Conditional colours
Grades and judgements already take their colour from their scale: an A is green, a U is red. A number or a calculated value has no scale, so its cell is plain grey. A colour rule paints it by what the number means. It is most useful for Value Added, where −2 should look different from +2.
Where: Configuration → Assessment → Markbook Templates → Columns (the column library), then edit the column. The rules are in the Appearance section.
Who can change this
A manager, or a person whose role includes Value types.
Only some columns
The Appearance section is offered for columns whose data type is Number or Calculated. Grade and judgement columns keep taking their colour from their scale.
Setting a rule
- Open the column in the column library.
- In Appearance, switch on Colour-code this column by its value. It is off by default.
- Choose How to show it:
- Coloured chip: a coloured badge around the value.
- Tinted cell: the whole cell is tinted.
- Coloured text: only the text changes colour.
- Add colour bands (below), or use the preset.
- Check How cells will look, then save.
Bands
Each band has a range and a colour:
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| From | The lowest value in the band. Included. Leave empty for No limit. |
| Up to | The upper edge. Not included. Leave empty for No limit. |
| Colour | The swatch for the band. |
Select Add band to add a band and Remove band to take one away. A column may have up to eight bands.
Upper edges are not included
A band from 0 up to 1 covers 0, 0.5 and 0.99, but not 1. A value of 1 belongs to the band that starts at 1. This lets you write bands with no gaps and no overlaps.
MarkBook checks your bands as you type:
- "Two bands cover the same values. Adjust the ranges so they don't overlap."
- "A band's 'from' must be lower than its 'up to'."
- "Every band needs a colour."
- "Add at least one band."
- "Eight bands is the maximum."
- A warning, not an error: "Some values fall between bands and will stay uncoloured."
The value-added preset
Use the value-added preset (−2 … +2) fills in five bands, from red below target to green above:
| Value | Band | Colour |
|---|---|---|
| below −1 | Well below target | Red |
| −1 to just under 0 | Below target | Orange |
| 0 to just under 1 | On target | Grey |
| 1 to just under 2 | Above target | Light green |
| 2 and over | Well above target | Dark green |
Edit it freely after you apply it.
Example: colouring a test percentage
For a numeric Test Score column, switch on colour with Tinted cell and add:
| From | Up to | Colour |
|---|---|---|
| (no limit) | 40 | Red |
| 40 | 60 | Amber |
| 60 | 80 | Light green |
| 80 | (no limit) | Dark green |
A score of 40 is amber, because 40 is included in the second band. A score of 79.6 is light green.
What you should know
- The exact result is matched. For a calculated cell MarkBook tests the real result, not the rounded text on screen, so a band edge at 0.5 behaves as written.
- A rule wins over a scale colour. If the column also maps results to grades, the rule's colour is shown.
- A value outside every band stays uncoloured.
- Everywhere the cell appears. The colour shows in the grid and the Summary wherever the column is shown.
- Existing columns are plain. Nothing is coloured until you switch a rule on.