The Canvas Gradebook helps instructors easily view and enter grades for students. Columns are automatically created in the Gradebook when you create and publish assignments, graded discussions, and graded quizzes and surveys. A column is also automatically added for the Attendance (Roll Call) tool. You can opt to have unpublished assignments display in the gradebook; however "Not Graded" assignments are not included. Depending on the grade display type, grades for each assignment can be viewed as points, percentage, complete or incomplete, GPA scale, or letter grade.

The default view in the Gradebook is to view all students at a time, but you can also view students individually in the Gradebook Individual View.

Student Grade Visibility Flowchart

Gradebook Checklist for Final Grade Submission

Warning: If your course includes multiple graders, please note that once you open the Gradebook, all existing Gradebook data is stored in the browser until the page is refreshed. Grades are not dynamically updated with any changes made by other graders in the Gradebook or in SpeedGrader.

Overview
Navigation
Grade Posting Policy
Assignment Options

How do I access the Canvas Gradebook?

You can access the gradebook via Grades in the course navigation or through the gradebook icon in SpeedGrader.

Open Grades

In Course Navigation, click the Grades link.

View Gradebook

The top of the Gradebook includes global sorting options and settings you can use to organize your Gradebook [1], which will populate the selected student data [2] and assignment data [3].

Search Students

By default, your course shows all active students. In the Search field, you can search for an individual student by name.

Enter Grades

When entering grades, the New Gradebook displays crosshairs and highlighting across the row and column for improved orientation.
To enter grades, type the grade as supported by assignment type directly in the Gradebook cell [1].
You can also enter grades and change the submission status by clicking the Grade Detail Tray icon [2].

View Grade Detail Tray

The Grade Detail Tray allows you to enter or edit grades [1], change the status of a submission [2], and leave comments for the student [3]. Comments left in the gradebook will appear in SpeedGrader.

View Assignment Groups and Total Column

The assignment groups shown in the Gradebook match the assignment groups created in the Assignments page [1].

If your assignment groups are weighted, the weighted grade displays below the group title [2]. Assignment group weights are reflected in the total grade. The assignment grade earned by the students is multiplied by the assignment group weight.

Grade totals from assignment groups are calculated in the Total column of the Gradebook [3]. You can hover over the column header to view the Total column menu [4], which allows you to sort by grade and move the total column to the front of the Gradebook. Additionally, if your assignment groups are not weighted, you can view the totals as a point value instead of a percentage.

Top of Page

Advanced Filters and Views

The Canvas gradebook has advanced filters in place to allow you to focus on a particular student or on assessments in a particular Assignment Group or Module. In addition, instructors can opt to display published and unpublished assessments side by side.

View Gradebook Menu

The main Gradebook allows you to see all students, assignments, and grades. In the Gradebook menu [1], you can switch between several options as available:

Individual View allows you to assess one student and one assignment at a time and is fully accessible for screen readers.

Gradebook History displays the Gradebook History page, which logs recent grade changes in the course according to student, grader, assignment, and date.

Learning Mastery displays the Learning Mastery Gradebook, which assesses outcome standards being used in Canvas courses. This gradebook is an opt-in course-level feature option and not shown in the image above.

You can switch between these options at any time.

View Gradebook Viewing Options

The View menu [2] allows you to filter and sort the Gradebook according to several viewing options:

Arrange By: arrange columns by default, assignment name, due date, points, or module
Filters: filter columns by type (assignment group, section, and modules)
Statuses: view and change the color for a grading status (late, missing, resubmitted, dropped, and excused)
Columns: show or hide the notes column and unpublished assignments. Note: Unpublished Assignments will be labeled as such and the column will be grayed out.

Tip: You can move your Total column to the front, next to students names at the start of each semester.
New Gradebook Move Total Column to Front

Click the three dots to the right of Total
Select "Move to Front" (you can toggle back by selecting "Move to End")

View Actions Menu

The Actions menu [3] allows you to bulk manage student grades in the Gradebook by importing grades and exporting grades.

Note: Currently the Gradebook Export CSV file data includes all Gradebook data regardless of filtered or sorting options.

View Student Name Menu

New Gradebook Student Name Column Options

The Student Name column displays each student's name and may also include a student's secondary ID, if enabled. You can hover over the column header and view the Student Name menu [1], which allows the following options:

Sort and display student names by specific criteria (alphabetically [2]; First name Last name or Last name, First name [3])
Display secondary information such as the section enrollment or their UT EID [4]
Show inactive and concluded enrollments

To view a student's Grades page, click the student's name.

View Test Student

If you have used "Student View" in Course Settings, the Test Student is shown at the end of the Gradebook and is automatically added to every section in your course. Test Student data does not factor into course analytics.

If you want to remove the test student completely, you must remove the test student from your section enrollments in Course Settings.

Global Gradebook Settings

Automated Late and Missing Submission Policies

The Canvas gradebook allows you to automatically apply a defined penalty to ONLINE submissions with a status of Late or Missing. Any penalty applied to late submissions will appear in the Grade Detail tray. Note: Assessments with a Paper or No Submission status can be manually marked Late or Missing to take advantage of the same penalty settings.

The Gradebook Settings allow you to apply late policies in your course [1].

The Missing Submission policy allows you to automatically apply a grade for submissions labeled as Missing [2]. A submission is labeled Missing when the due date has passed and the assignment has not been submitted.

The Late Submission policy allows you to automatically apply a defined penalty to submissions with a status of Late [3]. A submission is labeled Late when it is submitted past the due date. Additionally, you can define a threshold under which a student will not be scored, regardless of how late the submission is when submitted.

Once you have updated the Missing and/or Late Submission Policies, click "Update" to save your changes [4].

You can always update the late policy. Canvas will warn if any changes will affect previously graded submissions [5].

[Course] Grade Posting Policy

The Gradebook includes a course-wide grade posting policy, which sets how grades and comments are released to students. This change redefines assignment-wide muting to an individual assignment level, making grades visible to individual sections of a course one by one, or hide previously posted grades if needed.

In the Gradebook, instructors can select a default grade posting policy for course assignments. Posting policies can be set to automatic or manual.

By default, the policy is for grades to be posted automatically. If you select an automatic posting policy, assignment grades will be visible to students as soon as they are entered. Grades for anonymous and moderated assignments will not post automatically.

If you select a manual posting policy, grades will be hidden by default and you can choose when to post grades for each assignment. Any grades that have already posted will remain visible.

More importantly, instructors can now set the default to "Manually" post grades for ALL assessments in a course from the gradebook settings menu. No more muting each individual assignment.

Grade Post Policies Setting all to Manual Post

Top of Page

Grade Posting Policy

You can use posting policies in the Gradebook to manage assignment grade visibility for students. Posted grades are visible to students in your course. Hidden grades are visible to you in the course gradebook, but students cannot see them.

Posting policies can be set for an entire course and/or individual assignments. Assignment-level posting policies will override the course-level posting policy for that assignment. When a posting policy is set to automatic, grades are immediately posted to students when they are entered. When a posting policy is set to manual, grades must be manually posted to students using the Post grades option before they can be viewed.

Posted grades can also be hidden using the Hide grades option. The Hide grades option only hides grades that are currently visible to students. In order to ensure all future assignment grades are hidden, you will need to use a manual posting policy for the assignment or course.

Note: It is recommended that you set course and assignment posting policies before entering grades.

View Posting Policies Flowchart

This flowchart outlines how posting policies work for instructors in their courses. You should select a course posting policy based on your general grade posting preference. You can then set posting policies for individual assignments as needed.

You can also hide previously posted grades, especially if you need to fix errors or if grades were posted erroneously.

When students have set grade notification preferences, they will receive notifications when grades are posted, as indicated in the flowchart.

You can also view this flowchart as an interactive PDF.

Set a Course Posting Policy

By default, Canvas courses have an Automatic posting policy [1]. Assignment grades are visible to students as soon as grades are entered in the gradebook or submitted in SpeedGrader.

Alternatively, you can select a Manual posting policy for your course [2]. Assignment grades are hidden from students until manually posted. Students can see peer review comments when assignment grades are hidden. However, students can only see instructor comments if the instructor posts grades or submission comments.

Learn how to select a course posting policy.

Post Grades Automatically

To post grades automatically, select the Automatically Post Grades option. When grades are posted automatically, students can view assignment grades as soon as they are entered.

Note: If you select the Automatically Post Grades option after you have already hidden grades, previously hidden grades will remain hidden.

Post Grades Manually

To manually post grades for students to view, select the Manually Post Grades option. When the Manually Post Grades option is selected, grades are hidden from student view by default and must be posted to be viewed by students.

Update Policy

To apply changes to the grade posting policy, click the Update button.

Set an Assignment Posting Policy

In the Gradebook, you can select an automatic or manual grade posting policy for an individual assignment. Posting policies determine grade visibility for students. You should select an assignment posting policy before entering grades.

Learn more about selecting a grade posting policy for an assignment.

Click the Grade Posting Policy link.

Post Grades Automatically

To post grades automatically, select the Automatically option. When the Automatically option is selected, students can view assignment grades as soon as they are entered.

Notes:

Anonymous and moderated assignments cannot be set to post grades automatically.
If you select the Automatically Post Grades option after you have already hidden grades, previously hidden grades will remain hidden.

Post Grades Manually

To post grades manually, select the Manually option. When the Manually option is selected, grades are hidden by default and must be posted to be viewed by students.

Update Policy

To apply changes to the grade posting policy, click the Save button.

View Gradebook

If a manual posting policy has been applied in a course, all assignment headers will display the Manual label [1]. This label indicates that a manual posting policy is currently in place and future grades are hidden from student view.

Once a submission has been graded, the assignment header displays the Visibility icon [2]. This indicates that there are grades within the assignment that must be posted before they can be viewed by students.

When grades are hidden from student view, the Total column also displays the Visibility icon [3]. This indicates that the total grade in the Gradebook differs from the total grade viewed by the student.

To manage the posting policy for an assignment, click the Options icon [4].

Student View

When assignment grades are hidden, the student grades page displays a Visibility icon. Posted grades display in place of the icon.

Top of Page

Assignment Menu Options

Each column in the Gradebook represents a published assignment in the Assignments page. Each column displays the assignment title, total points, and each student's grade.

View Assignment Column

To view the assignment, click the name of the assignment [1].

For each assignment, you can hover over the column header and view the Assignment menu [2], which allows the following options:

Sort assignments by grade or status (missing or late)
Go to SpeedGrader
Message students who fit within specific assignment criteria
Curve grades
Set default grade
Hide or post grades for the assignment (more below)
Enter grades as a specific value: point, percentage, or grading scheme (this option is only for grading convenience and does not affect the actual grade; not available for complete/incomplete assignment types)
Download submissions and re-upload submissions (supported in file uploads only)
Set Grade Posting Policy for an assignment

Icons and colors represent assignments and submission statuses within Canvas, including differentiated assignments, grading periods, and MasteryPaths.

Add Columns

Assignment columns are automatically added every time you create and publish assignments, graded discussions, and graded quizzes and surveys. A column is also automatically added for the Attendance tool.

You can manually add a column as part of importing grades to the Gradebook. However, assignments imported in the CSV file are automatically published.

You can also create non-submission or on-paper assignments to add to the Gradebook for manual grading.

Post Grades

Click the Post grades link.

View Other Messages

If student grades are already posted, the Options menu displays that all grades are posted [1]. To hide student grades, click the Hide grades link [2].

If there are no grades or comments on the assignment, the Options menu will display that there are no grades to hide or post [3].

View Hidden Grades

The Post Grades tray includes a numbered indicator that displays the total number of hidden grades for the assignment [1].

When the Post Grades tray is open, hidden grades are indicated by a Dot icon [2].

Ungraded submissions with submission comments do not display the Dot icon unless the grades were previously manually hidden [3]. However, comments will still post to students.

Select Posting Option

To post grades and submission comments to all students, click the Everyone option [1]. When the Everyone option is selected, the Visibility icon will be removed from the grades page for all students, including students with ungraded submissions. An assignment notification will also be sent to all students.

To post grades to students with graded submissions or submissions with comments, click the Graded option [2]. When the Graded option is selected, the Visibility icon will only be removed from the grades page for students with graded submissions or submissions with comments. Assignment notifications will only be sent to students with graded submissions.

Notes:

Grades can only be posted to everyone in anonymous assignments.
If grades are posted to everyone in an assignment with a manual posting policy, the manual posting policy will become inactive and future grades will be posted automatically.

Select Sections

To post grades or comments for specific sections, click the Specific Section button [1]. Then select the sections where you want to post grades [2].

Note: You cannot post grades for specific sections in anonymous assignments.

Post Grades

To post grades or submission comments, click the Post button.

Top of Page