You can create ribbons and badges to enhance your organization's gamification program. The ribbons can be assigned to users and the badges earned by users, in order to encourage and reward engagement in and commitment to your online community.

See Understand Ribbons and Badges for information about ribbons and badges, including their differences and intended purposes.

Ribbon and Badge create options

When you create a ribbon or a badge, you have two options in the Format section:

• use the integrated icon generator to build your own icon or
• upload an image. (Learn how to upload and manage images in the Manage Images topic.)

Your selection determines what you can do and which configuration settings display on the page.

Effectively, you have four possible "create" scenarios with the Format and Type sections:

• Build your own icon for a badge
• Build your own icon for a ribbon
• Upload an image for a badge
• Upload an image for a ribbon

TIP: When you make a selection, the Preview on the right automatically updates. Then, it continues to update in real time as you work, so that you can instantly review your work.

NOTE: You can also edit your community's ribbons and badges. The "edit" and "create" settings are the same, but with the expected difference that some of the settings have already been configured; these can be changed.

Consider accessibility in your design

Consider "accessibility" guidelines and best practices when designing ribbons and badges. Make sure that the various elements (e.g., font style; font size and formatting; text and background colors) of the ribbon or badge aren't "harsh" or uncomplimentary.

If your organization has established "branding," it's a good idea to adhere as closely as possible to that when you can.

See Best Practices - Accessibility for helpful tips on colors and contrast.

Preview your work

There are a number of settings to configure for ribbons and badges, and the Preview on the right auto-updates based on your Format and Type selections.

The icon or image displays in the preview and you can configure its properties. For example:

• The Build Your Own settings offer "picker" options for the icon and the various color settings.
• The Uploaded Image settings focus more on the text that overlays the image (i.e., the font, size, formatting, and color).

NOTE: You cannot edit or manipulate an uploaded image; you'd have to make changes in an external image editor and re-upload the image.

As you work, be sure to check the preview for:

• the icon or image size;
• the icon and badge colors;
• the text;
• the text color; and
• the text alignment.

Make sure that all of the elements are exactly how you want them.

Create a Badge with an icon

The "create" example in this section walks through building an icon for a badge.

NOTE: The create processes for ribbons and badges are very similar but with a few differences.

TIP: Refer to Uploaded Image - Preview and settings, below, for information on the Uploaded Image option and settings.

To create a badge:

1. Navigate to Engagement > Ribbons and Badges.
2. Click the plus sign icon to the right of the page title.

The Add/Edit page opens in the current browser tab with the default selections applied:

• Format: Build Your Own
• Type: Badges

...and the Preview section displaying accordingly:

3. Refer to the table below for guidance with icon-properties settings.

NOTE: The table describes all of the settings for ribbon and badge icons. However, only the applicable (ribbon or badge) settings will display, based on your Type selection.

ACCESSIBILITY: Consider "accessibility" guidelines and best practices during your designing. See Best Practices - Accessibility for tips on colors and contrast.

4. On the left side of the page, configure the remainder of the settings for the icon; use the information in the table as necessary.

NOTE: Each Format-Type pairing has different configuration settings. For convenience, the table describes all of the settings for ribbon and badge icons and images. However, only the applicable settings will display, based on your Format and Type selections.

Setting	Description
Name	Specify a name for the ribbon/badge. This field is required.
Description	Provide a description (such as its purpose) for this ribbon/badge. This displays when the ribbon/badge is hovered on a user Profile page, and is an ideal place to explain how an "attainable" ribbon/badge is earned.
Show under profile image in the Profile Page	Check the box to have the ribbon/badge display below their profile image on the Profile page. NOTE: This setting is applicable only if Format = Build Your Own. It's available for "build-your-own" Ribbons and Badges.
Show below the profile picture in the member directory and discussion thread	Check the box to have the ribbon display below users' listings in the Member directory and with their names in Discussions, Replies, Questions, and Answers. NOTE: This setting is unique to the Build Your Own > Ribbons combination.
Show as an attainable achievement	Check the box to make the ribbon/badge "attainable" and have it display on the My Contributions > My Achievements page of users' Profiles. Attainable ribbons and badges display: clearly for users who have earned them but opaquely for users who have not yet earned them. NOTE: This setting is also available on the Digital Ribbons and Badges widget.
Category	Click the dropdown to select a Category with which to associate the ribbon/badge. NOTE: You can configure the Digital Ribbons and Badges widget to display ribbons and badges of a specific Category only.
Sort Order	Specify a numerical value to set the "importance" of the ribbon/badge. The lower the value, the more important the ribbon/badge. The sort order is applied to ribbons/badges on users' profiles and to their top-to-bottom display on the Ribbons and Badges page. Assign lower values to your most important ribbons/badges to have them display above the others.
URL (if clicked)	Specify a full and valid URL (e.g., include the https://www) in this field to configure the ribbon/badge as a hyperlink. The linked web address opens in a new tab.

5. Review all of your setting choices and at the bottom of the page, click Save.
6. Review the list and confirm that your new badge is listed and appears as you expect.

You new badge is now available for use in the community.

Uploaded Image - Preview and settings

The Preview section displays different configuration settings when Uploaded Image is selected:

ACCESSIBILITY: As with icons, when you include images, be sure to consider current "accessibility" guidelines and best practices during your designing. See Best Practices - Accessibility for tips.

The table below describes the properties settings for images when the Uploaded Image option is selected. These fields apply to ribbons and badges.