Find existing references for new Canvas discussion topics
Start a new topic with relevant indexed records already surfaced for review.
Trigger
New Canvas Discussion Topic
Fires when a new discussion topic is created in a course.
Action
Query Index
Searches an Elasticsearch index for documents.
Why this helps
Starting a useful discussion takes longer when people must hunt for earlier material across separate systems.
- Surface potentially relevant records when a topic is created.
- Make prior indexed material easier to review before joining the discussion.
- Keep results tied to the new topic in a run report.
Setup
Build it in a few focused steps.
- 1Connect Canvas and Elasticsearch once in the Notis portal.
- 2Create an automation in Automations, New Automation, and give it a name.
- 3Tell Notis to search a specified index for records relevant to each new discussion topic; include the index and fields to use.
- 4Choose New Canvas Discussion Topic as the trigger and select where run reports should go.
- 5Test with one real new topic and review the results.
Questions about this workflow
Does this workflow create a discussion topic?
No. Canvas starts the workflow when a topic is created; Elasticsearch is used to search an existing index.
Can it guarantee that a result is a useful reference?
No. It returns matching documents for review. Relevance depends on the index contents and search criteria.
When this happens · Trigger
Do this · Action
Supported Triggers and Actions
Notis builds workflows that link Canvas to Elasticsearch. A trigger fires from one place; an action lands in another.
Canvas triggers
Elasticsearch actions
Recurring trigger
Notis starts this workflow on a schedule, such as daily, weekly, or during business hours.
Get Index Schema
View the structure and field mappings of an index.
Webhook trigger
Notis starts this workflow when an external tool or custom backend sends an HTTP request.
List Indices
Lists available Elasticsearch indices.
Canvas Assignment Graded
Fires when a new submission for an assignment is graded.
Query Index
Searches an Elasticsearch index for documents.
New Canvas Assignment Submission
Fires when a new submission is made for an assignment.
Ping Cluster
Pings the cluster to check its connectivity and health.
New Canvas Discussion Message
Fires when a new message is posted in a discussion topic.
New Canvas Discussion Topic
Fires when a new discussion topic is created in a course.
New Course Created for User
Fires when a new course is created for a user.
New Canvas File Upload
Fires when a new file is uploaded to a course.
Connect any two apps with Notis in the middle.
Canvas and Elasticsearch, or any other combination from 1,000+ integrations.
When this happens · Trigger
Do this · Action
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