Create and Manage Attendance

Summary

This guide explains how instructors can manage attendance in Brightspace, including creating registers and sessions, setting attendance schemes, entering data, modifying visibility, and restoring deleted registers.

Body

Introduction:

The Attendance tool in Brightspace allows instructors to track student attendance across classes, seminars, or events. You can create registers, add sessions, record attendance, and control visibility for learners. This guide covers how to create and edit registers, add sessions, enter data, and manage visibility.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Default Scheme is as Follows:
P = Present (100%)
A = Absent (0%)

To create new schemes:

1. From your course navbar, select Tools, then Attendance.
2. From the options, select New Scheme.
3. Name and assign characters, labels, and percentages to your fitting.
- You can add more rows by the + Add Status [###]
- You cna delete by using the delete.
4. Click on Save and then Close

Expand for the following options.

Create an Attendance Register and Sessions

1. From your course navbar, select Tools, then Attendance.
2. On the Attendance Registers page, click New Register.
3. Enter a Name and Description.
4. Select an Attendance Scheme from the dropdown.
5. (Optional) Set a Cause for Concern % to highlight students falling below the attendance requirement.
6. Choose whether to allow students to view this register.
7. Select the users to include (all students, groups, or sections).
8. Add sessions for your register (e.g., Week 1, Week 2).
9. Click Save.

Add Sessions to an Existing Register

1. Go to Attendance → Attendance Registers.
2. From the Actions menu beside a register, select Edit Register.
3. In the Sessions section, enter the number of new sessions and click Add Sessions.
4. Provide names for each session.
5. Click Save → Close.

Set a Cause for Concern Percentage

1. From Attendance Registers, click New Register or Edit Register.
2. In the Cause for Concern field, enter the minimum attendance percentage.
3. Click Save.

Enter Attendance Data

1. From your course navbar, select Attendance.
2. Click the register name.
3. On the Attendance Data page, click the Enter Attendance Data icon next to a session.
4. Use the Attendance Status dropdown for each student, or apply the same status to all.
5. Click Save, then Done.

Modify Register Visibility

• Individual register: From Attendance Registers, select Actions → Make Visible to Users or Hide from Users.
• Multiple registers: Select the checkboxes, then from More Actions, choose Make Visible to Users or Hide from Users.

Edit, Delete, or Restore Registers

• Edit: From Attendance Registers, select Actions → Edit Register. Update details and click Save.
Note: You cannot change the attendance scheme once session data has been added.
• Delete individual register: From Actions, select Delete, then confirm.
• Delete multiple registers: Select the checkboxes → More Actions → Delete → Confirm.
• Restore a deleted register: From More Actions, select View Deleted Registers, then Restore beside the register.

Delete Attendance Sessions

Important: Deleting a session clears all associated attendance data permanently. Only delete sessions if you are certain the data is no longer needed

1. From Attendance Registers, select Actions → Edit Register.
2. Next to the session, click Delete.

Troubleshooting Tips:

• Can’t edit the attendance scheme?
- Schemes are locked once session data has been added. Create a new register if you need a different scheme.
• Deleted the wrong session or register?
- Use the Restore Deleted Registers option, but note that individual session data cannot be restored once deleted.
• Students can’t see the register?
- Double-check the visibility settings under Actions or More Actions.

Additional Resources:

FAQ Section:

• Q: Can I track attendance for specific groups only?
- A: Yes. When creating a register, you can select groups or sections instead of including all users.
• Q: Can students mark their own attendance?
- A: No. Attendance must be entered by the instructor or course facilitator.
• Q: What’s the difference between a register and a session?
- A: A register is the overall attendance tracker (e.g., “Weekly Seminar”), while sessions are the individual events within it (e.g., “Week 1,” “Week 2”
• Q: Can I export attendance data?
- A: Yes. Attendance data can be exported to CSV or Excel through the Attendance tool options.

Details

Article ID: 164068

Created

Wed 9/3/25 2:53 PM

Modified

Wed 9/10/25 12:03 PM