BQS User Guide For Online (Hosted) Approved Centres

Transcription

1 BQS User Guide For Online (Hosted) Approved Centres October 2009

2 Contents 1. Getting Started Administration Automated Testing Software BQS Exam Client System Requirements Download and Installation BQS Exam Client and Proxy Servers BQS Exam Client Updates BQS Web Administration The Login screen Forgot Password? Changing a password BQS Web Administration Hierarchy Creating a Test Centre Lab (group) Registering an Administrator Registering Candidates Validity Period Exam Time Extension Organising Candidate Records Candidate Search Facility Amending Candidates Password and Personal Information Allocating Tests to a Candidate Allocating Assessments to Multiple Candidates Managing Exam/Assessment Licences Converting a Candidate Registration to Allow Additional Attempts Running a Test Session Prior to the Test Session Invigilation Loss of Connectivity Loss of Power or PC Crash Reports Previous Results System Reports Reports Available in the System Reports Section Interacting with Reports Appendices Appendix A: Sales Information Appendix B: Qualification Product Codes Appendix C: Unit Test Codes Glossary of Terms For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 2 of 57

3 1. Getting Started The BCS Qualification System (BQS) is used for the provision of testing for a variety of BCS Qualifications. This user guide is intended for Approved Centres whose exam database is hosted by Activ Training Ltd. BQS, an examination/assessment system, is not used for the provision of training and should not be confused with any system being used to host courseware. The BQS is comprised of two main elements: An administration system Installed automated testing software 1.1 Administration The BQS Administration is used for all Candidate administration, including tasks such as test allocation, editing Candidates personal information and running reports. This system can be accessed via two different methods: BQS Web Administration BQS Win Administration NB: Both of these administration methods access the same data therefore changes in one will automatically reflect in the other. The differences between these two methods are set out below: The BQS Web Administration is a website that can be accessed via any computer that has an internet connection and the Internet Explorer browser installed. This system allows Approved Centres to pull Candidate registrations across from the BCS Approved Centre Forum into BQS. See section 3 for details on how to use the BQS Web Administration. The BQS Win Administration is a software application that can be installed with the BQS Exam Client. This guide only covers the BQS Web Administration, as this is now the preferred system. Approved Centres wishing to continue to use the BQS Win Administration should also see our guide for the BQS Win Administration located here: NB: the BQS Win Administration cannot be used to retrieve Candidate registrations from the BCS Approved Centre Forum. This step requires the BQS Web Administration. 1.2 Automated Testing Software The BQS Exam Client is the software required to undertake automated exams and assessments (mock exams). Centres should download the software and install it on all computers where testing will take place. The software is used to run assessments in addition to formal exams. If your Approved Centre operates from behind a proxy server, additional in-house technical support may be required to help configure the software. See section 2.2 for full details on how to download, install and use the BQS Exam Client. See section 2.3 for details on how to use the BQS Exam Client through a proxy server. For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 3 of 57

4 2. BQS Exam Client 2.1 System Requirements The following are the minimum requirements for the BQS Exam Client installation. Minimum Recommended CPU 1GHz 1.6 GHz or higher RAM 512MB 1GB or higher Operating System Windows 2000 Windows XP or higher Hard Disk Space 500MB 1GB Display Resolution 1024x768 High Colour Additional Software requirements: Microsoft.NET Framework 2.0 is required and if not present will be automatically installed during the installation Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.8 (included with installer) Local machine administrative rights when installing Windows XP or Vista (with XP or Vista theme enabled) is required for ECDL Office XP Exams and Assessments 2.2 Download and Installation Prior to testing, the BQS Exam Client must be downloaded and installed onto the Approved Centre PCs. The download and installation process is as follows. 1. Go to 2. Click the BQS Exam Software link 3. Download the BQS Exam Client from the application list 4. Once downloaded, the software must be extracted from the ZIP file 5. The installation files should be saved to a shared network drive or burnt to CD 6. Once ready, run the setup.exe file from the installation Browse to the location, where the downloaded installation files have been saved, and double click setup.exe. 7. When the installation wizard opens, click Next For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 4 of 57

5 8. Accept the default file location and click Next 9. The software will install the exam cache If the system displays the following message, please ignore. 10. Click Finish to complete For Support Tel: Page 5 of 57

6 At this point, you will be asked to restart the PC; this step is mandatory. The software you have downloaded has been pre-configured to install all the components required for standard operation. 2.3 BQS Exam Client and Proxy Servers SKIP THIS SECTION IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PROXY SERVER The BQS Exam Client installs a Set Connections Options Tool (SCOT). If an Approved Centre operates from behind a proxy server, this tool enables the Centre to store the details of an account that the software can use to authenticate with the proxy server. NB: This tool will need to be configured on each exam PC. If this is problematic, please contact Technical Support for assistance. The setup process is as follows: 1. Launch Set Connections Options Tool 2. Once launched there are two initial options: Use System Defaults Enter specific proxy details For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 6 of 57

7 The function Use System Default looks for the settings placed in Internet Explorer (IE) for authentication details Tick the following boxes: Use Proxy Use System Default Use Default Credentials The option Store Settings depends on whether you have the settings per machine or per User. To save settings click on OK If you use Scripts in Internet Explorer, ensure that the details are entered in full using the available options If undertaking manual configuration the process is as follows: 1. Tick Use Proxy 2. To enter details manually, remove the tick in Use System Default. o Enter the proxy address (either name or IP address) o Enter the port number e.g To set the authentication type, remove the tick in Use Default Credentials 4. Tick the type of authentication that your proxy server is setup to use 5. Type a valid username and password, which has access to the Internet through the proxy server The supported authentication types are: o o o o o Basic Digest NTLM Kerberos Negotiate For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 7 of 57

8 Additional settings can be configured to allow connection through the proxy. Click on the General Settings tab to show these options. Depending on the HTTP version set on your server or gateway, the value may need to be amended on the General Settings tab to match. Choose the application from the drop down list and change the value accordingly, to either 1.0 or 1.1. The value will need to be amended for all applications in the drop down list. For Support Tel: Page 8 of 57

9 2.4 BQS Exam Client Updates The BQS Exam Client is designed to automatically receive software and test content updates, as and when they become available. The BQS Exam Client checks for an update each time it is run. If a more recent version is available, the software will automatically download and install it. Exam PCs in an Approved Centre connect via the Internet to a test database, which is hosted by Activ Training Ltd. This is illustrated below: Most updates will run under the standard Windows user account. Updates may occasionally require administrative permissions for the Windows account running the software. Approved Centres will be contacted in advance if this is required. For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 9 of 57

10 3. BQS Web Administration The BQS Web Administration is located at Please add this to your browser Favourites folder for future use. NB: a few centres may be required to go to a different web address. If you have problems logging in, please contact Technical Support on support@activ-training.com. Once a Centre has been setup on the system, Activ Training Ltd will login details to the Centre Manager. If the login details are mislaid, Centres must contact support@activtraining.com. The Centre Manager will be able to create additional administrators/verifiers. 3.1 The Login screen 1. Visit 2. Enter the correct username and password 3. Click OK or press Enter. 3.2 Forgot Password? If you have forgotten your password, complete the following steps: 1. At the login screen, click Forgot Password? 2. Enter your username in the Log-In box The system will generate a new password and will automatically dispatch a confirmation . This feature will only work if an has been entered into the account. If the is not received, contact support@activ-training.com for assistance. 3.3 Changing a password NB: This section covers how to change the password of the administrator account that is logged in. To change a Candidate password, please see section Login to the BQS Web Administration 2. Click the Change Password link For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 10 of 57

11 3. Populate the required fields using your existing and new password 4. Click OK to confirm the changes 3.4 BQS Web Administration Hierarchy The BQS Web Administration contains an organisational hierarchy. This allows different Candidates to be included within different Test Centre Labs (see Glossary). 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration 2. Expand the hierarchy by clicking on the crosshairs to the left of the Approved Centre name 3. The Approved Centre will be setup with a basic hierarchy. Above is an example of how this may appear 4. Click on the top level visible in the hierarchy 5. The administration account in use will be displayed on the right hand side of the window along with any other administrators/verifiers For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 11 of 57

12 3.5 Creating a Test Centre Lab (group) A Test Centre Lab (also known as just Lab ) is the defined hierarchical level where Candidates are located. Candidates can be grouped in various ways, e.g. tutor group, class etc. Approved Centres will be setup with a basic hierarchy that will usually just contain one Lab. If more are required, use the following instructions to create new Labs. NB: BQS Web Administration only supports the creation of Labs within existing Test Centres; however, Centres can request to have their organisational hierarchy completely changed to reflect their own internal organisational structures. Please contact support@activ-training.com to request this or phone to discuss your specific requirements. Please request any changes at the earliest possible date. To create additional Labs: 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username and password and then click OK 2. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy 3. Select the second level from the bottom in the hierarchal structure When the correct level is selected, the pane on the right side of the screen will display the heading Test Centre Administrators. 4. To create a new lab, click Create For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 12 of 57

13 5. Fill in the Test Centre Lab ID and the Display Name The Test Centre Lab ID must to be unique, therefore, please ensure a unique identifier is used. 6. Click on the Attributes tab 7. If they are not already selected, tick Use Parent Node Licensing Scheme and Use Parent Node Skill Card Scheme 8. Tick the 3F Node box For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 13 of 57

14 9. Click OK when prompted by the confirmation screen 10. Click on the Package Assignment tab 11. Select the required packages Centres can either select all available packages, or restrict certain labs to specific qualifications. 12. Click Yes to create the lab 13. Confirm that the Test Centre Lab now appears within the hierarchy For Support Tel: Page 14 of 57

15 3.6 Registering an Administrator Administrator accounts can be created at any level except Lab level. Upon login to the BQS Web Administration, administrators will only be able to view and work with levels in the hierarchy that branch out from under the level that they were created at. This allows Centre Managers to restrict certain administrators/verifiers to specific groups of Candidates. To allow administrators/verifiers full visibility of all Labs, create them at the top level in the hierarchy. New Administrators are created as follows: 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username and password and then click OK. 2. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy and select the relevant level from the list NB: Administrators cannot be created at Lab level. This level is for Candidates only. 3. Create a new record by selecting the New button For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 15 of 57

16 This will open the Administrator Information tab, where all mandatory fields (shown in Bold) must be completed. 4. Click the Permissions tab to assign permissions to the Administrator 5. Open the drop down list labelled User Role. Select one of the following: o o Verifier (sometimes referred to as Invigilator) Centre Administrator Each role contains a set of predefined permissions that are required for each position. A Verifier can only verify, queue exams or assessments (mock exams). Select the 'Centre Administrator' role for staff that require all administrative permissions. 6. Click OK to save the record Incorrect or incomplete fields will be highlighted in red. 7. Confirm that the Administrator now appears in the Administrators area For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 16 of 57

17 3.7 Registering Candidates Since the 1st September 2009, all Candidate registration should take place on the updated BCS Approved Centre Forum (ACF) website. This means that Approved Centres can no longer register Candidates directly into the BQS Administration. Once Candidates are registered on the ACF, Approved Centres will then need to login to the BQS Web Administration to download the Candidate data into the BQS. The diagram below gives an illustration of the process: Downloading a Single Candidate from the ACF Once you have registered a Candidate on the ACF, you will need to download this Candidate s data into the BQS Web Administration, before you can begin testing. The following shows you how to do this for a single Candidate. NB: This process will only download new Candidates. Candidates registered onto multiple qualifications will need to have any additional qualifications added using the information in section Login to the BQS Web Administration For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 17 of 57

18 Visit Enter your login username and password and then click OK. 2. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy and select the relevant Test Centre Lab from the list 3. Click on the Get 3F Candidate button 4. Select BCS ID (or ULN) from the drop down list to search against either criterion (BCS ID is assigned to all new Candidates created on the ACF) 5. Enter the Candidate s BCS ID (or ULN) and select the qualification that the Candidate has been registered for from the Qualification Product drop down list. See Appendix B 6. Once you have selected the appropriate qualification product, the screen will refresh to show the available units (modules) for that qualification. Select the test type per module for the Candidate. See Appendix C For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 18 of 57

19 7. Click on Get Candidates to search against the data selected A confirmation box will appear. 8. If you are happy with the choices, you have made click on Yes 9. If the Candidate data matches that on the ACF website, the confirmation screen will show the data that has been added to your Test Centre Lab in the BQS Web Administration. NB: The black bars have been added to the image to conceal personal data. Candidates registered via the BCS ACF are imported into BQS with a set format password. The format is the Candidate s BCS ID with the first four digits of their date of birth (DDMM). This password can be changed (see section 3.12). For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 19 of 57

20 Downloading Multiple Candidates from the ACF You may download multiple Candidates at once, from the BCS Approved Centre Forum, into BQS. This requires all of those Candidates to be registered for the same qualification type. If you have multiple Candidates doing a mixture of qualifications, you should repeat the following procedure once for each qualification type. NB: This process will only download new Candidates. Candidates registered onto multiple qualifications will need to have any additional qualifications added using the section Adding a New Qualification to an Existing Candidate Follow the steps below to carry out this process. 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username and password and then click OK 2. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy and select the relevant Test Centre Lab from the list 3. Select Get 3F Candidates from the drop down list and click on the >> button 4. Select the relevant qualification that your target Candidates have been registered for from the Qualification Product drop down list. See Appendix B For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 20 of 57

21 5. Once you have selected the appropriate qualification product type, the screen will refresh to show the available units (modules) for that qualification. Select the test type per module for the Candidate. See Appendix C 6. Click on Get Candidates to search against the data selected A confirmation box will appear. 7. If you are happy with the choices, you have made click on Yes 8. If the Candidate data matches that on the ACF site, the Candidate enrolment confirmation screen will show the data that has been added into your Test Centre Lab on the BQS For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 21 of 57

22 If existing Candidates are present in that same Lab, you will see all of the existing Candidates as red within the confirmation screen. This is just to show that they already exist in the system. NB: Candidates registered via the BCS ACF are imported into BQS with a set format password. The format is the Candidate s BCS ID with the first four digits of their date of birth (DDMM). This password can be changed Adding a New Qualification to an Existing Candidate The following process describes how to go about updating existing Candidates who have been registered for additional qualifications on the ACF. Updates must be done one Candidate at a time. 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username and password and then click OK. 2. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy and select the relevant Test Centre Lab from the list 3. Select the Candidate that you want to update by placing a tick to the left of the Candidate in the Candidate list. Then select Update 3F Candidate from the drop down list and click on the >> button For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 22 of 57

23 NB: The black bars have been added to the image to conceal personal data. 4. Select the qualification that the Candidate has been registered for from the Qualification Product drop down list. See Appendix B 5. Once you have selected the appropriate qualification product, the screen will refresh to show the available units (modules) for that qualification. Select the test type per module for the Candidate. See Appendix C 6. Click on Update Candidate to search against the data selected. A confirmation box will appear. If you are happy with the choices, you have made click on Yes For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 23 of 57

24 7. If the Candidate data matches that on the ACF, the confirmation screen will show the data that has been updated within your Test Centre Lab on the BQS 8. Click OK to complete the process and return to the Test Centre Lab 3.8 Validity Period A validity period may be set for a Candidate (or for Candidates). This is a period of time, outside of which a Candidate will not be able to login to the BQS Exam Client to take exams or assessments (mock exams). This feature is not mandatory but may be used if Approved Centres wish to implement such a restriction. To do this, the following process must be undertaken: 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username and password and then click OK. For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 24 of 57

25 2. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy and select the relevant Test Centre Lab from the list 3. Locate the required Candidate and open the record 4. Click the Option tab within the Candidate s record 5. Tick the Set Validity Period tick box 6. Enter a From date and To date 7. Click OK to save and close the Candidate s record For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 25 of 57

26 3.9 Exam Time Extension Certain Candidates may meet the BCS requirement to be allowed a time extension for their exam. Approval should first be sought from the BCS. Once acquired, the following process must be undertaken: 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username and password and then click OK. 2. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy and select the relevant Test Centre Lab from the list 3. Locate the required Candidate and open the record 4. Click the Option tab within the Candidate s record 5. Tick the Person with Special Needs tick box 6. Use the + and - buttons to set the time extension to match that which the BCS have approved for this Candidate For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 26 of 57

27 7. Click OK to save and close the Candidate s record 3.10 Organising Candidate Records Candidates are grouped into Test Centre Labs (usually just referred to as Labs). The following describes the various ways to sort, filter and move candidates within and between Labs. To go to a Lab, the following process must be undertaken: 8. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username and password and then click OK 9. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy and select the relevant Test Centre Lab from the list When you click on a Lab that contains Candidates, they are displayed in a list. If there are more than twenty Candidates, they will be spread across multiple pages. To select the next page click on the proceeding number, as shown below: For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 27 of 57

28 NB: The black bars have been added to the image to conceal personal data. You can also view all Candidates on one long page by selecting All. NB: For larger groups of Candidates, selecting All may result in very slow loading times Sorting Candidates by Attribute Candidates listed in a Lab can be sorted by any of the personal information that forms the list. For example, to sort a list of Candidates by their login name, click on Login Name. This will sort the list Z-A. Click on Login Name again to sort the list in A-Z order. The above image shows an up arrow to the right of Login Name to show that the list is sorted in descending order (Z-A) Filtering by Qualification Candidates listed within a Lab may be filtered by their qualification type. To do this, the following process must be undertaken: 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 28 of 57

29 Visit Enter your login username and password and then click OK 2. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy and select the relevant Test Centre Lab from the list 3. Click on the Filter Type drop down box that is shown in the top right of the page 4. Select the qualification that the Candidate is registered for The page will now reload and will only list Candidates who are enrolled onto the Qualification selected. NB: to view all Candidates select No Certification selected from the Filter Type Candidate Movement Approved Centres with multiple Labs can move Candidates between these Labs. To do this, the following process must be undertaken: 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit For Support Tel: Page 29 of 57

30 Enter your login username and password and then click OK 2. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy and select the relevant Test Centre Lab from the list 3. Select the Candidate that you want to move by placing a tick to the left of the Candidate in the Candidate list. Then select Cut from the drop down list and click on the >> button NB: The black bars have been added to the image to conceal personal data. 4. Navigate to the Lab where the Candidate is to be moved to 5. Select Paste from the drop down list and click on the >> button 6. Check that the Candidate is now in the correct Lab NB: Candidate movement may not work for Candidates registered prior to September This feature will be added at a future date. If you are unable to get this to work, please contact Technical Support Candidate Search Facility The BQS Web Administration provides a search function to allow you to locate Candidates. To search for a Candidate, the following process must be undertaken: 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 30 of 57

31 Enter your login username, password, and click OK. 2. Click Candidate Search from the navigation bar Click in the Candidate Search box and enter the criteria by which you wish to search. You can search using one of the following: o o o o o First Name Surname User ID BCS ID Skill Card ID 3. The search results are displayed NB: The black bars have been added to the image to conceal personal data Once the Candidate is located, you can undertake the following: o o o Click on the Edit button to edit the Candidate details. Click on Go to Lab button to go to the lab where the Candidate is located. Click on Go to Reports to launch the individual report to see the test history of the Candidate. For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 31 of 57

32 3.12 Amending Candidates Password and Personal Information If a Candidate forgets their password, the following steps can be undertaken to overwrite the login details: 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username, password, and click OK. 2. Locate and open the Candidate record 3. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy and select the relevant group from the list 4. Determine the appropriate lab where the Candidate record resides 5. Identify the Candidate record and click Select 6. Amend the Candidate information and save the record For password changes, overtype the original password with a new password in both password fields. NB: Candidates registered via the BCS ACF are imported into BQS with a set format password. The format is the Candidate s BCS ID with the first four digits of their date of birth (DDMM). This password can be changed. Inform the Candidate of the new password. 7. Click OK Amend other fields in the same way. For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 32 of 57

33 3.13 Allocating Tests to a Candidate Test Allocation for Exams Candidate registrations made post-august 2009, via the BCS ACF, automatically are queued up for all of the exams, but not assessments, in that qualification. Exams cannot be unqueued but some changes can still be made after registration, dependant on the qualification. For example, each ECDL module exam may be changed to a different Microsoft Office version or syllabus than that which was selected during the registration. Changing the ECDL Exam Package 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username and password and then click OK. 2. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy and select the relevant Test Centre Lab from the list 3. Open the Candidate record by clicking on the Select link to the right of their name in the list 4. Click on the Test Allocation tab 5. Select the required ECDL qualification from the Test Type Filter dropdown box For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 33 of 57

34 6. The Test Allocation tab contains a Test Allocation Hierarchy for each exam type. Select the crosshairs to expand the hierarchy Exams for Candidates registered post-august 2009 will have two levels in the Test Allocation hierarchy. The top level is the Module level and the other level is the Exam Package Level. 7. To change the package for a specific module, select the required Exam Package from that module and wait for the page to refresh The level selected will then appear highlighted in yellow. 8. Click the Check/Uncheck button and wait for the page to refresh 9. The Exam Package selected will appear with a + in the square brackets. 10. Click OK to confirm the test allocation For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 34 of 57

35 Test Allocation for Assessments Unlike Exams, Assessments (mock exams) are not automatically allocated. To allocate assessments to an individual Candidate undertake the following process: 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username, password, and click OK. 2. Locate the required Candidate and open the record 3. Click the Test Allocation tab within the Candidate s record 4. To queue an assessment, first select the Assessment type from the Test Type Filter dropdown list The Test Allocation tab contains a Test Allocation Hierarchy for each assessment type For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 35 of 57

36 5. Select the top level in the hierarchy and wait for the page to refresh. The level selected will then appear highlighted in yellow. 6. Click the Check/Uncheck button and wait for the page to refresh The level selected will appear with a + in the square brackets. 7. Click OK to confirm the test allocation. Special Note for ECDL Assessments: Queuing at the top level will result in all assessment modules being allocated to the Candidate. After they have been taken, all assessments are automatically reallocated until the Candidate scores more than 75%. Once a Candidate has scored more than 75%, the assessment will need to be manually reallocated by selecting the bottom level before clicking Check/Uncheck. For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 36 of 57

37 3.14 Allocating Assessments to Multiple Candidates To allocate assessments to multiple Candidates the following process must be undertaken: 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username, password, and click OK. 2. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy and select the relevant group from the list Determine the appropriate group of Candidates. Check the title above the right pane displays Candidates. 3. Select the relevant Candidates Select the relevant tick boxes to identify the Candidate records. NB: The black bars have been added to the image to conceal personal data. 4. Select Test Allocation from the drop down list and click on the >> button. You will now see the Test Allocation Hierarchy. Please allocate assessments in the same way as is discussed in section Click OK to save the records. For Support Tel: Page 37 of 57

38 3.15 Managing Exam/Assessment Licences You can use the BQS Web Administration to see how many licences you have remaining. To view the remaining licences, the following process must be undertaken: 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username and password and then click OK 2. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy and select the relevant Test Centre Lab from the list 3. Open any Candidate record 4. Click on the Enrolment tab The number of licences remaining can be seen in the bottom right hand corner (as circled in the above image). Some Candidate registrations, like Personal Finance and e-type come with a set amount of exam licences attached to the Candidate record. These are tied to the individual Candidates and are not included in the Test Licences Remaining screen as shown above. The below image shows where you can view these Candidate-tied licences. For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 38 of 57

39 Candidates such as these will take exam licences from their own licence count until they are all used up. Once all attempts have been used, these qualifications can be converted so that they are able to take additional exam licences from the main Test Licences Remaining count. Assessment (mock exam) licences are always taken from the Test Licences Remain count. The next section details how to convert a Candidate s registration to allow additional exam attempts. NB: The number of licences in the Test Licences Remaining count will depend on how many have been ordered from Activ Training Ltd (or Type & Test for e-type). For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 39 of 57

40 3.16 Converting a Candidate Registration to Allow Additional Attempts PLEASE IGNORE THIS SECTION FOR ECDL QUALIFICATIONS Certain qualification types come with a set number of exam attempts per Candidate. These represent the initial exam attempts each Candidate has for a qualification. For example, e-type registrations come with three initial exam attempts (licences). Once these have been used, future attempts can be made by converting the Candidate s e-type Skill Card ID. Once a Skill Card ID has been converted, the registration will start to deduct licences from the Test Licences Remaining count (see section 3.15). NB: Once a Skill Card ID has been converted, the ability to take additional attempts will depend on whether additional licences have been purchased. To check if you have additional licences please view the Test Licences Remaining table in the enrolment tab (see section 3.15). The following steps should be undertaken to allow additional attempts. 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username, password, and click OK. 2. Locate and open the Candidate record 3. Expand the Organisational Hierarchy and select the relevant Lab from the list Click on the correct lab. Check that the title above the right pane displays Candidates. 4. Identify the Candidate record and click Select 5. Click the Enrolment tab and select the qualification you wish to convert Using the Select radio button on the left side, select the qualification you wish to convert. Skill Card IDs should not be converted until all initial attempts have been used. To confirm that all initial attempts have been used, please check that the Exam Attempts is at zero before converting: For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 40 of 57

41 6. Click Convert Skill Card ID to convert the Skill Card ID 7. A window will appear prompting you to confirm your selection Before clicking Proceed, Centres must ensure the warning message has been thoroughly read. Click Proceed to convert the Skill Card ID. For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 41 of 57

42 4. Running a Test Session 4.1 Prior to the Test Session The following details the actions that need to be completed, in order to carry out the testing session: 1. Check the identity of the Candidate 2. Brief the Candidate on the test procedures NB: For more information on this, please see the BCS Operations Manual. 3. Access the BQS Exam Client The shortcut is located on the sub menu of BQS Exams (on the start menu). Navigate to: START > All Programs > BQS Testing > Exams/Assessment NB: In the BQS system, Assessment refers to a mock exam. 4. Instruct the Candidate to login to the BQS Exam Client Click Start to login and instruct the Candidate to enter their User ID and Password. 5. Check the Candidate details are correct (some of the fields can be edited at this point) For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 42 of 57

43 4.2 Invigilation 6. Enter the Verifier s (Invigilator s) login details and click OK Invigilators are responsible for the monitoring and invigilation of tests under exam conditions. Should exam conditions be breached, the test must be aborted immediately by clicking exit. The details below outline the actions the Candidate will execute to undertake the test. Invigilators are required to remain in the room throughout the test. 1. The Candidate Exam Queue pane will be displayed along with the exam conditions The Candidate must select which test they wish to sit and click Proceed. The Candidate may choose any test in the queue. NB: If a No Tests in Queue message is displayed, please refer to section 3.13 A screen will be displayed explaining the operation of the test. 2. Click Start to continue For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 43 of 57

44 A dialogue box will be displayed, offering the Candidate the opportunity to work through a sample test (or a two-minute warm-up test for e-type). The sample test/warm-up provides an example of the test interface only it is not the same thing as an assessment (mock exam). 3. The Candidate should select No if they wish to go straight to the live test As soon as the Candidate chooses to proceed to the live test (either by selecting No to the sample test or Proceed at the end of the sample test/warm-up), a test licence will be deducted. The Candidate is provided with their results, once they have completed a test. 4. Candidates must inform their Invigilator when the test is completed and prior to clicking the OK button If there are more tests allocated to the Candidate, the Candidate Exam Queue pane will be displayed again and the Candidate may select another test if they wish to progress NB: The failed module will not be available to re-sit until the Candidate next logs in. 5. If there are no more tests available, or the Candidate has chosen to end the test session, close the BQS Exam Client by selecting the Exit button For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 44 of 57

45 4.3 Loss of Connectivity If internet connectivity is lost during a test, the Candidate s test experience will not be affected. However, when the system attempts to upload the results at the end of the test session, an error message will be displayed. To ensure that the results are not lost, the Invigilator must complete the following steps as soon as connectivity is restored, and prior to any further testing on the exam PC. 1. Ensure that connectivity is restored 2. Run the BQS Exam Client Navigate to: START > Programs > BQS Testing (or ActivTest)> Exams/Assessment 3. Instruct the Candidate to login to the BQS Exam Client 4. Click Start to login and instruct the Candidate to enter their User ID number and Password. 5. This must be the same machine on which the original test was started. 6. Check the Candidate details are correct For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 45 of 57

46 7. Enter the Verifier s (Invigilator s) login details and click OK 8. The Candidate Exam Queue pane will be displayed along with the assessment conditions The test that could not be uploaded will appear in the list, highlighted in yellow. NB: If the test does not appear highlighted in yellow. Please contact Technical Support as soon as possible (see bottom of this page for contact details). 9. Select the highlighted test and select Proceed The test will load, and then automatically send the results back to the server 10. The Candidate Exam Queue will be displayed. Exit out of the BQS Exam Client 11. Check that the results now appear in the Candidate record within the BQS Web Administration For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 46 of 57

47 4.4 Loss of Power or PC Crash If a test is interrupted by loss of power or a technical fault, the test can be recovered/resumed as soon as the PC is back in working order. If a technical fault has result in the test not responding, the PC power button should be pressed and held in order to force the PC to restart. To recover a test, and allow the candidate to pickup where they left off, please undertake the following procedure: 1. Ensure that the PC operation is restored 2. Open the BQS Exam Client Navigate to: START > Programs > BQS Testing (or ActivTest)> Exams/Assessment 3. Instruct the Candidate to login to the BQS Exam Client. 4. Click Start to login and instruct the Candidate to enter their User ID number and Password. 5. This must be the same machine on which the original test was started. 6. Check the Candidate details are correct For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 47 of 57

48 7. Enter the Verifier s (Invigilator s) login details and click OK. The Candidate Exam Queue pane will be displayed along with the assessment conditions The test that could not be uploaded will appear in the list, highlighted in yellow. 8. Select the highlighted test and select Proceed The test should now load and resume from where it left off. Ask the candidate to continue the test until completion. NB: If the test does not appear highlighted in yellow. Please contact Technical Support as soon as possible (see bottom of this page for contact details). 9. Check that the results now appear in the Candidate record within the BQS Web Administration. For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 48 of 57

49 5. Reports There are a number of reports available within the BQS Web Administration to support Approved Centres administration tasks. These reports are split into two categories: Previous Results, which contain reports specific to Candidates and the exam/assessments that they have taken. System Reports include all of the statistical analysis reports to monitor Approved Centre activity. All reports use the same toolbar and navigation system. Sections 5.1 and 5.2 deal with locating the correct report; Section 5.3 provides information on interacting with reports, including exporting to various formats and printing. 5.1 Previous Results The following details the actions that need to be completed in order to access the Previous Results section: 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username, password, and click OK. 2. Click the Previous Results tab A list of Candidates will be displayed. This list, and the lists available on the other tabs, can be sorted alphabetically. If there are a large number of Candidates, the list will be spread across several pages. To see more Candidates, click the next number (along the bottom). For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 49 of 57

50 5.1.1 Reports available in the Previous Results Section There are three types of reports available in the Previous Results section. Test Results Report Certification Progress Report Test Results Report This report provides detailed information relating to a specific exam or mock test. To access this report, please refer to section 5.1. Click the required Candidate from the list. The page will refresh and a list of Candidate s results will appear in the right pane. To view the Test Results Report for one of these results click on Show, this is located to the right of each result. The Test Results Report will open in a new window. This report can also be accessed by clicking on the Exams or Assessments (mock exams) tab. Clicking on the Exams tab will show you a list of exams available to your Centre. For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 50 of 57

51 Clicking on an exam name will refresh the page. A list of Candidates who have taken that exam will appear in the right pane. Next to each Candidate will be the link Show. The Test Results Report will open in a new window. Clicking on the Assessments tab will show a list of assessments available to a Centre. Clicking on an assessment name will refresh the page. A list of Candidates who have taken that assessment will appear in the right pane. Next to each Candidate will be the link Show. The Test Results Report will open in a new window Certification Progress Report The Certification Progress Report provides details regarding Candidates progression towards achieving a specific certification programme. To access the Certification Progress Report, first follow the instructions outlined in the Previous Results section above. Click the Certification Progress tab. Clicking on a Candidate will refresh the page and reveal a list of certification programmes, in the right pane. Each certification programme will show the Candidate s Skill Card ID. Click Show to open the Certification Progress Report. 5.2 System Reports 1. Login to the BQS Web Administration Visit Enter your login username, password, and click OK. 2. Click System Reports For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 51 of 57

52 3. The following window will be displayed 4. Select the type of report by clicking on the Report Type dropdown list Additional options are available for each report to allow Approved Centres to filter the contents of the reports with specific criteria 5. Click Show to open the report in a new window or click Preview to show the report in the same window. Click the back button to return Reports Available in the System Reports Section There are five types of reports available in the System Reports section. Available Test List Test Schedule and Allocation Candidate List Testing Activity Audit Report For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 52 of 57

53 5.2.2 Available Test List This report provides a list of exams and assessments available to an Approved Centre. For each exam or assessment, it indicates the time limit and minimum pass mark. The report can be filtered by location (Test Centre/Lab name) and/or test type (Exam or Assessment) Test Schedule and Allocation This report provides a list of all exams and assessments that are allocated to Candidates with a validity period set. This report can be filtered by location (Test Centre/Lab name), test type (Exam or Assessment) and/or date Candidate List This report provides a list of candidates within a specific Lab. It shows various details in relation to each Candidate s registration. This report must be filtered by Lab name and can be filtered by programme (ECDL, e-type etc) Testing Activity This report provides a list of all exams and assessments taken at a Centre. It contains details such as the result and the Candidate s name. This report can be filtered by location (Test Centre/Lab name), test type (Exam or Assessment), programme and/or date Audit Report The Audit Report is specifically formatted and generated for Audit purposes. This report provides a list of all exams and assessments that have been taken at a Centre. This report can be filtered by location (Test Centre/Lab name), programme and date. For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 53 of 57

54 5.3 Interacting with Reports All reports share a common format. The image below illustrates the toolbar visible in all reports, with each button labelled. The text below provides an explanation of each button illustrated above. 1. Search the report 2. Print the whole report 3. Print the current page only 4. Return to the first page 5. Go back one page 6. Dropdown box used to go straight to a specific page 7. Shows the total number of pages in the report 8. Go to the next page 9. Go to the last page 10. Export the report and save it to disk 11. Export the report but open it in a new browser window 12. Dropdown list to select the export format (see below) Export Format Reports can be exported in the following formats: PDF (can be viewed in Abode Acrobat Reader) XLS (can be viewed in MS Excel) RTF (can be viewed in MS Word) MHT (can be viewed in Internet Explorer) Text (can be viewed in Notepad) Image (PNG format) CSV (can be opened in MS Excel or Notepad) For Support Tel: support@activ-training.com Page 54 of 57