If your institution has enabled Google Drive as a submission type, you can upload a file from Google Drive for an assignment. Unlike other assignment submissions, files from Google Drive are not uploaded into your Canvas user files.
Canvas accepts Google Doc, Google Sheet, and Google Slide files. You can also upload any uploaded Word (.doc/.docx), Excel (.xls/.xlsx), PowerPoint (.ppt/.pptx), and PDF files not converted to Google Docs formatting.
Notes:
- If the Google Drive tab is not available in your submission, your institution has not enabled this feature.
- If your course displays a link to your Google Drive in the Course Navigation Menu, your course has enabled Google Drive directly. Otherwise, you must enable Google Drive as a web service in your user profile to upload Google Drive files.
- In Google Drive assignments, you can only submit one file for your submission.
- When Google Drive files (docs, sheets, and slides) are uploaded as a submission, the files convert to their Microsoft counterpart file types and appear in the submission as respective Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files. This conversion essentially preserves the submission in its current state; any changes made to the file in Google Drive will not be updated in the submission.
- If enabled in your account, Canvas plays a celebration animation when you submit an assignment on time. However, if you prefer, you can disable this feature setting in your user settings.
- If the assignment you are accessing displays differently, your assignment may be using the Assignment Enhancements feature. Please view this guide for more information.
- Depending on your institution, you may be able to submit assignments using the Google Assignments LTI 1.3.
Open Assignments
In Course Navigation, click the Assignments link.
Select Assignment
Click the title of the assignment.
Start Assignment
Click the Start Assignment button.
Open Google Drive
Click the Google Drive (LTI 1.3) tab.
Note: If the Google Drive tab is not available, your institution has not enabled this feature.
Submit Assignment
Google Drive will display a list of all allowed file types. Click the name of the file [1], then click the Select button [2].
Note: When the Allow Multiple file AGS submissions count as one submission is enabled, you can select multiple files to be uploaded to a third-party assignment in Canvas. However, some third-party tools may not be built to accommodate this feature.
View Submission Notification
After you submit your assignment, Canvas displays a message notifying you that your submission is processing. You can navigate away from the assignment submission page without disrupting the file upload. You will also receive an email notification when your submission completes processing.
To clear the notification, click the OK button.
View Submission
View the confirmation of your assignment submission.
View Uploading and Failed Submission Icons
If your submission has been queued for upload, an uploading icon displays [1]. This icon also displays for your instructor if they access the assignment before it uploads.
If your submission failed to upload, an upload failed icon displays [2]. Click the download submission link to view the error.
