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Canvas LMS MCP Server

Canvas LMS MCP Server

by bruchris
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
TypeScript
Hybrid

Create Appointment Group

create_appointment_group
Destructive

Create Canvas Scheduler appointment groups with bookable time slots across one or more courses, set participant visibility and booking limits, and leave it as a draft or publish immediately.

Instructions

Create a new appointment group (Canvas Scheduler sign-up slots) in one or more contexts, e.g. ["course_123"], and return the created group object (id, title, workflow_state, context_codes). New groups start workflow_state "pending" (unpublished, invisible to participants) unless publish=true — once published, Canvas will not let it go back to unpublished, so confirm with get_appointment_group before setting it. participant_visibility defaults to "private"; set it to "protected" so signed-up participants can see each other's sign-ups. Add new_appointments as [start_at, end_at] ISO 8601 pairs to create the bookable time slots up front, or add more later with update_appointment_group. Each call creates another group — there is no dedup against an existing title. Requires permission to manage the Scheduler in every context listed.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
titleYesTitle of the appointment group
publishNoIf true, publish immediately (default: false = draft)
descriptionNoOptional description
context_codesYesContexts to associate with this group, e.g. ["course_123"]
location_nameNoLocation name
location_addressNoLocation address
new_appointmentsNoTime slots to create as [start_at, end_at] pairs (ISO 8601 strings)
participant_typeNoWhether individuals (User) or groups (Group) sign up. Default: User
participant_visibilityNoWho can see other sign-ups: "private" (instructors only) or "protected" (all participants)
max_appointments_per_participantNoMaximum time slots each participant can reserve
min_appointments_per_participantNoMinimum time slots each participant must reserve

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changedv1.18.11
    • changedInput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
  2. Changed3 schema fields changedv1.18.5
    • changedInput schema / properties / new_appointments / items / items
      Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  }
-]New value: +{
+  "type": "string"
+}
    • addedInput schema / properties / new_appointments / items / maxItems
      Added value: +2
    • addedInput schema / properties / new_appointments / items / minItems
      Added value: +2
  3. Addedv1.18.4

TDQS

A4.8/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Adds significant behavior beyond the destructive/openWorld annotations: default workflow_state 'pending' is unpublished and invisible, publish is irreversible in Canvas, and there is no dedup against existing titles so repeated calls create duplicates. Permission requirements are also stated.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with purpose and return value, and nearly every sentence carries useful constraint information. It is one dense paragraph though; splitting publish/dedup/permission caveats would improve scannability.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For an 11-parameter mutation with no output schema, the description names the returned fields (id, title, workflow_state, context_codes), covers defaults, irreversibility, dedup behavior, and permission scope. Nothing an agent needs to call it safely is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so baseline is 3; the description earns extra by explaining the consequence of publish (irreversible), the meaning of participant_visibility (private vs protected so participants see each other), and the [start_at, end_at] ISO 8601 shape for new_appointments.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Specific verb and resource: 'Create a new appointment group (Canvas Scheduler sign-up slots) in one or more contexts', plus what it returns. It is clearly distinguishable from update_appointment_group, which it names as the tool for adding slots later.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicit routing: add slots up front via new_appointments or later with update_appointment_group; confirm with get_appointment_group before setting publish; permission required in every context. Covers both when-to-use and a concrete precondition to check.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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