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Learn@Illinois Moodle - Importing Grades Using a Spreadsheet
Learn how you can import scores from a spreadsheet into your Learn@Illinois Moodle gradebook in order to save time hand-entering grades.
For a permanent link to this information, please use: http://go.illinois.edu/MoodleImportGrades
This feature is handy when you must manually enter grades for assignments outside of Moodle and prefer to keep these grades in an Excel file to upload at the end of the semester. It is advisable to keep grades in an Excel file that is generated by Moodle. This page explains how to:
- Add a manual grade item to the gradebook
- Download a blank file from Moodle to keep your grades in
- Prepare the file for upload
- Import the file at the end of the semester to upload the grades to the Moodle gradebook
STEP 1: Add a Grade Item or Grade Items for the Assignment(s) you Wish to Grade in Excel
If the grade item does not already exist in Moodle, we recommend adding a new manual grade item for any assignment you plan to grade in Excel.
Note: If you import without adding a grade item first, it will automatically make the Max grade (total points) 100 points and you will not be able to add feedback.
STEP 2: Export an Excel file
- Click Grades.
- Click Grader report and select Export.
- Click OpenDocument spreadsheet and select Excel spreadsheet.
- Under "Grade items to be included," check the checkbox to the right of the manual grade item you have created that you would like to grade in Excel.
- Click Download. The file will download automatically.
- Your file will look something like this.
STEP 3: Prepare the File for Upload
- Delete all columns except "Email address" and the assignment for which you are uploading grades.
Note: You may optionally insert another column called "Feedback" and add feedback to the student about the grade.
Note: If you are not downloading an Excel file, make it match this format. You may alternatively use the NetID instead of the student email address in the first column.
- Enter grades (and feedback, if using).
- Save this file in CSV format.
Note: You may get warnings from Excel when you save as a CSV. If these appear, just click continue.
STEP 4: Import the File
- From the course homepage, click Grades if not already on a grades-related page.
- Click Export (or whichever grades page you were on last) and select Import.
- Drag and drop your CSV file into the box or click Choose a file... and add the CSV file to the file uploader.
- When you are done, click Upload grades.
- In the "Identify user by" section, you will map the column from your CSV file to the variable in Moodle:
- For "Map from", select the email column header name that you used in your CSV file (e.g., Email address).
- For "Map to", select Email address.
Note: If you are using NetIDs to identify students, select the NetID column header name that you used in your CSV file for "Map from" and Username for "Map to".
Note: Do not select "User ID" or "ID number."
- In the "Grade item mappings" section make the following changes:
- By the "Email address" (or "NetID" field), select Ignore.
- By the name of your assignment from the column header in your file on the left, select the name of the grade item in Moodle that you want to import to.
- If you have a feedback column in your file, select the name of the feedback item in Moodle that you want to import to.
Note: The text on the left contains the names of the columns in your spreadsheet. In the drop-down menus, you are selecting the corresponding item in the gradebook.
- Click Upload grades.
Note: This action can take several minutes. If you receive an error message, make sure that your CSV file contains no errors and try again.