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The Canvas integration connects directly to your Canvas instance via API, letting you browse and select course content to add to your Assistant’s knowledge base. Unlike Import Course Export, which requires you to download and upload a course export file, this integration pulls content from Canvas with no file handling on your end. You can sync updates daily or weekly to keep your Assistant current as your course evolves.
Before you can import from Canvas, a Workspace admin must set up the Canvas API integration. If you don’t see the option to add from Canvas, ask your admin to follow the Canvas API Setup guide.

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How It Works

1

Open the Knowledge Tab

Hover over your Assistant, click the three dots, select Settings, then navigate to the Knowledge tab.
2

Add from Canvas

Click + Add knowledge, then select Add from Canvas. If this is your first time, you’ll be redirected to Canvas to authorize access.
Nectir keeps your Canvas authorization active for as long as possible. In some cases, you may need to reauthorize.
3

Select a Course

After authorizing, you’ll see a list of Canvas courses you have access to. Select the course you want to import content from.
Only courses where you have a Teacher role or higher are shown. Admins can see any course they have access to.
4

Choose Content to Import

Select which content categories to import (files, pages, assignments, discussions, announcements, quizzes). Categories are selected by default. Deselect anything you don’t want to import.You can also expand any category to check or uncheck individual items within it. Fully selected categories automatically pick up new content from Canvas during sync. Narrowed selections sync only the items you chose.
Unsupported file formats are clearly marked and cannot be imported.
5

Import

Click Add to knowledge to begin importing the selected content. Files are processed and added to your Assistant’s knowledge base automatically.
Once processing completes, your imported content appears in the Knowledge table grouped under the Canvas course name.

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Supported Content Types

The Canvas API integration supports importing the following content types from your courses:
All content is imported as read-only. Nectir never modifies or deletes anything in your Canvas course.

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Keeping Content Up to Date

As your course content evolves in Canvas, there are two ways to keep your Assistant’s knowledge base in sync.

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Manual Sync

Check for updates at any time:
  1. Open the Knowledge tab in your Assistant’s settings
  2. Find your Canvas course in the Knowledge table
  3. Click Check updates to scan for content that was added, modified, or deleted in Canvas
  4. Review the changes and confirm which updates to apply

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Automatic Sync

Turn on automatic sync to have Nectir check for content changes on a schedule:
  1. Open the Canvas course in the Knowledge table
  2. Toggle automatic sync on
  3. Choose your sync frequency: daily or weekly
On your chosen schedule, Nectir adds new content, updates modified items, and removes items that were deleted in Canvas. Your knowledge base stays in sync with the course.
Automatic sync and manual Check updates work independently. You can use Check updates at any time, even with automatic sync turned on.

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Removing Imported Content

Individual Canvas items cannot be deleted from the Knowledge table. There are two ways to keep Canvas content out of your Assistant’s knowledge base:
  • Narrow the selection. Uncheck the items you want to exclude when choosing content to import, or later from Check updates on the course row. Narrowed selections sync only the items you chose, so excluded items are removed and stay out of your knowledge base on future syncs.
  • Delete the course import. Open the menu on the Canvas course row in the Knowledge table and click Delete. This removes every item imported from that course. You can import the course again at any time.
Nothing you remove in Nectir affects the content in your Canvas course.

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Troubleshooting

The Canvas API integration must be configured at the Workspace level before instructors can import content. Ask your Workspace admin to set up the connection using the Canvas API Setup guide.
  • Verify you have a Teacher role or higher in at least one Canvas course
  • Check that your Canvas account is active and not restricted
  • If the issue persists, contact support@nectir.io
Files in unsupported formats cannot be imported. Convert them to a supported file type in Canvas, then try importing again.
  • Check your internet connection
  • If the issue persists, contact support@nectir.io with details about the course and content types you’re importing

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Next Steps

Knowledge Scope

Configure the boundaries of information your Assistant can access

Assistant Prompt

Set the directions that shape your Assistant’s behavior