Automated CFPS Exam. Rules and Hints for Success

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1 Autmated CFPS Exam Rules and Hints fr Success This dcument utlines the varius steps required and guidance fr the IFPUG CFPS exam, fr thse languages currently ffered thrugh Prmetric Testing. Ensure that yu have reviewed the membership requirements and registratin steps well in advance f yur membership expiry date. Exams are scheduled by Prmetric and may nt be available n a specific day / time. Please check the ffered exam dates / times by fllwing the EXAM COVERAGE utlined belw. Cnsider cnducting yur exam planning and registratin several mnths in advance f yur selected exam date t ensure yu are prepared t succeed. Cnsider cntacting the test centre ahead f time as utlined in the REGISTRATION STEPS belw. If needed yu may reschedule yur exam date as utlined in the REGISTRATION STEPS belw. EXAM COVERAGE The Certified Functin Pint Specialist (CFPS) Exam is a rigrus test f bth the knwledge f the cunting rules laid ut in the current release f the IFPUG Cunting Practices Manual (CPM). D nt rely slely n infrmatin prvided n the quick reference card r vendr materials. Exam questins, especially thse testing yur knwledge f definitins and implementatin are based upn the entire cntent f the CPM. Fr an utline f the CFPS exam and the reference materials prvided please see the ORIENTATION TO THE CFPS EXAM sectin belw. MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS 1. Yu must be an IFPUG member in gd standing at the time f registering fr the exam, as well as n yur exam day. If yu are nt sure f yur membership status, r wuld like t becme a member f IFPUG, cntact the IFPUG Office at ifpug@ifpug.rg r access the IFPUG website at Shuld yu sit fr the CFPS Exam and nt be a member f IFPUG in gd standing, yur Exam will be invalidated and yur exam fee will be frfeit. 2. Cntact the IFPUG ffice t request English as a secnd language extensin. The CFPS Exam ffered thrugh Prmetric is currently available in the fllwing languages: English Brasilian Prtuguese Italian Krean Yu may request an exam duratin extensin f 30 minutes if English is nt yur first language, and the exam is nt available in yur native r business language. Exam participants in Canada, USA, United Kingdm, India, Ireland, Puert Ric, Australia, r New Zealand must the IFPUG ffice at ifpug@ifpug.rg prir t registratin, request and cmplete an ESL frm. Cnfirmatin f yur ESL request will be returned within 3 t 5 business days. On apprval f the ESL request the Prmetric business ffice will cntact yu t cmplete the registratin prcess. Shuld the request be denied the IFPUG ffice will cntact yu and yu can prceed with the nrmal registratin steps. Page 1 f 8 Rules and Hints fr Success_Final v1 7.dc

2 Autmated CFPS Exam In all ther cuntries where the exam is nt available in the native r business language, the exam duratin will be autmatically extended by 30 minutes. 3. Advise the IFPUG ffice f any special equipment needs, which must be apprved in advance. Please the IFPUG Office at ifpug@ifpug.rg t discuss yur special testing needs. Allw fr extra time t btain apprval and allw Prmetric t ensure the requested equipment r aid is available. When yur request has been apprved, the Prmetric business ffice will cntact yu t cmplete the registratin prcess. 4. Read and understand the IFPUG CFPS Cde f Ethics. The IFPUG CFPS Cde f Ethics is available n the IFPUG website. Yu must be willing t abide by the Cde f Ethics in rder t take the CFPS Exam. PROMETRIC TEST SITES TEST DRIVE Fr a small fee Prmetric ffers test takers the ability t experience the testing envirnment prir t the scheduled exam. Visit the Prmetric site fr full details. REGISTRATION STEPS 1. Register fr the exam by creating a user accunt with Prmetric, using ne f the fllwing methds: I. Online (Secure and available 24 hurs a day, 7 days a week) II. III. Onsite at yur lcal test center. Lcate test centers n the Prmetric website Calling a Prmetric Reginal Registratin Center. IV. Please refer t the Prmetric Testing I.D. (SP#) number belw, if needed Visiting the Prmetric website 2. Be prepared when yu register / schedule yur exam t prvide the fllwing infrmatin: Yu must be a member in gd standing n exam day. If unsure f yur current membership status, please review the guidance utlined in the EXAM COVERAGE utlined abve Exam Title IFPUG CFPS Exam Prmetric Testing I.D. (SP#) Number I Certified Functin Pint Specialist Testing center preference Preferred / available exam dates The first available date and time will be ffered t yu when registering. If yur preferred exam date is nt available, check fr ther ffered dates r cntact a Prmetric Cntact Center representative t determine if a cnvenient appintment date is available. First name, middle initial and last name The name used t register and schedule yur exam appintment must exactly match the name shwn n the valid, gvernment-issued ID t be presented n exam day. Cmpany name Page 2 f 8 Rules and Hints fr Success_Final v1 7.dc

3 Autmated CFPS Exam Mailing address Please prvide the address t which yu wuld like yur certificate mailed. address Cntact phne numbers Methd f payment Accepted credit card payments include: American Express, MasterCard, and Visa. Credit charges may be incurred frm the time yu schedule yur appintment up t yur exam date due t variatin in prcessing times. The exam fee is $ USD. Receipts are available thrugh the Prmetric web site, by accessing yur accunt and chsing the View/Print Receipt ptin %5Ftest=1 Or, yu may cntact Prmetric via and request a cnfirmatin letter which includes the amunt yu paid fr yur exam. 3. Orient yurself with what t expect n exam day. Be prepared. Review the requirements fr yur EXAM DAY SIGN IN utlined belw registratin and presented identificatin must match! Review the EXAM DAY - CONDITIONS, especially thse fr persnal effects, electrnics, and hardcpy materials utlined belw many f these are new! Prepare yurself prir t exam day by ensuring yu are familiar with the lcatin, building, flr etc f yur Prmetric test centre, If necessary cntact the test centre ahead f time t determine the number f seats in the rm, distance frm seat t the restrm, whether ther exams are being ffered in the same rm, s that yu can have the ptin f chsing anther site. Cntact the test centre ahead f time t ensure that they are aware f a plicy change, annunced April 2010, which allws fr the CFPS Exam t be taken with paper and pencils, instead f a whitebard and dry erase marker. The testing site will prvide yu with 3 sheets f paper and 2 pencils upn request. Unless yu specifically requests paper and pencil yu will be issued ne white bard and ne dry erase marker. Cnsult with ther exam candidates fr their experiences via the Bulletin Bard r listen t the fllwing ( N ne wants these wrries n exam day! 4. When needed yu can reschedule yur exam date. Yu can reschedule yur exam date nline up t 24 hurs prir t yur scheduled exam date. If yu cannt attend yur scheduled appintment and d nt reschedule, the exam fee will be frfeit. Yu can als reschedule yur exam date by calling the Prmetric Reginal Registratin Center at least three (3) days prir t yur scheduled exam date. The phne numbers fr the Reginal Registratin Centers can be fund n the Prmetric web site. Shuld Prmetric have t cancel yur scheduled exam date yu will be cntacted by the Prmetric rescheduling department within hurs t reschedule. Page 3 f 8 Rules and Hints fr Success_Final v1 7.dc

Autmated CFPS Exam EXAM DAY SIGN IN 1. Arrive early. It is recmmended yu arrive at the testing center at least 15-30 minutes befre yur exam is scheduled t begin. Yu ll need time t sign in and relax.

4 Autmated CFPS Exam EXAM DAY SIGN IN 1. Arrive early. It is recmmended yu arrive at the testing center at least minutes befre yur exam is scheduled t begin. Yu ll need time t sign in and relax. 2. Present a valid, gvernment-issued ID that shws yur name in the English alphabet, yur signature and yur phtgraph, which matches yur registratin infrmatin. The name used t schedule yur appintment must exactly match the name shwn n yur identificatin. Acceptable frms f pht identificatin include: Driver's license Passprt Military identificatin Gvernment-issued identificatin license r card 3. Unless yu specifically request paper and pencil yu will be issued ne white bard and ne dry erase marker. A plicy change, annunced April 2010, allws fr the CFPS Exam t be taken with 3 sheets f plain white paper and 2 pencils, instead f a whitebard and dry erase marker. Ensure prvided materials are in suitable wrking rder prir t starting the exam EXAM DAY - CONDITIONS Please ensure yu are familiar with the fllwing cnditins. Failure t cmply with the fllwing instructins r instructins f the Prmetric test centre staff may result in invalidatin f yur exam. 1. Avid bringing any persnal items r valuables t the test centre, as they may nt be permitted within the testing area. Effrts may be made by Prmetric t prvide secure strage fr these items, but is nt guaranteed. 2. Use f any electrnic devices (cellular phnes, persnal data assistants (PDA), calculatrs etc.) is prhibited during the exam. A calculatr similar t the Micrsft Calculatr is prvided while taking the exam and accessed thrugh the Calculatr buttn. 3. Use f hardcpy reference materials are prhibited during the exam. The CFPS exam is cnsidered pen bk. Hwever, all exam materials, including the Exam Questin & Answer sectins, Cunting Practices Manual, Quick Reference Cards, and a calculatr are nw prvided electrnically fr the duratin f the exam. Additinal details f the reference materials prvided are utlined in ELECTRONIC REFERENCE DOCUMENTS sectin belw. 4. The use f persnal nte pads r paper is prhibited during the exam. Writing materials will be prvided t yu fr the duratin f the exam and must be returned upn cmpletin f the exam. Ensure these materials are in suitable wrking rder prir t starting the exam. A plicy change, annunced April 2010, allws fr the CFPS Exam t be prvided with 3 sheets f plain white paper and 2 pencils, instead f whitebards and dry erase markers. Yu will need t return the 3 sheets f paper and 2 pencils at the end f the exam. Page 4 f 8 Rules and Hints fr Success_Final v1 7.dc

5 Autmated CFPS Exam 5. Unless yu specifically requests paper and pencil yu will be issued ne white bard and ne dry erase marker. Fd and drinks are prhibited within the testing area. 6. Talking t anyne ther than the Prmetric test centre staff is nt permitted during the exam. Prmetric test centre staff will be respnsible fr prctring the exam, but will nt be able t answer r clarify exam questin cntent / wrding. Prctring may be cnducted by camera mnitring. D nt assume nise reducing headsets are available in all testing lcatins. If nise is a persnal cncern cntact yur testing center r bring yur wn ear plugs. Be sure t identify issues, prblems r cncerns - hardware, nise, dry erase markers - t yur Prmetric test centre staff / prctr right away t avid disruptins r lst exam time. 7. The exam is three (3) hurs in duratin and has n scheduled breaks. Yu are permitted t leave the testing area t get a drink, take medicatin r visit the bathrm. Be aware f the lcatin and availability f facilities in rder t avid lst exam time. The amunt f time designated fr that exam is nt stpped when yu are away frm yur cmputer. Time remaining is always displayed in the upper right hand crner f the exam screen. Refer t the registratin activities abve t request an exam duratin extensin f 30 minutes if English is nt yur first language ORIENTATION TO THE CFPS EXAM The fllwing sectin attempts t verview the new CFPS exam experience. The subject areas f testing and the criteria fr success have nt changed. The exam cnsist f three sectins: Definitin, Implementatin and Case Studies. A successful exam will have at least 90% verall crrect with at least 80% crrect n each sectin f the exam. THE WELCOME PAGE: CFPS CODE OF ETHICS Read the exam s Welcme Page, which includes the IFPUG CFPS Cde f Ethics, and fllw the instructins t cntinue. Please be familiar with the CFPS Cde f Ethics prir t taking the exam. Yu MUST be willing t abide by the CFPS Cde f Ethics in rder t take the CFPS Exam. Yu will have abut 90 secnds t read the infrmatin n the Welcme screen and click n the Agree buttn. Understand that by selecting I agree, yu agree t the CFPS Cde f Ethics and ther statements and can cntinue n t the exam. By selecting I disagree, r NOT SELECTING I Agree within the time allwed, the exam sessin will be terminated with n ptin t return t the exam. There is NO refund and yur exam fee will be frfeit. Yu may register again t sit fr the exam at a later date. THE TUTORIAL Fllw the verview in the 15 minute n-line tutrial. Page 5 f 8 Rules and Hints fr Success_Final v1 7.dc

un-marking questins fr review, and the review all questins.

6 Autmated CFPS Exam A tutrial is prvided t verview the features and functins f the exam. Yu have 15 minutes t view the cntents f the tutrial pages and familiarize yurself with the frmat; including the fllwing features: Navigatin: previus / next Calculatr References, Marking and un-marking questins fr review, and the review all questins. If yu have time left after viewing the tutrial cntent, yu have the ptin t g immediately t the exam r t use that time t relax and get used t the envirnment. Start right away r relax fr a few minutes it s up t yu. ELECTRONIC REFERENCE DOCUMENTS There are a ttal f six (6) reference sectins / dcuments available t yu within the exam: CPM Part 1 CPM Part 2 CPM Part 3 CPM Part 4 Quick Reference Card Cmplexity and Weights Nte: the English language references are separate PDF dcuments each accessed independently. Other languages are a single dcument. These sectins are accessed thrugh the Reference buttn. Similar t hw a new web page might pen, the reference tl pens as a new windw. Frm this windw yu may select the reference, perfrm searches, zm, re-size and clse the windw. It is recmmended that yu be familiar with: pening and searching fr cntent using Adbe PDF electrnic dcuments; the infrmatin cntained in each part f the CPM, as well as any key wrds r tpics yu expect t reference. The exam reference tl has a simple wrd search facility but will nt allw yu t bkmark pages. The tree directry that yu may be used t in Adbe's PDF is nt available in the exam. MARKING / REVIEWING QUESTIONS The exam nw incrprates a feature which allws yu t mark and un-mark questins fr later review. The Review All feature can be used at any time during the exam t return t a marked answer and/r t make sure yu have n unanswered questins. Clicking n the questin number will jump yu t the questin under review Page 6 f 8 Rules and Hints fr Success_Final v1 7.dc

7 WRITING THE CFPS EXAM Autmated CFPS Exam The exam is cmprised f three sectins: Definitin: 50 multiple chice questins, 1 mark each Implementatin: 50 multiple chice questins, 1 mark each Case Study: 10 cases, ttaling 50 marks Prvide answers fr ALL multiple chice questins, as blanks will be cunted as wrng / incrrect answers. Read and answer the questins carefully. In sme instances the difference f a single wrd can change the answer frm right t wrng. Use the MARKING / REVIEWING QUESTIONS feature utlined abve fr thse questins yu may be unsure f fr later review. Prvide cmments using the Cmment buttn, shuld yu believe any questins r answer ptins are unclear. Cmments will be cllected and reviewed by the Certificatin Cmmittee. THE CASE STUDIES The case study has undergne the mst dramatic transfrmatin during the autmatin prcess. Fr thse familiar with the paper based exam please take nte f the new frmat. Prvide answers fr ALL parts/pssible answers t each case study. This includes the identificatin f parts/pssible answers as Nt applicable (N/A). The Case Sectin cnsists f 10 multiple chice, multiple part/pssible questin and answer sets, wrth 5 pints each. Every questin MUST include an answer. When ne part/pssible answer des nt apply then chse the N/A (Nt applicable) radi buttn. The Case Sectin cntains tw types f questin sets, based n the prvided scenari. The first type f questin set asks that yu t identify functin types. The secnd questin set type asks that yu t determine the cmplexity fr a grup f functin types. Each questin set will have text and/r graphic displayed n the left side f the screen, which describes the scenari. The answer bxes fr the questin set will be displayed n the right side f the screen. A statement at the end f each questin set specifies the actin yu shuld take, e.g. identify the data functin types fr Applicatin X, r determine the cmplexity f the transactinal functin type fr Prject Y. The answer bxes fr identificatin questin sets will list the names f several pssible functin types that may fit the scenari and the specified actin. Each pssible functin type will have a radi buttn set fr yu t select the type r nt applicable (N/A). Fr example, yu may be asked t identify the transactinal functin types fr Prject A. Prject A updated the Add Data and Query Data transactins, and added a hard cded List Data drp-dwn. Fr Add Data yu wuld select the EI radi buttn, fr Query Data the EQ radi buttn, and fr List Data the N/A radi buttn. The answer bxes fr cmplexity questin sets will list the functin types t be evaluated. Each functin type will have a radi buttn set fr yu t select lw, average r high cmplexity. Fr example, yu may be asked t determine the Page 7 f 8 Rules and Hints fr Success_Final v1 7.dc

8 Autmated CFPS Exam cmplexity fr Reprt One in Applicatin B. The scenari text tells yu that Reprt One summarizes prduct sales using data frm the Sales Detail and Regin data functins. The Reprt One graphic shws sixteen pieces f user data. Fr Reprt One yu wuld select the Average radi buttn. Each Case Sectin questin set is graded independently f ther Case Sectin questin sets. EXAM RESULTS Selecting END will cmplete the exam. CFPS Exam candidates will receive their scre reprt immediately after their exam is cmpleted. Yu will be prvided with a printed scre reprt befre leaving the test center. This reprt cntains yur verall final scre, as well as scres fr each f the three sectins f the exam. If yu d nt pass an exam, these detailed scres may help yu determine the areas where further study r experience is required. Yu are permitted t re-register and re-write the exam furteen (14) days fllwing yur last attempt. There is n ffered discunt fr exam re-writes - the full exam fee and registratin cnditins apply, as utlined abve. If yu d pass the exam, an fficial IFPUG certificate will be mailed t yu within fur t six (4-6) weeks after yur exam infrmatin has been received by the IFPUG ffice. T btain infrmatin abut the status f yur certificatin certificate, please the IFPUG Office at ifpug@ifpug.rg. REQUESTING A REVIEW OF EXAM RESULTS Shuld yu wish t challenge the results f the exam, please cntact the IFPUG ffice via within 30 days f yur exam date with the reasn r explanatin f the dispute. As apprved by the IFPUG Bard f Directrs and effective January 1, 2011, a service charge f $50 (USD) will be applied t IFPUG Members requesting a review f the Autmated CFPS Exam results (answers and cmments) fr verall scres f 87% r less. The $50 (USD) charge will be refunded shuld the review result in a passing grade. Candidates will be ntified if the review results in a passing scre within 14 days f the exam. CFPS exams with a scre f 88% r 89% will cntinue t be autmatically reviewed by the Certificatin Cmmittee at n charge. Candidates wh scre 87% r less and wuld like t request a review f the exam results shuld fill ut the CFPS Exam Review Request frm available n the IFPUG website and submit the cmpleted frm including payment infrmatin - via t ifpug@ifpug.rg. Shuld yu have additinal questins NOT addressed within this dcument r the Frequently Asked Questins, please frward them via t the IFPUG ffice. Page 8 f 8 Rules and Hints fr Success_Final v1 7.dc

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