Brightspace (LMS)

About the Brightspace API

Campus Cafe provides a connection to D2L's Brightspace learning management system using the D2L Valence API. Clients must contract directly with D2L for use of the Brightspace platform. 

API Functions

• Upon course section creation in Campus Cafe, establish a corresponding section in Brightspace. The course template must be created directly in Brightspace prior.

• Upon student enrollment in Campus Cafe, establish a Brightspace account for a student in Brightspace if one does not already exist.

• Upon student enrollment in Campus Cafe, register the student for the corresponding section in Brightspace.

• Upon instructor assignment to course in Campus Cafe, establish a Brightspace account for an instructor in Brightspace if one does not already exist.

• Upon instructor assignment to course in Campus Cafe, associate the instructor with the corresponding course section in Brightspace.

• Upon a change to the first or last name of an instructor or student in Campus Cafe, change the name in Brightspace.

• Upon a change to the email address of an instructor or student in Campus Cafe, change the email in Brightspace.

• Transfer Final Course Grades from Brightspace to Campus Cafe.*

The connection does not import attendance from the Brightspace attendance module into Campus Cafe.

*Requires the Brightspace Data Hub module.

Brightspace Configuration

The following steps must be completed in Brightspace before completing the integration configuration in Campus Cafe.

Establish Semester in Brightspace

Brightspace must have semesters configured and coded to match corresponding semesters in Campus Cafe. The API does not automatically complete semester setup in Brightspace. It must be done manually prior to the creation of courses in Campus Cafe for that semester.

1. Log in to Brightspace

2. Click the gear (settings) icon

3. Under Organization Related, click Org Unit Editor

4. Click Create Org Unit

5. In the Type box select Semester

6. In the Name box enter a description for the semester such as Fall 2020

7. In the Code box enter the semester code from Campus Cafe (e.g. 202110)

8. In the Parent ID enter the Brightspace parent (typically 6606)

9. Click Create

Establish Course Templates in Brightspace

Brightspace must be configured with course templates for each course that will be created in Campus Cafe. The API does not automatically create course templates in Brightspace to allow institutions to adhere to their own unique business processes. Templates must be created manually prior to the creation of courses in Campus Cafe.

1. Log in to Brightspace

2. Click the gear (settings) icon

3. Under Course Related click Course Management

4. Click Create a new Course Offering or Template

   

5. Choose the radio button next to Create a new template or Create a new course offering based on an existing template

6. Click Next

7. In the Course Template Name enter a description of the course such as Intro to Mathematics

8. In the Course Template Code enter the Campus Cafe code exactly as it appears in Campus Cafe. For example MTH101. Ensure the code matches exactly and does not contain spaces if there are no spaces in Campus Cafe

9. Click Next

Course Offerings in Brightspace

The connector automatically creates course offerings in Brightspace. The Brightspace offerings are created when, in Campus Cafe, an instructor is assigned to the course or a student is registered. 

If a Brightspace course offering is created directly in Brightspace, institutions must enter the Course Offering Code for the course to prevent the connector from creating a duplicate course.

1. In Brightspace, navigate to the Course and then Course Administration > Course Offering Information

2. Set the Course Offering Code. The code is constructed from the Campus Cafe Semester Code, Course Number, and Course Section with a tilde between each field (Term~CourseNumber~CourseSection). For example, the course CIS123, Section 1 offered in the term 202010 would be “202010~CIS123~1”.

3. Click Save

Update Brightspace Users

To match users between the two systems, the connector relies on the Campus Cafe ID number being entered as the Brightspace user's Org Defined ID. 

To set an Org Defined ID in Brightspace

1. Log in to Brightspace

2. Click the gear (settings) icon

3. Under User Related click Users

4. Locate the desired user (or click the magnifying glass to display all users)

5. Click the name of the user

6. In the Org Defined ID box enter the user's Campus Cafe ID number

7. Click Save

Register App in Brightspace

This is a one-time process to establish the connection.

1. Log in to BrightspaceRegister an App Screen in Brightspace

2. Click the gear (settings) icon

3. Under Organization Related click Manage Extensibility 

4. Ensure you are on the ID Key Authorization tab

5. Click Register an App
   Application Name: Campus Cafe
   Trusted URI: https://apitesttool.desire2learnvalence.com/ (ensure the final slash is included)
   Major Version: 1
   Minor Version: 0
   Description: Optionally enter a note about the connection
   Enable this application: Checked

6. Accept the terms and click Register Application

7. Copy the Application ID for future use

8. Next to Application Key click Show and copy the Application Key for future use

9. Ensure that you are logged into your Brightspace environment

10. Open the API Test Tool: https://apitesttool.desire2learnvalence.com/

11. Replace the host field with your Brightspace URL

12. Replace the Application ID and Application Key fields with the values -from Steps 7-8

13. Click Authenticate

14. Copy the User ID for future use

15. Copy the User Key for future use

16. Ensure that the application is enabled
    

    

Campus Cafe Configuration

Complete the steps below to establish the Campus Cafe configuration settings.

Configure Campus Cafe Class Drop Configuration

The connection to Campus Cafe runs on a schedule where it processes any enrollment changes made since the last run. As such, the system requires that records of drops and replacements (swaps) be preserved. 

1. Log in to Campus Cafe

2. Navigate to Admin > System Setup > Custom Control

3. Local ProgramID WEBDROPLGC

4. Click the pencil next next to WEBDROPLGC Seq 1 Parm 1

5. In Parameter Value 1 enter Y

6. In Parameter Value 2 enter Y

7. Click Save

8. Refresh the cache by navigating to Admin > Refresh Data Cache

Configure Course End-Times and Nickname/Preferred Name Settings

The connection allows for the adjustment of course end-times.  Default is set to 0:00 z time; however, this may be adjusted from 0 to 2359 to account based on when you want the courses to end in Brightspace.  Additionally, the integration may now be configured to bring in the Campus Cafe Nickname as the Preferred Name in Brightspace/D2L.  If set to Y and no Nickname exists in Campus Cafe, the First Name will be sent as the Preferred Name.

Configuring Course End-Times

1. Log in to Campus Cafe

2. Navigate to Admin > System Setup > Custom Control

3. Locate ProgramID MOODLE

4. Click the pencil icon next to Moodle Seq 2 Parm 9

5. Update the course end-times (HHMM) to a value from 0 to 2359 (Default is 0)

Configuring Nickname Preferences

1. Log in to Campus Cafe

2. Navigate to Admin > System Setup > Custom Control

3. Locate ProgramID MOODLE

4. Click the pencil icon next to Moodle Seq 2 Parm 10

5. Enter Y to send Nickname as Preferred Name

6. Enter N to ignore Nickname field in Campus Cafe and only send First Name as preferred name (Default is N)

Configure Campus Cafe Web App Configuration

This is a one-time process to establish the connection. Adjustments must only be made if the desired functionality needs to be adjusted due to a business process change.

1. Log in to Campus Cafe

2. Navigate to Admin > System Setup > Web App

3. Use the search box to filter on "Brightspace" and configure the parameters listed

4. Refresh the cache by navigating to Admin > System Tasks > Refresh Data Cache

Authenticate the Connection (API Test Tool)

This is a one-time process to establish the connection. 

1. Log in to Brightspace

2. Navigate to https://apitesttool.desire2learnvalence.com
   Host: The log in URL for Brightspace similar to <your-school-code>.brightspace.com/ (do not include https://)
   Port: 443
   HTTPS: Checked
   App ID: The Application ID created earlier
   App Key: The Application Key created earlier

3. Click Authenticate

4. A confirmation page asking you to confirm the connection should appear

5. Click Continue

6. A new page will appear

7. Copy the User ID for future use

8. Copy the User Key for future use

Enter Brightspace User and Key in Campus Cafe

This is a one-time process to establish the connection. 

1. Log in to Campus Cafe

2. Navigate to Admin > Web App Config

3. Locate the Parameter BRIGHTSPACE_USER_ID and enter the User ID created through the Brightspace API Test Tool

4. Locate the Parameter BRIGHTSPACE_USER_KEY and enter the User Key created through the Brightspace API Test Tool

5. Refresh the cache by navigating to Admin > Refresh Data Cache > reload data

Configure Campus Cafe LMS Option

This is a one-time process to establish the connection.

1. Log in to Campus Cafe

2. Navigate to Admin > System Setup > Custom Control

3. Locate ProgramId Moodle, Sequence 1, Parameter 1- (Brightspace uses the same foundational settings in Campus Cafe as Moodle)

4. In the Parameter Value 10 box enter a Y

   

5. Click Save

6. Refresh the cache by navigating to Admin > Refresh Data Cache

Contact Campus Cafe to Activate Connection

Contact Campus Cafe support to activate the connection.

Manually Sync Enrollment Data

By default, data transfer between Campus Cafe and Brightspace occurs in near real-time. To manually launch the connection complete the below.

1. Log in to Campus Cafe

2. Navigate to Registrar > LMS Management

3. The number next to Unprocessed Queue Entries Count indicates the number of enrollment waiting to sync

4. Click Click Here to Manually Run Brightspace queue processor for 100 entries

5. If necessary, click Click Here to Manually Run Brightspace queue processor for 100 entries again to process the next 100 entries and repeat until nothing remains in queue

Queue History Log

The queue history log shows the results of synchronization attempts between Campus Cafe and the LMS. For example, if a student's enrollment is not initiated in the LMS, the history log will show why.

Access the log

1. Log in to Campus Cafe

2. Navigate to Registrar > LMS Management

3. Click Queue History Log

Assignment and Final Course Grades Import

This function requires the Brightspace Data Hub module sold separately by D2L.

For final course grades to be imported into Campus Cafe, the final course grade must exist in the Campus Cafe quality points maintenance setup.Assignment Icon in Campus Cafe Custom Control Moodle, Sequence 2, Parameter 6 controls whether the sync will overwrite existing grades in Campus Cafe (not including I or W grades). 

The following options are available by navigating to Registrar > LMS Management 

• Run Participation and Grade Import after Retrieving Latest Import Data: Clicking this will load Brightspace activities, graded items and final course grades from Brightspace into Campus Cafe. The assignments are visible by clicking the assignments icon on the student's enrollment history screen. The final course grades will be placed in the student's enrollment in Campus Cafe. The process also updates the last day of attendance in Campus Cafe.

• Run Grade Import after Retrieving Latest Import Data: Clicking this will load only Brightspace graded items and final course grades from Brightspace into Campus Cafe. The process does not update the last day of attendance in Campus Cafe.

• Run Participation and Grade Import using Files Manually Downloaded: Not in use. For use by Campus Cafe support only.

Exclude Course and its Enrollments from the Integration

A specific course may be excluded from the integration. The course will not be created in Brightspace and students not enrolled.

1. In Campus Cafe navigate to the course section (Registrar > Course Finder > Magnifying glass next to course)

2. Click the Codes tab

3. Check the Exclude From LMS Integration box

4. Click Save

Multiple Campus Cafe Course Sections Associated with Single Brightspace Offering

Your institution may combine students from multiple discrete Campus Cafe class sections, each with their own roster, meeting times, etc., into one Brightspace offering. This is often done so the instructor does not need to independently maintain the same academic content across multiple Brightspace offerings. 

Such classes require special handling.

1. In Brightspace, navigate to the Course and then Course Administration > Course Offering Information

2. Set the Course Offering code to something not used by any other Brightspace offering
   

   

3. In Campus Cafe navigate to the course section (Registrar > Course Finder > Magnifying glass next to course)

4. Click the Codes tab

5. In the LMS Course Code Override box enter the SIS ID number you entered in Brightspace

6. Repeat steps 3-5 for each Campus Cafe section

7. Click Save

Brightspace Final Grade Synchronization (Manual Import Process)

Final Grades may also be imported via the LMS Management menu without differential files. This is completed by running the process manually using the Final Grade Synchronization option. This option can be found under Campus Cafe menu option: Registrar>LMS Management (the options only displays if you have made the BRIGHTSPACE_IMPORT_ configurations). It is located at the bottom of the page. 

Final grade values from Brightspace must match values in the Campus Cafe Quality Points table in order to import.  Additionally, final grades in Brightspace must be released.

1. Navigate to Registrar > LMS Management

2. Click on Final Grade Synchronization (Brightspace import options must be configured in Web App Config)

3. Select the Semester to Synchronize from the drop-down

4. Optional: Enter the Course Number to import grades for a specific course

5. Optional: Check the Report Only box to run the grade report in non-update mode.  This will generate the grades that will be imported in the Process Output Messages box, but will not update grades on the students' records.  

6. Click Synchronize to begin the process

7. Click Refresh Job Output to view updates on the progress and which grades have been processed in the Process Output Messages box.