Start tracking assignment review when a Canvas submission arrives
A new submission can prompt DeskTime to start the review task you use for that assignment or course.
Trigger
New Canvas Assignment Submission
Polls Canvas for new submissions to a specific assignment.
Action
Start Project Task
Tool to start tracking time for a specified project and optional task. use when you need to begin timing work on a project and optionally tag a task.
Why this helps
Switching from a new submission to starting a timer creates friction, and review time can go unrecorded.
- Start a review timer from a new submission event.
- Use a project and task identified in the automation instruction.
- Reduce the gap between a submission arriving and beginning review.
Setup
Build it in a few focused steps.
- 1Connect Canvas and DeskTime once in the Notis portal.
- 2Create an automation in Notis and name it for submission review tracking.
- 3In one instruction, tell Notis which configured DeskTime project and task to start when a submission arrives; supply a course-to-project convention if needed.
- 4Pick the New Canvas Assignment Submission trigger and choose where run reports should go.
- 5Test with one real submission and confirm the intended project task starts.
Questions about this workflow
Does this create a DeskTime project automatically?
No. This workflow starts a project task. The project and task should already exist or be identified in your instruction.
Can it know which DeskTime project matches a Canvas course?
Only if the event provides enough detail and your instruction gives Notis a reliable matching rule. Provide the mapping if it is not present in the event data.
Does this trigger run for every assignment?
The listed event polls for new submissions to a specific assignment. Choose that trigger in Notis.
When this happens · Trigger
Do this · Action
Supported Triggers and Actions
Notis builds workflows that link Canvas to Desktime. A trigger fires from one place; an action lands in another.
Canvas triggers
Desktime actions
Recurring trigger
Notis starts this workflow on a schedule, such as daily, weekly, or during business hours.
Create Project with Optional Task
Tool to create a new project with an optional initial task. use when you need to set up a new desktime project programmatically.
Webhook trigger
Notis starts this workflow when an external tool or custom backend sends an HTTP request.
Get Account Details
Tool to retrieve detailed information about the authenticated user's company account. use after confirming the api key is valid to fetch company name, work settings, account timezone, and timestamp.
Canvas Assignment Graded
Polls Canvas for newly graded submissions for a specific assignment.
Get All Company Employees
Tool to list all employees in the company, including their roles and statuses. use after confirming valid credentials to fetch the organization’s roster.
New Canvas Assignment Submission
Polls Canvas for new submissions to a specific assignment.
Get Employee Data
Tool to fetch data for all employees within the company. use after verifying the api key is valid.
New Canvas Discussion Message
Polls Canvas discussion topics for new messages.
Get Employee Projects
Tool to retrieve information about projects assigned to employees, including project names, durations, and statuses. use when you need to fetch per-employee project tracking data for a specific date.
New Canvas Discussion Topic
Polls a Canvas course for new discussion topics.
Get Employee Projects and Apps
Tool to retrieve an employee's tracked projects and application usage. use when you need combined project/app time data for a given employee and date (defaults to current user and today). example: "get projects and apps for employee 711867 on 2025-07-28."
New Course Created for User
Polls Canvas for newly created courses for a specific user.
Get Projects List
Tool to retrieve all active projects for the company, including related tasks. use when you need projects overview after authentication.
New Canvas File Upload
Polls a Canvas course for new file uploads.
Ping DeskTime API
Tool to check the api's availability and confirm the service is operational. use when you need to verify that the desktime api is reachable and responsive.
Connect any two apps with Notis in the middle.
Canvas and Desktime, or any other combination from 1,000+ integrations.
When this happens · Trigger
Do this · Action
Save your first hour today.
7-day trial of any paid plan, with 20$ of usage included.
No card. Works with personal or business Desktime.