When a candidate enrols on the ECDL CAD programme, they must be assigned a Specialist Test Unit (STU) by the test centre. The STU is the registration unit issued by ICS SKILLS for each candidate. A copy of the ECDL CAD textbook will be supplied to each registered candidate.

The management of ECDL CAD candidates and test records is totally automated. As with other ECDL programmes, an ECDL CAD test centre must have two ECDL CAD testers, who must be accredited ECDL testers and have achieved the ECDL CAD certification themselves.

When an application to become an ECDL CAD centre has been approved by ICS SKILLS, the centre agrees to purchase 5 Specialist Test Units (STU's). All ECDL CAD candidates are registered on the website. The centre then allocates one STU for each candidate.

Tests are selected at random from the ECDL CAD Question and Test Base, and are supervised by an authorised ECDL CAD Tester. The test is of 1 hour and 45 minutes duration, and it has 54 questions. The candidate has passed the test if he or she scores 30 marks out of the possible 40 (75%).

The tester then enters the test result and the name of the tester who marked the test, into the ECDL CAD Admin Central website, and the certificate is automatically issued by ICS Skills, and sent to the centre where the candidate sat the test.