Branding: Logos, Colours & Letterheads

Summary

skillSYMS branding is handled in two places: your login page branding (logo, primary colour, background) under Domains & Branding, and your document branding (letterheads, footers, signatures) under Branding & Documents. This guide covers both so your learners see a consistent, professional brand from the login screen through to certificates and reports.

Who This Guide Is For

• Training providers personalising their skillSYMS instance
• Administrators responsible for brand consistency
• Staff who generate official documents and certificates

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• Admin access to your skillSYMS tenant
• Your logo file (PNG or JPG, recommended 512x512px, max 2MB)
• Your brand’s primary colour hex code
• Organisation legal name, registration number, and VAT number for letterheads

Step 1: Set Your Login Page Branding

Navigate to Settings → Domains & Branding (/sdp/settings/domains) and scroll to Login Page Branding.

1. Upload Logo — PNG or JPG, max 2MB.
2. Welcome Message — up to 100 characters, shown on your login page.
3. Primary Brand Color — pick a colour or enter a hex value; it styles buttons and accents.
4. Background Style — choose Gradient, Solid White, or a Custom Image.
5. Organisation Website URL — where users are sent after logging out.

Use the Login Page Preview to see your changes, then click Save Branding.

Tip: The default skillSYMS green is #90c23b. Use the live preview and “Open in New Tab” to check your logo and colours before sharing your login URL with learners.

Step 2: Open Branding & Documents

Navigate to Settings → Branding & Documents (/sdp/settings/branding).

This page manages three document branding building blocks: Letterheads, Footers, and Signatures—used when skillSYMS generates official documents.

Step 3: Create a Letterhead

Click New Letterhead and complete the form:

• Name (e.g., Head Office, Campus A) and optional Set as default
• Legal Name and Trading Name
• QCTO Provider Code, Registration Number, VAT Number
• Email, Phone, and Address

Click Create Letterhead. Use Preview on any letterhead to see how it renders on a document.

Step 4: Create a Footer

Click New Footer and configure:

• Name (e.g., Standard, Confidential)
• Page Numbering — Page X of Y, Page X, or None
• Compliance Clauses — POPIA Notice, Confidentiality Statement, QCTO Disclaimer
• Optionally Set as default

Step 5: Add Signatures

Click New Signature and complete:

• Profile Name and Role (Principal, QP Representative, Assessor, etc.)
• Person Name and Title
• Signature Type — Typed Name, Image Upload, or Digital Signature

Step 6: Fine-Tune the Platform Theme (Optional)

For full control over the in-app colour palette, typography, and component styles, use Design-OS → Theme Editor. See the Design-OS guide for details.

Tip: Mark one letterhead and one footer as default so generated documents always have a brand applied even before you assign templates.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Oversized logos: Login logos over 2MB are rejected—resize first.
2. Forgetting to save: Login branding only persists after you click Save Branding.
3. No default profiles: Without a default letterhead/footer, generated documents may be unbranded.
4. Invalid hex codes: Primary colour must be a valid 6-digit hex (e.g., #90c23b).

Verification Checklist

Before moving on, verify:

• Logo, welcome message, and primary colour are saved on the login page
• Login Page Preview reflects your branding
• At least one letterhead exists and is set as default
• At least one footer exists with the right compliance clauses
• Signature profiles are created for document signers

Next Steps

• Custom Domains — Connect your own domain
• Templates & Documents — Assign branding to templates
• Design-OS — Advanced theme and certificate design
• Public Site — Brand your public microsite