How to Configure Marking Periods in openSIS | Academic Term Setup Guide

How to Configure Marking Periods in openSIS

Introduction

The Marking Periods setting in openSIS allows institutions to define the academic term structure used throughout the system. Marking Periods help organize grading cycles, attendance tracking, report cards, transcripts, scheduling, and academic reporting workflows.

openSIS supports a hierarchical marking period structure, allowing institutions to create:

  • Full Year marking periods
  • Child marking periods such as Semesters
  • Sub-child marking periods such as Quarters or Progress Periods

Since many academic workflows depend on Marking Periods, proper configuration is important before scheduling and grading activities begin.


Navigation

Go to:

Settings → School → Marking Periods


Purpose of Marking Periods

Marking Periods define the academic timeline and grading structure of the institution.

They are used to:

  • Organize academic terms
  • Control grading timelines
  • Configure exams and comments
  • Generate report cards
  • Support GPA calculations
  • Structure attendance workflows
  • Maintain transcript records

Marking Periods are connected to multiple academic and administrative workflows throughout openSIS.


Understanding the Marking Period Hierarchy

openSIS supports a multi-level academic hierarchy.

A typical structure may include:

LevelExample
Parent Marking PeriodFull Year
Child Marking PeriodSemester
Sub-Child Marking PeriodQuarter
Progress PeriodProgress Period 1

This structure helps institutions organize grading and academic evaluation workflows more effectively.


Understanding the Marking Period Screen

The Marking Periods screen displays:

  • Academic hierarchy structure
  • Parent and child relationships
  • Begin and end dates
  • Grade posting timelines
  • Grading configuration indicators

The right-side details panel displays detailed information for the selected marking period.

Administrators can:

  • Add new marking periods
  • Add child marking periods
  • Edit marking periods
  • Delete marking periods
  • View academic hierarchy visually

Adding a New Marking Period

To create a new Marking Period:

  1. Open the Marking Periods screen
  2. Click + Add New
  3. Enter the required information:
    • Title
    • Short Name
    • Begin Date
    • End Date
    • Grade Posting Begin Date
    • Grade Posting End Date
  4. Configure the available options:
    • Graded
    • Exam
    • Comments
  5. Click Submit

The new Marking Period will now appear in the academic hierarchy.


Adding Child Marking Periods

openSIS allows administrators to create child marking periods under existing parent periods.

For example:

  • Full Year
    • Semester 1
      • Quarter 1
      • Quarter 2

To create a child marking period:

  1. Select the parent Marking Period
  2. Click + Add Child Marking Period
  3. Enter the required information
  4. Click Submit

The child Marking Period must remain within the parent period date range.


Understanding Marking Period Fields

Title

The full name of the Marking Period.

Examples:

  • Full Year
  • Semester 1
  • Quarter 1
  • Progress Period 1

Short Name

A shorter abbreviation used in listings and reports.

Examples:

  • FY
  • S1
  • Q1
  • PP1

Begin and End Dates

These dates define the active duration of the Marking Period.

Child Marking Period dates must remain within the date range of the parent Marking Period.


Grade Posting Begin and End Dates

These settings control the period during which teachers can post grades.

This helps institutions:

  • Control grading timelines
  • Restrict grade entry periods
  • Manage report card preparation

Understanding Marking Period Options

Graded

Enables grading for the Marking Period.


Exam

Enables exam-related grading and workflows.


Comments

Allows comments to be added during grading and reporting workflows.

These settings help institutions customize academic evaluation processes for different Marking Periods.


Managing Marking Periods

Administrators can manage Marking Periods using the available action options.

Available actions include:

  • Edit
  • Delete
  • Add Child Marking Period

Changes made to Marking Periods may impact scheduling, grading, attendance, and reporting workflows.


Why Marking Periods are Important

Marking Periods affect multiple workflows throughout openSIS, including:

  • Scheduling
  • Attendance
  • Gradebook
  • GPA calculations
  • Report cards
  • Transcripts
  • Academic reports

Improper configuration may affect institutional academic operations and reporting accuracy.


Best Practices

Institutions should:

  • Finalize the academic calendar before setup
  • Configure parent-child hierarchy carefully
  • Maintain proper date ranges
  • Configure grading timelines clearly
  • Review progression and reporting requirements before setup

Proper configuration helps maintain smooth academic operations throughout the school year.


Conclusion

The Marking Periods setting in openSIS helps institutions organize academic terms, grading workflows, attendance tracking, and reporting structures.

By configuring Marking Periods properly, institutions can maintain structured academic operations and support accurate academic management throughout the school year.

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