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Time limits: total and per page

SkillCort supports two kinds of time limits: a total assessment cap and per-page limits. This article explains how each is enforced and what candidates experience when time runs out.

The total time limit

The total assessment limit is anchored on the server: when time runs out, the auto-submit is only honored after the server independently confirms the deadline passed, and the timeout is recorded on the integrity timeline for reviewers. You set the limit in the builder's Test settings panel, alongside the navigation mode. Candidates see the remaining time as TIME LEFT in the sticky top bar of the exam view, which turns amber in the final two minutes and red in the final thirty seconds.

Per-page limits and when the clock starts

A page's deadline is fixed at the moment the candidate first opens that page in a session. Leaving the page and returning later does not reset the countdown — the original deadline stands. When the open page has a limit, a PAGE timer chip appears in the exam view so the candidate can pace that page separately from the overall countdown.

Navigating away and coming back never buys extra time on a page. Page timing is session-based; the overall assessment limit is what is anchored on the server and always holds.

What happens when a page expires

On expiry, the page locks for the rest of the session and the candidate is moved to the next available page, with a notice explaining what happened. If no pages remain, the attempt auto-submits. Expired pages become inaccessible from navigation — the candidate cannot reopen them to review or change answers.

Because responses autosave as candidates work, whatever the candidate entered before the deadline is preserved; expiry never discards saved answers, it only closes the page.

Preview pacing before you deliver

Time pressure is easy to misjudge from the author's seat. Use "Preview as candidate" from the assessment header to walk through the assessment with its timers, page structure, and navigation exactly as a candidate would experience them. Timing stays adjustable on a live assessment; if you change it mid-cohort, keep in mind that earlier and later candidates will have worked under different limits.

At a glance

  • The total assessment limit is anchored on the server: a time-up auto-submit is only honored after the server confirms the deadline passed.
  • A per-page deadline is fixed when the page is first opened in a session; leaving and returning does not reset it.
  • When a page expires, it locks for the session and the candidate moves to the next available page, with a notice.
  • If nothing remains after an expiry, the attempt auto-submits.
  • Expired pages become inaccessible from navigation.

Frequently asked questions

Does leaving a timed page pause its timer?
No. The deadline is fixed when the page is first opened, and leaving and returning does not reset it. The countdown continues whether or not the page is open.
Can a candidate return to an expired page?
No. An expired page locks for the session and becomes inaccessible from navigation. Answers saved before the deadline are preserved in the response record.

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Time Limits: Total and Per Page | SkillCort