Technical Question: How to change/correct a User Id

[DonNelson]

A student has the wrong user ID in Canvas.

The correct one is now being sent in our Canvas extract process, but it doesn't replace the wrong one.

Can an Admin correct the ID?  OR do I need to Inactivate the ID (by sending 'inactive') for it ?

Thanks.

[melodyc_lam · Accepted solution]

@DonNelson Gotcha! Looks like you're using the SIS import functionality. The USER_ID column is the SIS ID when looking at a user's account in the Canvas interface.

First, you need to check in the People page (not the file!) if the student has a 2nd Canvas account with the incorrect SIS ID. There is a good chance that this has happened, if the first file sent the wrong USER_ID/SIS ID (this value must be unique per Canvas account.)

If this is the case and the student has two accounts, you'll want to merge the two accounts, and make sure that on the resulting merge that the student has the correct SIS ID. 

If the student truly has one account and the right SIS ID is not being applied, just run a change_sis_id.csv file to change the student's SIS ID OR you can change it in the interface by editing the user.

I would highly advise that you do this in BETA first to see if there's any issues/side-effects before doing this on the live accounts.

[melodyc_lam]

@DonNelson Just to clarify, are you talking about the Login ID, the SIS ID, or the actual user ID that Canvas uses (the one used in the URL /users/XXXXX)?

Also, by any chance did ANOTHER user account get created for this student (so this student has two Canvas accounts)?

[DonNelson]

@melodyc_lam , the value in the USER_ID column (the first one)

I checked the file again, and there is only one record for this student, and the user_id being sent is the correct one.

The canvas id was created with the wrong one.  

[melodyc_lam · Accepted solution]

@DonNelson Gotcha! Looks like you're using the SIS import functionality. The USER_ID column is the SIS ID when looking at a user's account in the Canvas interface.

First, you need to check in the People page (not the file!) if the student has a 2nd Canvas account with the incorrect SIS ID. There is a good chance that this has happened, if the first file sent the wrong USER_ID/SIS ID (this value must be unique per Canvas account.)

If this is the case and the student has two accounts, you'll want to merge the two accounts, and make sure that on the resulting merge that the student has the correct SIS ID. 

If the student truly has one account and the right SIS ID is not being applied, just run a change_sis_id.csv file to change the student's SIS ID OR you can change it in the interface by editing the user.

I would highly advise that you do this in BETA first to see if there's any issues/side-effects before doing this on the live accounts.

[DonNelson]

@melodyc_lam 

I'm not the Admin (I create the files), so I don't know where the People page is or even if I can access it.

Can you send a link?

Also, since I'm not the Admin, I probably don't have access to merge the accounts, if that is the issue.

[melodyc_lam · Accepted solution]

@DonNelson Unfortunately your Canvas admin will have to assist with the steps above. If you're not a Canvas Admin, you won't be able to access the People page.

[DonNelson]

@melodyc_lam 

Understood.

Thank you very much for your help!