Created Academy Content Template Creator Guide with the creation of a Meshery Contributors certification as an example

content/en/cloud/academy/creating-content/using-content-template-creator/index.md

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+---
+title: Using Academy Content Template Creator
+weight: 6
+description: >
+
+categories: [Academy]
+tags: [Academy]
+aliases: 
+- /cloud/academy/using-academy-content-template-creator
+- /cloud/academy/using-content-template-creator
+- /cloud/academy/academy-content-template-creator-guide
+---
+
+The Academy Content Template Creator is a step-by-step wizard that helps you create structured templates for your Academy content. This generator streamlines the process of
+creating learning paths, challenges, and certifications by collecting all necessary metadata and generating a ready-to-use template.
+
+
+## Getting Started
+![Academy Content Template Creator](images/template-creator.png)
+1. Access the Creator: Click on the "Create New Content" card in your Academy dashboard
+2. Create Your Content: The wizard will guide you through **5 essential steps** to create your content template
+
+Since it's straightforward, let's walk through a practical example to demonstrate the process.
+
+## Example: Creating "Meshery Contributors Certification"
+
+This example demonstrates how to use the **Academy Content Template Creator** to build a **certification** program for **Meshery contributors**. Each step shows what information to enter, followed by specific example values.
+
+### Step 1: Basic Information
+![Step 1: Basic Information](images/template-creator-step1.png)
+- Type: Choose "Certification" from Learning Path, Challenge, or Certification
+- Title: "Meshery Contributors Certification"
+- Description: "A comprehensive certification program for developers looking to become active contributors to Meshery"
+
+### Step 2: Content Details
+![Step 2: Content Details](images/template-creator-step2.png)
+<!-- - Level: Intermediate (assumes basic cloud-native knowledge) -->
+- Categories: "open-source, cloud-native"
+- Add Tags: "meshery", "kubernetes", "golang", "contribution", "open-source"
+- Banner Image: "images/meshery-contributors-banner.svg"
+
+### Step 3: Content Access
+![Step 3: Content Access](images/template-creator-step3.png)
+- Workspace: "Meshery Academy"
+- Team: "Contributors Program"
+- Access Status: Enabled
+- Content Access End Date: Leave blank for permanent access (Meshery always welcomes contributors)
+
+**Understanding Access Status: Enabled vs Disabled**
+
+The Access Status setting in Step 3 controls the visibility and accessibility of your Academy content to users.
+
+**Enabled Status Behavior:**
+- **Visible**: Content appears in Academy catalogs and search results
+- **Accessible**: Users with proper permissions can view and interact with the content
+- **Active**: All features work normally (enrollment, progress tracking, badge awarding)
+- **Discoverable**: Content shows up in filtered searches and category browsing
+
+**Disabled Status Behavior:**
+- **Hidden**: Content does not appear in public Academy catalogs
+- **Inaccessible**: Users cannot access the content even with direct links
+- **Inactive**: No progress tracking or badge awarding occurs
+- **Non-discoverable**: Content is excluded from search results and browsing
+
+**For the Meshery Contributors Certification example:**
+
+*If Enabled:*
+- Contributors can immediately find and enroll in the certification
+- Progress tracking begins upon enrollment
+- Badge is awarded upon successful completion
+- Content appears in the Contributors Program workspace
+
+*If Disabled:*
+- Certification is hidden from the Contributors Program
+- No new enrollments possible
+- Existing progress is paused
+- Content remains invisible until re-enabled
+
+### Step 4: Recognition
+![Step 4: Recognition](images/template-creator-step4.png)
+
+The Recognition step defines the badge or certificate awarded upon completion. You have two options:
+- **Use Existing Recognition**: Choose from the Layer5 collection
+- **Create New Recognition**: Design a custom badge with an image URL
+
+**For our example:**
+- Create a "Meshery Contributor" badge with the Meshery logo
+
+
+### Step 5: Generate Template
+![Step 5: Generate Template](images/template-creator-step5.png)
+
+After clicking "Continue" in Step 4, a success notification appears in the bottom-right corner confirming your template has been created successfully.
+
+{{< alert type="info" title="Navigation Between Steps" >}}
+You can navigate back to any previous step to make modifications. When you return to earlier steps and make changes, your entries in the subsequent steps will remain intact.
+{{< /alert >}}
+
+
+**Generated Template Output for Meshery Contributors Certification:**
+
+This template provides the YAML front matter metadata for static site generators (like Hugo/Jekyll). After copying it, we can directly create new content files in our Academy repository.
+
+```yaml
+---
+type: "certification"
+title: "Meshery Contributors Certification"
+description: "A comprehensive certification program for developers looking to become active contributors to Meshery"
+weight: 1
+banner: "images/meshery-contributors-banner.svg"
+id: "unique-content-id"
+level: "beginner"
+---
+
+Provide a brief summary of what learners will gain.
+<!-- Add your Academy content here -->
+```
+
+{{< alert type="info" title="Important Reference IDs" >}}
+Make note of two key identifiers for your content files:
+- **Content ID**: Unique identifier for this specific content
+- **Organization ID**: Your organization's identifier (remains constant)
+{{< /alert >}}
+
+{{< alert type="info" title="Content ID Updates" >}}
+If you click "Back" and return to Step 5, a new Content ID will be generated. Simply use the new ID and discard the previous one.
+{{< /alert >}}
+
+### Next Steps
+
+After generating our template:
+
+1. **Copy the Template**: Use the provided copy button to get your front matter
+2. **Create Your Content File**: Paste the template into a new .md file in your academy repository
+3. **Add Your Content**: Replace the placeholder comment with your actual learning material
+
+
+## Manage Invitation
+
+### Auto-Generated Invitations
+Navigate to **Identity → Invitations** to find your automatically created invitation.
+![](images/auto-invitation.png)
+
+The first column labeled "INVITATION" contains a shareable link that you can copy.
+
+## What Can the Invitation Link Do for You?
+
+The auto-generated invitation link is a powerful tool that helps instructors efficiently manage learner access and streamline the enrollment process.
+
+### 1. Precise Team Access Control
+
+Your invitation link provides targeted access management:
+
+- **Specific Team Access**: Only members of your selected teams can access the content through this link
+- **Automatic Role Assignment**: Users who accept the invitation automatically receive the "Academy Learner" role
+- **Organization Boundary Protection**: Only users within your [organization](https://docs.layer5.io/cloud/identity/organizations/) can use this invitation
+
+### 2. Flexible Sharing and Distribution
+
+**Automated Email Distribution:**
+- The system automatically sends invitation emails to specified team members
+- Emails include course descriptions and one-click access links
+- Reduces your manual notification workload and ensures consistent messaging
+
+**Direct Sharing Options:**
+- Copy and send the invitation link directly to team members
+- Share through collaboration tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Discord
+- Embed the link in internal documentation, wikis, or learning portals
+
+
+### Customize Invitation Properties
+
+Click the pencil icon to access the invitation customization form.
+![](images/auto-invitation-details.png)
+
+The invitation form contains eight properties. Three are automatically generated by the system for convenience, which you can modify according to your needs:
+
+**Auto-Generated Properties:**
+1. **Name**: Automatically formatted as "Academy Invitation for [your-content-name]"
+   *Example: "Academy Invitation for meshery-contributors-certification" (lowercase with dash)*
+2. **Description**: "Invitation to join organization [organization-name] for academy curricula [course-name]"
+3. **Roles**: Defaults to "Academy Learner" - [Learn more about Academy roles](https://docs.layer5.io/cloud/security/roles/academy-roles/) 
+
+{{< alert type="info" title="Admin Role Invitations" >}}
+Academy admins can invite other instructors to become co-admins by changing the **Roles** property from "Academy Learner" to "Academy Admin" during invitation customization.
+{{< /alert >}}
+
+**Customizable Properties:**
+
+### 1. Emails - Invitation Email List
+
+Configure who receives the invitation:
+
+- **Supported Formats:**
+  - Individual emails: `test@domain.com`
+  - Domain-wide invitations: `@domain.com` (invites all users from that domain)
+- **Duplicate Handling**: The system automatically merges duplicate entries
+- **Quantity Recommendations:**
+  - Small team invitations: 10-50 email addresses
+  - Department-level invitations: 100-200 email addresses
+  - Large organizations: Use domain wildcards like `@company.com` instead of listing individual emails
+
+### 2. Expires At - Expiration Settings
+
+Control when the invitation expires:
+
+- **Flexibility**: Supports any time setting, extension, and recovery. Leave blank for permanent access
+- **What happens at expiration?**
+  - Expiration is only checked when users attempt to accept the invitation
+  - If the expiration time has passed, users cannot proceed with the invitation
+  - Expiration check compares server current time vs. set expiration time
+- **Can I modify expired invitations?**
+  - Yes, you can recover and extend expiration times by entering edit mode
+
+### 3. Quota - Usage Limits
+
+Set limits on how many users can accept the invitation:
+
+- **When quota is exceeded:**
+  - Operates on a first-accept, first-in basis
+  - Users beyond the quota cannot join, even with a valid invitation link
+- **Recovery options:**
+  - If quota is reached, you can increase the quota to restore access
+  - Admin console provides real-time usage monitoring
+
+### 4. Teams - Team Assignment List
+
+Specify which teams invited users will join:
+
+- **Team Selection**: Choose from available teams via dropdown menu
+- **Multiple Teams**: You can assign users to multiple teams
+- **No Teams Available**: If your organization has no teams, [create them](https://docs.layer5.io/cloud/identity/teams/) first. Users will be added to all successfully configured teams
+
+{{< alert type="info" title="Team Structure Changes" >}}
+**During Organization Restructuring:**
+- If team structure changes after invitations are sent
+- Some teams may be merged or deleted
+- New users can still join remaining valid teams
+
+**Permission Management Updates:**
+- Team permission policies may change
+- Some teams might close to new users
+- Other teams continue accepting new members normally
+{{< /alert >}}
+
+### 5. Status - Enabled/Disabled
+
+Control invitation accessibility:
+
+- **Enabled**: Invitation functions normally
+- **Disabled**: If users open a disabled invitation link, they can choose to "Retry" or "Go to Dashboard"
+
+{{< alert type="info" title="Invitation Idempotency" >}}
+Users only need to accept one invitation, regardless of how many invitation emails they receive. Once accepted, additional invitations to the same user are automatically ignored.
+{{< /alert >}}