AAT TPFB exam-day guide
AAT TPFB · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo identification
Bring the original photo ID specified in your booking confirmation (commonly a valid passport or photocard driving licence). Check the exact accepted ID list for your sitting with your training provider or test centre before the day - do not assume a student card or photocopy will be accepted.
Booking / appointment confirmation
Have your exam confirmation email or booking reference available, either printed or on your phone, in case the centre or invigilator needs to locate your booking.
Your AAT student/membership number
Keep this to hand for check-in and for any post-exam query about your result. Confirm with your provider whether it is required at the desk or only for your own records.
Log-in details (remote sittings only)
If you are sitting by remote invigilation rather than at a centre, confirm the platform, log-in process and any pre-exam system/ID check steps with the provider ahead of time, and have your credentials written down and ready.
Permitted calculator
Check the current calculator policy for your sitting - many AAT computer-based assessments provide an on-screen calculator, and some centres restrict what physical calculators may be used. Confirm what is allowed before you travel.
Pen and plain paper for workings
Some centres supply or permit rough paper and pencil for calculations. Confirm the local rules for your venue, and do not bring your own annotated notes or pre-written material of any kind.
Technology check (remote sittings only)
Test your webcam, microphone, internet connection and browser well before the day, and have a backup plan (e.g. a phone number for technical support) agreed with the provider.
Quiet, private room (remote sittings only)
Clear the desk of all notes, books and devices other than those permitted. Confirm the provider's room and environment requirements, as some remote sittings include a room scan.
Know the format and duration
Confirm from the current AAT assessment plan or your provider the number of tasks, the time allowed and how the paper is structured, so you can plan your pace. Do not rely on second-hand or outdated information.
Confirm travel or check-in time
Aim to arrive (or be ready to log in) comfortably before your appointment, allowing time for ID checks and set-up. Confirm the required arrival time with your centre or provider.
Read the candidate regulations
Read the current AAT exam regulations and the candidate instructions sent with your booking, so nothing on the day comes as a surprise.
Rest and logistics
Plan sleep, food, water and travel the night before; a long calculation-heavy paper is much harder when you are rushed or hungry.
Plan the day
Stop learning new topics. Work through one or two full practice assessments under timed conditions using the same calculator and rough-paper routine you will use on the day. Write a one-page list of your recurring errors (e.g. misreading a date, adding VAT instead of extracting it, forgetting to apply a rate change) and read it each morning.
Re-confirm your booking: date, time, venue or remote platform, accepted ID, permitted calculator, and whether rough paper is provided. If anything is unclear, contact the provider now rather than on the morning.
Do a final, light review of the formulas, rates and layouts you must recall from memory - but check current rates and thresholds only in official materials, never from memory or old notes.
Pack your ID, confirmation and permitted items in one place. For remote sittings, run the full technology check again and charge devices. Confirm your route or log-in time. Then stop studying by early evening and sleep.
Eat properly, arrive or log in early, and skim only your one-page error list. Do not attempt new practice questions - it erodes confidence and adds nothing at this stage.
Read the candidate instructions on screen, check the number of tasks and the time remaining, and note the split of marks so you know roughly how long to spend per task.
Do a quick first pass, answering the tasks you find most straightforward, then return to the harder ones. Show workings on rough paper for multi-step calculations so you can check figures. Watch dates and tax periods carefully - many marks are lost on period and rate selection rather than on arithmetic.
Check you have attempted every task and that no box is left blank where a figure could reasonably be entered. Check for obvious slips: sign, pence/rounding, and whether the question asks for a figure, a date or a narrative.
Rules to check
Bring only the identification and materials permitted for your sitting. Notes, textbooks, smart watches, phones and other unauthorised devices must be stowed as instructed - the exact rules differ between centre and remote sittings, so confirm with the provider.
Your identity will be checked before you start. If the name on your ID does not match your booking, raise it with the invigilator or provider immediately rather than at the end of the exam.
The clock generally does not stop for interruptions, so if a technical problem or disturbance occurs, alert the invigilator or support line at once and note the time - do not sit and wait.
Breaks are normally not permitted within a single assessment sitting. Confirm the policy for your specific exam, and allow for this when planning food and water beforehand.
Work only on the materials provided within the exam environment. Copying, sharing or recording exam content in any form is misconduct and will be handled under the awarding body's malpractice procedures.
Your result is determined against the awarding body's marking scheme and pass standard for this unit; do not assume a particular pass mark or grade boundary - confirm the current position with AAT or your provider.
If you need to reschedule or cancel, note that deadlines, fees and any special consideration arrangements are set by the provider. Check the current terms rather than relying on what you have heard from other candidates.