Schedule exam sittings and rooms
Plan appointment- or deadline-based sittings on attempt tabs, respect appointment-selection deadlines, and coordinate rooms through Fuxam calendars without inventing ad-hoc venues.
Scheduling a formal exam means setting when the sitting happens for a given attempt — and, for in-person exams, ensuring a suitable room is booked through Fuxam’s appointment and room tools. In My Exams you set the scheduled date on the attempt tab (appointment with date and time, or a submission deadline), depending on the exam type’s scheduling mode. Room capacity and conflict checks live in the calendar / Rooms workflow.
This chapter is for exam officers and primary responsibles who plan Attempt 1 and later resit windows. It does not redefine the exam type — only when and where the sitting runs.
Why it matters
Poor scheduling creates overlapping exams, undersized halls, missed accommodation dates, and students who never receive an operational sitting after an alternative-date approval. Good scheduling:
- Matches the exam type’s appointment vs deadline mode
- Respects the ruleset exam appointment selection deadline for alternative dates
- Aligns related exams on the same module so students can pass at the same term and attempt number
- Uses registered rooms so capacity and conflicts are visible
How it fits
| Related area | Relationship |
|---|---|
| Create an exam | First planning pass after the instance appears |
| Exam types | Define scheduling mode (deadline vs appointment) |
| Academic rulesets | Exam appointment selection deadline; withdrawal deadline |
| Handle exam requests | Alternative dates require a new appointment or deadline on approval |
| Assign room to appointment | Book rooms on calendar appointments |
| How exam attempts work | Which attempt number you are scheduling |
Key concepts
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Scheduling mode | Exam-type setting: appointment-based (date and time) or deadline-based (submission deadline) |
| Attempt tab schedule | The date / appointment / deadline set on Attempt 1, Attempt 2, … |
| Exam appointment selection deadline | Ruleset field: days before an alternative date becomes locked |
| Registered room | A room from Database → Rooms with capacity, location, and conflict awareness |
| Bulk deadline assignment | My Exams toolbar action to set default deadlines across selected exams when you have planning permission |
Appointment vs deadline
| Mode on exam type | What you schedule on the attempt tab | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Appointment-based | Date and time for the sitting | Written hall exams, oral slots, presentations |
| Deadline-based | Submission deadline | File uploads, take-home or portfolio deadlines |
Confirm the mode on the exam type before arguing with the attempt tab — duration and format also come from the type / module requirement.
Schedule a sitting on an attempt tab
Open OrgHub → Exam Center → My Exams and select the exam.
Open the correct Attempt tab (usually Attempt 1 for the first sitting).
Set the scheduled date — appointment (date and time) or submission deadline, per scheduling mode.
If the sitting needs a physical or hybrid venue, create or edit a calendar appointment and assign a room so capacity and conflicts are checked.
For large term windows, use bulk-assign default deadlines from the My Exams toolbar when you have planning permission on the selected exams.
Rooms and venues
My Exams focuses on the exam’s attempt schedule. Room booking uses Fuxam’s appointment location field and the Rooms catalog:
- Prefer a registered room so capacity, conflict, and maintenance hints appear while you still have time to change venue — see Assign room to appointment.
- Free-text addresses and online links remain available when no catalog room fits (for example remote oral exams).
- Rooms can be linked to modules in Database; that helps planners find suitable spaces but does not replace setting the attempt date in My Exams.
Alternative dates and the appointment selection deadline
When a student requests an alternative date / appointment, approving the exam request often requires assigning a new appointment or deadline on the attempt tab.
The ruleset exam appointment selection deadline (days before an alternative date becomes locked) constrains how late those alternatives can be chosen. Align office practice with that field so students are not offered slots that the ruleset already locks.
Worked scenarios
Scenario A — Hall exam for a cohort
Exam type is appointment-based, 120 minutes. Staff set Attempt 1 to a Friday 09 sitting, book a large lecture hall via a calendar appointment with the registered room, and share the schedule. Grading later happens on Attempt 1 after the sitting.
Scenario B — File-upload deadline
Exam type is deadline-based. Staff set a Sunday 23 deadline on Attempt 1 and use bulk deadline assignment for sibling modules in the same week. No room booking is required.
Scenario C — Alternative date after approval
A student cannot attend Friday. Staff approve the alternative-date request, set a new Attempt 1 appointment (still Attempt 1 — not a free extra attempt), and book a smaller room. Module completion still requires aligned term and attempt numbers across required exams.
Scenario D — Resit window
After Attempt 1 fails are published under auto reattempt, staff schedule Attempt 2 only for eligible students, often with a smaller room. Under reassessment period, wait for reassessment approval first — see Exam results and resits.
Scenario E — Multi-exam module
A module requires a written exam and a presentation. Schedule both Attempt 1 sittings in the same term so students can pass both at attempt 1. Leaving the presentation unscheduled blocks module completion even when the written result looks fine.
Best practices
- Confirm scheduling mode before inviting students. Appointment vs deadline changes how you communicate.
- Book rooms early for large cohorts. Capacity conflicts escalate late in the term.
- Complete the schedule when approving alternative dates. Approval without a new date leaves the student stranded.
- Coordinate sibling exams. Same term and attempt number matter for completion.
- Use bulk deadlines for shared windows. Then spot-check outliers (accommodations, oral slots).
Common pitfalls
| Situation | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong kind of date field | Scheduling mode mismatch | Check the exam type |
| Student still on old date after approval | New appointment not set | Update the attempt tab |
| Room double-booked | Free-text venue or late booking | Use registered rooms and conflict hints |
| Cannot set dates | Missing plan permission | Request permission to plan exams |
| Resit scheduled on Attempt 1 | Wrong tab | Open Attempt 2 (or later) for the resit sitting |
FAQ
Where do I change duration?
On the exam type or module examination requirement — not as a free field that replaces the template. See Edit an exam.
Is room booking inside the Attempt tab?
You set the exam schedule on the attempt tab. Room assignment follows the calendar appointment location workflow documented under Rooms.
What locks alternative dates?
The ruleset exam appointment selection deadline. See Edit a ruleset.
Related pages
Create an exam
Initial planning after the instance appears.
Assign room to appointment
Book capacity-aware rooms on calendar appointments.
Handle exam requests
Alternative dates and extensions that change the schedule.
Exam types
Scheduling mode on the template.
How exam attempts work
Which attempt number you are scheduling.
Exam results and resits
Planning later sittings after publish.