Connect new Airtable tracking structures to Blackboard grading
When a schema change reflects a new assessment, Notis can create a corresponding Blackboard gradebook column using the details you provide.
Trigger
Base Schema Changed
Triggers when tables, fields, or views change in an Airtable base.
Action
Add new gradebook column for course
Creates a new grade column in a course's gradebook within the blackboard learn platform. this endpoint allows instructors or administrators to set up various types of grade columns, including manual entry, calculated grades, and those based on student attempts. it supports features such as anonymous grading, external tool integration, and custom formulas for grade calculation. the endpoint is particularly useful when setting up a new assignment or assessment that requires a corresponding grade column in the course gradebook. it should be used to establish the grading structure for a course, but not for entering actual grades (which would be done through a separate endpoint). note that some features may have version-specific availability, and certain settings (like includeincalculations) may behave differently between classic and ultra courses.
Why this helps
Creating an assessment tracker in Airtable can be followed by a separate, easy-to-miss gradebook setup task.
- Reduce duplicate setup work for a new assessment.
- Keep the grading workflow visible in Blackboard.
- Use the change as a reminder to configure the gradebook.
Setup
Build it in a few focused steps.
- 1Connect Airtable and Blackboard once in Notis.
- 2Create an automation and describe the gradebook outcome.
- 3Tell Notis when a schema change represents an assessment and provide the column details and course.
- 4Pick Airtable Base Schema Changed and set a report destination.
- 5Test with a real schema change and verify the gradebook column.
Questions about this workflow
Does every schema change create a grade column?
The instruction should specify when a change represents an assessment. Test it carefully because the event can cover many kinds of schema edits.
Does the event contain the grade column settings?
Do not assume so. Include the course, column purpose, and required grading details in your instruction if the event does not supply them.
Does creating a column enter student grades?
No. This action adds a gradebook column; it does not submit student grades.
When this happens · Trigger
Do this · Action
Supported Triggers and Actions
Notis builds workflows that link Airtable to Blackboard. A trigger fires from one place; an action lands in another.
Airtable triggers
Blackboard actions
Recurring trigger
Notis starts this workflow on a schedule, such as daily, weekly, or during business hours.
Course Announcements Access
Retrieves a list of announcements for a specific course in the blackboard learning management system. this endpoint allows users to access important messages, updates, or notifications related to a particular course. it should be used when there's a need to fetch all announcements or check for recent updates in a course. the tool returns announcement data but does not provide functionality for creating, updating, or deleting announcements. keep in mind that the returned list may be paginated if there are many announcements, and additional calls might be necessary to retrieve all data.
Webhook trigger
Notis starts this workflow when an external tool or custom backend sends an HTTP request.
Get course announcement by id
Retrieves a specific announcement from a particular course in the blackboard learn system. this endpoint allows users to fetch detailed information about a single announcement, including its content, creation date, and any attachments. it is particularly useful for displaying announcement details in external applications or for retrieving updated information about a previously known announcement. the endpoint requires both the course id and the announcement id to ensure precise retrieval of the intended announcement. it should be used when specific announcement details are needed, rather than for listing all announcements in a course.
Base Metadata Changed
Triggers when an existing Airtable base changes its name or permission level.
Update child course in parent
This endpoint updates the relationship between a parent course and its child course in the blackboard learning management system. it is used to modify existing course hierarchies, allowing administrators to restructure course organizations or adjust course relationships. the endpoint should be used when there's a need to change the parent-child association between two courses, such as moving a sub-course to a different parent course or updating the hierarchical structure of courses. it's important to note that this endpoint only modifies existing relationships and does not create new courses or new child-parent associations if they don't already exist in some form.
Base Schema Changed
Triggers when tables, fields, or views change in an Airtable base.
Upload file to attempt in gradebook
This endpoint allows for the upload and attachment of files to a specific attempt within a course's gradebook in the blackboard learning management system. it is used to associate submitted work, supporting documents, or any relevant files with a student's attempt on an assignment, quiz, or other assessable items. the endpoint should be called after the initial file upload process, using the generated uploadid to link the file to the specific attempt. it's particularly useful for instructors or system integrators who need to programmatically attach files to student submissions, or for building custom submission interfaces that interact with blackboard's backend. this endpoint does not handle the actual file transfer; it assumes the file has already been uploaded to blackboard's system and is now being associated with a specific attempt.
User Profile Changed
Triggers when the connected Airtable user's profile information changes.
Get oauth2 authorization code
Initiates the oauth 2.0 authorization code flow for the blackboard api. this endpoint is used to obtain an authorization code, which is a crucial step in the oauth 2.0 authentication process. the authorization code can later be exchanged for an access token, granting limited access to user resources on the blackboard platform. this endpoint should be called when an application needs to request permission from a user to access their blackboard data. it's important to note that this endpoint does not directly provide access to user data; it only initiates the authorization process. the response will typically include a redirect url containing the authorization code, which the client application must handle appropriately.
View Created
Triggers when a new view is created in an Airtable base.
Get user gradebook for course
Retrieves the gradebook information for a specific user within a particular course in blackboard. this endpoint allows instructors or authorized personnel to access individual student grade data, including assignment scores, overall course grade, and any custom gradebook columns. it should be used when detailed grade information for a single student in a specific course is needed, such as for progress monitoring or grade reviews. the endpoint does not modify any data and is read-only. note that this tool only provides grade data and does not include other course or user information beyond what's directly related to the gradebook.
View Deleted
Triggers when a previously known Airtable view is deleted.
Copy course with specific options
The coursecopytool allows you to create a copy of a blackboard course with fine-grained control over which elements are included in the copy. this endpoint is used when you need to duplicate a course, either creating a new course or overwriting an existing one, while selectively choosing which components to transfer. it's particularly useful for course administrators or instructors preparing for a new semester or creating variations of an existing course. the tool provides extensive customization options, allowing you to include or exclude specific course elements such as content areas, assessments, gradebook settings, and more. however, it does not handle enrollment of students or instructors in the new course - this must be done separately after the copy is complete.
View Metadata Changed
Triggers when an Airtable view changes its name or type.
Copy course by courseid
This endpoint creates a copy of an existing course in the blackboard learning management system. it allows instructors or administrators to duplicate course content, settings, and structure into a new or existing course. use this endpoint when you need to replicate a course for a new semester, create a template from an existing course, or backup course content. the operation copies all copyable elements of the source course into the target course specified by the courseid. note that this process may take some time for large courses, and certain elements (such as student data or time-sensitive content) may not be copied. the endpoint does not provide real-time progress updates on the copying process.
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When this happens · Trigger
Do this · Action
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