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

# Building a test

> Create a proctored test by choosing a content source — a Google Form, PDF, or Word document — and setting a name, duration, and color.

Every proctored exam in Proctorly starts as a **test**. Creating one is short: you pick where the exam content comes from, give the test a name, and set a duration and a color. Once it's created, you configure what Proctorly watches for and share the student link.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start a new test">
    From your dashboard or the **Tests** list, start a new test.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a content source">
    A test is backed by one of three content sources:

    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="Google Form">
        Paste the link to your Google Form. This is the **primary, best-supported source** — Proctorly embeds the form inside the monitored session so students answer without leaving the proctored window.
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="PDF">
        Upload a PDF document to use as the exam content.
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Word document">
        Upload a Word (`.docx`) document to use as the exam content.
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>

    <Info>
      **Reviewer TODO.** Google Forms is the well-documented path. For **PDF and Word** uploads, the exact student experience — how a student reads and answers a file-based exam, and how they submit it — should be verified with the product team before documenting it in detail. The same applies to any spreadsheet upload option.
    </Info>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name the test, set a duration and color">
    Give the test a name students will recognize, set the **duration** (how long the exam runs), and pick a **color** used for the test's card in your dashboard.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create the test">
    Create the test. Proctorly generates a unique student link for it. You can now configure monitoring and sharing before students start.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Plan limits apply

How many tests you can run per month, and how many students each test allows, depends on your plan. The **Free** tier has trial caps; **Classroom** and **School** remove them. See [Plans](/billing/plans).

<Warning>
  **Reviewer TODO.** The exact Free-tier caps (tests per month, students per test) are **not confirmed** in the product. Don't state specific numbers until the Proctorly team provides them.
</Warning>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Configure monitoring" icon="eye" href="/teachers/configuring-monitoring">
    Choose what Proctorly watches for during the test.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Schedule & share" icon="calendar" href="/teachers/scheduling-and-sharing">
    Set open/close times, share the student link, and control the completion experience.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>