Canvas Feature Request: Enhanced Submission and Grade Status Indicators

[khammon9]

Problem Statement

The current Canvas Gradebook creates confusion when tracking assignments that require resubmission after instructor feedback. When a student submits work, receives feedback indicating the work is incomplete, and needs to resubmit for additional requirements, the visual indicators in the Gradebook do not clearly differentiate between:

• Initial submission status (green background = submitted)
• Current grade/completion status (document icon vs. X for incomplete)
• Resubmission requirements

Current Issue

When an assignment uses rubrics with Complete/Incomplete/Ungraded status options:

1. Student submits work (cell turns green with document icon)
2. Instructor regrades as "Incomplete" and provides feedback
3. Gradebook cell remains green with document icon
4. No visual distinction exists between "submitted but incomplete" and "completed work"
5. When student resubmits, there's no clear indicator this is a resubmission vs. initial submission

Proposed Solution

Implement enhanced visual indicators that clearly differentiate submission status from grade/completion status:

Visual Indicator System:

• Green background: Maintains current meaning (work has been submitted)
• Icons should reflect current grade status, not just submission status:
  • X icon: Work marked as Incomplete (regardless of submission status)
  • Document icon: Work submitted but not yet graded
  • Checkmark icon: Work marked as Complete
• Resubmission indicator: Add a small badge or different border style to indicate when work has been resubmitted after initial grading

Expected Workflow:

1. Initial submission: Green background + document icon
2. Graded as incomplete: Green background + X icon (clearly shows work submitted but incomplete)
3. After resubmission: Green background + document icon + resubmission indicator
4. Final completion: Green background + checkmark icon

Benefits

• Clarity for instructors: Immediate visual distinction between submitted work that's complete vs. incomplete
• Improved workflow efficiency: Instructors can quickly identify which assignments need attention vs. which are awaiting resubmission
• Better student communication: Clear visual feedback about work status
• Enhanced tracking: Easy identification of resubmissions for assignments requiring iterative improvement

Use Cases

This enhancement would particularly benefit:

• Courses using rubric-based grading with Complete/Incomplete options
• Project-based assignments requiring multiple rounds of feedback
• Writing courses with draft submission and revision cycles
• Any assignment workflow where resubmission is part of the learning process

Implementation Considerations

• Maintain backward compatibility with existing gradebook views
• Ensure accessibility compliance for color-blind users through icon differentiation
• Consider adding this as an optional display setting for instructors who prefer current system

[NoahBoswell · Accepted solution]

Hi @khammon9 ,

Thank you for sharing your feature idea with the Community!

I recommend submitting this as an official feature idea, that way it could be considered for future development. You can submit a feature idea by clicking the link below! https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Ideas/ct-p/canvas-ideas-themes

All the best,
Noah