Question

How can I submit final grades via Canvas?

Overview

These are the instructions for UC Davis Canvas users submitting final grades to the Office of the University Registrar. You need to set a default grading scheme for the course, then use the Sync grades to SIS feature. This process will route you from UC Davis Canvas to the familiar Final Grade Submission tool for final grades review and submission. Please note that only the instructor of record (IOR) will be able to successfully use this feature.

If needed, there are also options for exporting the grades from UC Davis Canvas and manually entering the grades into the Final Grade Submission tool.

Answer

Automated Process

1. View the grading scheme that is set for your course, and make changes if desired.
   
   • By default, a typical letter +/- grading scheme is set for all course shells.
   • You can also create your own grading scheme to accommodate your own unique schema.
2. Review and finalize your gradebook.
   
   • Identify any blank entries for assignments that have a point value and update them.
     
     • Note: Blank entries will be calculated as zeroes when syncing final grades, and are NOT factored into the grade showing in the Total column by default.
     • Enter grades for these items, or type in EX for excused assignments if the student should not receive a zero.
     • To quickly enter 0 into blank cells, you can use the set default grade feature for each assignment, or use the Apply Score to Ungraded feature from the Total column to fill in for all assignments at once.
     • To view Total grades taking blanks into consideration, export the gradebook which displays both the current grade and final grade columns.
   • Post grades for all assignment columns
     
     • Note: Hidden assignment scores are factored into the Total column displayed in Canvas, but are NOT factored into the final grade that is passed using the Sync grades to SIS feature. 
     • If you want to leave an assignment hidden, you might consider using the manual submission process outlined below.
   • The Final Grade Override option is available in the Canvas gradebook (Grades tool).  Information on enabling and using this feature is at https://kb.ucdavis.edu/?id=6697
     
     • Overrides for special codes, such as "Y", "IP", "NG" and "I," have to be done in the Final Grade Submission system.
3. Once your gradebook is finalized, use the Sync Grades to SIS feature to pass final grades from Canvas to the UC Davis Final Grade Submission system
   
   1. Click the Actions dropdown menu, then choose Sync grades to SIS.
   2. Click the Sync grades to SIS button. FGS, which displays the “bubble sheet”, will now load into a new browser tab or window. You may need to disable or adjust pop-up blockers for this to pop-up.
      
      • Note: Final grading is not complete until you click Submit within the final grade submission system.
4. UC Davis' familiar Final Grade Submission tool will then load into a new browser tab or window. We have also included a direct link to the bubble sheet, which should allow you to manually open FGS in a new tab/window, if the tab doesn’t open automatically.  If you receive a Discrepancy Report from the final grade system, we recommend that you review it closely and consider updating the Canvas gradebook before proceeding.
   
   1. Review the grades in the bubble sheet format.
   2. Perform any overrides that may be needed.
      
      • Note: These overrides will not be reflected back into the Canvas gradebook.
   3. Submit the final grades from the Final Grade Submission system interface.

After final grades have been submitted, the only way for a grade to be changed is for the IOR to go through the regrade process.

Manual Process

If this automated process does not work, there are two options for exporting the grades from Canvas and manually entering the grades into the Registrar’s Online Grade Submission Web Site.

1. If you have a low enrollment, you may want to consider entering the grades in the bubble sheet manually.
2. If you have a high student enrollment, you may want to submit final grades by importing a spreadsheet with students’ final grades.

The steps for both of these options are explained below.

If you have a Low Enrollment:

Step 1: Export CSV File from Canvas.

NOTE: Before exporting your grades, make sure your grade scheme has been established.

Go to your course site

1. Click Settings in the course toolbar on the left:
   
   1. In the Course Details tab, scroll down and click the checkbox to the left of Enable course grading scheme
   2. Click on set grading scheme
   3. You can accept the default grading scheme or if you want to make changes to the default grading scheme, see this Canvas Guides document.
   4. Once you have the grading scheme you want, click Done.
   5. Scroll down and click Update Course Details.
2. Click Grades in the course toolbar on the left:
   
   1. To download the grades, click the Action dropdown menu, then click Export.
   2. Then proceed with the usual file save process.
   3. Find the .csv file on your computer (usually in the Downloads folder or wherever you designated downloads to be saved), open it in Excel. You may want to print it to make it easier to fill in the final grades.

Step 2: Go to the Registrar’s Online Grade Submission Web Site. Enter final grades in the bubble sheet.

1. Under the “Web-based grade submission bubble sheet” option, click on the Submit Grades for Classes button.
2. In the page Select Course for Summer Session I
   
   1. Click Grade Section if your course only has one section or if you wish to grade each section of a multi-section course individually.
   2. Click Grade All Sections if your course has more than one section.
3. In the Enter Final Grades bubble sheet, enter each student’s grade.
4. When finished, scroll to the bottom and click on the link for Step 1 Save Changes or Step 2 Save and Review Grades.
5. You you can review and/or make changes to the bubble sheet. Once you are certain all the grades are entered correctly, click Step 3 Submit Final Grades to the Registrar.
6. If you want to send your TAs a notification that the grades were submitted, you can click on Step 4 Send Notification.

If you have a HIGH ENROLLMENT:

Step 1: Export CSV File from Canvas

NOTE: Before exporting your grades, make sure your grade scheme has been established:

Go to your course site

1. Click Settings in the course toolbar on the left:
   
   1. In the Course Details tab, scroll down and click the checkbox to the left of Enable course grading scheme
   2. Click on set grading scheme
   3. You can accept the default grading scheme or if you want to make changes to the default grading scheme, see this Canvas Guides document: https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-2918.
   4. Once you have the grading scheme you want, click Done.
   5. Scroll down and click Update Course Details.
2. Click Grades in the course toolbar on the left
   
   1. To download the grades, click the Action dropdown menu, then click Export.
   2. Then proceed with the usual file save process.

Step 2: Edit the exported spreadsheet

Open the spreadsheet in Excel, Google Drive, or any other spreadsheet application:

1. Delete Points Possible row.
2. Insert four blank columns to the left of the Student column.
3. Name the first column on the left Term and enter the term code for each student. For Summer Session I the Term Code is 202005. For Summer Session II the Term Code is 202007
4. Select the Section column:
   
   1. Select Cut.
   2. Go to the second column and select Paste.
   3. Rename the Section column Course.
5. Name the third column CRN. Enter the appropriate CRN for each student. NOTE: You will find the CRN in parenthesis in the Course column. If you have more than one section, make certain to copy each appropriate section code for each student.
6. Go to the SIS User ID column:
   
   1. Select Cut.
   2. Go to the fourth column and select Paste.
   3. Rename the fourth column Student ID.
7. Delete all the columns to the right of Student, up to, but not including the Final Grade column.
8. Insert two columns between the Student and Final Grade columns.
9. Rename the Student column to Last Name. NOTE: Leave the students' names as listed in this column. If the proper content is not in the column, it will be ignored.
10. Name the column to the right of Last Name First Name. NOTE: This column can be left blank.
11. Name the column to the right of First Name Middle Name. NOTE: This column can be left blank.
12. Rename the Final Grade column Grade Code.
13. Example:
    

Step 3: Go to the Registrar’s Online Grade Submission Web Site

Import the spreadsheet

1. Under the “Excel or Open Office grade sheet download/upload” option, click on the Submit Grades for Classes button.
2. In the page Select Course for Summer Session I
   
   1. Click Grade Section if your course only has one section.
   2. Click Grade All Sections if your course has more than one section.
3. In the Enter Final Grades bubble sheet, click the Download / Upload Grading Sheet link in the upper right.
4. n the Download / Upload Grading Sheet page, go to the Grading Sheet Upload section and click the Browse button. Proceed with the usual file upload process.
5. Once the filename appears to the appears to the right of the Browse button, click on the Upload Grades button.
6. Once that is done, click on the Back to Grade Entry link in the upper right.
7. Back in the Enter Final Grades bubble sheet, review the grades.
8. When finished, scroll to the bottom and click on the link for Step 1 Save Changes or Step 2 Save and Review Grades.
9. You you can review and/or make changes to the bubble sheet. Once you are certain all the grades are entered correctly, click Step 3 Submit Final Grades to the Registrar.
10. If you want to send your TAs a notification that the grades were submitted, you can click on Step 4 Send Notification.