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Canvas Support / Canvas Instructor Guide / Getting Started / Adding people to the course

Adding people to the course

Manual enrollment: when it’s needed

Students registered in credit courses are automatically added to—and removed from—your Canvas course every 24 hours based on the official enrolment data in SFU’s student information system.

In some cases, manual enrolment may be needed for students who are waitlisted or observing/auditing a course. To do so, please ensure they are added to the section that is not managed by the enrolment automation.

Adding People with an SFU Account

This documentation is also available via a How to Quickstart video:
https://youtu.be/T1DCkUz6KVo (Links to an external site.)

     

1. Click on the People link in the course navigation sidebar.

2. Click the Add People button in the right-hand corner.

3. You have the option of using an email address, login ID or SIS ID if it is a current SFU student or employee.

[1] Click the radio button to add the user by their email address, log in ID or SIS ID

Option Description
Email Address A user's primary or alias email address
Login ID A user's SFU Computing ID
SIS ID A user's SFU student or employee number

[2] Enter their email address, login ID or SIS ID

[3] Choose the role you want to add (eg. student, teacher, teaching assistant)

[4] Choose the section. For a credit course, be sure to select the longer-named section (with the course title)

[5] Choose whether you want them to interact with those students in their section only

[6] Click Next

The person I added was removed. Why?

Credit course shells should have at least two sections that are automatically generated. If the users you're adding are automatically removed, you're adding them to the incorrect section.

Be sure to select the longer-named section (with the course title).

Example:

  • ❌ MATH 150 D100 — Do not use; used by IT Services for syncing registered students.
  • ✅ MATH 150 D100 Calculus I with Review — Correct default section if you wish to add non-registered students, observers, or other individuals.

What to do if Canvas can’t find the user?

"We were unable to find matches below. Select any you would like to create as new users. Unselected will be skipped at this time."

If you see this message saying that Canvas was unable to find matches for some of the users you are trying to add, this could mean that the user accounts haven’t been created. This could happen when adding alumni or retirees.

Please don't create them as new users. Doing so will cause additional technical issues if they are an SFU student, staff or faculty with an SFU account. Submit a ticket to Canvas - Request Help to resolve the account issue. 

5. Click Add Users to add the user or Start Over if you change your mind and don't wish to add the user.

6. Congratulations! You have added a user to your course and should see the person listed.

Adding People with an External Account

You can allow users who are not part of the SFU community to access your Canvas course. You would add and create an external account. Add an external account to your course as an observer, a teacher, or a student.

1. Click People on the side navigation bar.

2. Click the + People button

3. Add Email address and select user details

[1] Choose Email Address

[2] Enter the email address

[3] Choose the role

[4] Choose the section

[5] Choose Next

[6] Add the user's name

[7] Choose Next

[8] Click Add Users

Please note if the user’s name was not included, Canvas will use the user’s email address as the user’s name. It is recommended that the user's name is added.