Faculty Question of the Week (October 23, 2025)

Q: My course has an upcoming in-person test, and we are trying to find an easy way for multiple people to take attendance at the same time. We don’t use Crowdmark for this test, so we won’t be using Exam Matcher. Is there a recommended way to allow multiple people to take attendance digitally at the same time?

A: For your upcoming test, here are two digital methods that can be helpful for allowing multiple invigilators to take attendance simultaneously:

Option 1: Use a Microsoft Excel file for tacking attendances

1. Export your course roster using the UT Advanced Group Tool or Course Analytics and save as a .xlsx file.
2. Add an “Attendance” column and store the file in OneDrive or SharePoint, granting all invigilators edit access.
3. During the midterm, each invigilator can open the web version (web version is preferred for syncing) of Excel on their phone and check off students as they arrive. Multiple invigilators can edit the file at the same time, and any updates will be reflected in real time.

Option 2: Use a Complete/Incomplete Quercus Assignment to track attendance

If you’d prefer to take attendance directly in Quercus, you can set up a Complete/Incomplete Assignment in Quercus to mark attendance. For example, students who are present can be marked as “Complete”, and those absent as “Incomplete”. Here are the steps for using Quercus Assignment to take the attendances:

1. Create a 0-point, No Submission assignment called Midterm Attendance.
2. Set grading to Complete/Incomplete.
3. During the test, invigilators with TA access to the Quercus course can open the Gradebook in a mobile browser and mark students as Complete (✓) if present or Incomplete (✗) if absent.

Note: We don’t recommend using the Canvas mobile app to record attendance or grades, as it is not institutionally supported and we cannot guarantee that updates to the Gradebook will sync correctly. For best results, invigilators should open Quercus in a mobile browser tab instead of the app.

For further questions or assistance with organizing and managing the course assessments, please contact the  EdTech Office or book a consultation.