Holon Incomplete
Complete Product Guide & Reference — Instructor Edition
Version 1.0 · 2026 · Canvas LTI Tool
1. Overview & Key Capabilities
Holon Incomplete is a Canvas LTI tool that lets instructors create, track, and resolve official academic Incomplete (I) grades — with deadlines, notifications, audit trails, and auto-fail enforcement — entirely within Canvas.
No separate system or paperwork required. Every incomplete is tied to a specific course and student, timestamped, and logged automatically.
Key Capabilities
- Create a formal Incomplete record for any enrolled student with a documented reason and due date
- Canvas roster integration — students populate automatically from your live Canvas enrollment
- Automatic student notification via Canvas Conversations when an incomplete is created or resolved
- Full audit trail — every action (create, extend, resolve, expire, note) is logged with actor and timestamp
- Extension tracking — grant extensions with a reason; original due date is preserved in the log
- Auto-fail enforcement — flag records for automatic failure if not resolved by the due date
- Overdue detection — overdue records are highlighted automatically in the Active view
- Templates — pre-fill reason text, default days, and settings for common scenarios
- Student view — students see only their own incomplete: status, due date, and reason
- CSV export of all incomplete records for institutional reporting
- Resolve with a final grade and optional Canvas gradebook write-back
Best practice: Create the incomplete record the same day you submit the I grade to the registrar. This keeps your Canvas records in sync and gives students an immediate notification with their due date.
2. Navigation & Interface
The topbar persists on every screen. The sidebar switches between all views and can be collapsed for more content space.
Topbar Elements
☰ Hamburger
Collapses or expands the left sidebar.
● Holon INCOMPLETE badge
Brand identifier. Green dot confirms the tool is active and connected via Holon Hub.
Avatar & Name
Your Canvas display name, confirming which account is active.
A / A+ / A++
Accessibility font-size zoom controls. Enlarges all text for readability.
Sidebar Navigation
| Menu Item | Description |
|---|
| Dashboard | Stats overview and recent active incompletes |
| Active | All open incompletes with overdue highlighting and action buttons |
| New Incomplete | Create a new incomplete for a student |
| Resolved | Completed incompletes with final grades recorded |
| Expired/Failed | Incompletes that passed the due date without resolution |
| Templates | Saved reason/settings presets for common incomplete scenarios |
| My Incompletes | Student-facing view (students only see their own record) |
| Product Manual | This document |
3. Creating an Incomplete
Creating an incomplete takes under a minute. The student roster is pulled live from Canvas so you never have to type a student name or ID.
Steps
- Click New Incomplete in the sidebar
- Select the student from the dropdown — their current Canvas grade auto-populates the Original Grade field
- Optionally choose a Template to pre-fill the reason and default days
- Enter or edit the Reason (this is stored in the record and shown to the student)
- Set the Due Date (required)
- Add any Internal Notes (instructor-only, not visible to students)
- Choose whether to notify the student via Canvas message and whether to auto-fail on expiry
- Click Save Incomplete
Conflict protection: The system prevents creating a duplicate active incomplete for the same student in the same course. Resolve or expire the existing one first.
Fields Reference
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|
| Student | Yes | Pulled live from Canvas enrollment |
| Reason | Yes | Visible to student if notified |
| Due Date | Yes | Deadline for work completion |
| Original Grade | No | Auto-filled from Canvas current grade |
| Incomplete Symbol | No | Defaults to “I” — customize per institution |
| Internal Notes | No | Private — instructor only |
4. Tracking & Managing
The Active view is your daily workspace. It shows all open incompletes with overdue highlighting and one-click action buttons.
Filters
- All — every active incomplete
- Overdue — past the due date, not yet resolved
- Due Soon (7d) — deadline within the next 7 days
Detail View
Click any row to open the full detail view for that incomplete. You’ll see all fields, the full activity log, and action buttons (Resolve, Extend, Add Note, Auto-Fail).
Activity Log
Every action is automatically appended to the log with the actor name and timestamp. Log entries include: created, extended, resolved, expired, and any manual notes added by the instructor.
Search: Use the search box in the Active view header to filter by student name in real time.
5. Resolving an Incomplete
When a student submits their outstanding work, mark the incomplete as resolved and record the final grade.
- From the Active view or Detail view, click Resolve
- Enter the Final Grade (letter, percentage, or pass/fail)
- Optionally check Send Canvas notification to message the student
- Optionally check Write grade to Canvas gradebook to push the grade automatically
- Click Mark Resolved
The record moves to the Resolved view. The final grade and resolution date are recorded in the audit trail.
Canvas gradebook write: This uses the Canvas Submissions API to set a grade override. It requires a valid daisy-chain token from Holon Hub with sufficient Canvas permissions.
6. Extensions & Auto-Fail
Granting an Extension
- Click Extend on any active incomplete
- Set a new due date and optionally a reason
- Click Grant Extension
The extension date is stored separately from the original due date. The original contract is preserved in the audit trail so there’s a clear record of any changes.
Auto-Fail / Expire
If Auto-fail on expiry was checked when the incomplete was created, the record is flagged for failure when the due date passes. Click Fail (visible on overdue records) to formally expire the incomplete and record a final failing grade.
Important: Holon Incomplete does not automatically change grades in Canvas. The expiry action records the outcome in the tool and logs it — the instructor must separately update the registrar and Canvas gradebook.
7. Templates
Templates let you pre-configure common incomplete scenarios so you don’t have to re-enter the same reason text and settings every time.
Creating a Template
- Go to Templates in the sidebar
- Click + New Template
- Enter a name (e.g. “Medical Emergency”), default reason text, default days to complete, and auto-fail setting
- Click Save Template
Using a Template
When creating a new incomplete, select a template from the Start from Template dropdown. The reason, due date, and auto-fail setting are pre-filled. You can still edit any field before saving.
Pre-Built Templates
Holon Incomplete ships with four built-in templates covering the most common scenarios:
| Template | Default Days | Use Case |
|---|
| Medical / Health Emergency | 30 | Hospitalization, illness, surgery |
| Family Emergency | 30 | Bereavement, family crisis |
| Military Deployment | 180 | Active duty orders, deployment |
| Administrative / Other | 14 | Registrar-directed, administrative hold |
| Sudden Unforeseen Hardship | 30 | Severe accident, crime victimization, sudden loss of housing |
| Technical / Logistical Failure | 14 | Critical data loss, prolonged connectivity outage near deadline |
8. Student View
When a student launches Holon Incomplete from Canvas, they see a read-only card showing their own incomplete record only. They cannot see any other student’s data.
The student card shows: status (Active / Resolved / Expired), due date, reason, and a context-appropriate message. If resolved, the final grade is displayed. If expired, a notice directs the student to contact the instructor or registrar.
Students only see the My Incompletes view automatically. The instructor views (Active, New Incomplete, Templates, etc.) are hidden entirely from student role launches.
9. Canvas Integration
Holon Incomplete uses the Canvas API token delivered via Holon Hub’s daisy-chain token system. No separate token entry is required.
| Feature | Canvas API Used |
|---|
| Student roster | GET /courses/:id/enrollments |
| Student notification (create) | POST /conversations |
| Student notification (resolve) | POST /conversations |
| Grade write-back (optional) | PUT /courses/:id/assignments/self/submissions/:student_id |
Data storage: All incomplete records are stored in a SQLite database on your Holon server. No student data is sent to any third-party service.
10. Digital Agreement Signing
Holon Incomplete includes a built-in digital signature workflow. Instructors can send a pre-filled Incomplete Grade Agreement to the student, who signs it online — no separate tools, no printing required.
Workflow
- Open any active incomplete from the Active view or dashboard
- Scroll to the Incomplete Agreement panel in the detail view
- Click ✎ Send Agreement — a unique signing link is generated and sent to the student via Canvas Conversations
- The student opens the link (no login required) and sees a pre-filled agreement showing their name, course, due date, reason, and terms
- The student draws or types their signature and enters their full legal name, then clicks Sign & Submit Agreement
- The instructor receives a Canvas notification that the agreement has been signed
- The Agreement panel updates to show a green ✓ with the signer name and timestamp
- Click View Signed Agreement to open a formatted page showing the full agreement, signature image, and reference ID
Agreement Contents
The auto-generated agreement includes: student name, instructor, course, original grade, incomplete symbol, due date, reason for incomplete, and numbered terms including the completion deadline, auto-fail consequences (if applicable), and communication expectations.
Status States
| State | What It Means |
|---|
| No agreement on file | Agreement has not been sent yet |
| Amber — Awaiting signature | Link sent, student has not yet signed |
| Green ✓ — Signed | Student has signed; signature and timestamp on record |
Resend: If the student loses the link or it expires, click Resend in the Agreement panel to generate and send a new link.
Reference ID: Each signed agreement has a unique reference ID (e.g. 42-M9K2X) displayed on the signed agreement page. Use this for recordkeeping.
Legal note: Digital signatures collected through Holon Incomplete constitute acknowledgment of the agreement terms. Consult your institution’s legal or registrar office regarding the enforceability of digital signatures for academic agreements at your institution.
11. Attachments
Each incomplete record can have files attached — signed paper agreements, medical documentation, supporting letters, or any relevant document.
Uploading a File
- Open the incomplete detail view
- Scroll to the Attachments panel
- Click Choose file… and select a PDF, Word document, or image (max 10MB)
- Optionally edit the document name
- Click Add
Linking a URL
Instead of uploading, paste a URL (Canvas file link, Google Drive, OneDrive) and click Add. The link is stored and opens in a new tab.
Supported File Types
PDF, Word (.doc/.docx), JPG, PNG, GIF. Maximum file size: 10MB per file.
Files are stored on the Holon server. Uploaded files appear with a size indicator and a direct download link. Deleting an attachment also removes the file from the server.
12. FAQ & Tips
Can I have more than one active incomplete per student?
No — one active incomplete per student per course is enforced. Resolve or expire the existing one before creating a new record.
Does resolving automatically change the Canvas grade?
Only if you check Write grade to Canvas gradebook during resolution. Otherwise the grade change must be made manually in Canvas and with the registrar.
Can students add notes or respond?
No — the student view is read-only. Communication happens through Canvas Conversations (automatic notifications) or outside the tool.
What happens when I click Auto-Fail?
The record status changes to “expired,” a final grade of F is recorded in the tool, and the action is logged. Canvas gradebook is not changed automatically.
Can I export incomplete records?
Yes — click the download arrow (↓) in the topbar to export all records for the current course as a CSV file.
What if a student drops the course?
The incomplete record remains in Holon Incomplete even if the student drops. You can manually expire the record and add a note documenting the drop.
End-of-term checklist: Before term close, review the Active view and filter by Overdue. Resolve or expire any lingering records so your records are clean for the new term.