How to Configure a Grade Column for Grade Import

Setting Up the External Grade Column on Blackboard

To export the grades from Blackboard to the Student Information System/GUS, you must set the final grade column (total grade or weighted total grade) as the External Grade Column. The grades must be displayed as letter grades. This information is for calculated total grades and scores or percentage typed grades.

Part 1: Check the grading schema.

1. Navigate to Course Management > Control Panel > Grade Center and click on Full Grade Center.

Image of Course management area with a circle encompassing the Control Panel chevron. Under the Control Panel, the chevron menu area is expanded to display the options. The Grade Center option is circled and expanded. The Full Grade Center option beneath the Grade Center is circled.

2. From the Manage button options menu, choose Grading Schemas.

Image of the Full Grade Center with a circle encompassing Manage. A second circle encompasses the Grading Schemas option and an arrow points to it.

3. Use the Edit option to check the grading schema values. Make any changes as necessary.

Image of Grading Schemas area. The drop down chevron next to letter is circled and the menu is expanded. A circle encompasses Edit and an arrow points to it. Image of a traditional grading schema.

Part 2: Set up the External Grade Column.

4. Navigate to Course Management > Control Panel > Grade Center and click on Full Grade Center.

Image of the course management area. A circle encompasses the Control Panel chevron with an arrow is pointing toward Control Panel. A circle encompasses Grade Center where the menu under Grade Center is expanded displaying the options. Full Grade Center is circled.

5. Find the column you’d like to designate as the External Grade Column. (The column you want to send to GUS). This is an opportunity to make sure your grades calculate as expected.

Image of the Full Grade Center. Total is circled and an arrow points to it.

Note: Your total column may be named differently and located differently in the Full Grade Center.

6. From the column options menu, select Edit Column Information.

Next to Total, the chevron menu drop-down is encircled and an arrow points to it. The menu options are expanded with a circle encompassing Edit Column Information. An arrow points to this option.

7. Change the Primary Display to Letter. You can set the secondary display to whatever you want.

Image of Edit Total Column area. A circle encompasses the Primary Display option displaying Letter as the Primary Display. An arrow points to the Primary Display. A second circle encompasses the Secondary Display area. An arrow points to this area and displays None as the secondary display option.

8. The column will display letter grades.

Image of the Total Column displaying the letter grade in the Full Grade Center.

9. In the last step the column will be set as the External Grade column. Use the column’s options menu for this setting.

Image of the Full Grade Center. The chevron menu drop down is encircled and the menu options are expanded. The Set an External Grade option is circled.

10. The External Grade indicator ( ) shows next to the column’s name. The total grade is ready to be exported to the Student Information System/GUS.

Image of the Full Grade Center.The Total column is circled.

Note: Only one column can be External Grade per each grade center. The External Grade cannot be deleted; you need to denote another column as External Grade to delete the column.