I used to assign certification numbers based on the year the course was measure. If it was measured in year X but not submitted until year X+1, I would give it a year X number until I received the first course measured in year X+1.
Now once I receive the first course submitted after the first of the year, regardless of exactly when it was measured, it gets the new year's number. At the end of last year I gave the same guidance that Ron gave, and when I woke up on New Year's Day, I had applications in my in-box.