How to duplicate an existing assessment as a starting point for a new one — and when duplicating is the right move instead of editing.
Duplicating an assessment creates a copy you can tweak and publish as a separate assessment. The original stays untouched. Duplicating is the right move when you need a new version of an existing assessment — for a new cohort, a new region, a refresh cycle, or a material change to the content that shouldn't affect learners who already took the original.
If the change is small (typo, clarification, single setting tweak), edit the original instead — see Edit a Text Assessment. Duplicate when the change is significant enough that mixing old-version and new-version learners would create unfair comparisons.
How to Duplicate an Assessment
1. Open the Assessments list. Navigate to Create > Assessments from the left-hand navigation menu.
2. Select the assessment. Check the selection box next to the assessment you want to duplicate.
3. Click Duplicate. The duplicated assessment appears in the list, named with a "copy" suffix. Open it to rename, tweak, and publish.
When to Duplicate
New cohort, same content. You're running the same assessment for a new group and want to keep that cohort's reporting separate. Duplicate, rename for the cohort, assign.
Material content changes. The question pool, pass mark, or rubric is changing in a way that would create unfair comparisons between old and new learners. Duplicate as the new version; let the original finish out its cohort.
Translation or localization. You're adapting an assessment for a new region or language. Duplicate the original as a base, then translate.
Compliance recertification. A new annual cycle with refreshed questions. Duplicate from last year's version, update the questions that should rotate, then assign for the new cycle.
Configuration Pitfalls
Forgetting to Rename. Duplicated assessments default to a name with "copy" appended. Rename before publishing — otherwise the assessments list and reporting get cluttered fast.
Inheriting Stale Settings. Duplicates inherit all settings from the original — pass mark, retake policy, certificate behavior, grader configuration. Review the settings against the new program before publishing.
Duplicating Just to Skip Editing. If the change is small (typo, clarification), editing the original is cleaner than maintaining two near-identical assessments. Duplicate only when the change is material.
Not Archiving the Old Version. If the new duplicated assessment replaces the original entirely, archive the old one to avoid confusion. See Archiving an Assessment.
Where This Fits
You're here because you need a new assessment based on an existing one. For small fixes to an existing assessment, use Edit a Text Assessment. For starting from scratch, see Create a Text Assessment.
See Also
- Edit a Text Assessment — for small fixes to an existing assessment.
- Archiving an Assessment — when an assessment is no longer in use.
- Assessment Settings — review the settings on the duplicated version.
- Create a Text Assessment — for starting fresh instead of duplicating.