Ribbons and Badges promote participation and commitment to your Higher Logic Thrive Community (Thrive Community), and serve to recognize and reward accomplishments and community participation. Because of this, they're an important part of its social environment, as they give members extra incentive to be active and engaged members.

NOTE: The Ribbons and Badges information in this article is intended for only those customers using either Higher Logic Thrive Community or Higher Logic Thrive Platform.

Customers using other community releases should visit the Gamification section of the knowledge base.

In this article, you'll learn how to:

• Create Categories with which to organize your Ribbons and Badges
• Upload custom images for use with your Ribbons and Badges
• Create Ribbons and Badges from scratch
• Filter and search Ribbons and Badges

Access your Ribbons and Badges

To create and manage your Ribbons and Badges:

1. In the Admin Toolbar, click Admin.

2. Navigate to Engagement > Ribbons and Badges.

Difference between Ribbons and Badges

Technically speaking, the usage of Ribbons and Badges is mostly interchangeable; however, Higher Logic recommends their usage based on the following distinction, in order to ensure they display properly across your Thrive Community:

• Badges are intended for gamification/achievements,
• while Ribbons are intended as identifiers.

EXAMPLE: John earned the "Top Contributor" Badge by posting numerous Discussion threads and answering countless community questions. This Badge is a reflection of his high community engagement.

On the other hand, John is a community manager at XYZ Association, and therefore has the "Community Manager" Ribbon to identify him as such.

Where Ribbons and Badges display

In the Preview area of the interface, you'll notice two ribbons or two badges, depending on what you're currently creating; this "small" and "large" version of a ribbon or badge each display in different locations across your Thrive Community.

Badges

The small badge displays:

• Below a user's profile picture on their profile page
• In the Profile Card widget

The large badge displays:

• On a user's profile > My Contributions > My Achievements tab

Ribbons

The small ribbon displays:

• In discussion threads, Q&A threads, and bio bubbles
• In the Profile Card widget
• On the Directory page

NOTE: The most recently earned Ribbon with the highest sort order will display in these locations. If two Ribbons have the same sort order, then the one most recently earned will display.

The large ribbon displays:

• Below a user's profile picture on their profile page

Manage your Categories

TIP: Because Categories are applied to Ribbons and Badges upon creation, it's recommended to define your Categories before creating Ribbons and Badges.

Categories provide two benefits:

1. They enable you to organize your Ribbons and Badges into groups.
2. You can configure the Ribbons and Badges widget to only show Ribbons and Badges of a specific Category, giving you control over which Ribbons and Badges are displayed to your members on a given page. This can be used to advertise what Ribbons and Badges are available to your members.

Create, edit, and delete Categories

To create Categories and edit existing ones, click Manage Categories at the top of the page.

• To create a Category, click (+) Add at the bottom of the dialog. Then, give it a name in the displayed text field. Repeat this if you'd like to create additional Categories. When finished, click Save.
• To edit a Category name, simply update its text and click Save.
• To delete a Category, click its (-) icon to the right, followed by Save.

Manage images

Let's take a look at how to upload new images to use for your Ribbons and Badges, and edit existing images.

NOTE: Uploading images is only necessary if you want custom backgrounds for your Ribbons/Badges. Otherwise, we recommend using our SVG generator for visual consistency across all your Ribbons/Badges.

On the Ribbons and Badges page, click Manage Images.

Upload an image

In the Upload New Ribbons & Badges Background Image area at the top, you can upload images to use when creating Ribbons and Badges and editing existing ones.

NOTE: The recommended size for Ribbons is 200px wide by 40px tall; the recommended size for Badges is 200px wide by 200px tall. Images larger than these dimensions will be automatically re-sized.

Supported file types include: JPG, PNG, and JPEG.

1. Click Choose File and browse for the image you want to use.
2. Give the image an identifiable name making its purpose clear.
3. Click Upload. 

All images you upload are selectable when creating or editing a Ribbon or Badge. 

Edit an image

In the Edit Ribbon & Badges Background Image area, you can edit any existing Ribbon or Badge to update its name and/or image.

1. Select the image you want to edit from the Image to Update dropdown.
2. Click Choose File and browse for the image you'd like to replace it with.
3. You can also update the image's name in the provided field, if desired.
4. Click Save to finalize the replacement. 

Delete an image

In the Edit Ribbon & Badges Background Image area, you can delete any existing images you no longer need.

1. Select the image you want to delete from the Image to Update dropdown.
2. Click Delete.

Ribbon and Badge creation overview

You can create custom Ribbons and Badges at any time, and even manage the requirements that must be met for members to earn them (via Automation Rules); if these requirements are met, Ribbons and Badges are displayed prominently on the member's profile (and a few other places) for everyone to see.

NOTE: In addition to earning Ribbons and Badges via Automation Rules, Super Admins can also manually give members badges. See How Do Members Earn Ribbons? to learn more.

On the Ribbons and Badges page, click the (+) icon at the top. On the resulting page, use the interface to create either a Ribbon or a Badge. Because the process for creating a Ribbon and Badge is unique, each is discussed in its own section below. 

Create a Ribbon

To begin, click the Ribbons radio button. You'll then need to decide whether to create the Ribbon:

• using our SVG Generator (this is recommended for visual consistency across all your Ribbons)
• or by uploading your own image.

Each process is explained below.

SVG Generator

1. Click the Build Your Own radio button.
2. Go ahead and set your Ribbon's background color first via the Ribbon Color Picker option. Doing this first will help you choose an appropriate text color.
3. Next, select an appropriate text color via the Text Color Picker option. Remember to keep accessibility in mind.

TIP: You have a few options when setting both of these colors: you can enter a hex code, RGB numbers, or use the color/gradient sliders.

Also, pay attention to the Preview area at the top of the page; as you work, the Preview reflects your changes in real-time.

4. Configure the remaining options to set the Ribbon's name, description, Category, sort order, and more. Refer to the Shared Ribbon & Badge Options section below for description of the remaining options.
5. When finished, click Save at the bottom of the page to create your Ribbon.

Upload a custom image

IMPORTANT: Ribbons with custom backgrounds (i.e., using uploaded images) will not display in the profile card, under discussion/Q&A threads, or in the Directory. Additionally, for these "custom" Ribbons to display to users on their profile, you must add the Digital Ribbons & Badges widget to the profilebase. The Ribbons & Badges widget will ONLY display Ribbons created via our SVG generator (i.e., using the Build your Own option).

1. Click the Uploaded Image radio button.
2. Click the Image dropdown and select the desired custom image. Your image will now display in the Preview box at the top right.

NOTE: Only custom images uploaded via the Manage Images interface are available in this dropdown. Refer to the Manage images section of this article for more information about this process.

Remember, the recommended size for Ribbons is 200px wide by 40px tall; the recommended size for Badges is 200px wide by 200px tall.

3. While you'll see the Height (px) and Width (px) fields, these do not scale your image; they crop it. While this may be helpful in specific instances, the recommended practice is to upload your custom images according to the recommended image sizes above.
4. Configure the remaining options to set the Ribbon's name, description, Category, sort order, and more. Refer to the Shared Ribbon & Badge Options section below for descriptions of the remaining options.
5. When finished, click Save at the bottom of the page to create your Ribbon.

Create a Badge

To begin, click the Badges radio button. You'll then need to decide whether to create the Badge:

• using our SVG Generator (this is recommended for visual consistency across all your Badges)
• or by uploading your own image.

Each process is explained below.

SVG Generator

1. Click the Build Your Own radio button.
2. In the Icon Picker field, click the dropdown to select from a massive library of SVG icons.

• You can use the search field at the top to locate icons based on name. Because there are so many icons available, this is recommended to more easily find what you need.
• You'll be viewing a limited number of icons to start; click All Icons at the bottom right of the pop-up to view the full list.

3. Go ahead and set your Badge's background color first via the Badge Color Picker option. Doing this first will help you choose an appropriate icon color.
4. Next, select an appropriate icon color via the Icon Color Picker option. Remember to keep accessibility in mind.

TIP: You have a few options when setting both of these colors: you can enter a hex code, RGB numbers, or use the color/gradient sliders.

Also, pay attention to the Preview area at the top of the page; as you work, the Preview reflects your changes in real-time.

4. Configure the remaining options to set the Badge's name, description, Category, sort order, and more. Refer to the Shared Ribbon & Badge Options section below for description of the remaining options.
5. When finished, click Save at the bottom of the page to create your Badge.

Upload a custom image

IMPORTANT: Badges with custom backgrounds (i.e., using uploaded images) will not display in the profile card, under discussion/Q&A threads, or in the Directory. Additionally, for these "custom" Badges to display to users on their profile, you must add the Digital Ribbons & Badges widget to the profilebase. The Ribbons & Badges widget will ONLY display Ribbons created via our SVG generator (i.e., using the Build your Own option).

1. Click the Uploaded Image radio button.
2. Click the Image dropdown and select the desired custom image. Your image will now display in the Preview box at the top right.

NOTE: Only custom images uploaded via the Manage Images interface are available in this dropdown. Refer to the Manage images section of this article for more information about this process.

Remember, the recommended size for Ribbons is 200px wide by 40px tall; the recommended size for Badges is 200px wide by 200px tall.

3. While you'll see the Height (px) and Width (px) fields, these do not scale your image; they crop it. While this may be helpful in specific instances, the recommended practice is to upload your custom images according to the recommended image sizes above.
4. Configure the remaining options to set the Ribbon's name, description, Category, sort order, and more. Refer to the Shared Ribbon & Badge Options section below for descriptions of the remaining options.
5. When finished, click Save at the bottom of the page to create your Badge.

Shared Ribbon & Badge options

In addition to the Ribbon- and Badge-specific options discussed in their associated sections above, both share several common options that we'll look at now.

Ribbon & Badge options

Field	Description
Name	Give the Ribbon/Badge a name appropriate for its purpose. This name is displayed directly on the Ribbon/Badge (keep an eye on the Preview to ensure your name fits appropriately in the available space).
Description	Describe your Ribbon/Badge here. This text displays to members when hovering over the Ribbon/Badge on their profile, and is a great way to explain how a Ribbon/Badge can be earned if set to Attainable.
Show under profile image in the Profile Page	Check this box to have the Ribbon/Badge display on a member's Profile page, below their profile picture. This is often checked only for the most important Ribbons/Badges so that they display prominently on member profiles. If you have a lot of Ribbons/Badges, you may want this unchecked for some of them so member profiles are not cluttered with countless Ribbons/Badges. Note that this has nothing to do with whether a Ribbon/Badge is earned, only whether it's displayed.
Show below the profile picture in the member directory and discussion thread	Check this box to have the Ribbon display below a member's profile picture on both the Directory search results page and when viewing Discussion and Q&A threads. NOTE: This option is only available for Ribbons.
Show as an attainable achievement	Controls whether a Ribbon/Badge is Attainable or not. Ribbons/Badges set to Attainable are opaquely displayed on the profiles of members who have not yet earned them; this is a great way to give members a preview of the Ribbons/Badges they can achieve. If a Ribbon/Badge is marked as Attainable AND members have earned it, it displays in full color on the their profiles. If it's marked as Attainable and members have NOT yet earned it, it displays as greyed out on their profile until they have earned it. Whether Attainable Ribbons/Badges are shown is also a configurable setting for the Digital Ribbons and Badges widget.
Category	Group the Ribbon/Badge into a Category, if desired. Refer to Manage your Categories, above, to learn more. You can configure the Digital Ribbons and Badges widget to only show Ribbons/Badges of a specific Category, giving you control over which Ribbons/Badges are displayed to your members on a given page.
Sort Order	NOTE: Ribbons and Badges are sorted first by Category, in alphabetical order, and then by the configured Sort Order. Along with Categories, the Sort Order: Determines the order Ribbons/Badges appear on member profiles. Controls the order Ribbons/Badges are displayed on the Admin > Engagement > Ribbons and Badges page. Here are a few other things to keep in mind about Sort Order: Ribbons and Badges are listed from lowest (e.g., 1 or 2) to highest (e.g., 40 or 50), so you'll generally want to set your most important/prestigious Ribbons/Badges lower so they appear above the others. For Ribbons configured to display under the profile picture and in the Directory: If a member has two Ribbons with the same Sort Order (i.e., both are sorted to 1), then the Ribbon that the member most recently earned will appear under their profile picture in a Discussion and in the Directory.
URL (if clicked)	If you want members taken to a website (or page) when the Ribbon/Badge is clicked, enter its URL here. This is often used to take members to a page explaining what a Ribbon/Badge is and, for attainable Ribbons/Badges, to explain how to earn them. Enter URLs in the format: http://www.examplewebsite.com Links open in a new tab.

Edit, copy, and delete Ribbons and Badges

In this section, we'll walk you through how to edit, copy, and delete Ribbons and Badges.

Edit

You can edit an existing Ribbon or Badge at any time to adjust any of its properties, including its image.

1. Select a Ribbon/Badge in the list.
2. Click Edit.
3. Refer to the applicable sections above for information about all Ribbon/Badge options.

Copy

Is there a Ribbon or Badge that you'd like to make an identical copy of?

1. Select a Ribbon/Badge in the list.
2. Click Copy.

The copy is added to the list directly above. As shown below, you'll notice the Description column indicates "- Copy."

Delete

If there's a Ribbon or Badge you no longer want available to your members:

1. Select it in the list.
2. Click Delete.
3. Confirm the deletion in the resulting dialog to permanently remove the Ribbon/Badge. Note that any members who currently have that Ribbon or Badge will no longer see it displayed.

Filter & search Ribbons and Badges

Let's take a look at how to filter and search the list to quickly find specific Ribbons and Badges.

Search the list

1. Click the search icon above the list to expand the search field.
2. Enter your search term (the list will auto-update as you type). This queries the Name and Description columns.

NOTE: Click the X in the search field to restore the original list.

Filter the list

1. Click the filter icon above the list.
2. In the dialog, you can filter by Type (Ribbons or Badges) and Category (the Categories you've created to group your Ribbons/Badges).
3. Click Apply to filter the list to your chosen filters.

How to clear filters

When filters are active, the filter icon is solid orange, as shown below. To clear your active filters:

1. Click the filter icon.
2. Click the Clear Filter button.
3. Click Apply.

How do members earn Ribbons/Badges?

There are two ways members can earn a Ribbon/Badge:

1. Via Automation Rules
2. Super Admins can manually give members a Ribbon/Badge

See How Do Members Earn Ribbons? to learn more.