
  2. Add the following code and save/activate the snippet.
     

add_action(‘woocommerce_admin_order_data_after_billing_address’, ‘custom_checkout_field_display_admin_order_meta’, 10, 1);

function custom_checkout_field_display_admin_order_meta($order) {

    $license_id = get_post_meta($order->get_id(), ‘license_id’, true);

    if ($license_id) {

        echo ‘<p><strong>’ . __(‘License ID’, ‘woocommerce’) . ‘:</strong> ‘ . esc_html($license_id) . ‘</p>’;

    }

}

Step 4: Save Custom Field as User Meta After Order Completion

• Objective: Save the custom field data as user meta to be accessible in the user profile.
• Instructions:
  1. Create a snippet titled “Save License ID as User Meta”.
  2. Add the following code and save/activate the snippet.

add_action(‘woocommerce_checkout_order_processed’, ‘save_license_id_to_user_meta’);

function save_license_id_to_user_meta($order_id) {

    $order = wc_get_order($order_id);

    $user_id = $order->get_user_id();

    $license_id = get_post_meta($order_id, ‘license_id’, true);

    if ($user_id && $license_id) {

        update_user_meta($user_id, ‘license_id’, $license_id);

    }

}

Step 5: Display Custom Field in User Profile

• Objective: Display the custom field in the user profile page for viewing and editing.
• Instructions:
  1. Create a snippet titled “Display License ID in User Profile”.
  2. Add the following code and save/activate the snippet.

add_action(‘show_user_profile’, ‘show_license_id_in_user_profile’);

add_action(‘edit_user_profile’, ‘show_license_id_in_user_profile’);

function show_license_id_in_user_profile($user) {

    $license_id = get_user_meta($user->ID, ‘license_id’, true);

    ?>

    <h3><?php _e(‘License Information’, ‘woocommerce’); ?></h3>

    <table class=”form-table”>

        <tr>

            <th><label for=”license_id”><?php _e(‘License ID’, ‘woocommerce’); ?></label></th>

            <td>

                <input type=”text” name=”license_id” id=”license_id” value=”<?php echo esc_attr($license_id); ?>” class=”regular-text” />

            </td>

        </tr>

    </table>

    <?php

}

Step 6: Save Changes to Custom Field in User Profile

• Objective: Allow the custom field data to be edited and saved from the user profile page.
• Instructions:
  1. Create a snippet titled “Save License ID from User Profile”.
  2. Add the following code and save/activate the snippet.

add_action(‘personal_options_update’, ‘save_license_id_from_user_profile’);

add_action(‘edit_user_profile_update’, ‘save_license_id_from_user_profile’);

function save_license_id_from_user_profile($user_id) {

    if (!current_user_can(‘edit_user’, $user_id)) {

        return false;

    }

    if (isset($_POST[‘license_id’])) {

        update_user_meta($user_id, ‘license_id’, sanitize_text_field($_POST[‘license_id’]));

    }

}

Final Step: Testing

• Complete a test registration and checkout to ensure that the custom field is saved and displayed correctly.
• Verify that the field appears and can be edited in the WordPress user profile.

Here’s how our certificate for Mr. Joe Stephen looks like you can see the license ID incorporated “JU7781”.  

Note: You can replace “License ID” with any other field name as needed. For any custom coding problems, feel free to leave a comment for assistance!

Using the ThemeHigh WooCommerce Checkout Field Editor Plugin

The ThemeHigh WooCommerce Checkout Field Editor plugin allows you to easily add, edit, and manage custom fields on the WooCommerce checkout page without requiring any coding knowledge.

Steps to Add Custom Fields

1. Install and Activate the Plugin:
   • Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
   • Search for WooCommerce Checkout Field Editor by ThemeHigh, install, and activate the plugin.
2. Configure Custom Fields:
   • Navigate to WooCommerce > Checkout Fields.
   • Click on Add Field to create a new field.
   • Fill in the necessary details for your custom field (e.g., Field Type, Label, Placeholder, Required).
3. Display Custom Fields in User Profile:
   • The plugin automatically saves the custom fields data during checkout. To display this information in the user profile:
     • Go to Users > All Users in your dashboard.
     • Click on a user’s profile to view the custom fields under the Account Details section.

Example: Adding a “License ID” Field

• Field Type: Text
• Label: License ID
• Required: Yes

Using Gravity Forms to Get Custom User Information

Gravity Forms is a powerful form-building plugin that allows you to create complex forms with ease. It is particularly useful for collecting additional user information during registration, which can later be displayed on LearnDash course certificates.

Steps to Collect Custom User Information

1. Install and Activate Gravity Forms:
   • Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
   • Search for Gravity Forms, install, and activate the plugin (note: it’s a premium plugin).
2. Create a New Form:
   • Navigate to Forms > New Form.
   • Title your form (e.g., “User Registration Form”).
3. Add Fields to the Form:
   • Use the available fields (e.g., Single Line Text, Email, Checkbox) to collect the necessary information.
   • Ensure you include fields such as Name, Email, and License ID.
4. Configure Form Settings:
   • Set up notifications to inform the user and admin upon submission.
   • Under Form Settings, go to Confirmations to specify what users see after submitting the form.
5. Embed the Form:
   • Use the provided shortcode to embed the form on your registration page or anywhere on your site.

Example: Collecting User Information

• Fields to Add:
  • Name (Required)
  • Email (Required)
  • License ID (Required)

Displaying Custom Fields on LearnDash Course Certificates

After collecting user information through the above methods, you can display it on LearnDash course certificates for enhanced personalization.

Steps to Show Custom User Information on Certificates

1. Install LearnDash:
   • Ensure that LearnDash is installed and activated on your site.
2. Customize Course Certificates:
   • Navigate to LearnDash LMS > Certificates.
   • Select a certificate template or create a new one.
3. Add Custom Fields to the Certificate:
   • Use the [user_meta] shortcode to display custom fields in the certificate.
   • For example, to display the License ID, you can use the shortcode like this: [user_meta license_id].
4. Generate and Download Certificates:
   • Once users complete the course, the certificate will automatically populate with the custom information collected during registration.

Additional Resource: Setting Up Canva Designed Certificates in LearnDash

To create visually appealing certificates, you can check out the blog on “Setting Up Canva Designed Certificates in LearnDash.” This guide provides insights into designing and integrating custom certificates for your courses.

Ready to Customize Your LearnDash Course Certificates?

At TeknoFlair, we specialize in creating custom LearnDash solutions, including personalized course certificates. 

If you’re looking to enhance your certificates with custom user information, our expert team can help you implement tailored solutions to fit your unique needs. 

Whether you need help with customizing user data fields, integrating dynamic content, or ensuring a seamless certificate generation process, we’ve got you covered.

Contact us today to learn how we can help you take your LearnDash course certificates to the next level with custom user data integration.

Conclusion

Extending registration fields in your WooCommerce setup is not just about gathering additional information; it’s about enhancing the user experience and personalizing your services. By leveraging the ThemeHigh WooCommerce Checkout Field Editor plugin and Gravity Forms, you can seamlessly collect valuable user data while maintaining a streamlined checkout process.

Furthermore, showcasing this data on LearnDash course certificates not only elevates the perceived value of your courses but also fosters a deeper connection between you and your learners.

With tools that empower you to customize and design your users’ journey, you’re not just offering courses; you’re crafting memorable experiences that resonate with your audience.

Transform your online learning platform into an engaging and personalized experience that keeps your users coming back for more.

If you have questions or need assistance with your setup, don’t hesitate to reach out in the comments. Let’s enhance your WooCommerce and LearnDash experience together!

FAQs

How can I bulk assign certificates to LearnDash courses?

Using the WP Sheet Editor plugin, you can bulk assign certificates by editing course details in a spreadsheet format. This tool leverages powerful LearnDash features to allow you to set certificates for multiple courses simultaneously, saving time compared to editing each course individually. You can also assign a single certificate to multiple courses in bulk, streamlining the process for course administrators.

How can students verify their LearnDash certificates?

Students can verify their LearnDash certificates using the “Certificate Verify & Share” add-on. This feature provides a verification link for certificates, allowing others to confirm their authenticity directly on your website. It enhances credibility and simplifies sharing achievements online. The add-on can be installed like any LearnDash WordPress plugin and configured through LearnDash settings.

Can I customize LearnDash certificates without coding?

Yes, LearnDash offers a Certificate Builder that uses the Gutenberg block editor for easy, drag-and-drop customization. You can add text, logos, and images to create unique certificate designs. It also supports live previews and RTL languages. This feature is available under LearnDash LMS add-ons and is simple to set up in WordPress.

Why is My Certificate Background Not Showing in LearnDash?

This issue often arises due to incorrect configuration:

• Ensure that the certificate background is uploaded via LearnDash LMS > Certificates and set as the featured image.
• Verify that the file format is supported (e.g., JPG or PNG).
• Check CSS settings for conflicts with your theme. Try switching to a default WordPress theme to identify potential conflicts.
• If using a caching LearnDash WordPress plugin, clear the cache to see if it resolves the issue.

How to Preview LearnDash Certificate?

You can preview your LearnDash certificate directly:

• Navigate to LearnDash LMS > Certificates.
• Edit the desired certificate.
• Click on the “Preview” button in the certificate editor to see how it looks with placeholder text. To test it with real user data, assign the certificate to a course or quiz and then complete it as a user to generate the actual preview from the frontend.

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