PAU Business Operations (Catalonia) exam-day guide
PAU Business Operations (Catalonia) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official photo ID (DNI, NIE, or passport)
Bring the original document, not a photocopy. The name must match the name on your registration. If your ID is expired or you registered under a different name form, confirm with the provider before exam day what is accepted.
Exam admission document / registration confirmation
Print or download whatever admission slip or confirmation the organising body issues. The exact format and whether a printed copy is mandatory varies by convocatòria, so confirm with the provider.
Blue or black ballpoint pens (two or more)
Written answers are typically handwritten in ink. Bring spares; pencil is usually only acceptable for diagrams or scratch work, and the specific rule should be confirmed with the provider.
Pencil, eraser, and a small ruler
Useful for rough work, tables, and any diagram-based operational questions. Keep rough work clearly separated from final answers unless the instructions say otherwise.
Basic calculator (non-programmable, non-graphing)
Operations questions often involve ratios, percentages, break-even, or capacity calculations. Whether a calculator is permitted and which models are allowed must be confirmed with the provider; do not assume.
Analogue watch or small clock
Phones are usually collected or switched off, so you need an independent way to pace yourself across sections. Confirm with the provider whether any time signal is given at fixed intervals.
Clear water bottle and a light snack
Only bring these if the venue permits them; bottles are often required to be transparent and labels removed. Confirm with the provider what is allowed at the desk.
Printed directions and arrival time for the venue
Check the room or building assignment the day before; assignments can change. Plan to arrive well before the start time, since late entry rules are strict and should be confirmed with the provider.
Leave phone and smart devices at home or plan to hand them in
Smartwatches, phones, and earbuds are normally prohibited at the desk. If you must bring a phone, expect to surrender it at the start; confirm with the provider how devices are collected.
Review the instructions page of a past paper the night before
Re-read the format, section weighting, and any choice between questions so you do not waste minutes in the first five minutes of the exam deciding what to answer.
Confirm language and dictionary policy
If you are entitled to sit the paper in a particular language or to use a dictionary, verify the conditions and any supporting documentation in advance with the provider.
Check any access or special arrangements
If you have approved extra time, a separate room, or other accommodations, confirm the logistics and who to identify yourself to on arrival with the provider.
Plan the day
Switch from learning new content to consolidation. Re-read your own summary sheets on the core operational areas: process design and capacity, forecasting and planning, inventory and purchasing, quality, project and supply-chain management, and the financial and cost concepts that support decisions. Do one timed section rather than a full paper so you can still fix gaps.
Practise the mechanics you will actually perform under pressure: break-even and contribution margin, capacity utilisation, productivity ratios, EOQ-style or reorder-point reasoning, and simple variance or cost calculations. Write out the formula sheet from memory and check it against your notes.
Rehearse case-style answers. For each practice case, draft a short structure: identify the operational problem, state the relevant concept, apply it to the data given, and finish with a recommendation and a limitation. Practise writing this in the time the paper allows, because marks usually reward application over definition.
Do one full timed mock under exam conditions: no notes, no phone, fixed start and end times. Then mark it strictly against the marking guidance or model answers. Record the three question types that cost you the most marks and spend the remaining time only on those.
Prepare logistics: confirm venue, room, start time, and travel route; lay out ID, admission document, pens, pencil, eraser, ruler, and calculator in one place. Check the calculator is the permitted type and works, with fresh batteries if applicable.
Do a light review only: your one-page formula sheet, the structure for case answers, and a list of common traps such as answering definitions without applying them, ignoring units, or overrunning on one section. Stop studying early enough to sleep properly.
Eat a normal meal, arrive early, and avoid last-minute cramming of new material. If you review anything, read only your own summary sheet. Hand in your phone and any smart device as instructed before entering the room.
Read the instructions and the whole paper before writing: note the number of sections, the marks per section, whether there is a choice of questions, and any compulsory parts. Allocate minutes roughly in proportion to marks and write the allocation on your rough sheet.
Start with the section you are most confident in only if the paper allows it; otherwise work in order but keep to your time budget. For each case question, show your working and label your final recommendation clearly, because method marks are usually available even when the final number is wrong.
Check units, currency, and time periods in every calculation, and sanity-check results against the scale of the data. If a question is consuming too much time, leave a short structured answer and move on; return only if time remains.
Make sure every required question has an answer, that question numbers are clear, and that rough work is not mixed into final answers. Check your name and ID details on the answer booklet. Do not erase working that may earn method marks.
Rules to check
Bring original photo ID matching your registration and present it when asked. If your document is expired, damaged, or in a different name form, confirm with the provider in advance what will be accepted, since entry may otherwise be refused.
Electronic devices, including phones, smartwatches, and earbuds, are normally not permitted at the desk and must be switched off and handed in as directed. Confirm with the provider how devices are collected and returned.
Only materials explicitly permitted may be on the desk: typically pens, pencil, eraser, ruler, and an approved calculator. Notes, textbooks, and formula sheets are usually prohibited unless the paper is stated to be open-book; confirm with the provider which case applies to your sitting.
Arrive before the stated start time. Late entry, and whether any extra time is granted for lateness, is governed by the venue's rules; confirm with the provider rather than assuming you will be admitted late.
Breaks and leaving the room are usually restricted, often with supervision, and may not extend your working time. Confirm with the provider the policy on toilet breaks and whether additional time is given.
Scoring is normally by marks awarded per question against a marking scheme, with credit for correct method as well as final answers. Answer the question asked, show working, and do not rely on optional questions if the paper makes them compulsory; the exact weighting should be confirmed with the provider.
Any suspected irregularity, such as unauthorised material or communication during the test, is typically handled under the organising body's disciplinary procedure. Raise any concern with the invigilator immediately rather than after the exam.
If you have approved accommodations such as extra time or a separate room, verify the arrangements and identification steps with the provider beforehand, as these are not applied automatically on the day.