Description
Implement Student Information System (SIS) integration helpers to enable seamless data synchronization between institutional SIS systems and Canvas, following Canvas SIS import/export patterns and SDK architectural standards.
Background
Educational institutions require robust SIS integration capabilities to synchronize student data, course information, enrollments, and grades between their Student Information Systems and Canvas LMS. Canvas provides comprehensive SIS import/export APIs that require specialized handling and institutional-specific data mapping.
Canvas SIS Integration Overview
Canvas SIS Import Types
- Users Import - Student, faculty, and staff data
- Courses Import - Course catalog and course instance data
- Sections Import - Course section organization
- Enrollments Import - User-course-section relationships
- Terms Import - Academic calendar and term definitions
- Cross-listings Import - Course cross-listing relationships
Canvas SIS Export Capabilities
- Users Export - Current user data with SIS IDs
- Courses Export - Course data with institutional identifiers
- Enrollments Export - Current enrollment state
- Grades Export - Grade passback to SIS systems
Implementation Strategy
Phase 1: SIS Data Mapping and Validation
SIS Data Mapper
// New file: src/SIS/SISDataMapper.php
namespace CanvasLMS\SIS;
class SISDataMapper
{
// Institutional data mapping
public static function mapUserFromSIS(array $sisUserData): array
public static function mapCourseFromSIS(array $sisCourseData): array
public static function mapEnrollmentFromSIS(array $sisEnrollmentData): array
public static function mapSectionFromSIS(array $sisSectionData): array
// Canvas data mapping for export
public static function mapUserForSIS(User $user): array
public static function mapCourseForSIS(Course $course): array
public static function mapEnrollmentForSIS(Enrollment $enrollment): array
// Data validation
public static function validateSISUserData(array $data): array
public static function validateSISCourseData(array $data): array
}
SIS Data Validator
// New file: src/SIS/SISValidator.php
namespace CanvasLMS\SIS;
class SISValidator
{
// SIS ID validation
public static function validateSISUserId(string $sisUserId): bool
public static function validateSISCourseId(string $sisCourseId): bool
public static function validateSISSectionId(string $sisSectionId): bool
public static function validateSISTermId(string $sisTermId): bool
// Institutional data validation
public static function validateEmailFormat(string $email): bool
public static function validateUserRole(string $role): bool
public static function validateEnrollmentStatus(string $status): bool
// Batch validation for large datasets
public static function validateSISBatch(array $data, string $type): array
}
Phase 2: SIS Import Management
SIS Import Manager
// New file: src/SIS/SISImportManager.php
namespace CanvasLMS\SIS;
class SISImportManager extends AbstractBaseApi
{
// CSV import operations
public static function importUsersFromCSV(string $csvContent, array $options = []): SISImportResult
public static function importCoursesFromCSV(string $csvContent, array $options = []): SISImportResult
public static function importSectionsFromCSV(string $csvContent, array $options = []): SISImportResult
public static function importEnrollmentsFromCSV(string $csvContent, array $options = []): SISImportResult
// Array-based import operations
public static function importUsersFromArray(array $userData, array $options = []): SISImportResult
public static function importCoursesFromArray(array $courseData, array $options = []): SISImportResult
// Import status and monitoring
public static function getImportStatus(int $importId): array
public static function getImportErrors(int $importId): array
public static function cancelImport(int $importId): bool
// Batch import with progress tracking
public static function importWithProgress(
string $type,
array $data,
callable $progressCallback = null
): SISImportResult
}
SIS Import Result Handler
// New file: src/SIS/SISImportResult.php
namespace CanvasLMS\SIS;
class SISImportResult
{
public int $importId;
public string $importType;
public int $totalRecords;
public int $processedRecords;
public int $createdRecords;
public int $updatedRecords;
public int $errorRecords;
public array $errors;
public string $status; // 'created', 'importing', 'completed', 'failed'
public ?\DateTime $completedAt;
// Status checking
public function isCompleted(): bool
public function isSuccessful(): bool
public function hasErrors(): bool
public function getProgressPercentage(): float
// Error analysis
public function getErrorSummary(): array
public function getErrorsByType(): array
}
Phase 3: SIS Export Management
SIS Export Manager
// New file: src/SIS/SISExportManager.php
namespace CanvasLMS\SIS;
class SISExportManager extends AbstractBaseApi
{
// CSV export operations
public static function exportUsersToCSV(array $filters = []): string
public static function exportCoursesToCSV(array $filters = []): string
public static function exportEnrollmentsToCSV(array $filters = []): string
public static function exportGradesToCSV(array $courseIds = []): string
// Structured data export
public static function exportUsersToArray(array $filters = []): array
public static function exportCoursesToArray(array $filters = []): array
// Grade passback for SIS systems
public static function exportFinalGrades(array $courseIds, string $format = 'csv'): string
public static function exportGradebookEntries(int $courseId): array
// Incremental export (only changes since date)
public static function exportChangesSince(\DateTime $since, array $types = []): array
}
Phase 4: SIS Synchronization Workflows
SIS Sync Manager
// New file: src/SIS/SISSyncManager.php
namespace CanvasLMS\SIS;
class SISSyncManager
{
// Full synchronization workflows
public static function fullUserSync(array $sisUsers): SISSyncResult
public static function fullCourseSync(array $sisCourses): SISSyncResult
public static function fullEnrollmentSync(array $sisEnrollments): SISSyncResult
// Incremental synchronization
public static function incrementalSync(\DateTime $lastSyncDate): SISSyncResult
public static function syncUserChanges(array $userChanges): SISSyncResult
public static function syncEnrollmentChanges(array $enrollmentChanges): SISSyncResult
// Conflict resolution
public static function resolveDataConflicts(array $conflicts, string $strategy = 'sis_wins'): array
// Sync validation and rollback
public static function validateSyncData(array $data): array
public static function rollbackSync(string $syncId): bool
}
SIS Sync Result
// New file: src/SIS/SISSyncResult.php
namespace CanvasLMS\SIS;
class SISSyncResult
{
public string $syncId;
public \DateTime $startTime;
public ?\DateTime $endTime;
public array $syncedTypes;
public array $statistics;
public array $conflicts;
public array $errors;
// Statistics tracking
public function getTotalProcessed(): int
public function getTotalCreated(): int
public function getTotalUpdated(): int
public function getTotalErrors(): int
// Conflict analysis
public function hasConflicts(): bool
public function getConflictsByType(): array
public function getResolvedConflicts(): array
}
Phase 5: Institutional Configuration
SIS Configuration Manager
// Enhance existing Config.php
class Config
{
// SIS-specific configuration
public static function setSISSourceSystem(string $system, ?string $context = null): void
public static function setSISUserMapping(array $mapping, ?string $context = null): void
public static function setSISCourseMapping(array $mapping, ?string $context = null): void
public static function setSISSyncStrategy(string $strategy, ?string $context = null): void
// SIS validation rules
public static function setSISValidationRules(array $rules, ?string $context = null): void
public static function getSISValidationRules(?string $context = null): array
// Default SIS mappings for common systems
public static function loadPowerschoolMapping(): void
public static function loadBannerMapping(): void
public static function loadColleagueMapping(): void
}
Required Features
Core SIS Integration
Canvas SIS API Integration
Institutional Data Management
Synchronization Workflows
Usage Examples
SIS User Import
// Import users from CSV file
$csvContent = file_get_contents('sis_users.csv');
$result = SISImportManager::importUsersFromCSV($csvContent, [
'override_sis_stickiness' => true,
'batch_mode' => true
]);
// Monitor progress
while (\!$result->isCompleted()) {
sleep(5);
echo "Progress: {$result->getProgressPercentage()}%\n";
}
if ($result->hasErrors()) {
foreach ($result->getErrorsByType() as $type => $errors) {
echo "{$type} errors: " . count($errors) . "\n";
}
}
SIS Synchronization Workflow
// Configure SIS mapping
Config::setSISSourceSystem('PowerSchool');
Config::loadPowerschoolMapping();
// Perform full sync
$sisData = [
'users' => $userArray,
'courses' => $courseArray,
'enrollments' => $enrollmentArray
];
$syncResult = SISSyncManager::fullUserSync($sisData['users']);
$syncResult = SISSyncManager::fullCourseSync($sisData['courses']);
$syncResult = SISSyncManager::fullEnrollmentSync($sisData['enrollments']);
// Handle conflicts
if ($syncResult->hasConflicts()) {
$resolved = SISSyncManager::resolveDataConflicts(
$syncResult->conflicts,
'sis_wins'
);
}
Grade Passback
// Export grades for SIS system
$gradeCSV = SISExportManager::exportFinalGrades([123, 124, 125]);
file_put_contents('final_grades.csv', $gradeCSV);
// Export only changes since last sync
$lastSync = new \DateTime('2024-01-01');
$changes = SISExportManager::exportChangesSince($lastSync, ['grades']);
Testing Strategy
SIS Data Testing
Integration Testing
Implementation Phases
Phase 1 (4-5 weeks): Core SIS Infrastructure
- Create SIS data mapping and validation utilities
- Implement SIS import/export managers
- Add Canvas SIS API integration
Phase 2 (3-4 weeks): Sync Workflows
- Implement SIS synchronization workflows
- Add conflict resolution mechanisms
- Create institutional configuration presets
Phase 3 (2-3 weeks): Integration and Testing
- Integration with existing API classes
- Comprehensive testing with institutional data
- Documentation and usage examples
Priority
Medium - Important for institutional Canvas deployments and SIS integration requirements.
Canvas Domain Benefits
- Enable seamless SIS-Canvas data synchronization
- Support for institutional data management workflows
- Canvas SIS import/export API utilization
- Grade passback capabilities for institutional requirements
Related Issues
This implementation provides enterprise-grade SIS integration capabilities while maintaining SDK architectural consistency and Canvas API compliance.
Description
Implement Student Information System (SIS) integration helpers to enable seamless data synchronization between institutional SIS systems and Canvas, following Canvas SIS import/export patterns and SDK architectural standards.
Background
Educational institutions require robust SIS integration capabilities to synchronize student data, course information, enrollments, and grades between their Student Information Systems and Canvas LMS. Canvas provides comprehensive SIS import/export APIs that require specialized handling and institutional-specific data mapping.
Canvas SIS Integration Overview
Canvas SIS Import Types
Canvas SIS Export Capabilities
Implementation Strategy
Phase 1: SIS Data Mapping and Validation
SIS Data Mapper
SIS Data Validator
Phase 2: SIS Import Management
SIS Import Manager
SIS Import Result Handler
Phase 3: SIS Export Management
SIS Export Manager
Phase 4: SIS Synchronization Workflows
SIS Sync Manager
SIS Sync Result
Phase 5: Institutional Configuration
SIS Configuration Manager
Required Features
Core SIS Integration
Canvas SIS API Integration
Institutional Data Management
Synchronization Workflows
Usage Examples
SIS User Import
SIS Synchronization Workflow
Grade Passback
Testing Strategy
SIS Data Testing
Integration Testing
Implementation Phases
Phase 1 (4-5 weeks): Core SIS Infrastructure
Phase 2 (3-4 weeks): Sync Workflows
Phase 3 (2-3 weeks): Integration and Testing
Priority
Medium - Important for institutional Canvas deployments and SIS integration requirements.
Canvas Domain Benefits
Related Issues
This implementation provides enterprise-grade SIS integration capabilities while maintaining SDK architectural consistency and Canvas API compliance.