Setting Up a Weighted Gradebook in Canvas

Setting Up a Weighted Gradebook in Canvas in Conjunction with Simple Syllabus

It is necessary to have your Canvas Gradebook configured properly prior to setting up your Simple Syllabus. In this Guide, we’ll take a look at weighted assignment groups, the assignments within those assignment groups, and the integration with Simple Syllabus.

NOTE: All assignments listed in your Canvas Gradebook are listed on your Assignments index page.

Assignment Groups

In Canvas, you can create Assignment Groups to group all similarly-typed assignments together. Additionally, you can weight those Assignment Groups (see below) for use in your Canvas Gradebook.

In your Simple Syllabus document for your course, look at the Basis for Final Grade section. The names and percentages listed here should match the Assignment Groups names and weighted percentages in Canvas.

For example, you might have three Assignment Groups for your course: Assignments, Exams, and Discussion Topics. By default, every Canvas course has a minimum of one Assignment Group (called Assignments), but you can re-name all Assignment Groups to meet your course needs.

Creating Additional Assignment Groups in Your Canvas Course

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Enable Assignment Group Weighting

These steps assume that the option to Weight final grade based on assignment groups has been enabled in your course. To verify this, skip to the next section on this page, Verify Weighting. Then, return to this section if you need to add additional Assignment Groups to your course.

  1. In Course Navigation, click the Assignments link.
  2. Click on the ➕ Group button on the upper right corner of your screen.
  3. In the Add Assignment Group window that appears, add a Group Name.
  4. If you are weighting your Assignment Groups, add a number to the % of total grade text box.
  5. Click the Save button.

Your new Assignment Group will be added to the bottom of your Assignments index page.

🆕Removing Unused Assignment Groups in Your Course

Please refer to Unused Assignment Groups in Canvas Courses.

Verify Weighting

Once your Assignment Groups have been created, you will want to verify that your Assignment Groups are properly weighted.

  1. In Course Navigation, click the Assignments link.
  2. Select the Options (three vertical dots) icon on the upper right corner of your screen.
  3. Select Assignment Groups Weight.
A screenshot of the Canvas Assignments page header highlights the steps to access assignment weighting options. To the right of the dark purple "+ Assignment" button, a yellow circle labeled "2" points to the options icon (three vertical dots). This menu is expanded, revealing a dropdown list where the "Assignment Groups Weight" option is highlighted in dark purple and marked by a yellow circle labeled "3."
  1. Select the Weight final grade based on assignment groups checkbox (if not selected already).
  2. Verify that the percentages for each of your Assignment Groups adds up to 100%.
  3. Click the Save button.
A screenshot of the "Assignment Groups Weight" pop-up window in Canvas shows the option "Weight final grade based on assignment groups" checked. Below this, three assignment groups are listed with their corresponding percentage weights: "Assignments" set to 65%, "Exams" set to 25%, and "Discussion Topics" set to 10%. A dark purple arrow points to the calculated "Total" of 100%. Yellow numbered circles annotate the process: step 4 marks the checkbox, step 5 marks the percentage input fields, and step 6 marks the "Save" button.

Each weighted percentage will display on the right-hand side of the Assignment Group name on the Assignments index page.

A screenshot of the "Exams" assignment group header on the Canvas Assignments page displays the group's title on the left. On the far right, a rounded badge clearly labels the group as worth "25% of Total" of the final grade. Standard interface controls, including a drag handle icon on the left and "Add" and "Options" buttons on the right, frame the group title and percentage.

Verify Assignments

To verify your assignments are set up properly in your Canvas Gradebook:

  1. In Course Navigation, click the Assignments link.
  2. Check that each assignment is:
    1. within the appropriate weighted group.
    2. properly titled, has a due date, and is set to 100 points.
    3. published.
A screenshot of the "Homework Submissions" assignment group in Canvas shows the group header labeled with a yellow circle "A" and a badge indicating it is weighted at "50% of Total." The group contains three specific assignment items: "Homework 1 Submission," "Homework 2 Submission," and "Homework 3 Submission," each displaying due dates and point values. Yellow circles labeled "B" point to these assignment titles, while yellow circles labeled "C" highlight the green checkmark icons located on the far right of each assignment row, indicating that the content is published and visible to students.

Simple Syllabus

Any changes made to assignments may take up to 24 hours to synchronize with Simple Syllabus. However, we’ve found that Simple Syllabus synchronizes almost immediately with Canvas. The Schedule section of Simple Syllabus will automatically list all assignments and include links to those assignments.

A screenshot of the "Schedule" component within Simple Syllabus displays a table listing assignment details imported from Canvas. The table columns include "Due Date," "Assignment," "Assignment Type," and "Points." The first row shows a due date of "9/9/25" for the assignment "Homework 1 Submission: Apply Realistic Anatomy to a Stylized Character," worth 100 points. Subsequent rows list assignments such as "Homework 2 Submission," "Module 2: Warm Up Exercise," "Homework 3 Submission," and "Module 3: Warm Up Exercise," all with due dates in September 2025 and worth 100 points each. A note at the top states, "This assignment schedule is subject to change. All changes will be posted on Canvas."

Some Simple Syllabus components are already set by CCS or your department and cannot be edited. Other components (Example: “Instructor Information” shown below) can be edited by faculty.

A screenshot of the "Instructor Information" section in the Simple Syllabus interface. An instruction banner at the top specifies adding office location, hours, and an optional Calendly link. The section itself contains a partially redacted email, an orange warning that "Faculty Office Hours and Days is required," and an "Add new instructor" link. A prominent purple arrow points to the word "Required" in the bottom-left corner of the section, indicating that this component of the syllabus is mandatory.

Once all components are complete, click the Submit button at the bottom of the screen to have it sent for approval by your department. Once approved, students will be able to see your Simple Syllabus in the course navigation of the respective Canvas course.

Note:

  • Students will only be able to view approved syllabi. If any changes are made and submitted, students will see the previous syllabi until the changes are approved.

Additional Resources

Create Assignment Groups and Add Grade Weights to Canvas
Add an assignment group in a course
Weight the final course grade based on assignment groups
Move or reorder an assignment
Move or reorder an assignment group
Add or edit details in an assignment
Add or edit points for an assignment
Publish or unpublish an assignment as an instructor

How do I publish or unpublish an assignment as an instructor?

00:07: How do I publish or unpublish an assignment as an instructor? 00:11: In course, navigation, click the assignments link? 00:15: On the assignments index page, you can view the status of each assignment. 00:20: Green icons indicate the assignment is published. 00:24: Great icons. Indicate unpublished assignments. 00:26: You can change the status of an assignment. 00:29: By toggling the published and unpublished icons, 00:34: To publish an assignment, click the assignments unpublished icon. 00:37: The hover text will confirm, you want to publish the assignment. 00:42: To unpublish an assignment hover over the assignments published icon 00:46: and view, its status If the assignment can be unpublished, the 00:50: hover text will confirm. You want to unpublish the assignment? Click 00:54: the icon to confirm. 00:57: Assignments with student, submissions, cannot be unpublished and the hover 01:01: text will notify you accordingly. 01:04: Within individual assignments, the assignment status is shown next to the assignment 01:08: name. 01:10: To publish an assignment. Click the assignments, published by button. 01:15: The button will change from Gray to Green. 01:18: To unpublish an assignment hover over the published button for the assignment 01:22: and view its status. If the assignment can be unpublished, the 01:26: hover text will confirm, you want to unpublish the assignment and the button will 01:30: change from green to red. Click the button to confirm. 01:35: Assignments with student submissions, cannot be unpublished. 01:39: Students cannot see any of the actions involved with published status such 01:43: as published and unpublished icons and setting icons. 01:47: Students will only see published assignments, which are posted in, great text. 01:53: This guide covered how to publish or unpublish an assignment as an instructor.