Set up grade scales

Scales are a grade type within Totara Learn that offer an alternative to numeric grading. You can share scales across the site (standard scale) or have them be local to a particular course (custom scale). Once a scale is created it will be accessible to use for anyone who has access at that level e.g. a standard scale is available to all editing users as it is site level, a custom scale is only available to others with editing right on that particular course. 

You can set Scale as the grade type when setting up a grade item or activity on a course. 

Anyone with editing rights can create a grade scale on a course and Site Administrators can also create a scale on a site level. 

Creating a scale from a course

It is possible to create a new grade scale from a course by following these steps:

1. On the course go to Grades > Scales from the Administration block. 
2. Click Add a new scale. 
3. Configure the settings to your preferences. 
4. If you are a Site Administrator you can enable the Standard scale setting to make the scale available to Trainers or other admins on the site.
5. Click Save changes. 

Creating a scale at site level 

If you are a Site Administrator then you can add a scale at the site level which will be usable by any Trainers or administrators on the site.

1. Go to Quick-access menu > Grades > Scales.
2. Click Add a new scale. 
3. Configure the settings to your preferences. 
4. Click Save changes. 

Editing scales

Editing a scale works in a very similar way for a scale added at a site or course level. You can only edit a scale that you created. 

1. Go to Grades > Scales from the either Administration block (on the course) or the Administration menu (on the site). 
2. Alongside the scale you wish to edit click the cog icon ().
3. Configure the settings to your preferences. 
4. Click Save changes. 

Deleting scales

You can only delete a scale that you created. However, it works in a very similar way for both site and course level scales. 

1. Go to Grades > Scales from the either Administration block (on the course) or the Administration menu (on the site). 
2. Alongside the scale you wish to delete edit click the cross icon ().