Using Canvas import rubric

[ian10]

Hi

Setting up a rubric using the import rubric template csv file, content looks like it conforms to the requirements, but when I upload the file no rubric appears.

Is there any way to see that has gone wrong during the import, trying to see if I have stuffed up the format of the import csv file.

Thanks

Ian

[ian10]

OK after a bit of cut & pasting, I think I have found the answer.

The import process does not appear to like certain punctuation in the text, e.g. commas, quotes or brackets.

Wonder why Ummmm

[Chris_Hofer]

Hi @ian10 ...

While I don't have an exact answer for you, I seem to recall several years back a similar issue when I was using @James Jones' "Canvancement" to import rubrics from a spreadsheet.  I recall trying to use a special character in my own spreadsheet, and it was not uploading correctly to Canvas.

Based on your question, I'm assuming that you are using the Enhanced Rubrics feature of Canvas which has their own way of importing a rubric via a CSV file.  I've not used this enough to give you a solid answer, however.  Sorry about that.

I do see James post replies here from time to time, so maybe he'd be able to shine some light on the special characters.  But, keep in mind that the Community site is going into a "read only" state very, very soon.  Read more about this at: Community Migration Update: Preparing for Read-Onl... - Instructure Community - 663360.

Good luck!

[James · Accepted solution]

@ian10 

It's likely an error in the CSV file. Are you manually generating it or doing a File > Save As and changing the type to CSV. In Excel, the type is CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (*.csv). There is also a CSV without the UTF-8 that can be used if you don't have any utf-8 characters (things outside the normal letters, numbers, and basic symbols) like emojis or some international characters.

If you're manually generating the file, here are some basics.

• Commas are used to separate fields (spreadsheet cells) and each row in the spreadsheet is a row in the CSV file.
• Wrapping each cell in double quote marks " is optional and typically not done. There are three exceptions -- see next item.
• If you have a comma, double quote, or line terminator within a field, then you need to wrap the cell with double quotation marks ".
• If you have quotation marks " within your cells, then you need to escape them by double quoting them and putting a quotation mark at the beginning and end of the cell. 

For example, if you had the text: This is "awesome", then you would need "This is ""awesome""". The triple " at the end is the double "" for the " that is part of the text and then another " to end the quoted cell.

If you save your rubric as a CSV file from a spreadsheet, it should take of all that for you.

There is a potential issue with UTF-8 encoding depending on your locale. There are several export/import related feature options under your (personal) Account > Settings in Canvas.