Topics Map > Campus Services > Canvas
Canvas - Grade Passback
Getting Started
The Grade Pass-back process involves four steps:
- Apply a grading scheme in Canvas.
- Remove Test Students.
- Review grades and sync to PASS.
- View and approve grades in PASS.
Below you will find detailed instructions on how to complete these steps.
Step 1: Apply a grading scheme in Canvas
Before you can sync your grades from Canvas to PASS, you need to apply a grade scheme in Canvas. It is important that your grade scheme does not use the D-minus (D-) grade. [Note that all other +/- grades are allowable.] Every semester, you will have to apply the grading scheme to each course you teach. After the grading scheme has been applied and the sync process has been completed in Canvas, you will still need to log into PASS to verify grades were synced and to complete the grading process.
To apply the grading scheme, follow these steps:
- Log into Canvas and select the course.
- Click Settings from the Course Navigation menu (found at the bottom of the menu).
- Make sure you are on the Course Details tab.
- Scroll down to Enable course grading scheme and check the box. Then click set grading scheme. (If a grading scheme has already been set, this option will display as view grading scheme.)
- The default grading scheme includes a D-minus and is not compatible with PASS. Create your own grading scheme or edit the default scheme to remove the D-minus grade using the appropriate instructions below.
Edit Default Grade Scheme
- Click the edit pencil icon.
- Make adjustments to the default grading scheme and rename it if desired.
- Click Done.
Create a New Grade Scheme
- Click manage grading schemes at the bottom right and +Add grading scheme.
- Name your scheme and enter the ranges you will be using.
- Click Save,
- Navigate back to Settings and then click Select Another Scheme (top right).
- Select the grading scheme you just created.
- Scroll down and select Use This Grading Standard.
- Click Done.
- Scroll to the bottom of the Settings page and click Update Course Details.
For more details on creating grading schemes in Canvas, see:
Step 2: Remove Test Students
When you use the Student View, Canvas creates a test student in your course roster and it has to be removed before synching your grades with PASS. The procedure for deleting test students depends on if your course is cross-listed. Follow the appropriate instructions in this step.
Remove Test Student in Single-Section Courses (see below if your courses are cross-listed in Canvas)
- Click Settings from course navigation menu.
- Choose the Sections tab.
- Click on the hyperlink for your course section.
- Find Student, Test under Current Enrollments.
- Hovering over the Student,Test will reveal a red delete button to the right of the name.
- Click the delete button to remove the test student from the course.
Remove Test Students in Cross-Listed Sections
- Settings from course navigation menu.
- Choose the Sections tab.
- Click on the hyperlink for a course section.
- Click the Edit Section button to the right.
- Scroll down to find the Student, Test under Current Enrollments.
- Hovering over Student, Test will reveal a red delete button to the right of the name.
- Click the delete button to Remove user from course, then scroll back up and click the Update section button to save it.

- Repeat steps 1-6 for every section that is cross-listed into the course.
Step 3: Review Grades and Sync to Pass
Caution:
Before proceeding, make sure you have considered the following:
- Remove D-minus (D-) from your Canvas grade scheme.
- Enter numerical grades (or EX for excused) on all assignments. (Dashes do not count toward the final grade.)
- Test Students are removed. (If not done, there will be an error code that persists even after the grade passback sync has been successfully completed.)
Before you sync your grades to PASS, verify your letter grades are associated with percentages by clicking Grades and opening the Canvas Gradebook and doing a quick review. When you log into PASS, you should change any F grade that resulted from non-attendance to an X before setting your grade roster to Ready for Review.
Sync Canvas Grades to PASS
- When your grades are ready to be synced to PASS from Canvas, go to the Grades tab, select the Actions dropdown and click Sync to PASS
- If you are sure you are ready to sync your grades, click Sync Now to complete the grading sync to PASS.
- A green outlined dialogue box will appear at the top of your grades page stating “We have received your request to synchronize grades. After the grades are processed, you should see them in PASS.”
- If your grades haven’t shown up in PASS after 15 minutes, check the Grade Sync icon for Failed syncing. If there is a fail, make sure you applied the grading scheme correctly and try again.
- If you get an error message here, it may be because the Registrar's office has not yet created the Grade Rosters. Grade Passback can only be used for final grades after the rosters have been created in PASS.
Step 4: View and approve grades in PASS
You must log into PASS to verify grades were synched and to complete the grading process. For more information on approving grades in PASS, see PASS - Submitting Final Grades (9.2)