Canvas: Sync Assignments with Deep Links
Reference Number: AA-00703 Last Updated: 2024-02-21 11:48

Why do I need to sync my assignments?

If you want to sync Hawkes assignment grades with Canvas, and/or if you want to create an assignment deep link within Canvas, you must first sync the Hawkes assignments with Canvas.
Syncing assignments by creating a new LMS column will also sync over Hawkes due dates to Canvas.

When do I need to sync my assignments?

You will need to sync your assignments at the beginning of each term and throughout the term if you add additional Hawkes assignments after the start of the term.

Sync Assignments with Deep Links

What are Deep Links?

If you use deep links, the Hawkes assignments synced to your Canvas course will be selectable.  When selected, the links will take students directly to that assignment's landing page within Hawkes, bypassing the Hawkes sign in and dashboard navigation process. This allows students to access individual Hawkes assignments directly within Canvas.

Setting up deep links up will also automatically enable Hawkes Single Sign On which creates the student's Hawkes account, enrolls them in the correct Hawkes section, and automatically provides them with temporary access when they select their first Hawkes assignment.

Note: Instructors must enter section start and end dates in the Hawkes Grade Book for students to receive temporary access at the start of the term.

While not required, we recommend that you also add the Single Sign On tool to your course, which will take your students directly to their Hawkes Dashboard.

How to Sync Assignments with Deep Links

1.    Select a Canvas course. Then select the Hawkes Sync Tool.

2.    Select the Assignments Tab. Check the "Create direct links to assignments" option.


  • Most instructors will keep the 3rd box, "Include Hawkes section and instructor name in LMS Assignments" unselected. This ensures direct links only include the assignment name, and not also your name and section for every assignment.

3.    Select the individual assignments (light green rows) you would like to sync over by checking the checkbox next to their name(s).


  • You should only sync individual assignments (light green) and not assignment groups (dark green rows) when using deep links.
  • If you have more than 40 Hawkes assignments, you must open the Results drop-down menu and select Show All to view all assignments. Otherwise, all assignments will not be synced over.

4.    Review the Actions to Perform column for each assignment you are syncing.

  • In most scenarios, select "Create LMS Column" from the drop-down box
  • If your Canvas course was copied, you may already have columns created in Canvas for each assignment, so you should select that corresponding assignment name from the drop-down box.

5.    Select Sync.


6. Select Continue and finally Confirm on the subsequent pages.

Assignment Sync Notes and Best Practices

  • You will need to return to the Hawkes Sync Tool anytime you create or assign new Hawkes assignments.  For example, if you add a new Hawkes assignment mid-semester and want that assignment and grade to appear in Canvas, you will need to return to the sync tool and sync over that new, individual assignment.
  • Hawkes due dates only sync over automatically during the initial assignment sync (when the sync tool is used to create the Canvas assignment), or when a new grade is synced over for an assignment (in which case only the due dates for that specific assignment will sync over).  So, if you change a Hawkes due date and no student has recently completed that assignment, the due date will not update in Canvas automatically. To update the Canvas due date, you can either manually change it in Canvas or delete that Hawkes assignment in Canvas and re-sync it using our synchronization tool.
  • If for any reason the deeps links aren't working, this may be because previously created links have become broken or you did not use the Hawkes Sync tool to create the Assignments in Canvas with the Deep Links option selected.   
  • If you set up Deep Links, also consider adding the Single Sign On Tool to direct students more easily to the Hawkes Dashboard.

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