From 17 August 2026, a new Microsoft Education integration will be available in Canvas, bringing together Microsoft Teams and OneDrive to support teaching and learning. The launch coincides with the annual QSIS course rollover and the creation of new Canvas module shells for the 2026/27 academic year.
This blog post explains what the new integration means for you, highlights the benefits for each app, outlines the new process for creating Module Teams, and provides an overview of how OneDrive will work within Canvas to help you prepare for the new academic year.
Key Benefits
The new Microsoft Education integration has been designed to make it easier to use Microsoft tools alongside Canvas, creating a more consistent experience for staff and students.
Key benefits include:
Teams Creation & Roster Sync – Automatically provisions a matching Microsoft Team, background M365 Group, and secure SharePoint document library the first time you click the link in your Course Navigation. Canvas course roster enrolments sync smoothly and dynamically to handle membership.
Enhanced OneDrive Integration – Full, reliable access to Word, PowerPoint, and Excel directly inside the Canvas environment for creating, deep embedding, and editing cloud content resource materials. Supports optimal workflows and sets up future scalability with other Microsoft apps available.
Simplified Permissions Management – Eliminating manual sharing workflows and broken links. Document access rules automatically mirror your active Canvas enrollment permissions (e.g., Staff maintain editing capabilities while students receive view-only access), ensuring master documents remain secure and protected from accidental overwrites.
Improved Collaborations – This updates the native Canvas Collaborations functionality with a highly stable framework that significantly reduces authentication errors, supporting richer real-time group interactions with existing files and enhancing stability.
Cloud Template Assignments – Allows teachers to select a single master cloud document that seamlessly clones an individual, dynamically tracked, and editable iteration for every student when launching a custom Canvas assignment workflow.
- Modern, secure integration – Built on Microsoft’s latest supported technology, providing improved reliability and helping the University maintain modern security standards.
Microsoft Teams
The first time you open the Microsoft Teams integration in a Canvas module, a new Module Team and its associated SharePoint file library will be created automatically (see below screenshot).
Everyone enrolled on the Canvas module will be added to the Team automatically. Teaching staff will be assigned as Owners, while students will join as Members with appropriate permissions.
The Team membership is managed from Canvas, so any changes to enrolments in Canvas will be reflected automatically in Microsoft Teams.
Files and activities created using the Microsoft integration in Canvas—such as shared documents, collaborations and assignment submissions—will be stored in the Module Team’s SharePoint library, helping keep your module resources organised in one place.
It is important to remember that Teams and Canvas have distinct but complementary purposes:
- Microsoft Teams is used for communication, collaboration and meetings.
- Canvas remains the core environment for teaching, learning and assessment.
Essential module information, learning materials, activities, assessment details and feedback should therefore continue to be provided through Canvas.
Microsoft OneDrive
The new OneDrive integration makes it easier to find, create and share Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly within Canvas.
You can add documents to pages, announcements, discussions and other course content, making it simpler to provide resources for students while keeping access to files managed appropriately.
Files created or uploaded through Canvas are stored in your module’s dedicated OneDrive folder, helping you organise your content and making it easier to manage resources throughout the academic year.
FAQs
This FAQ resource has been compiled to address common queries, outline technical prerequisites, and support staff as they navigate this transition within Canvas.
Further Support
- If you encounter any technical issues or require support with Microsoft Tools, please submit a support ticket with Digital and Information Services (D&IS).
- Should you require training on Canvas-related functionality, including how Microsoft tools are accessed and used within Canvas, please email elearning@qub.ac.uk.
