> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.gradingpal.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# What each status means

> Every assignment and submission pill in GradingPal, what it means, and what to do next for each one.

export const updated_0 = "19 September 2026"

export const page_0 = "/teachers/collect/statuses"

Two kinds of pill tell you where things stand. An assignment has one status. Each submission inside it has its own. Read them together and you always know the next step.

## Assignment statuses

These appear in the class's **Assignments** list and in the bar at the top of the assignment.

| Pill          | Means                                   | Next step                                                                                                |
| ------------- | --------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Draft**     | Not visible to students yet             | **Open for submissions**, or **Post to Google Classroom** for a Classroom assignment. Or **Schedule** it |
| **Scheduled** | Opens automatically at the time you set | Wait, or **Open now** / **Post now**. **Edit schedule** to change the time                               |
| **Live**      | Students can submit                     | Nothing until work arrives. **Send reminder** nudges students who haven't                                |
| **Closed**    | No new submissions                      | **Re-open** to accept more. **Share feedback** still works                                               |
| **Deleted**   | In the class's Deleted bin              | Restore it from the bin if you need it back                                                              |

Assignments where you upload the work yourself show no status pill. They carry a **Teacher-only** chip instead: you upload and grade, and students aren't involved.

## Submission statuses

These appear on each row of an assignment's **Submissions** tab.

| Pill               | Means                                                                  | Next step                                                                                                                                     |
| ------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Missing**        | This student hasn't submitted and nothing was uploaded for them        | **Upload work** for them, or **Remind** them                                                                                                  |
| **Submitted**      | The work arrived and is waiting for the AI                             | Nothing. It moves on by itself                                                                                                                |
| **AI grading**     | The AI is grading it now                                               | Nothing. Select **Notify me when done** to leave the page                                                                                     |
| **AI failed**      | Grading hit a problem on our side                                      | **Retry**. It usually works the second time                                                                                                   |
| **Can't grade**    | The file itself is the problem                                         | Use the button the row offers: **Replace file**, **Ask to resubmit**, **Reconnect Google** or **Contact support**. Don't delete and re-upload |
| **Needs review**   | The AI finished. Your turn                                             | **Review** to open it, or **Approve** to accept the grade as it is                                                                            |
| **Ready to share** | You approved it. Students still see nothing                            | **Send** (or **Share** for work you uploaded). **Add email to send** if the student has no email yet                                          |
| **Shared**         | The student has it                                                     | **View**. The row menu has **Resend feedback link**                                                                                           |
| **Needs student**  | GradingPal couldn't tell whose work this is                            | **Assign** it to a student                                                                                                                    |
| **Held**           | Graded, but the score is hidden because you're past your monthly limit | **Unlock now**. Nothing is lost                                                                                                               |
| **Not graded**     | Saved, but not graded yet because you're past your monthly limit       | **Start grading** once you have capacity                                                                                                      |

Two honest notes about wording:

* The grading screen uses shorter words for the same states. It says **Reviewed** where the table says **Ready to share**, **Processing** where the table says **AI grading**, and **Failed** for both failure states.
* The class-level **Submissions** tab still says **Reviewed** and **Returned**. They mean **Ready to share** and **Shared**.

## What this does not mean

* **Approving does not send anything to anyone.** It moves the row to **Ready to share**. Sharing is a separate step, and until you take it, students see nothing.
* **A due date passing does not close an assignment.** Late work is flagged, not refused. Only **Close for submissions** closes it.
* **Closing an assignment in GradingPal does not close it in Google Classroom.** Students can still turn in there; GradingPal just stops collecting. Use **Import from Classroom** to pull in anything that arrives later.
* **Held does not mean lost.** Held work is graded and saved. It appears the moment you're back under your limit.

## What to read next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Review and approve grades" icon="circle-check" href="/teachers/review/review-grades">
    Walk the class from Needs review to Ready to share.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Share feedback with students" icon="paper-plane" href="/teachers/share/share-feedback">
    Move rows from Ready to share to Shared.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

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