GradeHub for Blackboard - How to setup GradeHub in Blackboard
Last Updated: June 04, 2019A numeric SIS_userID with a maximum length of 10 characters and an email address is required in Blackboard for all student accounts.
To install the GradeHub plugin for Blackboard:
Step 1 — GradeHub Account Configuration
Log in to GradeHub with the Admin account for your University Organization and navigate to the Settings section. Under the Organization list select the 'Settings' for your organization to launch a configuration modal window.

Step 2 - Create a GradeHub System Role and GradeHub User
Select 'System Roles' from the admin panel and Copy the 'Course Administrator` role to create a system role for GradeHub. Use a system role name such as 'GradeHub API'.
Right click on the new user just created (e.g. GradeHub API) and select 'Privileges'.
In the search bar type in 'Delete` . Check all privileges with 'Delete' and then `Restrict` any 'Delete' privileges for the GradeHub system role created (e.g., 'GradeHub API').
Repeat the 'Delete' step by removing privileges with a search of 'Modify', 'Password', 'Create', and 'Goals'. GradeHub does not need to delete, modify, create, interact with passwords, or use goals. If you wish to remove additional privileges, contact GradeHub support.
Select 'Users' from the Admin Panel and 'Create' a GradeHub API user to use as the 'Learn User' in the REST API Configuration in step 3. Assign the GradeHub API user the GradeHub System Role, such as GradeHub API, created above.
Step 3 — REST API Integration Configuration


- Application ID: This is supplied to you by GradeHub during the onboarding process.
- Learn User: Select a designated user created in step 2 on behalf of which all REST API requests will be made.
Note: this should be a secure account accessible only to the university IT team and with the appropriate roles & permissions to make API requests to read course details, user accounts, course memberships, and return grades to the Grade Center. - End User Access: Set this to 'No' to ensure that only the above-specified User is permitted to be authenticated for issuing API requests. This prevents an OAuth flow for other accounts and limits access to a single account securely under university IT control.
You should now see the integration created for the GradeHub application.
Step 4 — LTI Tool Configuration
Return to the Administrator Panel and select the LTI Tool Providers option.
Click the option to Register Provider Domain
Specify the Provider Domain to api.gradehub.com and the other options as pictured.
Supply the Tool Provider Key & Secret you generated in Step 1. The complete Tool Provider Custom Parameters set is as follows:
customCourseId=@X@course.id@X@ customSiteId=@X@system.site_id@X@ customCourseKey=@X@course.pk_string@X@ customUserId=@X@user.id@X@ customFullName=@X@user.full_name@X@ customCourseName=@X@course.course_name@X@ customCourseRole=@X@course.role@X@
The remainder of the options should be configured as pictured. Submit the form to return to the LTI Tool Provider listing.
You should now see an entry for 'api.gradehub.com', and hovering the cursor over the listing should reveal a drop-down widget allowing you to navigate to 'Manage Placements'.
The final step in the integration process will be to define a placement for the GradeHub LTI App. The Label and Description fields can be customized but the other options depicted should match the settings shown.
Of particular importance are ensuring that the Tool Type is set to 'Course content tool' with 'Allows grading' checked.
The Tool Provider URL should be: https://api.gradehub.com/v1/lti/launch
Some of the Tool Provider fields such as the Key, Secret, and Custom Parameters should be pre-populated here and carried over from the Tool Provider being defined in prior steps.
Upon submission of this form, the GradeHub-Blackboard configuration process is complete, and you're ready to start using GradeHub with Blackboard.
The 'Icon' for GradeHub should be: GradeHub Icon
Check out the next article in our series to learn how to use GradeHub based assignments in your Course
Step 2 - Create a GradeHub System Role and GradeHub User
Select 'System Roles' from the admin panel and Copy the 'Course Administrator` role to create a system role for GradeHub with a system role name such as GradeHub API.
Right click on the new GradeHub API user just created and select 'Privileges'.
In the search type in 'Delete` and `Restrict` any delete privileges for the GradeHub user.
Repeat by removing 'Modify', 'Password', 'Create', and 'Goals'. GradeHub does not need to delete, modify, create, interact with passwords, or use goals.
Select 'Users' from the Admin Panel and 'Create' a GradeHub API user to use for the REST API Configuration in step 3. Assign the GradeHub API user the GradeHub System Role created above.