Grade Sync to Synergy

Grade Sync or Grade Passback

One of the newest features in Canvas is the ability to sync grades made in Canvas to Synergy SIS. This allows us to grade once, record twice. The following section covers how this works. It is a somewhat involved set up, but once this is done it should be a great deal smoother in the future. There are three parts: Set up Canvas assignment groups, set up assignments for sync, and finally sync.

Part I: Setting up Assignment Groups

Assignment groups are the same as "Grade Book Assignment Types" in Synergy. Basically, these are the types of assignments you give in your class, such as Classwork, Homework, Quizzes, Tests, and/or Participation. The important thing to do here is make sure that Canvas has the same Assignment Groups as Synergy's Assignment Types. So if you have a Homework assignment type in Synergy, you'll need to make a Homework assignment group in Canvas.

Canvas Assignment Group = Synergy Assignment Type

  1. Navigate to your Course

  2. Select "Assignments" from the Course Navigation Menu

  3. Add an Assignment Group by selecting "+ Group"

4. Create an Assignment Group by entering in a name

    • Make sure it matches Synergy's Assignment Type

5. Select Save

6. Repeat to create Assignment Groups for each of your Synergy Assignment Types


7. Select the "three dots" symbol next to the "+ Assignment" button at the top

8. Select Assignment Groups Weight

9. Check the "Weight final grade based on assignment groups" box

10. Match weight percentages to your Synergy Assignment Type weights

11. Select Save

Part II: Setting up Assignments for Sync

This is actually very simple. When you create a new assignment, or when editing an existing assignment, ensure that the assignment has the "Sync to Synergy" box checked.

When creating a new assignment:

  1. Go to your Course

  2. Go to "Assignments"

  3. Create a New Assignment by selecting + Assignment

  4. Name it and select Save

  5. Enter into the Assignment by clicking on its name

  6. In the settings below the Rich Content Editor:

    1. Assign a Point Value

    2. Place the Assignment in the appropriate Assignment Group

    3. Adjust all settings as needed

    4. Check the "Sync to Synergy" box

  7. Select "Save"

When editing an existing assignment:

  1. Go to your Course

  2. Go to "Assignments"

  3. Enter into the Assignment by clicking on its name

  4. Select "Edit" in the upper-right corner.

  5. In the settings below the Rich Content Editor:

    1. Place the Assignment in the appropriate Assignment Group

    2. Check the "Sync to Synergy" box

  6. Select "Save"

Note: You can also place assignments into the appropriate Assignment type by click and dragging them in the "Assignments" section of your Course.

Part III: Syncing Assignments to Synergy

Assignments are not automatically synced to Synergy, this is intentional to prevent unwanted changes while you grade in Canvas. In order to sync grades to Synergy, you'll need to go to the "Grades Page" and use the Sync to Synergy tool.

  1. Go to your Course

  2. Select "Grades"

  3. Select "Actions"

  4. Select "Sync to Synergy"

    • By default, all "Sync to Synergy" assignments are checked, but you my deselect ones you do not wish to Sync.

  5. Select Post Grades

Notes:

  • Even though you may have selected all assignments for grade passback, only assignments with grades attached will be sent during the sync for creation in your SIS. If you update an assignment in Canvas and would like to update the assignment in your SIS, you'll have to modify at least one score for a student in the gradebook for that assignment for the changes to take place.

  • A single score in Canvas is only sent back once during the grade passback process. Updates to Submission Status (None, Late, Missing, or Excused) will not mark the grade/score to be resent to your SIS. To resend a score to your gradebook (with a new Submission Status), you need to update the score of the assignment and Post Grades again (or trigger a Remaster Grade Passback event). You can trigger a Remaster Grade Passback event by going to the Grade Sync tab on the course navigation, and then to Settings. Remaster Grade Passback resends scores, submission statuses and assignment details (for assignments with grades and marked as Sync to SIS) to your SIS.

Grade Book Sync to Synergy FAQs

  1. How does the Canvas Sync to Synergy work?

    • The Sync to Synergy process is started from the Actions menu on the Canvas Grade Book. A single score in Canvas is only sent back once during the grade passback process. Updates to Submission Status (None, Late, Missing, or Excused) will not mark the grade/score to be resent to Synergy. To resend a score to your Synergy gradebook (with a new Submission Status), you need to update the score of the assignment and Post Grades again (or trigger a Remaster Grade Passback event).

  2. Why am I getting an error when I try to sync from Canvas to Synergy?

    • There are a few different reasons that a Canvas sync may have errors:

      • Your Canvas Assignment Group name does not match a Synergy Assignment Type name

      • The Third Party Readonly toggle is turned off in an assignment

      • The name of the Canvas assignment is too long or contains special characters

      • The Canvas assignment point value is set to zero

  3. What does Remaster Grade Passback do?

    • The Remaster Grade Passback event can be triggered by going to the Grade Sync tab on the course navigation, and then to Settings. Remaster Grade Passback resends scores, submission statuses and assignment details to Synergy. The Remaster Grade Passback is a very intensive process, nothing should be done in Synergy while the process is running.

  4. How long does it take for a Remaster Grade Passback to complete?

    • Depending on the number of assignments in your Canvas class, if the class is cross-listed or not, and the number of other syncs in the queue, a Remaster can take anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours to complete.

  5. When should the Remaster Grade Passback be used and why?

    • The Remaster Grade Passback should only be used to fix a gradebook that is not getting synced scores using the normal sync process. Sometimes Canvas may get confused and think it has sent scores to Synergy but Synergy does not have them.

  6. If an assignment is deleted in Canvas, will it be deleted in Synergy after syncing?

    • The Canvas sync does not pass any information to Synergy about deleted assignments. If you need to delete an assignment in Synergy, you will need to unlock and save the assignment then delete it.

  7. Can the Assignments screen in Synergy be used to edit the grading periods of assignments?

    • Unfortunately, the Assignments screen cannot be used to edit or change assignments that have been synced from Canvas.

  8. Why can’t my synced assignment be edited in Synergy?

    • Assignments synced to Synergy are “owned” by Canvas and are locked for editing in Synergy. New student scores or updated/changed scores should be entered into Canvas and then synced to Synergy. If the Grading Period or Points value need to be changed, you must unlock the Third Party Readonly toggle, make the change, Save the assignment, then go back and lock the Third Party Readonly and save the assignment.

  9. Why did my synced assignments and scores disappear in my Synergy Grade book when we switched from Progress to the Quarter (or semester for continuation sites) grading period?

    • Most likely because they were only marked to show in the Progress grading period. Please insure that your setting for the Grading Period Default for New Assignments is set to: Assignment Due Date. This setting is found under the Grade Book menu > Grade Book Setup > Grade Book Settings tab. To fix this, edit the assignment, unlock the Third Party Readonly toggle, change add the appropriate grading period, save, edit again turn on the Third Party Readonly toggle and save.

  10. Why don’t the totals match between Canvas and Synergy grade books?

    • This can happen for a number of reasons:

      • Not all Canvas assignments are marked to be synced to Synergy

      • You have a filter set in the Canvas grade book that is showing less or more assignments compared to the Synergy grade book

      • Some assignments in Synergy are not marked to be displayed in the current grading period

  11. Why do some of my assignments in Synergy say Hidden or Deleted?

    • If the assignment type says Hidden, check that the setting for Which Assignment Types would you like to use for this class? Is set to Add My Types To The District Types. Setting is found under Grade Book menu > Grade Book Setup > Grade Book Setting tab.

    • If the assignment type says Deleted, that means you are using an assignment type that was deleted after the assignment was put into Synergy. Unlock the Readonly toggle for the assignment and change the assignment type.

  12. I have duplicate assignments in my Synergy Grade Book, how can I delete them?

    • If possible, edit the assignment, turn off the Readonly toggle and save. Then click the assignment and delete it. If that does not work, try unlocking the other duplicate assignment in ALL class sections and then see if the unwanted duplicate can be deleted.

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