Tip #102: End of the Semester Checklist

Tip: At the end of each semester, you should

1. Make courses unavailable
2. Backup each course Gradebook
3. Archive each Blackboard course

Make courses unavailable:

1. From the Control Panel, click Customization and select Properties.
2. Underneath Set Availability, check the box next to No.
3. Click Submit.

Backup the course Gradebook:

1. From the Control Panel, click on Grade Center and select Full Grade Center.
2. Click Work Offline on the right side and select Download.
3. On the Download Grades page under Data, select Full Grade Center, and under Options, select the Delimiter Type as Tab. Under Save Location, select Download Location as My Computer.
4. Click Submit. A file containing the Grade Center data will be created.
5. Click the Download button and choose where to save the file.
   NOTE: The file will be downloaded with an *.xls extension which will open in Excel.

Archive your Blackboard course

1. From the Control Panel, click Packages and Utilities and select Export/Archive Course.
2. Click Archive.
3. On the Archive Course page under Select Copy Options, select Include Grade Center History.
4. Click Submit.
5. An email will be sent when the archive has been completed.
   NOTE: Refresh the screen to view the zip file. The course archive may take up to 15 minutes to generate.
6. Click the Archive File of the course to save to computer.

Tip #101: Backing up the Grade Center

Tip: You can back up your Grade Center by downloading a copy of it in spreadsheet format.

Here’s how to back up your Grade Center:

1. From the Control Panel, click on Grade Center and select Full Grade Center.


2. Click Work Offline on the right side and select Download.


3. On the Download Grades page under Data, select Full Grade Center, and under Options, select the Delimiter Type as Tab. Under Save Location, select Download Location as My Computer.


4. Click Submit. A file containing the Grade Center data will be created.


5. Click the Download button and choose where to save the file.
   NOTE: The file will be downloaded with an *.xls extension which will open in Excel.