How your name is populated into Canvas

When you start at WPI (in any role- student, faculty, or staff), your name is imported into Canvas from Workday. However, you may edit your name in Canvas and this will not be overwritten as long as your account remains active and in good standing.  

Change in status/taking leave

If you take leave from the university or have a change in your status, you may need to update your information in Canvas when you return if it differs from what you see in Banner/Workday. 

Canvas Account Settings

Here’s an overview on how your personal information is stored and displayed in Canvas.

To access or edit this information, click on Account > Settings. Click Edit Settings to make changes.

  • Full Name is used for the Gradebook and Grades pages, Chat, People, and Banner/Workday imports
  • Display Name is how other users will see your name in Announcements, Conferences, Conversations, and Discussions
  • Sortable Name defaults to your last name, first name and appears in sorted lists so admins can search for it
  • Pronouns display after your name in various areas throughout Canvas (optional, see next section)
  • Default Email can be set when you have multiple Notification email addresses associated with your account. 
  • Language can be set to your native language and is the language you want to use in Canvas (does not apply if an instructor sets a specific language for a course).

CANVAS PRONOUN DISPLAY OPTIONS

All users have the ability to indicate personal pronouns in their Canvas profiles. Pronouns in Canvas are not currently synced with Workday.

The default is "none" and users can opt-in to displaying a pronoun. Personal pronouns display after your name in various areas in Canvas, including:

  • Comment fields
  • Discussions
  • Inbox
  • People (Course and Groups)
  • User navigation menu
  • User profile page
  • User settings page

Available pronouns include:

  • none
  • she/her/hers
  • he/him/his
  • they/them/theirs
  • ze/zir/zirs
  • hy/hym/hys
  • xe/xem/xyrs
  • ask me

More Information and Support

If you don’t see your pronouns in the list above, please contact us at canvashelp@wpi.edu and we can work with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to make adjustments.

If you have any questions about how your personal information displays in Canvas, please contact us at canvashelp@wpi.edu.

If you have questions about how your information displays in any other university IT or Registrar software and services, please contact its@wpi.edu.