Adding external users

[CynthiaEdwards1]

I am looking for recommendations for the following process:

I need to add external users to our Canvas instance. They are external because they are not traditionally enrolled students that log in through SSO (they do not have an EUID or student id#). We have been manually adding them. They not only receive the automated email that a Canvas account has been created for them, we send them individual emails with their password (setting their own password is not an option for our users).

We would LOVE to AUTOMATE this process theoretically through SIS import. I've been told that the email sent to notify them that a Canvas account has been created for them cannot be edited. Does anyone have any ideas?

Any input is appreciated!

[adam_marshall]

if you add them via a SIS Import (CSV upload) they will NOT receive the generic email (but will also not have a password set up). You can then do a 'mail merge'  with your speadsheet and send them an email with instructions on how to set up their password.

The SIS import could also stipulate course enrolments. One of the benefits is that the students dont have to accept the course invitation, that stage is completely missed out. 

[chriscas · Accepted solution]

Hi @CynthiaEdwards1,

As far as I know, the Canvas notification emails are not something that can be customized at all.  Just wanted to put that statement out here for anyone who may encounter this thread at some point and would be curious about that.

For a solution in your case, I am thinking along the same lines at @adam_marshall. I did want to make one clarification to his post though.  It is possible to set a password for the Canvas login (assuming you're not using SSO for these users at all) via the sis import process.  The users.csv can have a password column that would work to set an initial password on their Canvas login.

Using the SIS process will mean no Canvas notification emails are sent out.  You'd need to create and send your own emails, either manually or perhaps systematically via some kind of scripting language like Python.  That should be doable, but sending a password via email is usually considered a no-no for security reasons these days.  Is there a reason you don't want these students to set their own Canvas passwords (which would be the norm as far as I know for non-sso Canvas login accounts)?

-Chris