Online storage providers that can share documents generally do not work well inside of the LockDown Browser. If you plan to use an Excel file using a method outside of the one described in this document, then make sure to test out the assignment in the LockDown Browser before providing it to students.
If you need to see the student’s work on the Excel file, 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.
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.
Use the following steps from the Questions page of your Assignment.
- In the Question Bank drop-down to the left of the page, select My Custom Questions.
- Click the hyperlink labeled go to your course question bank just below the Question Bank section to the left.
- Click the Create a new question … button below the Select a category option.
- If you cannot add custom questions, create a ticket with our Technical Support Team.
- Select the Description option under Other, at the very bottom.
- Click Add. This will bring you to the Adding a description page.
- Fill in the Question name and Question display name with appropriate names to the question.
- In the Question text toolbar, find the Link button and click it.
- In the Create link modal that pops up, toggle the click Browse repositories….
NOTE: if you have, or may have, students using Mac computers or iPads, ALSO click box to Open in new window.
- In the File picker, either choose the Excel file you want to use or use the Upload a file option to upload a local file on your machine.
- Select Upload this file once your option has been chosen.
- Add any additional text or instructions you would like to provide and select save changes at the bottom of the page.
- Navigate back to the Questions page of the assignment to add the question. The tab for this page should still be open in your web browser.
- 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
- Find the new question you just created, select it using the checkbox, and click Add Questions.
- The Add questions modal will pop-up. Ignore the available options and select Add Questions.
- You can now move the question to the desired page and click Save Assignment when you’re done.
Your assignment will now be able to open the Excel file 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 you make in that assignment to be able to edit the question.
Allow Students to Save Excel File
These instructions will allow students to make edits to the provided Excel file and show their work to their instructor.
You’ll need to create a new custom question, an Essay question, to allow students to paste the link that will be copied when making changes to an Excel file in Respondus.
Use the following steps from the Questions page of your Assignment to add the custom Essay question.
- Click the Create a new question … button below the Select a category option.
- If you cannot add custom questions, create a ticket with our Technical Support Team.
- Select the Essay option.
- Click Add. This will bring you to the Adding an essay page.
- Fill in the Question name and Question display name with appropriate names to the question.
- Add any additional text or instructions you would like to provide and select save changes at the bottom of the page.
- Navigate back to the Questions page of the assignment to add the question. The tab for this page should still be open in your web browser.
- 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
- Find the new question you just created, select it using the checkbox, and click Add Questions.
- The Add questions modal will pop-up. Ignore the available options and select Add Questions.
- You can now move the question to the desired page and click Save Assignment when you’re done.
Your new Essay question will now be available for students to paste the link to their modified Excel file(s).