Helps for Using PowerGrade

This page will get you started with PowerGrade. You can also download the PowerGrade Users Guide or the Quick Reference.

1. After downloading, your system should have automatically placed a folder called "PowerGrade" on your desktop. Inside this folder is the PowerGrade application itself, "PG3.comp". Double-click on PG3.comp.
2. After a moment a window will appear asking you to select a data file (the message "Open data file" will appear near the top of the window). Click the "New data file" button.
3. After another few moments, the startup screen will appear. You are now ready to start using PowerGrade. Skip to the section titled "Starting to use PowerGrade" several paragraphs below.

1. Downloading puts a file called "pg3inst.exe" on your computer. Double-click on this file to start the installation process. Follow the simple instructions on the screen.
2. After the installation program is through, locate the "PowerGrade" folder on your hard drive. If you didn't specify a different location during installation, PowerGrade will usually be installed here: C:\Programs\PowerGrade\
3. After a moment a window will appear asking you to select a data file (the message "Open which data file" will appear in the title bar of the window). Click the "New" button. On the next screen, click the "Save" button.
4. After another few moments, the startup screen will appear. You are now ready to start using PowerGrade.

1. You should now see a "Welcome to PowerGrade!" window which asks for your PowerSchool server I.P. address. After entering the I.P. address (available from your network administrator), click the "Continue" button.
2. If you are in a district with multiple schools using the same PowerSchool server, you will be asked to select which school you are in. After doing so, click the OK button. If you aren't in such a district, this window will not appear and you should ignore this step.
3. Next, a window showing all of the teachers in your school will appear. Select your name from the list and click "Continue."
4. In the next window, enter your PowerSchool password (available from your network administrator) and then click "Continue."
5. Now sit back and watch PowerGrade download all of your classes from the PowerSchool server. Quite a bit of data including class rolls, attendance codes, terms, and other information will be downloaded so it may take a minute or two. When it is done, a message will appear on your screen informing you that your classes are now available.
6. You can look under the "Classes" menu and select any of your classes. After you select a class, blank spreadsheet will open on your screen. This is a new, empty class. You should now go under the windows menu and set up categories, assignment, and gradescale. After you enter a few assignments and students, you can begin entering scores on the spreadsheet. Basic information on setting up this information follows.

1. The first thing you need to do in a class is set up categories for your assignments. Categories are usually things like "Homework" and "Tests" at the secondary level or "Reading" and "Math" at the elementary level. To set up categories, select Categories... from the Windows menu.
2. To add a new category to this class, click the New Category button near the bottom of the window. Now enter a name and abbreviation for the category and click the Accept button.
3. If you would like to edit an existing category, simply click on the category name on the left hand side of the window, then make the desired changes in the fields on the right side of the screen, then click Accept.
4. Close the category window when you are through by clicking in the close box in the very upper left-hand corner of the window.

1. Select Assignment... from the Windows menu.
2. To add a new assignment to this class, click the New Assignment button near the bottom of the window. Now enter a name, abbreviation, date, points possible, and category for the assignment and click the Accept button.
3. If you would like to edit an existing assignment, simply click on the assignment name on the left hand side of the window, then make the desired changes in the fields on the right side of the screen, then click Accept.
4. Close the assignment window when you are through by clicking in the close box in the very upper left-hand corner of the window.

1. From the Windows menu select Spreadsheet.
2. Now double-click in any cell on the spreadsheet, type a score, and press RETURN. The score is now recorded. Overall grades are updated immediately upon entering or changing any score.

1. Click Add an assignment to this class.
2. Select the assignment to delete.
3. Click Delete then Yes.

1. Click Add an assignment to this class.
2. Select the assignment to delete.
3. Click Delete then Yes.

1. Click in the top cell of the assignment you wish to fill.
2. Select Utilities/Fill Scores, enter a score to fill, (to fill only empty scores check to fill only un-scored box.)

1. Click Open on the attendance window.
2. Click the name of the tardy/absent student.
3. Click OK.
4. To change a code, repeat steps 1-3.

1. Open PowerGrade and select the class for which you wish to submit a count, from the Classes Menu.
2. Select Submit Lunch Count from the Utilities Menu.
3. Enter the number of students that plan to participate in each program.

1. Select Reports/Create New Report.
2. Select the report type.
3. Click Basic Report Info tab. Enter report name.
4. Use comment codes and text on the Header and Footer tabs to create the header and footer.
5. Select students to included students.
6. Click OK.

1. Select Reports/ Edit Report.
2. Select the report.
3. Select either Header or Footer tab.
4. Click Insert Comment Code.
5. Select the type of code and enter any text.
6. Repeat step 5 to add other codes.
7. Click OK.

1. Select Reports/ Preview Report.
2. Select the report.
3. Click Print to print or Stop to edit the report.