Create Appointments in Canvas using the Scheduler Tool

The Scheduler tool in Canvas lets instructors offer appointment slots to students via the Calendar. This guide covers how to create, customize, and publish appointment groups.

Quick Links: | Prerequisites | Instructions | Troubleshooting | Next Steps |

The Scheduler tool in the Canvas Calendar makes it easy to offer appointment slots to students without the need for email coordination. Instructors can use Scheduler to set up office hours, advising sessions, or any other kind of one-on-one or group check-in. Students can sign up for available time slots that work for their schedules, and all appointments are automatically added to the instructor's Calendar.

This article covers how to create, customize, and manage appointment groups using Scheduler.

Prerequisites

Before using Scheduler, make sure:

• You are listed as an Instructor in a published Canvas course.
• Your course Calendar is visible and accessible to students.
• You know the general dates and time windows you want to offer for appointments.

Step-by-Step Instructions

To set up Scheduler appointments in Canvas, do the following:

1. Open your Canvas course.
2. From the global navigation menu, select Calendar.
3. In the Calendar view, select the + icon in the upper right corner to create a new event.
4. In the Event pop-up, select the Appointment Group tab [1].
5. Enter a name for your appointment group (e.g., “Office Hours Week 1”).
6. Select the course calendar where the appointment group will appear.
7. In the Location field, add where the appointment will take place (e.g., Zoom, ARTS 123, etc.).
8. In the Details field, add any instructions or notes students should know before signing up.
9. Under Appointment Options, enter the date and time range for your availability.
10. Select Go to generate the time range. Then set:
    • The length of each appointment slot (e.g., 15 minutes)
    • Whether students can sign up individually or in groups
    • The number of students allowed per time slot
11. (Optional) Select Limit each student to one appointment if needed.
12. When finished, select Publish to make the time slots available to students.

Now students will be able to see and reserve available time slots from their Calendar. Appointments they book will automatically appear in your Calendar as well.

Troubleshooting

• If students cannot see the appointment group, check that your course is published and the Calendar is visible.
• If time slots aren’t showing up correctly, revisit the appointment group to ensure the correct course and time zone are selected.
• To delete or edit existing appointment groups, return to the Calendar and select the appointment group from the Calendar view.

If students need help signing up, refer them to the article: Sign Up for a Scheduler Appointment in Canvas

Next Steps (Optional)