--- title: "Blackboard Test Import: Original vs Ultra File Formats | Formswrite Blog" description: "Which files Blackboard accepts for a test import, how Original and Ultra differ, the tab-delimited text layout for uploading questions and how to fix errors." canonical: https://formswrite.com/blog/blackboard-test-import-original-vs-ultra last-updated: 2026-10-08 --- # Blackboard Test Import: Original vs Ultra File Formats In short Blackboard accepts three kinds of file for a test import: a Blackboard test or pool package (a .zip exported from another Blackboard course), a QTI package, and a tab-delimited text file that you upload as questions. Which menu you use depends on whether your course runs the Original or the Ultra course view. Menu names change between Blackboard releases, so treat the paths below as a guide and check the labels in your own course. ## Which file for which job | File | What it is | Best for | Answer key | Feedback | Images | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Blackboard test or pool .zip | Package exported from Blackboard | Moving a test between Blackboard courses | Kept | Kept | Kept | | QTI package (.zip) | Standard interchange format | Moving questions from another LMS | Kept | Mostly kept | Often kept | | Tab-delimited .txt or .csv | One question per line, written by hand or by a converter | Bulk-adding plain questions from a spreadsheet or document | Marked in the file | Not in the basic layout | No | ## The tab-delimited text format The upload-questions option reads a text file in which each line is one question, and the fields are separated by tab characters. The first field is the question type code, such as MC for multiple choice and TF for true/false. Multiple choice: the type, the question, then each answer followed by the word correct or incorrect. text`MC What is the capital of France? Madrid incorrect Paris correct Rome incorrect Berlin incorrect` True/false: the type, the question, then true or false. text`TF The Earth orbits the Sun. true` Other codes exist for multiple answer (MA), essay (ESS), fill in the blank (FIB), matching (MAT) and ordering (ORD). The easiest way to build a file is a spreadsheet: put each field in its own column, save as tab-delimited text, and check that no cell contains a tab or a line break. ## Import in the Original course view 1. Open the course, then Control Panel, Course Tools, Tests, Surveys, and Pools. 2. For a package from another Blackboard course, choose Tests (or Pools) and then Import Test (or Import Pool). Upload the zip. 3. For a QTI package, look for an option to import a QTI package on the Pools page. The label varies by release. 4. For a text file, open or create a test, go to Upload Questions in the test canvas and select your .txt file. 5. Review the points and the correct answers, then deploy the test to a content area. ## Import in the Ultra course view Ultra puts the import options in a different place, and not every Original feature is available. 1. In Course Content, use the plus icon to add or import content, and look for the import option for tests or question banks. 2. Upload a Blackboard test package, or add questions from a file when you create a test. 3. Open the assessment and check each question, because Ultra supports fewer question types than Original and converts some of them. 4. Set due dates, attempts and visibility in the assessment settings. They are not carried in a basic question file. If an import fails in Ultra, retry the same file in an Original course and then copy the test across, which is a common workaround on mixed campuses. ## Common import problems - The upload page says the file is invalid. The usual cause is spaces where tabs should be, or a stray blank line at the end of the file. - Correct answers are wrong after import. A package converted from another format can reverse the answer key. Spot-check a few questions. - Special characters look broken. Save as UTF-8. - Large pools time out. Split a long bank into several files of a few dozen questions. ## Get the import file from your Word or Google Doc Formswrite reads multiple choice questions, options and correct answers from a Word file, PDF, Google Doc or spreadsheet and exports them for Blackboard, so you do not have to build the tab-delimited layout yourself. The free plan only exports to Formswrite Forms, so Blackboard and other LMS exports need a paid plan. An account itself is free. [Convert a document to Blackboard](/product/documents-to-blackboard) For the full walkthrough from a Google Doc, see how to [turn a Google Doc into a Blackboard quiz](/blog/how-to-turn-your-google-docs-into-a-blackboard-quiz) and, for the standard format, our [QTI explainer](/blog/qti-format-explained). The [Canvas vs Blackboard comparison](/blog/canvas-vs-blackboard-which-lms-should-you-choose) helps if your school is deciding between the two. ## FAQ Can Blackboard import a Word document as a test? Not directly. Blackboard reads packages, QTI files and tab-delimited text, so a Word file has to be converted first. You can copy the questions into a spreadsheet and save a tab-delimited file, or use a converter that writes the import file for you. Does Blackboard Ultra import tests the same way as Original? No. The menus are different and Ultra supports fewer question types. Package imports generally work in both, but check each question after the import in Ultra, because some types are converted. What question types does the tab-delimited upload support? The common ones are multiple choice, multiple answer, true/false, essay, fill in the blank, matching and ordering, each with its own type code at the start of the line. Check the Blackboard help for your release for the exact field order of each type. Can I import a Moodle quiz into Blackboard? Not directly, because Blackboard does not read Moodle XML, GIFT or Aiken. Export or convert the questions to QTI, or to a Blackboard-ready file, and import that.