SS&E LMS Integration: Troubleshooting Quick Guide

Updated

Overview

Student Success & Engagement integrates with several LMSs to provide updated LMS data to a student’s success team. This article provides information on LMS integration troubleshooting.

There are three general types of LMS data that are imported into SS&E: Course Sections, Enrollments, and Assignments. Assignments sync is supported for Blackboard, Canvas, & Moodle only. Attendance data is not synced from any LMS at this time. More detailed information about the LMS data sync and schedule can be found here:

For any LMS data sync issue, follow the steps below to troubleshoot the LMS connection, configuration, and data synchronization.

Connection Test

The first thing to confirm is that the LMS integration connection is successful. From the LMS Integration Configuration page, an SS&E System Administrator can use the Test Connection button to confirm that the connection is configured correctly.

The LMS Integration Configuration page under LMS Integration with the 'Test Connection' option highlighted.

Success: If valid data is returned, the connection is successful. Example success messages:

  • Blackboard
    An example messages showing a successful LMS integration connection for Blackboard.
  • Brightspace
    An example messages showing a successful LMS integration connection for Brightspace.
  • Canvas
    An example messages showing a successful LMS integration connection for Canvas.
  • Moodle
    An example messages showing a successful LMS integration connection for Moodle.

Errors: If an error message is returned, verify the configurations and permissions above are correct. Example error messages:

  • Blackboard
    • "Unable to connect" confirm the user has the correct role and permissions.
    • "404 - this page does not exist" confirm the domain and appId.
  • Brightspace
    • "Cannot invoke method render() on null object" - Verify that appId, appKey, userId and userKey are correct
    • ""success": false" - Verify that the fullD2lUrl and host are correct
      An error message showing an unsuccessful connection.
  • Canvas
    • "Unable to connect. Status Code: 404 -- That page doesn't exist."
    • "Unable to connect. Status Code: 401 -- Unauthorized - invalid credentials."
  • Moodle
    • If a blank screen or error message is returned, verify the configurations and permissions above are correct.

LMS Configuration

Next, confirm that the configuration, service account, permissions, and settings within the LMS are correct. This may resolve some of the connection errors from the previous section, or resolve other issues even if the connection test is successful.

An LMS Administrator should follow the steps in the relevant setup guide to confirm all LMS settings are correct.

Course Section Sync

In order for any LMS enrollment or assignment data to sync, the LMS course sections must first sync to the corresponding SS&E course sections imported from the SIS. This course section sync step uses custom code to map LMS section IDs to SIS sections using the SS&E Course Resolver.

  1. Confirm that a single LMS Course Section is syncing
    1. Navigate to SS&E Admin > Course Sections
    2. Search for the section and verifying that the LMS ID is correct.
      The Course Sections page showing the details of the sections in a table structure with the LMS ID of a section highlighted.
    3. For any sections that have failed to sync, confirm that the sections have the required settings within in the LMS. See LMS Prerequisites for more information.
  2. Confirm that LMS Course Sections are syncing this term
    1. Navigate to SS&E Admin > Course Sections
    2. Search for the current term and search the percent sign '%' in the LMS ID field to confirm that roughly the right number of LMS IDs are syncing for the current term.
      The Course Sections page showing the details of the sections in a table structure with the LMS ID of a section and the 'Created Date' search field highlighted.
  3. Check Course Resolver Errors for any course sections that failed to sync.
    1. Navigate to SS&E Admin > LMS Integration > Course Resolver Errors
    2. Search for the LMS Section ID to find relevant errors. The Course Resolver Errors page under LMS Integration showing no course errors. Notes: all course sections are processed, including template sections - therefore there may be many errors that are not relevant to current sections.
    3. If a few active course sections are failing to sync each term, the LMS sections likely do not match the naming format used to match the majority of sections. Add the LMS IDs manually to resolve any LMS data sync issues.
    4. If most or all course sections are failing each term, the course resolver code likely needs to be updated by Watermark Technical Services. This often occurs when the LMS section naming format changes between terms. Request this one-time change from the Watermark Academy.

Enrollment Sync

Most LMS data in SS&E relating to a student in a particular section is synced via the Enrollment sync step.

  1. Verify LMS ID and Course Section sync  
    1. If enrollment data is outdated or missing, first confirm that the course section has synced successfully and the correct LMS ID is present on the course section by following the LMS Troubleshooting - Course Section steps above.
  2. Locate the LMS Enrollment data for a person
    1. Navigate to SS&E Admin > LMS Integration > Current Term Enrollment Report
    2. Use ctrl + f to search for the student's ID to ensure that their Current Grade, Last Login, and other LMS data is syncing.
      The Current Term Enrollment Report page under LMS Integration showing the enrollment data in a table structure with the 'Person id' field highlighted.
  3. Confirm the student's LMS ID is correct.
    1. Navigate to SS&E Admin > People & Roles > People and search for the student.
    2. Open the person record and confirm the LMS ID is correct.
      The person record of Sally Student with the Lms Id of the person under 'Details' option highlighted.
    3. This may be missing or incorrect if the personId, username, and primary email do not match a record in the LMS.
  4. Check Enrollment Import Errors for any enrollment records that failed to sync.
    1. Navigate to SS&E Admin > LMS Integration > Enrollment Import Errors
    2. Search for the student or section to find relevant errors.
      The Enrollment Import Errors page under LMS Integration showing no enrollment import errors.
    3. LMS gradebooks must be configured/formatted to allow processing and syncing to SS&E.
      1. Grades published/available externally.
      2. Grades formatted as a percentage.

LMS Sync Jobs

  1. Check that the lmsCourseSectionSynchJob and lmsEnrollmentsImportJob are running successfully.
    1. Navigate to SS&E Admin > Advanced > Batch Processing
    2. Confirm that the lmsCourseSectionSynchJob and lmsEnrollmentsImportJob status is COMPLETED and not FAILED or STOPPING. The Batch Processing option under Advanced showing Spring Batch jobs in a table structure with the 'lmsCourseSectionSynchJob' on page 2 that is not currently running highlighted. The Batch Processing option under Advanced showing Spring Batch jobs in a table structure with the 'lmsEnrollmentsImportJob' that is not currently running highlighted.
    3. If the lmsCourseSectionSynchJob or lmsEnrollmentsImportJob is failing consistently, submit a request to Watermark Support for investigation.
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