If you need to see the student’s work on the Excel file, see the Allow Students to Access and Save Excel File section of this article and make sure to provide students with a custom Essay question to paste the link they’ll receive from the LockDown Browser’s Excel editor.

CSV files are not supported. Convert these to .xls or .xlsx files before uploading them.

Always test any Excel-based questions within the LockDown Browser to ensure students can access the required functions and data.

Add Excel File for Students

The LockDown Browser includes in itself an Excel editor. Changes can be saved if students have a custom question to paste a link into. These changes can only be viewed by instructors, if applicable.

Create a Custom DESCRIPTION Question

Use the following steps from the Questions page of your Assignment, OR create the question in the My Custom Questions question bank itself (Course Settings > My Custom Questions; and begin with step 3 below).

1. In the Question Bank drop-down to the left of the page, select My Custom Questions.
2. Click the hyperlink labeled go to your course question bank just below the Question Bank section to the left.
3. Click the Create a new question … button. DO NOT change any other settings or auto-filled fields on this screen.
   • If you cannot add custom questions, create a ticket with our Technical Support Team.
4. Select the Description option under Other, at the very bottom. Click Add.
   
   
5. Fill in a Question name (what you see in the Question Bank) and a Question display name (what Students see if applicable). 
6. Enter desired Question text in the associated field. If you want to highlight specific text to include the link, highlight before selecting the Link icon.
   
   In the Question text toolbar, click the Link button.
   
7. In the Create link modal, FIRST click box to Open in new window THEN click Browse repositories….(do not paste in the link).
   
   NOTE: Activating Open in new window ensures Mac and iPad users can access the file and makes it easier for all students to toggle back and forth between the exam and the provided file.
   
8. In the File picker, click the Browse button (may say Choose File) to locate/select the Excel file you want to link.
9. Select Upload this file.
10. Add any additional text or instructions you would like to provide then click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.
    
    NOTE:  If providing a blank spreadsheet, students may only see cell A1. It is encouraged to include a note to students in the Question Text instructing them to Go to the View tab to Add rows/columns.
    
    EXAMPLE........NOTE to STUDENTS: Spreadsheet may only show A1. Go to View tab to add rows/columns.
    

Add Custom Question to Assignment

1. Navigate back to the Questions page of the assignment to add the question.
   The tab for this page may still be open in your web browser. If not navigate to the assignment, click Edit, and select Edit Questions.
   
   
2. If applicable, in the Question Bank drop-down to the left of the page, select My Custom Questions. If you still had this up from before, then click Refresh question bank.
   
   
3. Select the custom question using the checkbox, and click Add Questions.
   
   
4. The top/Static option should be selected by default; click Add Questions.
   
   
5. Set question value to 0 by clicking in the value field, backspacing, and entering 0. Strike Enter to save value change.
   
   
6. It is suggested to have the Description question appear first* on the questions list. Use the 6-dot drag/drop icon to the left of the question name to move it to the preferred location if needed.
   
   Click the "separate page" icon between the description question and the next question to separate the two.
   *If using the Shuffle feature, the question could appear in any position; instruct students to look for the " i " (information) in the page icons of the assignment (as opposed to a question number) to locate the description question.
   
7. Once all needed questions have been added to the assignment, click Save Assignment.
   
   

8. Your assignment will now allow the Excel file to be opened in the LockDown Browser.
   

We highly recommend testing your assignment to make sure everything works as intended. If you need to make any adjustments to your new custom question, make sure to delete any attempts made on that assignment to be able to edit the question.