Never Miss a Canvas Discussion Topic Launch
A new discussion topic just opened in Canvas but you won't see it unless you check. Notis posts a Slack reminder when topics launch so you can jump in while momentum is high—without obsessively monitoring Canvas.
Trigger
New Canvas Discussion Topic
Fires when a new discussion topic is created in a course.
Action
Create a reminder
Create a reminder for a specified time.
Why this helps
By the time you notice a new discussion topic in Canvas, half your classmates have already weighed in and the conversation feels closed. You miss the chance to contribute meaningfully or benefit from real-time peer exchange.
- Participate early while discussions are active
- Build community by engaging in real-time
- Never feel like you're joining a conversation too late
- Reminder ensures you actually check and respond
Setup
Build it in a few focused steps.
- 1Connect Canvas and Slack.
- 2Create Automation: Name ('Discussion Topics'), Prompt ('Remind me in Slack when new discussion topics open so I can participate early'), Channel (your personal channel), Trigger ('New Canvas Discussion Topic').
- 3You'll get a reminder in Slack the moment a topic is posted, with time to respond while discussion is fresh.
Questions about this workflow
Can I set different reminder times for different courses?
Yes—create separate automations for each course with different reminder timings.
What if I'm not ready to participate yet?
The reminder is just a heads-up. You can snooze it in Slack and revisit when ready.
Can I see the topic description in Slack?
Notis posts the topic and link; you can click directly to Canvas to see full details.
When this happens · Trigger
Fires when a new discussion topic is created in a course.
Do this · Action
Create a reminder for a specified time.
Supported Triggers and Actions
Notis builds workflows that link Canvas to Slack. A trigger fires from one place; an action lands in another.
Canvas triggers
Slack actions
Recurring trigger
Notis starts this workflow on a schedule, such as daily, weekly, or during business hours.
Add an emoji alias
Add an alias for an existing custom emoji.
Webhook trigger
Notis starts this workflow when an external tool or custom backend sends an HTTP request.
Add a remote file
Add a reference to an external file for discovery and sharing.
Canvas Assignment Graded
Fires when a new submission for an assignment is graded.
Add Enterprise user to workspace
Adds an Enterprise user to a workspace, with optional guest restrictions.
New Canvas Assignment Submission
Fires when a new submission is made for an assignment.
Add a star to an item
Adds a star to a Slack item; it cannot be viewed or interacted with by end users.
New Canvas Discussion Message
Fires when a new message is posted in a discussion topic.
Add call participants
Register participants who join a call.
New Canvas Discussion Topic
Fires when a new discussion topic is created in a course.
Add emoji
Add a custom emoji to a workspace.
New Course Created for User
Fires when a new course is created for a user.
Add reaction to message
Adds an emoji reaction to a Slack message.
New Canvas File Upload
Fires when a new file is uploaded to a course.
Search for channels in Enterprise organization
Searches for public or private channels in an Enterprise organization.
Connect any two apps with Notis in the middle.
Canvas and Slack, or any other combination from 1,500+ integrations.
When this happens · Trigger
Do this · Action
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