VEC-03 — Lesson 3 of 6

VE Admin: The Step-Up Role

What VE Administrator authority means in practice, what VE Admins handle independently, and where they must coordinate with the Session Leader.

Team-specific training requirement: VE Admin is an ExamTools access level that requires additional team-level training before it is assigned. PVET requires specific VE Admin training before a member takes on this role. Confirm your team’s requirement with your Team Leader before accepting a VE Administrator assignment.

Lesson Objectives

Distinguish what VE Admins handle independently from what requires Session Leader coordination
Apply element credit correctly as a VE Administrator, including the required coordination step
Set applicant statuses correctly at check-in and at the signing stage
Recognize the limits of VE Administrator authority within an ExamTools session

Part A — What VE Admin Authority Means

Beyond standard VE access

VE Admins hold elevated access within ExamTools. This role is typically assigned to the VEs handling check-in. VE Administrator authority exists to keep the check-in process moving without requiring Session Leader involvement for every applicant record update.

VE Admins CAN do independently	VE Admins CANNOT do
Edit applicant information (add/correct phone numbers, email, address)	Start or finalize the session (Owner and Co-Owner only)
Change applicant status (SEEN, READY TO SIGN)	Create the ExamTools session
Assign VEs to applicants	Override Session Leader decisions
Manage applicant queue during check-in	Apply element credit without Session Leader coordination — ExamTools does not technically block this, but best practice requires informing the Session Leader first
Verify registration information and correct errors	Act on felony disclosures independently — escalate to Session Leader
Void a candidate’s exam (use only with Session Leader direction)	Add or change VE permissions within the session (Owner and Co-Owner only)
Evict a candidate from the session (use only with Session Leader direction)	Finalize candidates or finalize the session (Owner and Co-Owner only)

Part B — Check-in as a VE Administrator

Your primary responsibility during check-in

VE Admins own the check-in workflow. While standard VEs monitor applicants during testing, VE Admins focus on moving applicants through all six check-in steps efficiently and accurately.

Verify and correct registration information directly in ExamTools without escalating for minor corrections (missing phone, address update)
Ask about pending FCC applications and pass specifics immediately to the Session Leader — this is an escalation point, not a VE Administrator decision
Confirm felony disclosures using the correct script (confirm YES was intentional, advise they will receive instructions if they pass) — do not offer opinions; escalate any unusual situations to the Session Leader
Verify element credit documentation and coordinate with the Session Leader for credit entry in ExamTools — do not apply credit without confirming who is handling it
Set status to SEEN once all six steps are complete — this is your primary system action at check-in

What if a registration error is caught after signing, not before? Correcting registration information (name, FRN, address, etc.) is straightforward during check-in, before anything is signed. But if an error is discovered after the CSCE and Form 605 are already signed, going into “edit” to fix it will unsign the record. The applicant and the VEs will need to sign again, and a new CSCE must be emailed.

Knowledge Check

An applicant’s CSCE and Form 605 are already signed when the applicant mentions they entered their FRN incorrectly during registration. What happens if this is corrected now?

A. Nothing — edits to registration fields never affect existing signatures B. Going into edit to fix the FRN will unsign the record — the applicant and the VEs will need to sign again, and a new CSCE must be emailed C. The correction must wait until after the session is uploaded to the portal, since signed records can’t be edited during the session D. Only the Session Leader’s signature needs to be redone; the applicant’s signature is unaffected

Part C — Element Credit Coordination

Why element credit requires coordination

VE Administrator access allows entry of element credit in ExamTools. However, applying element credit is a consequential action — if applied to the wrong element or applied twice, it creates a record error that is difficult to correct after upload.

The correct process:

VE Admin verifies the credit documentation is valid (correct VEC, within 365 days, signed by three VEs, correct element)
VE Admin informs the Session Leader what credit is being claimed and shows the documentation
Session Leader confirms who will enter it in ExamTools (may be the VE Administrator or the Session Leader, depending on the team’s preference)
Credit is entered before the applicant begins their first element
Both the VE Administrator and Session Leader confirm the entry is correct before the applicant proceeds

ExamTools Add Element Credit dialog showing element selection — Fig. 3 — ExamTools Add Element Credit dialog. Select the element being credited. ET warns that evidence must be provided when submitting documentation.

Element credit applied after testing begins is not acceptable. The coordination step exists precisely to ensure this doesn’t happen. P&P and VEC-01 Lesson 3 govern what credit is valid and what proof is required.

ExamTools applicant menu bar showing ASSIGN VE, MANAGE, STATUS: REGISTERED, and PRINT FORMS buttons — Fig. 4 — Applicant menu bar in ExamTools. Status shows REGISTERED before check-in is complete.

ExamTools MANAGE dropdown showing Seen and Ready to sign status options — Fig. 5 — MANAGE dropdown showing available status options: Seen (after check-in) and Ready to sign (paper exam applicants ready to sign).

Part D — Signing Stage Status Changes

Setting READY TO SIGN for paper exam applicants

When a paper exam applicant has passed at least one element and is ready to proceed to signing, the VE Administrator (or assigned VE) sets the status to READY TO SIGN in the applicant menu. This status change initiates the ExamTools signing workflow, allowing the applicant to log in on a device and sign electronically.

Do not set COMPLETED at this stage — that status is applied after the CSCE has been issued.

Knowledge Check

A VE Admin is handling check-in when a new applicant’s ExamTools record shows no phone number. The Session Leader is busy with another issue. What can the VE Administrator do independently?

A. Nothing — only the Session Leader may edit applicant records B. Add the phone number directly in the applicant’s ExamTools record — editing applicant information is within VE Administrator authority C. Delete the applicant’s registration and have them re-register with the correct information D. Flag the applicant as incomplete and hold them out of the session until the Session Leader is free

Knowledge Check

An applicant has completed all six check-in steps. Which VE Admin action formally marks the check-in as complete in ExamTools?

A. Clicking the APPROVE button on the applicant tile B. Printing a check-in confirmation receipt for the applicant C. Notifying the Session Leader verbally that check-in is complete D. Using the applicant menu to change the status to SEEN, then directing the applicant to a table

Knowledge Check

During check-in, an applicant says they have a CSCE for Element 3 credit from a recent W5YI session. The VE Admin has verified it is valid. What must the VE Administrator do next?

A. Apply the element credit directly in ExamTools before directing the applicant to a table, without consulting anyone B. Tell the applicant the credit cannot be accepted since it is from a different VEC C. Confirm with the Session Leader who will apply the element credit in ExamTools, and verify it is applied before the applicant starts testing D. Hold the applicant at check-in until the element credit is verified by the RC

Knowledge Check

A paper exam applicant has passed Element 2 and is ready to sign. The assigned VE asks the VE Administrator to set the appropriate status. What status should be applied?

A. COMPLETED — this status is set when the applicant is done with all exams B. SEEN — the applicant needs to go back to the check-in queue C. READY TO SIGN — this triggers the signing workflow in ExamTools for paper exam applicants D. FINISHED — ExamTools marks paper exam applicants automatically when grading is complete

References: ExamTools Role Permissions • Laurel VEC P&P

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