[Import/Export] Undo Course Imports

It seems that users should be able to undo or delete items they have imported into courses. On the Import Content page under the Current Jobs section, it would be very helpful to have an option to remove, delete, or undo each import individually. Currently if a mistake is made when importing to a course the only option seems to be to reset the entire course content. With users importing various resources from other courses and commons regularly, this solution would save a lot of time and heartache when such mistakes are made. To ask users to reset the entire course content, or to go through the entire course content and find every file, page, or assignment that may have been connected to that import and delete them individually seems like unfair punishment for an easily made mistake. It seems this would also possibly encourage more users to embrace the Canvas Community and use amazing resources like Commons, without fear of making such a mistake, or the time consuming steps of importing to a sandbox first then importing to the desired destination.

Added to Theme

Simplify bulk course tasks Theme Status: Identified

57 Comments
bmackenzie
Community Novice

I guess we could even have a select content option for each import to help identify and delete particular portions of an import. The select content process which exist for importing would be useful for this.

Renee_Carney
Community Team
Community Team

 @bmackenzie ‌

I can see where something like this could be very useful.

I also wanted to connect you to a couple related ideas, while you were in this train of thought!

michelle_steven
Community Participant

This would be a great feature! There have been a number of times that I wish I could delete a full import.

dwillmore
Community Champion

This would be great.

kwiles
Community Novice

Same! I have found a workaround by exporting course content, then re-importing course content, but only select what features/files, etc that I wanted. That way all my settings stay the same and I don't have to start from scratch, or spend hours deleting things. 

lsproat
Community Novice

I completely agree! I wish there was a way to select the parts of a course or module that I wanted. 

kmeeusen
Community Champion

Hi  @lsproat ‌

If you are asking what I think, then that functionality already exists in the "Import Content from Another Canvas Course" function. Learn how at https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-9878-4152497985 

I hope this helps, and I wasn't off-base.

Kelley

timothy_maw
Community Champion

This would be a great idea. There are times I have accidentally imported the wrong content and then I have to spend time ciphering through the content and deleting what I don't need. I had an instructor accidentally pick the wrong course to import a few days ago and it ended up giving him a lot of work to go through and find what he actually wanted and what he didn't. Being able to "un-import" would be really nice.

nalanda_c
Community Novice

I agree with this idea. It is going to be very difficult to manage course contents that has been accidentally imported.

j_keegan
Community Novice

Agree with all of the previous comments and I think this would be a great idea (as I have just created a scenario where "Undo Course Import" would be excellent to have!).