Managing unscheduled breaks

In most instances, candidates will take unscheduled breaks. If a candidate wants to take a break at an unscheduled time, you must put the exam into unscheduled break mode, make sure the candidate leaves the testing room, and log the time the candidate is in and out of the testing room. The exam clock continues to run while the candidate is away. You must resume the exam after the candidate returns from the break.

There is no break function for exams delivered through Administrator in Delivery Manager. To prepare a workstation for an unscheduled break, turn the monitor off before you escort the candidate out of the testing room. The exam time will keep running. For more information, see Managing unscheduled breaks in Administrator. For more information about Administrator, see appendix B.

Using unscheduled break mode

Follow these steps when a candidate wants to take an unscheduled break:

The candidate does not need to first answer the question that is displayed on the screen before an exam is put in unscheduled break mode.

Remind the candidate that the exam time will not stop counting down while he or she is on a break.
Press Ctrl+Shift+F12 on the workstation keyboard.

The Delivery Manager – Login window appears.

Type your username and password, and click Login.

The Administrator Overrides window appears.

Select the Start unscheduled break option, and click OK.

While the candidate is away, the exam clock continues to run. This means that the more break time the candidate takes the less time the candidate has left for taking the exam.

The Active Break window appears while the exam is in unscheduled break mode. For more information, see About the Active Break window.

If time runs out when the exam is in unscheduled break mode, a message about the expired time appears after you log in to Delivery Manager. Have the candidate click OK to end the appointment.

When the candidate leaves the testing room for the break, verify the candidate's identity according to exam sponsor's policy, and sign the candidate out.

For more information, see Performing entry and exit monitoring.

When the candidate returns from the break, verify the candidate's identity according to exam sponsor's policy, sign in the candidate, and then escort the candidate back to the workstation.

For more information, see Performing entry and exit monitoring.

Click Resume in the Active Break window.

The Delivery Manager – Login window appears.

Type your username and password, and click Login.

The candidate can continue the exam from where he or she left off. Any necessary time adjustments are made automatically. Do not manually adjust the amount of time the candidate has left for the exam.

If required, create a case immediately after you assist the candidate.

Create a case if the following situations occur. Otherwise, you do not need to create a case for unscheduled breaks.

The candidate took an unscheduled break and the exam sponsor does not permit unscheduled breaks. Create a case, selecting these options:

Exam delivery

Candidate error or misconduct

Candidate refused to follow proper procedures

The candidate takes an excessive number of unscheduled breaks. Create a case, selecting these options:

Exam delivery

Candidate error or misconduct

Candidate took excessive unscheduled breaks

The candidate is gone for an excessive length of time during an unscheduled break. Create a case, selecting these options:

Exam delivery

Candidate error or misconduct

Candidate went over allotted break time