Poynter ACES certificates in editing and a macros course
ACES has teamed up with The Poynter Institute to offer ACES members a three-part editing program that sets the industry standard for communications professionals who want to improve their editing skills.
The courses cover the latest trends in language and best practices related to editing.
The introductory and intermediate programs were revised and updated in 2023.
The updated Advanced Certificate in Editing was released in January 2025.
And launched separately in September 2025, the Poynter ACES: Discover Macros for Word course includes step-by-step videos and hands-on exercises to create custom Word shortcuts in Windows or macOS.
Who should take this?
The Poynter ACES Certificates in Editing are designed for editors of all stripes. Regardless of whether you work in legacy news media, a public relations firm, a government communications office, or a creative agency, this program is designed to help you get your intended message to its appropriate audience clearly, succinctly, and accurately. Anyone with a professional interest in communicating in the clearest way possible will benefit.
The certificate programs are available on-demand and are offered at a significant discount for ACES members. They are a convenient and cost-effective way to build, update, and maintain your editing skills.
The three certificates
Poynter ACES Introductory Certificate in Editing
Revised and updated in 2023. This series entails six courses and one final assessment. The overall coursework should take about 15 hours to complete.
- ACES members: $99
- Nonmembers: $150
The Poynter ACES Introductory Certificate in Editing provides a solid understanding of the standards, essential skills, and best practices of editing. This foundational program is designed for those looking to up their editing game for new jobs, promotions, or to hone their skills.
It draws together knowledge from some of the nation’s leading editors, fact-checkers, and academics for a fast-paced experience that will challenge and entertain you on your quest to becoming a world-class editor.
Poynter ACES Intermediate Certificate in Editing
Revised and updated in 2023. This series entails seven courses and one final assessment. The overall coursework should take about 12 hours to complete.
- ACES members: $175
- Nonmembers: $250
The intermediate certificate is the second in the three-tier editing series. The intermediate program will have you delving deeper into grammatical concepts, learning about law and ethics, gaining better understanding of helpful editorial technology, and improving your skill as a manager.
Poynter ACES Advanced Certificate in Editing
Revised and updated in 2024. This series entails six courses and one final assessment. The overall coursework should take about 11 hours to complete.
- ACES members: $500
- Nonmembers: $650
Building on the skills in the introductory and intermediate certificates, the Poynter ACES Advanced Certificate in Editing is a seven-part program that engages participants in the most advanced facets of editing. Delve deeper into artificial intelligence, developmental editing, editing for inclusivity, developing style guides, and building trust and career resilience. This course includes developmental editing and developing more hard skills, such as creating custom style sheets and inclusive editing.
Discover Macros for Word course
Launched in September 2025, Poynter ACES: Discover Macros for Word is a self-paced, comprehensive training program that teaches you to wield the full power of Microsoft Word macros for editorial work. You’ll learn to create, customize, and implement shortcuts that reduce repetitive formatting and correction so you can concentrate on more substantive editing.
Still using CTRL + F? This cutting-edge course teaches game-changing automation skills to take your edit to the next level. This course applies to both Windows and macOS users.
- ACES members: $50
- Nonmembers: $65
Discounts and benefits
ACES members access Poynter discount codes by logging in to the ACES member center. From there, navigate to the discount codes page, aka Member Benefits, and scroll down to the Poynter ACES Certificates in Editing and Macros Course to find the discount codes. Then navigate to the Poynter website to register. Enter the code in the coupon code field and click apply to receive the discount.
For more information
Follow each certificate's link to learn more details or review the specifics of each one from the main Poynter ACES Certificates in Editing page.
Read more about the Poynter ACES: Discover Macros for Word course.
Email training@aceseditors.org for questions about membership, discounts, and other trainings.
For more information on these programs, please email info@poynter.org.
About ACES: The Society for Editing
ACES: The Society for Editing is the nation’s leading organization of editing professionals, educators, and students. Founded in 1997 by copy editors, ACES is dedicated to improving the quality of the written word and the working lives of editors. It sets standards of excellence and gives a voice to editors in journalism, government, business, publishing, and beyond through top-notch training, networking, and career opportunities.
ACES hosts an annual in-person conference and, since 2022, an annual virtual conference. ACES Academy hosts monthly webinars. ACES also offers certificates in editing, which it co-hosts with The Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalism.
About The Poynter Institute
The Poynter Institute is a global nonprofit working to address society’s most pressing issues by teaching journalists and journalism, covering the media and the complexities facing the industry, convening and community building, improving the capacity and sustainability of news organizations and fostering trust and reliability of information. The Institute is a gold standard in journalistic excellence and dedicated to the preservation and advancement of press freedom in democracies worldwide. Through Poynter, journalists, newsrooms, businesses, big tech corporations and citizens convene to find solutions that promote trust and transparency in news and stoke meaningful public discourse. The world’s top journalists and emerging media leaders rely on the Institute to learn new skills, adopt best practices, better serve audiences, scale operations and improve the quality of the universally shared information ecosystem.
The Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership, the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), MediaWise and PolitiFact are all members of the Poynter organization.
Support for Poynter and our entities upholds the integrity of the free press and the U.S. First Amendment and builds public confidence in journalism and media — an essential for health democracies. Learn more at poynter.org.