How do I upload my final grades?

Quick links: Quest help for faculty and staff

Last updated: August 23, 2024

On this page:

Troubleshooting
Prepare your roster for upload
Instructions to upload your grades
Transaction results and error messages

Troubleshooting

In order to upload your final grades to Quest, you need access to "Faculty Center" in Quest (all instructors should have access).
- Note: if you don't have "Faculty Centre", see Faculty Center on the Resources for Staff and Faculty site to learn how to get access (authentication required - for current employees only).
Review which are the best browsers to use when uploading your grades.
If you're having setup difficulties with your work station, see your Computer Support Administrator.
View how to resolve any error messages you might be receiving.
There is a new Excel feature asking users if they want Excel to remove leading zeros. Either option is acceptable in Quest.
If you're having difficulties with the application, submit a support request.
If you're a LEARN user and you're having difficulties with your grades file, visit the following LEARN help pages for assistance:
Grade changes during the final grade submission period:
- To update an INC grade to a numeric grade, re-upload your grades (with any INCs changed to the assigned numeric grade) to Quest.
- To update/change a previously submitted numeric grade, re-upload your grades (with revised grades) to Quest.
Grade changes after the final grade submission period:
- To update an INC grade to a numeric grade:
  - Undergraduate studies: Submit a support request.
  - Graduate studies: Complete a Grade Revision Form (PDF).
- To update/change a previously submitted numeric grade:
  - Undergraduate studies: Submit a support request.
  - Graduate studies: Complete a Grade Revision Form (PDF).
- To submit a late roster of grades (.CSV format):
  - Undergraduate studies: Submit a support request.
  - Graduate studies: Email the completed roster to gso.grades@uwaterloo.ca.

Prepare your roster for upload

Make sure:

You have an up-to-date class roster at your disposal. View instructions to download your class roster.
Grades are assigned to the correct student. The names on a LEARN class roster may be displayed in a different order than the Quest roster used to upload grades.
There are no blank grades.
The header row is removed.
Numeric grade values are 0 to 100, without decimals.
Entered grades match the course's grading basis, i.e., a grading basis of NUM must have a grade entry of 0 to 100; a grading basis of CNC must have a grade entry of CR or NCR.
You have entered only allowed non-numeric (alpha) grades, and in upper-case characters: CR, DNW, INC, IP, NCR, NMR.
- Note: You may NOT submit the following grades: AEG, AUD, FTC, MM, NG, UR, WD, WF.
  - Grades of WD or WF: If you see these on your roster, no action is required and no grade change will be permitted. They are assigned if a student withdrew from the class after specific drop deadlines.
  - Grade of UR: Leave the grade blank and disregard the subsequent error stating that "this grade is not a valid entry". It is assigned by the Registrar's Office or Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs following directions of the Associate Dean.
  - Grade of AUD: Leave the grade blank and disregard the subsequent error stating that "this grade is not a valid entry". It is assigned by the Registrar's Office or Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs following directions of the instructor. If you wish to submit a grade of AUD, or if a student has failed this audited course, please submit a support request (for an undergraduate course) or email gso.grades@uwaterloo.ca (for a graduate course) with the following information:
    - Student name and ID number.
    - Course details: subject, catalog number, and section number.
    - Indicate that the student should receive an AUD, or indicate that the student failed the audit.

Instructions

Sign in to Quest.
Select theUpload Grades tile.
Select the Step 1 of 4 link - Select a Grades File to upload.
Search for the appropriate .csv file using Choose File and then selectUpload.
An Upload Successful note should appear at the bottom of the page.
Select the Step 2 of 4 link - Process the Grades file.
The "Pre-Edits" page is used for reviewing your uploaded grades file. You can review transactions by type (accepted, failed, all) by selecting the desired filter using the Filter Results By drop-down list.
When you're ready to submit the grades, select Submit this Grades file.You'll receive the first of two automatic notification of grade submission email messages. You'll also see a "Submission Complete" screen, with a batch number, letting you know that the submission is complete. You can select Upload My Final Grades to upload another grade roster.
Once your grades have been posted on Quest, you'll receive a second "notification of grade action" email message. With this second email message, a class roster will be attached with the grades that you've submitted. Open the attachment to verify your submission.

Transaction results

Accepted transactions

A checkmark in the "Accepted" column on the left indicates that the grade has been accepted. An unmarked checkbox indicates an error (see Failed transactions below).

Failed transactions

An unmarked checkbox indicates an error. Refer to the "Messages" column to review the error and click on the link to identify a solution.

Error messages

Select Return to return to the "Pre-Edits" page. Then select Submit this Grades file(will submit all successful transactions) or select Cancel and Re-Submit(will not post successful transactions). You can upload your final gradesuntil you're able to submit your grades file successfully.

Resolving error messages
Go back to your original saved data file to adjust your grades (current grading system). If you have error(s) that you can't resolve, submit a support request.

Possible reasons for errors and the solutions

Error	Solution
You are trying to submit a grade for a student that is not properly registered in your course.	Generate a new class roster to verify that the student is no longer registered in your course.
The grade is blank.	Enter a grade.
The grade contains a decimal point.	Remove the decimal. For example, change 67.8 to 68.
The grade value is greater than 100.	Choose a grade between 0 and 100.
The grading basis for this student does not match the entry; it is found on your downloaded Class Roster.	A grading basis of NUM must have a grade entry of 0 to 100. A grading basis of CNC must have a grade entry of CR or NCR. Note: All alpha characters must be upper case.
You may not submit the following grades: AUD, AEG, FTC, MM, NG, UR, WD, WF	Leave the grade blank and disregard the subsequent error stating that "this grade is not a valid entry."
If you are trying to submit a grade for a student and your file has a header row, you are receiving this error: Invalid Catalog format. Format should be in the form of 'nnnnxxxxxx' where nnnn is zero to 4 leading numeric positions. The PeopleCode program executed an Error statement, which has produced this message.	Remove the header row from your Excel file.