# Create a badge

> Go to Recognition → Badges → Create badge, fill in three short steps and select Create badge. Badges are a thank-you without reward points.

- Product: Recognition › Badges and greetings
- Who can do this: Super admins and admins with manage badges
- Plan: Recognition
- Where: Admin dashboard
- Last checked: 15 Oct 2026
- Web page: https://www.vantagecircle.com/en/help/recognition/badges-and-greetings/create-a-badge/

Go to **Recognition → Badges** and select **Create badge**. Badges let employees thank someone without giving reward points, so there's no budget to set. The form has three steps: **Details**, **Design** and **Certificate**.

## Details

Enter a **Badge name** of up to 150 characters. Then choose at least one country, or **All countries** at the top of the list, under **Where is this badge available?** The badge is only offered when everyone being thanked works in one of these countries.

The rest is optional:

- **Badge description** tells people what the badge is for, in up to 260 characters.
- **Company values** become tags on the feed post. "Teamwork" shows as #Teamwork.
- **Badge giver grade groups** and **Limit badge giving to specific employees** narrow who can give it.
- **Tenure eligibility (months)** sets a minimum or maximum number of months employed, separately for receivers and badge givers. Someone outside the range can't give or receive the badge.
- **Use eligibility rules** applies a rule saved in **Recognition → Eligibility rules**. You can also make a new one here with **Create eligibility rule**.

If your company uses recognition questions or categories, you'll also see **Choose the category that includes this badge** or **Choose which answers lead to this badge**. Pick at least one. These come from **Recognition → Questions & categories**.

![The Details step of Create badge, with Teamwork Champion as the name, India chosen as the country and the optional eligibility fields below](https://cdn.vantagecircle.com/image/upload/q_auto,f_auto/v1792133402/vantagecircle/help-centre/en/recognition/recognition-badge-details-52113c10a4734e44.png)

## Design

Choose an icon from the library or upload your own, then pick a background colour. To upload, select the **+** tile at the start of the icons. Your icon must be a PNG of exactly 512 × 512 px with a transparent background. If it isn't, you'll see "Upload a PNG image that is 512 × 512 px and has a transparent background."

## Certificate

**Add a certificate for recipients** is on when you get here. Choose a certificate template, using **Landscape** or **Portrait** to switch between layouts, or turn the switch off if you don't want one. Then select **Create badge**.

Employees can give the badge straight away. To change or turn it off later, see [Edit, duplicate or deactivate a badge](/en/help/recognition/badges-and-greetings/edit-duplicate-or-deactivate-a-badge/).