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Changes often force us to adapt in ways we’ve never experienced, which can be a major driver of personal (and even professional) growth and development.

Using Office and Google in Canvas

Cal Poly has Office 365 (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Stream, Teams) that you can use within and outside of Canvas. 

Many people also use Google. Google is a great free tool that you can also connect to your Canvas course. 

OneDrive (New)

You can attach OneDrive (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) files in your Canvas courses. If you want to learn more about OneDrive for Video embedding and links, please see our other page. You can distribute cloud assignments and create collaborations with students.
NOTE: when you share a file from your OneDrive...you are only sharing that ONE file. You are NOT giving students access to ALL your files. You can find the OneDrive tool within the Assignment selection, collaboration tool, course navigation, homework submission, link section option, and Rich Content Editor (RCE). 

The Rich Content Editor

OneDrive button in the RCE
popup window for OneDrive in Canvas
NOTE: OneDrive opens in a Pop-Up window. Make sure your browser allows pop-ups. 

Please see the tutorials for the below items:

  • Enable OneDrive Assignments
  • Create OneDrive Cloud Assignments
  • Create Template Assignments
  • Use OneDrive in the Collaboration tool
    NOTE: When creating a collaboration, you cannot link to a previously created collaboration document - You can not use the same document to start another collaboration.
  • Add OneDrive Files to Course Modules
  • Manage your OneDrive Account

Office 365 (Old)

Office 365 is the old plugin. Cal Poly Canvas will be phasing this plugin out by June 30, 2023. Please use the NEW OneDrive plugin.  
If you have enabled Microsoft Office 365, you can view all files in your Microsoft Office 365 (OneDrive) folder in Canvas. The OneDrive folder is accessed from the Course Navigation Menu.
NOTE: when you share a file from your OneDrive...you are only sharing that ONE file. You are NOT giving students access to ALL your files. 

    Errors: Your session has expired, please log back in & An unexpected error occurred. 

    1. Make sure you log into Office 365 in Canvas. Click on the Office 365 navigation link (left side) and login with Cal Poly account. 
    2. After you are logged into the Office 365 via the Canvas navigation...THEN click on the Collaborations navigation link and create your Office 365 (word/excel) collaboration
    3. IF you still can't create the collaboration. Try creating a "Canvas" folder in your OneDrive so the files will save in there. 

    Office 365: Failure - Something went wrong with authentication
    Steps to fix Office 365 for your Canvas account

    1. Log OUT of Canvas and the Portal (my.calpoly.edu)
    2. In the Browser, go to https://login.microsoftonline.com/ 
    3. Click on the profile picture in the upper right hand corner and select View Account from the drop down menu
    4. Click on the Mange link in the Office Apps box
    5. In the App Permissions box, click on the Change app permissions link
    6. Click on the revoke option under "Office365 LTI Prod IAD"
    7. Under your profile picture, top right - Log out of your Microsoft account.
    8. Now go back to the Portal - https://my.calpoly.edu and login. 
    9. Click on the Cal Poly Canvas button on the left under My Apps.
    10.  Click on the Account button (top Left) and choose Settings.  
    11. Scroll down, for EVERY “Office 365 Prod Iad” click on the trash can on the right to delete.
    12. Now click on the Office 365 navigation (left menu) and login. If you do NOT have that menu, click on the file the faculty shared.   
    13.  A window will pop up with Permissions requested - Accept

    If you still cannot access Office 365 via Canvas, go to the HELP > Report a Problem with Canvas. 

    Google

    The Google Drive web service allows you to integrate Canvas with your Google Drive account. All users can authorize their Google Drive accounts for access to Google collaborations and assignment uploads.
    NOTE: when you share a file from your Google files...you are only sharing that ONE file. You are NOT giving students access to ALL your files. 

     

    Support

    If you are unable to access your Office 365 system, please contact the Service Desk at servicedesk@calpoly.edu since Office is supported by their department.

    Google is not a Cal Poly supported software. You may have to search for support on your own for this tool.  

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