Canvas LMS Instructor Guide

How do I import outcomes into a course in Improved Outcomes Management?

You can bulk import outcomes for your course using a CSV file. A bulk import allows you to add new outcomes to your course or update the details of multiple outcomes at one time.

The CSV file must be formatted correctly according to the Outcomes Import Format Documentation. Download a sample outcomes.csv file with one outcome group and six outcomes.

After your CSV file has been processed, you will receive an email notification confirming a successful import or displaying errors with your file. If there were errors, the email contains details about the first 100 errors including the row of the error and a short description.

This lesson displays how to import outcomes in a course within an account that has enabled the Improved Outcomes Management feature option. If the Outcomes page in your course displays differently than the images in this lesson, you can import outcomes in the classic Outcomes page view.

Notes:

Outcomes import supports CSV or JSON files.
Importing outcomes is a course permission. If you do not have permission to import outcomes, your institution has restricted this feature.
In new outcomes, the vendor_guid field must not contain a colon.

00:10: In Course Navigation, click the Outcomes link.

00:14: To import an Outcome at the root level course outcome group, click the Import button.

00:19: To import an Outcome in a specific outcomes group, select an outcome group. In

00:24: the outcome group, click the Options icon, then select the Import Outcomes

00:28: option.

00:30: Drag and drop your CSV file to the upload area, or click

00:34: in the upload area to choose a file from your computer.

00:38: Take note that Outcomes import supports CSV or JSON files.

00:43: Locate the CSV file and then click the Open button.

00:48: Canvas displays a loading page while the file uploads.

00:51: Large CSV files may take time to import.

00:55: You can leave the Outcomes page at any time without disrupting the import process.

01:01: When the file has been successfully imported, Canvas displays a

01:05: confirmation message. You will also receive an email that the import was successful.

01:10: If the import was not successful or if the import altered existing

01:14: outcomes, Canvas displays an error message. The

01:19: error message displays for outcome import errors and for outcome import

01:23: warnings. You will receive an email with details about the

01:27: first 100 errors and warnings. Each error or warning includes

01:32: the CSV row number and a description of the error or warning.

01:37: Import errors stop the import process entirely and need to be fixed

01:41: before outcomes can be imported successfully. The following types of errors

01:45: may occur in CSV files: Import file

01:49: contains no data Invalid headers are present

01:54: Invalid UTF-8 string Required fields

01:58: are missing Required headings are missing

02:03: Other headings are placed after the ratings header

02:06: When an import warning occurs, Canvas skips the affected row and the import

02:11: moves on. The following types of warnings may occur in CSV files:

02:16: Calculation validation method not specified

02:20: Group receives invalid fields Object type is

02:24: incorrect Outcome edits are not within the same context

02:30: Parent groups are invalid Parent group refers to missing

02:34: outcomes Rating tiers have invalid point values

02:40: Rating tiers have missing points Rating tiers

02:43: have points in wrong order Workflow state is invalid

02:48: Correct the errors in the CSV file according to the Outcomes Import Format

02:53: Documentation and re-import the file.

02:56: View the outcomes imported into your course.

03:00: This guide covered how to import outcomes into a course in Improved Outcomes

03:04: Management.

Open Outcomes

In Course Navigation, click the Outcomes link.

Import Outcomes

To import an Outcome at the root level course outcome group, click the Import button [1].

To import an Outcome in a specific outcomes group, select an outcome group [2]. In the outcome group, click the Options icon [3], then select the Import Outcomes option [4].

Upload File

Drag and drop your CSV file to the upload area, or click in the upload area to choose a file from your computer.

Note: Outcomes import supports CSV or JSON files.

Open File

Locate the CSV file [1] and then click the Open button [2].

View Import Status

Canvas displays a loading page while the file uploads. Large CSV files may take time to import.

Note: You can leave the Outcomes page at any time without disrupting the import process.

View Import Success

When the file has been successfully imported, Canvas displays a confirmation message. You will also receive an email that the import was successful.

View Import Errors and Warnings

If the import was not successful or if the import altered existing outcomes, Canvas displays an error message.

The error message displays for outcome import errors and for outcome import warnings.

You will receive an email with details about the first 100 errors and warnings. Each error or warning includes the CSV row number and a description of the error or warning.

Import errors stop the import process entirely and need to be fixed before outcomes can be imported successfully. The following types of errors may occur in CSV files:

Import file contains no data
Invalid headers are present
Invalid UTF-8 string
Required fields are missing
Required headings are missing
Other headings are placed after the ratings header

When an import warning occurs, Canvas skips the affected row and the import moves on. The following types of warnings may occur in CSV files:

Calculation validation method not specified
Group receives invalid fields
Object type is incorrect
Outcome edits are not within the same context
Parent groups are invalid
Parent group refers to missing outcomes
Rating tiers have invalid point values
Rating tiers have missing points
Rating tiers have points in wrong order
Workflow state is invalid

Correct the errors in the CSV file according to the Outcomes Import Format Documentation and re-import the file.

View Outcomes

View the outcomes imported into your course.

Canvas LMS Instructor Guide

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