Canvas API Toolkit

What is it?

The Canvas API Toolkit is both a learning tool and a developer resource designed to help you:

Understand how to make real API calls to Canvas LMS
Experiment safely with prebuilt examples
Extend functionality by using the toolkit as a reusable library in your own Google Apps Script projects

Whether you're new to APIs or a seasoned Canvas Admin looking to streamline processes, this toolkit gives you both the confidence and the tools to take action.

Toolkit Capabilities

✅ Learn by doing — run guided API calls with real-time feedback
🔐 Secure your credentials — store your domain and token in your own project
🔄 Reuse — import the toolkit into your own Apps Script projects
🧪 Experiment with endpoints — test different Canvas API calls safely
🤝 Share with others — clone the base project while keeping your data private
💡 Use real data — test with actual Canvas accounts you manage
🔗 Connect to Sheets or other tools — pair this toolkit with our Google Sheets Toolkit to log, clean, and format your Canvas data

What's Included

Everything you need to start learning and building with the Canvas API—no guesswork required.

Included in the Toolkit:
🧩 A prebuilt Google Apps Script project
🔐 Authentication helpers for securely storing your token and domain
📬 Modular functions for common Canvas API tasks (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
📁 Organized scripts and comments to help you understand what’s happening

🧪 Example tasks like:

Get a list of active courses
Fetch users in a sub-account
Post a global announcement
Check role permissions
Search for users, courses, or enrollments

Designed for:

Easy remixing into your own projects
Quick experimentation and testing
Learning by exploring clean, commented code

Getting Started with the Canvas API Toolkit

This guide walks you through setting up the Canvas API Toolkit so you can begin running real API calls and customizing your own automations.

Everything runs in your own Google Workspace account—no special tools or coding background needed.

✅ Step 1: Copy the Toolkit Spreadsheet
Make your own copy of the Toolkit Spreadsheet to begin working in your own Google environment.
Click Here to Copy

✅ Step 2: Open the "Start Here" Page
Inside the spreadsheet, go to the 🧙 Start Here tab. This page includes:

Instructions opening authorizing the attached scripts
Instructions to open the Config Sidebar
Resources for getting your Canvas API Token

✅ Step 3: Enter Your Canvas Credentials
Click the 🧙‍♂️ WIZARDRY menu item, then click Open Config Sibar to:

Paste in your Canvas API access token
- Need help creating a token?
- Canvas Guides: Manage API Tokens
Enter your Canvas domain (e.g., yourschool.instructure.com)
Your info is stored securely as Script Properties—it is not saved in the Sheet or shared with us.

✅ Step 4: Test Your Connection
Use the “Get My Canvas Info” button in the sidebar to run your first API call. This retrieves key information about your account and confirms your setup is working.

✅ Step 5: Explore More in the Script Editor
Once your setup is confirmed:

Click Extensions > Apps Script to open the project
Explore the prebuilt functions and run additional API calls
Use the console log to review responses and troubleshoot
You can adapt these functions to your own use cases—or import them into other projects as a library.

💬 Need Help?
Check out the FAQs or Contact Us directly. We’re here to help you make the most of it.

🔒 Your Security Matters

Your credentials are stored only in your copy of the script
No data is sent to us or third parties
You can revoke your API token at any time in Canvas

Resources & Support

Topic	Description	Link
Canvas API Documentation	Official documentation for all Canvas API endpoints, including authentication, users, courses, enrollments, and more.	Visit Page
Canvas Guides: Manage API Tokens	Instructions on how to generate a Canvas API token from your Canvas account settings.	Visit Page
Canvas APIs: Getting started, the practical ins and outs, gotchas, tips, and tricks	A hands-on guide to working with the Canvas LMS API, packed with real-world tips, common gotchas, and practical advice. Ideal for educators, admins, and developers who want to go beyond the official docs and learn how things really work in live environments.	Visit Page
Script Wizard Canvas Toolkit Information	Official documentation and setup guide for this toolkit.	Visit Page
Canvas API Toolkit: Apps Script Guide	Using Google Apps Script with the Canvas API Toolkit	Open Doc

💬 Need Help?

Still stuck? Feel free to Contact Us - we’re here to help.