Although each of these features will be discussed in more detail, here's an overview of the major features and functions of the Full Grade Center:

1. Create Column is used to manually create a Grade Columns. Blackboard automatically creates columns for all items (tests, assignments, discussions, blogs, etc.) that are designated as gradable. Work for which Blackboard has not created a column automatically, can still be recorded in the Full Grade Center by manually by clicking on the Create Column button.
2. Create Calculated Column is used to create one of four types of columns (Average, Maximum/Minimum, Total, and Weighted) that can be used to mathematically summarize the scores represented in other designated columns.
3. Manage reveals a drop-down menu that allows you to define Grading Schemas, Categories, Smart Views, Grading Color Codes and to Organize the order and visibility of columns.
4. Reports is used to generate printable reports from Grade Center data or to display the Grade History. Reports are designed to be shared with Students and Observers. Reports can be generated for all of the grades in the Grade Center, for a specific time frame such as a marking period, for a defined group of Students, or for a defined Category of grades. Grade History is a tool that tracks all changes to grades within the Grade Center.
   
5. Filter displays the Filter Bar can be used to view specific items in the Grade Center. This view is focused by using the following criteria: Current View, Category, and Status. These criteria can be stacked to produce a view such as all users who are still working on a test (Tests, Test, In progress).
6. Work Offline can be used Upload or Download the Grade Center data to or from a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel. Download creates a tab or comma-delimited text file that can be imported into Excel. Upload accepts a tab or comma-delimited text file to be imported into the Grade Center.
7. Sort Columns By allows you to sort columns by Layout Position, Categories, Due Date, Date Created, Points Possible, or Display Name and to display them in either Ascending or Descending order.
8. Click the chevron just to the right of the column name to display a context-sensitive menu that allows you to view and modify many of the properties associated with that particular column.
9. Icon Legend displays a list of icons that are used in the Grade Center.
10. Edit Rows Displayed is used to define the minimum number of rows that are displayed on the screen at one time (there is a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 50).
11. Email is used to send an email message (via your Gmail account) to all students who you've selected by placing a checkmark to the left of their name in the Last Name column.

While working in the Grade Center, you may encounter many of the icons above:

1. User Unavailable: This icon indicates the student has been marked as unavailable by the instructor, or the student has dropped or withdrawn from the course.
2. Column Not Visible to Users: This icon indicates that the column is not visible to students under My Grades
3. Completed: If students have submitted an item for a column marked Complete/Incomplete, a checkmark will appear for that student.  Note: Credit is not automatically awarded to students.  To award credit, instructors must enter a point value for students.
4. Needs Grading: A yellow exclamation point symbol indicates that the student has submitted work that requires grading for the instructor.
5. Override: A yellow triangle will appear in a student's cell if an instructor manually overrides a student's submitted attempt grade.
6. Attempt in Progress: This icon indicates that the student's attempt is presently in progress.
7. External Grade: A green checkmark in a column header indicates which grade is reported in the student's Report Card module.
8. Grade Exempted for this User: This icon indicates that the graded item is excluded from the student's grade calculations.
9. Error: This icon indicates that an error has occurred.
10. Not Participating: This icon indicates that student is not participating in a specific activity.  This is commonly encountered in graded group discussion boards.
11. Anonymous Grading is enabled for this item: This icon indicates that the item in question is being graded anonymously.