Upload Test Questions from Microsoft Excel

Tests can be created offline in Microsoft Excel and then uploaded to the Blackboard test centre.  After you upload the file to Blackboard, you can still reuse or edit the questions if required.

To do this you need to:

  1. Format the test questions correctly
  2. Upload the questions to Blackboard

Important: Questions that contain a formatting error will fail to upload.

Excel Question format

When creating a test in Excel, the questions must follow a specific format.

Begin by opening an Excel document and saving it with an appropriate test name. When saving your file In the Save as type, select Text (Tab Delimited), and then click Save.

Important: To construct your questions, you must write questions in line with the format provided by Blackboard. For a sample question file and for question format guidelines visit Blackboard Upload Questions

Consider the following tips when creating your questions:

  1. The first column indicates the type of question. See the table below for the list of question types.
  2. The second column lists the question.
  3. The third column is the answer to the question.  If there are multiple answers you will need to provide all answers.
  4. Your file must be a tab-delimited TXT file.
  5. It is recommended not to exceed 500 questions due to time out restrictions with browsers.
  6. Do not include a header row.
  7. Do not include blank lines between questions.
  8. One question per row.
  9. Sperate each field in a row with TAB.
Question TypeExcel Format
Multiple ChoiceMC
True/FalseTF
Multiple AnswerMA
EssayESS
OrderingORD
MatchingMAT
Fill in the BlankFIB
Multiple/Fill in the BlankFIB_PLUS
File ResponseFIL
Calculated NumericNUM
Short ResponseSR
Opinion/Likert ScaleOP
Jumbled SentenceJUMBLED_SENTENCE
Quiz BowlQUIZ_BOWL

Table: List of question types

Source https://help.blackboard.com/Learn/Instructor/Original/Tests_Pools_Surveys/Orig_Reuse_Questions/Upload_Questions

To upload test questions from Excel to Blackboard

  1. Open your subject in Interact2.
  2. Under Subject Management - Control Panel - Subject Tools, click Tests, Surveys, and Pools.
  3. Select Tests.
  4. Either select Edit from the menu for the test you wish to add questions to or create a new test.
  5. From the edit page click Upload Questions.
    Upload questions
  6. Click Browse to locate a file to import.
  7. You can adjust the points possible for each question now or adjust later by editing the test after the questions have been uploaded.  If you do not assign a point value, then questions will automatically be given a point value of zero.
  8. Click Submit.