1. Setup: Exam

Overview for creating an exam, more detail provided on each area in individual docs

When creating an exam in Synap, you'll be guided through a series of steps to configure your assessment, candidate access, security settings, and scheduling.

Creating a static exam

Before you start

Before you create an exam make sure you have

• Created a quiz (or quizzes for dynamic exams)

• Decided how candidates will access an exam (A. User group or B.Direct user registration)

Quizzes

User group access vs Direct user registration

A. User group access

User group access means candidates gain access through membership of a user group. All users in that group will receive access to the exam.

Once an attempt is generated for a user in a group, removing the user from the group does not automatically revoke or delete their attempt

This is ideal when:

• There are distinct sets of users per exam

• Long running exams with automations to add users to groups

• User group insights and exports are important

Users & Groups

B. Direct user registration

By default, exams are associated with a User Group, and candidates gain access to the exam through membership of that group.

Alternatively, you can enable Direct Exam Registration when setting up an exam. When enabled, the exam is not linked to a User Group. Instead, candidates are registered directly against the exam.

This approach is particularly useful for organisations that automate exam administration through the API, as candidate registrations create exam attempts directly rather than relying on User Group membership.

Once the exam has been created, candidates can be registered by:

• Selecting + Register Users from the Attempt Management table

• Registering candidates via the API

Direct user registration

When a candidate is registered, an exam attempt is generated automatically and associated directly with that exam.

Direct Exam Registration is recommended when:

• You manage candidate registrations through integrations or automated workflows

• You want to create and manage attempts directly at the exam level

• You do not require a User Group to control exam access

For most standard exam delivery workflows, using a User Group remains the recommended approach.

Create an exam

When you're quiz/quizzes are ready and you have an access method decided, head over to the exams page and select Create exam.

From the deatils page, add in the name, descriptions, attribute information and access method and save.

Select the type (static vs dynamic)

Select the type exam you want, there are some extra steps involved if you pick dynamic so be sure to check out our docs below!

• Static = a single source quiz, the exam will contain the exact same questions as the source quiz, all users will get the same set of questions.

• Dynamic = one or more source quizzes, create exam rules based on existing tags, questions or EMQ groups all candidates can get a slightly different questions (unless restriction of dynamic variations).

This guide is going to focus on Static exams but use the link below if you're making Dynamic exams.

Dynamic exams

Once you've picked the type, click 'Next', to go to the Source step.

Search for and select a source quiz from your library for your exam, confirm the selection and finalise this step.

Once you've finalised the source step the quiz will be cloned and copied to the exam so changes to the source quiz after the finalise step will not automatically be pulled through to the exam. Use the 'Pull latest version' function on the source page if changes are made to the source quiz after the finalise step.

Once your exam set up has been finalised you'll be moved onto the next part of the creation process : BUILD, to modify sections or grades that have been pulled from your source quiz.

2. Build: Exam

For static exams many of the configs on the source quiz are copied over to the exam. If you're going to use the same underlying source quizzes often, we'd recommend adding the various settings to the quiz to avoid having to add them to each exam. See our guide on quiz experience for more information on these settings

Quiz experience

Settings, configurations and delivery

Configure how your exam is delivered, how candidates interact with it, and how results are managed after completion.

Timers and in exam settings

Control the candidate experience during the exam, including time limits, navigation options, question randomisation, calculator settings, and other in-exam behaviours.

Experience

Grades

Configure grading boundaries and classifications used to determine candidate outcomes, such as Pass/Fail thresholds, percentage bands, or custom grade scales. In order to use certificates and resits grades need to be enabled. Synap supports both overall grades as well as section specific grades.

Exam gradesCertificatesResits

Results

The Results section controls how and when candidates can access their exam results.

Synap supports both automatic and manual result release workflows. For exams containing manually marked questions, all required marking must be completed before results can be released.

Released results contribute to exam reporting, statistics, and insights. Results can also be released while remaining hidden from candidates, allowing organisations to finalise scoring and reporting before making results visible. This functionality can also be used to support timed result releases, where results are prepared in advance and made visible to candidates at a later date.

In addition, Synap provides configurable results pages, allowing administrators to control which information candidates can see, including scores, statistics, feedback, and question-level information. For detailed guidance on result release workflows, result visibility, and configuring candidate results pages, see Managing Results.

ResultsExam statistics

Scheduling and publishing

Control when an exam becomes available, when it closes, and how candidates gain access. This includes publication settings, exam windows, and availability periods.

Schedule

Communication and sharing

Configure automated candidate communications, including exam invitations, reminders, completion notifications, and result release messages.

5. ShareScheduleExam vouchers

Versioning

Track and manage changes made to exams, manage multiple versions and revoke and re-issue existing attempts onto a new version.

Versioning

Proctoring and security

Protect the integrity of your assessments with configurable security and proctoring tools. Recording candidate activity and sessions as well as anti-cheat features on quizzes and exams. Synap provides a range of options to support secure exam delivery.

Anti-Cheat features4. Advanced : Exam SecurityRemote Exam Planning Guide

Marking / scoring

Manage how candidate responses are scored, reviewed, and finalised. Synap supports both automatic and manual marking, as well as advanced workflows for moderation, blind marking, escalation, quality assurance, and results finalisation.

Marking