How do I use grading periods in a course?

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If your course includes Multiple Grading Periods, grading periods created at the account level automatically display in your course and can be filtered in the Assignments Index Page, the Gradebook, and the student Grades page.

Grading periods consist of a specific date range that define the grading period. Grading periods also include a close date as to when you can no longer edit grades in a grading period. Grading periods can also be weighted. To view grading period date ranges and any weighted grading periods, you can view the grading periods in a course.

 At the course level, Canvas validates all assignments against closed grading periods in Canvas. For a complete overview of the Multiple Grading Periods feature and current limitations associated with close dates, please view the Close Dates for Grading Periods document in the Canvas Community.

View Assignments

When you create an assignment, by default each assignment is assigned to everyone. However, the assignment can be differentiated among course sections, course groups, or individual students.

When grading periods are enabled, the due date of the assignment determines the grading period where the assignment appears in the Gradebook. If no due date is set, the assignment defaults to the last grading period available for the course.

When grading periods are weighted, assignments outside of grading periods do not count toward the final grade.

Note: The Assign field cannot be edited for anyone if the due date is in a closed grading period. However, you can add additional differentiated assignments with due dates outside the closed grading period. Assignments with due dates in open grading periods cannot be edited from an open grading period to a date in a closed grading period, but the due date can be edited to any date within an open grading period. These restrictions do not apply to availability dates, which can be set to overlap a grading period.

View Gradebook

To view the Grading Period filter, click the View option in the Gradebook menu [1]. Then select the Filters option [2] and click the Grading Periods option [3].

The Grading Period filter lists grading periods for the course in a drop-down menu. By default, the Gradebook displays the current grading period. However, you can view and filter grades by previous or future grading period.

View Grading Period

Grading periods are arranged by date, with the newest grading period listed first.

Assignments are grouped in the grading period according to the published assignment due date (unpublished assignments never appear in the Gradebook). If there is no due date for the published assignment, the assignment defaults to the latest grading period. Grading periods cannot be selected within an individual assignment.

In the grading periods menu [1], viewing the All Grading Periods option [2] displays all course assignments. However, you can view the assignments that appear during a specified period by selecting the name of the grading period [3].

You can only edit grades for assignments in a current or future grading period. Once the close date for a grading period has passed, you cannot edit grades for the prior grading period.

View Differentiated Assignments

Assignments cannot overlap grading periods except with differentiated assignments. When differentiated assignment dates overlap grading periods, the assignment appears in each appropriate grading period.

If a student is not part of an assignment in the specific grading period, the assignment is grayed out.
If a student is part of a differentiated assignment with no due date, the assignment appears in the last available grading period.
If a student is part of multiple differentiated assignments, the grading period shows the assignment in the grading period of the latest date.

Display Total Grades for All Grading Periods

When using the Multiple Grading Periods feature, you may be able to view total grades in the All Grading Periods view. This grades view also includes displaying assignment group totals. Viewing total grades in a course is managed by your Canvas administrator.

By default, viewing total grades in the All Grading Periods view is disabled in a course and affects the global Grades view, courses Grades view, and the instructor Gradebook.

View Global Grades

Students have one of two options from the global Grades page. When viewing total grades is disabled [1], students do not have the option to view All Grading Periods. They can only view the grade for a specific grading period in the course.

When viewing total grades is enabled [2], students can select the All Grading Periods option and can view the appropriate grade.

View Course Grades

In the course Grades page, a student's view of their total grade may be limited.

When viewing total grades is disabled, students cannot view the total grade calculation in either the sidebar or the bottom of the grades page. Calculations also include assignment totals for weighted assignment groups. Hiding total grades impacts calculations for student What-If Grades.

When viewing total grades is enabled, students can still view the total grade for All Grading Periods and any assignment group calculations.

Hide Grades in Individual Grading Periods

When viewing total grades is disabled, students can still view total grades for an individual grading period unless you hide student totals in Course Settings. When this setting is enabled, students will not be able to view any totals in their global grades page or course grades page.

View Closed Grading Periods

 At the course level, Canvas validates all assignments against closed grading periods in Canvas. You cannot edit assignments in closed grading periods. If an assignment is in a closed grading period, the assignment shows that the submission is in a closed grading period. Learn how to view the date range of a course grading period.

Students are not affected by closed grading periods in their Grades page.

Note: For current limitations associated with the close date feature, please view the Close Dates for Grading Periods document in the Canvas Community.

Export Gradebook

When you download scores from the Gradebook, you can export assignment scores and total grades for all grading periods or for specific grading periods.

To export Gradebook scores for all assignments associated with a specific grading period, select the grading period from the Grading Period drop-down menu [1]. Then click the Actions menu and select the Export option [3]. The CSV includes any selected grading period information; however, assignment group totals in the CSV calculate based on all grading periods.

The CSV file displays a total grade for the specific grading period being viewed. However, if the instructor exports the All Grading Periods Gradebook view, the CSV honors whether or not total grades can be viewed.