> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.equip.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Assessments, Tests, and Questions: The Hierarchy

> How assessments, tests, and questions relate to each other on Equip.

Equip uses three building blocks: **assessments**, **tests**, and **questions**. Understanding how they fit together makes every other part of the platform, from creating assessments to reading results, much easier to follow.

<Tip>
  The short version: an **assessment** contains one or more **tests**, and each test contains one or more **questions**. You invite candidates to an assessment; they attempt its tests one by one.
</Tip>

## How the Hierarchy Works

Everything on Equip follows the same three-level structure: **Assessment > Test > Question**. You always share an assessment with candidates, never an individual test or question.

| Level          | What it is                                             | Example                                |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------- |
| **Assessment** | The container you invite candidates to; maps to a role | Python Developer assessment            |
| **Test**       | One skill evaluation taken in a single sitting         | A Python quiz, a programming challenge |
| **Question**   | The individual items inside a test                     | An MCQ, a coding problem               |

<Note>
  Candidates attempt the tests inside an assessment one by one, and each test must be completed in a single sitting. They can take breaks between tests.
</Note>

## Assessments

An **assessment** is what you invite candidates to, and where you later see their results. It typically maps to a specific role, such as Python Developer or Account Executive.

An assessment can contain any number of tests. For example, a Python Developer assessment might combine a Python quiz with a programming challenge, so you evaluate both theory and hands-on skill in one invitation.

<Note>
  Each test in an assessment carries a **weightage**, and the weightages combine into the candidate's overall score. See [Test Scores and Overall Score](/test-scores-and-overall-score) for how this works.
</Note>

## Tests

Each assessment is made up of one or more **tests**. A test evaluates one skill or format: a quiz, a programming challenge, a video response, an English communication test, and so on. [Test Types](/test-types) covers the full list.

For every test type, the content can come from one of two sources:

| Source            | What it means                                           |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Equip Content** | Pre-built tests and question banks from Equip's library |
| **My Content**    | Custom Tests you create with your own questions         |

You can freely mix both sources in the same assessment. See [Equip Content vs Custom Content](/equip-vs-custom-content) for a detailed comparison of what each allows.

### Custom Tests

A **Custom Test** is a test you build with your own questions, such as a custom quiz or a video response test. Once created, it belongs to your whole team and can be reused across assessments.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open your assessment's Tests tab">
    Go to the assessment's settings and open the **Tests** tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select the test type">
    Pick the matching test type, for example Video Response.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add your content">
    Click the **Add** button, then choose **My Content** and select your Custom Test.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  A Custom Test cannot be shared with candidates on its own. Like every test, it reaches candidates only as part of an assessment.
</Note>

## Questions

A test is made up of one or more **questions**. How many questions a test holds, and how they are shown, depends on the test type:

| Pattern                              | Example                           |
| ------------------------------------ | --------------------------------- |
| A single question                    | A programming challenge           |
| Multiple questions shown one by one  | A quiz using Equip's content      |
| Multiple questions shown all at once | A custom quiz in all-at-once mode |

<Note>
  Question limits vary by test type. For example, Equip content quizzes hold up to 25 questions, while programming tests contain exactly one challenge each. See [Question Limits](/question-limits) for the full list.
</Note>

If you want a coding problem and a quiz for the same role, add them as two separate tests within one assessment; a single test cannot mix a programming challenge with quiz questions.

## Related Resources

* [Create an Assessment](/create-assessment) - Put the hierarchy into practice with the assessment builder
* [Test Types](/test-types) - Every test type Equip offers, from quizzes to Excel tests
* [Equip Content vs Custom Content](/equip-vs-custom-content) - What each content source lets you control
* [Question Limits](/question-limits) - Maximum questions allowed per test type