Create and merge · Reviewed 23 October 2026

Create one certificate layout. Merge your recipient list.

Keep the certificate design in a reusable Affinity document, insert real Data Merge fields for the name and certificate ID, then generate a separate document containing the completed certificates. Save the original layout for the next batch.

This guide covers a single certificate per page in the unified Affinity 3 desktop application. It is free guidance for preparing the document, whichever PDF export method you choose. Older Affinity Publisher tutorials can show different menus. Kakulu’s narrower Mac exporter requirements are marked separately below.

1. Separate fixed artwork from recipient data.

Plan the content before adding fields. For example, a training provider might keep its logo and course title fixed for one cohort while changing the recipient name and certificate ID on every page.

The two-column example contains only names and IDs. Extra course or date columns are optional design choices. Keep each complete recipient record on one row, and preserve the column headings after connecting them to the layout.

2. Give the name enough space.

Use one certificate page as the starting layout. Affinity distinguishes individual pages from facing-page spreads; a simple single-page design keeps this example easy to check.

Use the Frame Text Tool to create separate areas for the recipient name and ID. Style the text to suit your design. Reserve enough width and height for longer names instead of judging the frame only by a short placeholder.

Keep headings, signatures and decorative lines clear of the name area. Try both a short and a long name before fixing the spacing. The long-name and text-layout guide shows what to inspect and how to resolve a tight fit without silently shortening someone’s name.

If you opened an existing design, check its fonts. Affinity can substitute a missing font for display, which can change the layout. Resolve that before treating the page as your reusable master.

3. Connect the CSV, then insert actual fields.

1. Open Window → Layout → Data Merge. Use Add Data Source → Add Data File to select the CSV.
2. Check that the source shows separate certificate_id and recipient_name fields. If it does not, use the delimiter and quoting checks before editing the layout.
3. Place a text insertion point inside the recipient-name frame. In the Data Merge panel, choose Insert Field, then select recipient_name from the connected source. Affinity documents this control as available when a text insertion point exists.
4. Repeat in the separate ID frame with certificate_id. Check that each frame receives the intended field.

Typing “recipient_name” into a frame does not connect it to the CSV. A genuine field must change to the source’s value when you preview a record. The field’s column heading, its displayed value and the frame’s layer label are three different things.

4. Preview the records, then generate a new document.

Use the Data Merge panel’s Preview with record setting to inspect different records. Check the first and last entries, both repeated names, accented text and your longest values. Save the source layout, then use Generate. Data Merge creates a new document; inspect that generated document before exporting.

With this one-page layout and the unchanged six-recipient CSV, expect six certificate pages. Confirm the actual name and ID on each page, rather than relying on the page count alone.

See all six expected page, name and ID mappings. If you see a heading or placeholder instead of a recipient, confirm that you inserted a genuine field and are checking the generated document. For incorrect or missing records, use the merge and export troubleshooting guide.

5. Keep the source layout and finished batch separate.

Save the reusable source document with its fields intact. Save the generated batch under a different, descriptive name. That distinction lets you change recipients next time without rebuilding the design or mistaking an old finished batch for the master.

Affinity also documents File → Export → As Template for creating a native template. That is optional: the key is retaining a reusable source with its field connections. A template file does not remove the need to check the selected data source, current fonts and new records.

For another cohort, update or select its recipient source in the original layout, inspect the records and generate a fresh document. The source-refresh guidance explains why saving a spreadsheet and refreshing the source are separate steps.

Optional: prepare the two frames for Kakulu.

Kakulu’s proposed exporter reads correct, already-generated certificates and exports separate PDFs named from each certificate’s ID and recipient name. It does not create the layout, run Data Merge or fit long names.

For its current Affinity 3.3.1.4940 on macOS target, the name and ID must be in separate, unlinked Frame Text objects labelled kakulu_name and kakulu_id. Each contains only its own value. These are Kakulu layer labels, not mandatory CSV headers or general Affinity rules.

The preview also requires one page per spread, facing pages off, no artboards and ordinary page numbering from 1 without custom sections. Read the complete version and document requirements before adapting a template. You can still use the free export routes if your workflow does not fit.

Next: choose the PDF route and check delivery.

• Choose PDF settings for digital delivery or printing.
• Compare manual export, a configured free splitter and Kakulu’s native route.
• Check the actual PDFs against their filenames before sending them.

Inspect the six synthetic native PDFs↓. These are actual output from the earlier verified probe, not a downloadable layout or proof of this page’s workflow on your computer.

Sources and scope

By Kakulu. Current official Affinity help checked 23 October 2026; the articles are undated. Indexed official text was used where the help page returned navigation without its article. This is a documented workflow and practical checking guide, not an additional native compatibility test. Kakulu-specific requirements come from its current preview contract.

1. Affinity — Data merge — Source fields and inserting genuine fields into text.
2. Affinity — Data Merge panel — Panel location, adding data, record preview and generation.
3. Affinity — About pages and spreads — Individual pages and facing-page spreads.
4. Affinity — Frame text — Creating text frames and checking overflow.
5. Affinity — Document templates — Saving a document as an Affinity template.
6. Affinity — Managing fonts — Missing fonts and display substitutions.