ManageBac+ helps IB Diploma coordinators manage the Extended Essay process digitally, replacing manual tracking with a centralised workspace for students, advisors, and administrators.

This guide explains how to navigate EE Worksheets, create and customise EE templates, enable EE projects and subjects, and configure supporting guides and handbooks.

Overview

Extended Essay Worksheets allow coordinators and advisors to monitor EE progress across an entire year group. Students can maintain a portfolio of coursework, deadlines, documents, and notes, while coordinators can review progress and provide support throughout the EE journey.

• Review student proposals and research information.
• Manage deadlines and To-dos.
• Monitor student progress and identify students requiring support.
• Store EE-related documents and communication notes.
• Configure EE templates based on school requirements.

Features Overview

This article covers the current Extended Essay Worksheet configuration options available in ManageBac+.

• Pre-built Extended Essay templates with IB requirements included.
• Customisable Framework, Assessment, Forms, and Terminology sections.
• Support for EE RPPF generation and assessment rubrics.
• Updated EE First Assessment 2027 template availability for Class of 2027 and beyond.

Step-by-Step Navigation

Navigating the EE Worksheet

Select Year Group > Extended Essay > Select Student > EE Worksheet

Open the Extended Essay area and select a student to access their EE Worksheet.

Via the Extended Essay Worksheet, you can review the student's Proposal: Pathway, Subject(s), Interdisciplinary framework and Idea. You can click on Edit Proposal to make changes. 

You can also see the student's Extended Essay Progress and flag students of concern or excellence

Scrolling further down, you can review EE deadlines & To-dos. To add a new deadline, navigate back to the EE roster and click Add New Deadline. Once the deadline is created, you will have the option of adding additional To-dos for students.

Any Personal To-Dos can also be added and viewed here.

Extended Essay Documents is a place where you can review or submit Documents relevant to the EE for the student.

Via Notes, you can communicate directly with students and log Interview Notes. Any Notes marked as Interview Notes will only be visible to Teachers & Admins.

Enabling Extended Essay Templates

Settings > IB Diploma > Project-based Learning

Select Pre-built Templates and Add Extended Essay Template.

1. Customise the template using the Overview, Framework, Assessment, Forms, and Terminology tabs.
2. Configure requirements including proposals, planning forms, deadlines, documents, notes, and interviews.

The Pre-built Templates will come pre-populated with all the requirements to support the Extended Essay. However, schools can customise them further by clicking on the template name.

Editing Extended Essay Templates

Settings > IB Diploma > Project-based Learning > select EE template

Via the Overview, Framework, Assessment, Forms and Terminology tabs of the template, you can adjust the labels within each worksheet, as well as add additional sections or assessment options.

Overview

The Overview tab allows you to change key information or archive the EE template. If you select the Enable Project by Default, the template will be enabled automatically on any new IB Diploma Year Group created.

This is also where you can archive templates that are no longer used by ticking Archive Project Template.

Framework

The Framework tab contains much of the configuration that will allow you to create a project fit for your needs. The options include:

• Proposal: This allows you to create a set of requirements that students will need to complete before approving their proposal. Requirements can take one of four forms: text field, checkboxes, radio buttons, dropdown menu.
• Researcher's Reflection Space: A space for students to reflect on the project and create connections to Learning Outcomes and other Unit Connections.
• Self-assessment: An optional collaborative space for students to organise a presentation related to their project.
• Reflections: Allows students to record their Reflections and teachers to submit their Comments which can be used later to generate the Extended essay - Reflections on planning and progress forms (EE RPPF)
• Collaboration Options
  • Deadlines & To Dos: Enabling To Dos allows you to create deadlines linked to the project and specific To Do items for each Deadline. The Deadlines along with the to dos are displayed on the student's project worksheet.
  • Extended Essay Documents: Enables students and their Advisors to upload documents and store them on their EE Worksheets.
  • Notes & Interviews: Enabling this option allows students and teachers to send messages to each other on the student worksheet and it allows teachers to record interview notes, which are only visible to admins and teachers.

Changes to components of the EE Project will be applied in separately provided EE project templates. The First Assessment 2027 Extended Essay template is available for configuration from end of August 2025. 

Assessment

Extended Essay Assessment criteria are pre-built in our template. However, both Project Assessment Rubrics and Term Grades Rubrics are customizable to allow schools to add additional assessment options.

If Term Grades Rubrics are enabled and set up in the Assessment section of the Extended Template, you can submit Extended Essay term grades via the selected Year Group > Extended Essay > Details > Submit Term Evaluation.

Forms

Via Forms tab, you can enable the option to generate EE RPPF. You can also associate the Template fields found in the Framework tab under the Planning and Progress Form section with sections of the EE RPPF form requested by IBO.

For more information, please see our guide here on Planning & Progress Forms (PPF) for Extended Essay (EE) and Theory of Knowledge (TOK) 

Terminology 

The Terminology fields shown allow you to create a Worksheet that will be familiar to your teachers and students based on local requirements or cultural terminology. The hint, located below each field, provides an explanation of what each term is referring to.

Use the Student Progress section to customise or add more overall progress indicators for your EE Advisors to evaluate their students. 

Enabling Extended Essay Worksheets

Year Group > Edit Year Group Settings 

When creating a new Year Group, if the Extended Essay template is marked as "Enable Project by Default", EE will be enabled automatically. If the template is not enabled, you can follow the below steps:

1. Navigate to the Year Group > Edit Year Group Settings (gear icon)
2. Via Edit Year Group Settings, scroll to Templates and tick Extended Essay > Save Changes.

You can re-enable the project at any time to restore access to existing student data.

Enabling Extended Essay Subjects

Settings > IB Diploma > Subjects > Extended Essay Subjects

You will need to first make sure the subject is enabled as IB DP subject. You can check this via Settings > IB Diploma > Subjects.

Once this is enabled, navigate to Settings > IB Diploma > Subjects > Extended Essay Subjects. Please make sure the Extended Essay Subject is also enabled here.

For more details about this step, review our tutorial on Configuring Programme Academic Settings (Subjects, Levels, Standards & Unit Templates).

Editing Extended Essay Guides & Handbook

Settings > IB Diploma > Guides > EE

Here, you can configure sections of the available guides for students by ticking boxes for the sections you want to include

You can also upload any Handbook you have via the Handbook area > Update. Remember to click Save Changes to confirm any changes made.

Tips & Best Practices

• Use the pre-built EE template as a starting point to ensure IB requirements are supported.
• Customise terminology to match your school's preferred language and processes.
• Use deadlines, To-dos, and progress indicators to identify students needing additional support.

Warnings & Important Notes

Related Articles

• Planning & Progress Forms (PPF) for Extended Essay (EE) and Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
• Managing Extended Essay (EE) Worksheets
• Viewing & Uploading to Extended Essay (EE) Deadlines

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I disable Extended Essay after enabling it?

Yes. Disabling the EE project hides the tab from the Year Group but does not delete existing student data.

Can schools customise the Extended Essay template?

Yes. Schools can customise available sections, labels, assessments, and forms while keeping the core template structure.

Why am I not seeing the subject showing in Extended Essay template?

Please make sure the subject is enabled both via Settings > IB Diploma > Subjects and also Extended Essay Subjects.

In Summary

• Extended Essay Worksheets provide a central location to manage EE progress.
• Templates can be configured to match school requirements while supporting IB expectations.
• ManageBac+ helps coordinators monitor deadlines, documents, assessments, and student communication.

Use ManageBac+ to simplify Extended Essay management and support students throughout their EE journey.