Hi Laura
How do you currently track this? I'm not 100% sure what you mean when you say they 'upload the Totara course'. My initial thought is below, but I'd need a little more detail to make sure the solution works for you 😁
A simple way is to use the RPL function to mark a course associated with the certification, as complete.
You could use a seminar activity on the course, and this could be used as the course completion date, i.e., the date the external training is complete. On the certification, use Recertification date = Use certification expiry date?
Example 2 seems complicated, but is a robust way to do the above and takes less than a minute once set up:
Create a course that contains a seminar activity (and assignment if you want the user to upload a certificate of completion from external provider)
Set completion of course as the seminar activity only
Create certification with above course.
On Recertification Details, set Active for 1 year and Recertification date = Use certification expiry date
Admin adds users seminar date they completed course
User completes external course
Admin marks seminar session as the date the user completed external training, i.e. not date they uploaded the certificate, etc
Feel free to contact me if you're unsure if either of these will work for you or if you need further options
Thanks