Spreadsheet & financial assessments

Spreadsheet exams with a real spreadsheet built in

Q: Can candidates use formulas, functions and pivot tables?

Yes. Synap embeds a full spreadsheet engine with genuine Excel-style formulas and functions, pivot tables, multiple worksheets and conditional formatting — the tools real financial and accounting tasks require.

Q: Do candidates need Excel or Google Sheets installed?

No. The spreadsheet runs inside the exam itself — there is nothing to install, no file uploads, and no differences between operating systems.

Q: Is the exam proctored and locked down?

Yes. Because the spreadsheet is part of Synap, you keep full control: desktop lockdown to block other apps, websites and AI tools, plus proctoring, monitoring and breach detection — none of which is possible if candidates work in their own copy of Excel.

Q: Can I give candidates a fixed template with locked cells?

Yes. You can design answer templates — for example a Profit & Loss account to complete — and lock the ranges candidates should not change, so every candidate starts from the same structured workbook.

Q: How is spreadsheet work marked?

Candidate workbooks can be reviewed and marked online in your marking platform. Because the data is stored in an open, non-proprietary format, spreadsheet answers can also be auto-marked programmatically via our API — ideal for high-volume exams.

Q: What kind of exams is this designed for?

Advanced financial, accounting, modelling and data-analysis assessments that need real spreadsheet work under secure, proctored conditions.

Assess genuine financial modelling — formulas, pivot tables, multiple worksheets — inside a secure, proctored exam. No Excel install, no file uploads, no loss of control.

Book a tailored demo

Formulas & pivot tables
Proctored & locked down
Auto-markable

Synap Secure Exam

Locked down

Financial Reporting Exam

Section: Financial statements · 2 of 3

Time remaining 1hr 44m 20s

B7fx=SUM(B4:B6)

ABC

1Profit & Loss — year ended 31 DecThis yearPrior year

2Revenue240,000210,000

3Cost of sales(96,000)(88,000)

4Gross profit=B2+B3=C2+C3

5Operating expenses(55,000)(51,000)

6Depreciation(12,000)(11,000)

7Operating profit=SUM(B4:B6)=SUM(C4:C6)

8Finance costs(4,500)(5,200)

9Profit before tax=B7+B8=C7+C8

10Taxation(11,500)(9,800)

11Net profit=B9+B10=C9+C10

P&LBalance sheetCash flow

Locked down · Recording

PreviousSubmit

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The challenge

Real financial skills need a real spreadsheet

Finance, accounting and data roles are assessed on genuine spreadsheet work — building models, writing formulas, interpreting statements. Doing that online has always forced a trade-off between a realistic candidate experience and a secure, controlled exam.

Synap removes the trade-off: a genuine spreadsheet, built directly into a proctored, locked-down exam — real work for the candidate, and full control and automated marking for you.

Without a built-in spreadsheet

✕ Excel installs and file uploads
✕ OS and version differences
✕ No lockdown or proctoring

With Synap

One secure, consistent environment
Locked down and fully proctored
Marked online or automatically via API

Why it’s been hard

Why real spreadsheet exams have been so hard online

Finance and accounting assessments need genuine spreadsheets — but the usual options all force a compromise.

Basic grids fall short
HTML tables and most grid libraries were never meant to replicate Excel — no real formulas, pivot tables or multi-sheet models.
Excel can’t be embedded
Excel and Google Sheets can’t be embedded in an exam with the controls you need — saved answers, restrictions and locked ranges.
Uploads break integrity
Working in Excel and uploading a file reintroduces third-party apps, OS differences and version chaos — and sidesteps proctoring entirely.
Screen-share loses control
Recording a candidate’s own Excel session means no lockdown, no website blocking, and none of the granular control high-stakes exams need.

Spreadsheet questions

A real spreadsheet, built into the exam

Synap embeds a full spreadsheet engine directly in the exam — a genuine Excel-style environment candidates work in, with none of the workarounds. We believe it’s the most capable approach to spreadsheet assessment available.

Formulas & functions
Pivot tables
Multiple worksheets
Conditional formatting

Marking · candidate workbook Auto-marked · 9 / 10

AccountAnswer

Gross profit144,000

Operating margin37.1%

Net profit89,000

Current ratio1.4✕

How it works

Design it, lock it down, mark it at scale

Answer templates & locked ranges

Design the task — a Profit & Loss account, a model to complete — and lock the ranges candidates shouldn’t touch, so everyone starts from the same structured template.

Reviewed and marked online

Candidate workbooks open right inside your marking platform — no downloads, no chasing files across inboxes.

Automated marking via API

Workbook data is stored in an open, non-proprietary format, so you can auto-mark spreadsheet answers programmatically — even at high volume.

Integrity

Built for high-stakes finance exams

Because the spreadsheet lives inside Synap, the whole exam stays under your control — start to finish.

Full lockdown
Block other applications, websites and AI tools with desktop lockdown — no escaping to Excel or the web mid-exam.
Learn more
Proctoring & monitoring
Record, snapshot or live-proctor the session, with automatic breach detection and post-exam review.
Learn more
No third-party dependencies
Nothing to install and no OS differences — the same secure spreadsheet experience for every candidate.

See how proctoring and lockdown protect every exam. Explore proctoring

Goes further with the platform

Spreadsheet assessment is one specialist capability within Synap. Combine it with the rest of the platform, or explore the full overview.

See the full online exam platform

Combine your financial assessments with

Proctoring & lockdown

Supervise and lock down every sitting.

Identity verification

Confirm who is really taking the exam.

Learn more about

Designing & delivering assessments

Scheduling, sections, timers and on-demand delivery.

Marking & grading

From auto-marking to moderation and certification.

See it in action

See a real spreadsheet exam, end to end

Book a tailored demo and we will show you a proctored financial assessment — from a locked P&L template to automated marking.

Book a tailored demo

FAQs

Spreadsheet assessment questions, answered

Find quick answers or browse our academy .

Can candidates use formulas, functions and pivot tables?

Do candidates need Excel or Google Sheets installed?

Is the exam proctored and locked down?

Can I give candidates a fixed template with locked cells?

How is spreadsheet work marked?

What kind of exams is this designed for?

Can't find your answer?

Assess real financial skills, securely

Book a tailored demo to see how Synap runs proctored spreadsheet and financial assessments — with none of the usual compromises.

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Certified & independently rated

Spreadsheet exams with a real spreadsheet built in

Financial Reporting Exam

Real financial skills need a real spreadsheet

Why real spreadsheet exams have been so hard online

Basic grids fall short

Excel can’t be embedded

Uploads break integrity

Screen-share loses control