Canvas: Authorize Canvas Groups to Access Your UofM Google Drive for Google Apps

Canvas integrates with Google Drive both at the course level and at the Group level making it easy for you to collaborate with others in both environments. There are two different integrations at each level. Each integration requires you to authorize Canvas to use your UoM Google Drive.

• Google Drive LTI - Allows you to start or participate in Google Apps collaborations: Documents, Presentations, or Spreadsheets. If you need to be able to link or embed a file stored on your UofM Google Drive or create or participate in a Presentations (Slides) or Spreadsheet collaboration, then you need to Set up Canvas to Use Google Drive LTI. This article contains the steps for authorizing Canvas to use the Google Drive LTI at the Group level
  • To authorize at the course level follow the steps in Set Up Canvas to Use Google Drive LTI. 
• Google Drive Web Service - If you are working with users on other campuses and only need to collaborate using Google Documents, we recommend Setting up Canvas to Use Google Drive Web Service.
  • To authorize at the Group level, follow the steps in Authorize Canvas Groups to Access Your UofM Google Drive for Google Docs.
  • To authorize at the course level, follow the steps in Setting up Canvas to Use Google Drive Web Service.

In this article:

• Signing out of any personal non-UofM Google Accounts
• Authorizing Canvas to use Google Drive LTI in Groups
• Avoiding account conflicts when using Google Drive LTI in Canvas
  • Tips for Success
• Additional Resources

Signing out of any personal non-UofM Google Accounts

When you authorize your account, you must use your UofM Google account, NOT a personal account. You will have to sign out of any non-UofM Google accounts before you begin the authorization process.

1. Select your Google Account button (upper-right corner). 
2. Sign out of any personal / non-UofM Google Accounts.
   
   • If you are using Chrome, confirm that you have turned off sync and are signed out of the browser.
     • Go to Sign out of Chrome for instructions.

Authorizing Canvas to use Google Drive LTI in Groups

Once you have signed out of any non-UofM Google accounts, you will be ready to authorize your UofM Google Drive to use the Canvas Google Drive LTI in a Group.

The process spelled out below is for someone who has never authorized their UofM Google Drive for any collaboration.

1. Go to Canvas and click Groups in the Global Navigation bar.
2. Select the appropriate Group.
3. Click Collaborations.
   • If you see the Current Collaborations page with information about what collaborations are and a section called Start a New Collaboration, select Google Apps from the Collaborate using drop-down menu. The screen refreshes to include a login section and an Authorize button. The Log In section states "You need to authorize this integration in order to use it. Please sign in to your Google account and authorize this integration."
     
   • If you see a list of collaborations, you can kick off the authorization process in one of 2 ways
     • Click Start a New Collaboration. 
     • Click into an existing collaboration. 
4. Click the Authorize button. 
   • The Choose an account window pops up. The Log In information window remains in the background but refreshes to include an additional sentence: "Once you have finished authorizing, click the "Next" button to continue."
     
5. Click Authorize Google Drive Access. The Choose an account to continue to Google Drive LTI by Canvas window appears.
   
6. Choose your University account. The Google Drive LTI by Canvas wants to access your Google Account window appears.
   
7. Click Allow. The Collaborations page reappears. 
   • The Start a New Collaboration section is now available. The Collaborate using drop-down menu shows Google Apps. The Kind menu shows Document (the default), a Name field and a Description field (both of which you have to click on to activate). The Collaborate with section has two columns. 
     • Your Group members will be listed in the left column. (Instructors will not be listed.) 
     • The right column provides instructions for choosing collaborators.
       
8. Set up the Collaboration type.
   • Choose the Kind of Google Apps collaboration you want to create (Document, Spreadsheet or Presentation).
   • Click the Name field and type a title. 
     • Tip: Include the collaboration type. For example Project Resources (spreadsheet)
   • Click the Description field to enter a description.
     • Tip: Identify yourself as the owner of the collaboration. For example Owner: Adelina Jafri.
9. Add Collaborators (being sure to add yourself) OR click the Collaborations page to see the list of existing collaborations, if any.

Avoiding account conflicts when using Google Drive LTI in Canvas

If you are logged into both your UofM account AND any personal google accounts, your browser could become confused about which Google account to use, even after you have authorized Canvas to work with Google Drive. Be sure to sign out of your personal Google account before you use Google Drive in Canvas.

Tips for success

Avoid browser confusion. 

• Use one browser for your UofM Google account; use a different browser for any personal accounts.
• Use an incognito / private window for one of the accounts.
  • This doesn't always work. If you have trouble, use another browser.

Additional Resources

• Canvas: Overview of Google Drive Integrations (for instructors)
• Troubleshoot Canvas Google Drive Issues