---
title: "Quick guide: create an assessment"
slug: "quick-guide-creating-assessments"
tags: ["admin", "LTI/LMS", "EAPI"]
updated: 2026-05-28T11:25:29Z
published: 2026-05-28T11:25:29Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.cirrusassessment.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quick Start: add new Assessment

***Use this guide to create an assessment in Cirrus.***

### Create an assessment

1. Go to **Assessments** in the main menu.
2. The [Assessment overview](/v1/docs/assessment-overview) page opens.
3. Click **+Add assessment**. A dialog window opens with basic settings for your assessment.

### Assessment settings

- Create a new assessment, or select a template (a previously created assessment) to start from.
- Enter a title and code (numeric and/or alphanumeric).
- Choose [Formative, Summative, or Mixed](https://help.cirrusassessment.com/docs/step-1-create-new-assessment#more-on-type-of-assessment).
- Choose **Manual question selection** to select questions yourself, or **Blueprint** to have the system select questions based on learning objectives or taxonomy.
- Click **Save** to go to the assessment overview page, or continue to **Advanced settings**.

![quick guide assessment.gif](https://cdn.document360.io/cdfc20c8-6721-4154-b0a1-9f49f139d107/Images/Documentation/quick%20guide%20assessment.gif)

#### Advanced settings

- Click **To advanced settings**.
- Set a **Time span** for this assessment, or choose **Always** to make it available for scheduling at any time.
- Enable the **Integration** toggle to generate an external ID for linking this assessment to an integration (optional).
- Select a hierarchy so colleagues in that group can also schedule this assessment (optional).
- Click **Save** to go to the assessment overview page.

![Advance setting.gif](https://cdn.document360.io/cdfc20c8-6721-4154-b0a1-9f49f139d107/Images/Documentation/Advance%20setting.gif)

#### Adjusting assessment settings

You can adjust these settings at any time.

- Click the three-dot menu in the top right of the overview page.
- Select **Settings**.
- A dialog window opens for you to edit the settings.

---

### Assessment dashboard

You will arrive at the [Assessment Dashboard](/v1/docs/assessment-dashboard).

#### Assessment overview settings

The overview shows the key settings entered when creating the assessment.

![Assessment Dashboard.png](https://cdn.document360.io/cdfc20c8-6721-4154-b0a1-9f49f139d107/Images/Documentation/Assessment%20Dashboard%281%29.png)

#### Assessment options

- Go to the **Options** tab to configure your assessment. See [Assessment Options](/v1/docs/step-2-assessment-options) for details.
- Set at least the following:  

a. Number of attempts  

b. Attempt duration  

c. Extra time for eligible candidates (optional)  

d. When to show results to candidates
- Proceed to **Question selection**.

![Assessment-options.png](https://cdn.document360.io/cdfc20c8-6721-4154-b0a1-9f49f139d107/Images/Documentation/Assessment-options%282%29.png)

#### Question selection

**[Manual question selection](/v1/docs/manual-question-selection)**

- The **Question selection** tab lists all items created or shared with you.
- Use the filter to find specific questions if needed.
- Select the questions you want to use and click **Include items**.
- The selected questions are ready for the next step: **Forms**.

**Blueprint**

- If you chose Blueprint, compose the assessment on the **Question selection** tab based on **Topics** ([simple template](/v1/docs/topics)) or **Learning objectives and Taxonomies** ([extended template](/v1/docs/blueprint)).
- After setting up your blueprint matrix, proceed to **Forms**.

### Forms

- Go to the **Forms** tab and click **+Add form** to compose the assessment. See [Assessment Form Introduction](/v1/docs/assessment-form-introduction) for details.
- Choose how many questions from your selection to include in the assessment.
- Determine the form type: [Fixed or Random](https://help.cirrusassessment.com/docs/step-4-forms#defining-your-type-of-assessment-fixed-or-randomloft-and-the-number-of-questions-to-be-used).
- Add at least a **Welcome** page and a **Finish** page under **Intro and Finish pages**.
- View the questions and drag them into the required order if needed.
- Click [**Scale**](/v1/docs/assessment-scales), choose an assessment scale, and save.

### Publish your assessment

- Go to the **Overview** tab and verify all required steps are complete.
- Complete the final step: [**Publish**](/v1/docs/step-5-publish-assessment) to make the assessment available for scheduling.
- Choose **Scheduler is assessor** if the exam scheduler will also mark the exam, or **Coordinator assigns assessors** if a coordinator will set up a workflow with multiple assessors and moderators.
- Set the status to **Live** and publish the assessment.
- The assessment is now ready to be scheduled.