Google Integration & Blackbaud ID Authentication Questions

Hello All,

Looking for Community Advice on Google Integration & Blackbaud ID Authentication. My questions are below. Thanks in advance for any info you have!!!

Question #1.In regards to the statement below: We currently just have regular usernames (not using an email or google sso) - Does this statement mean we now have to change all of our user accounts to Blackbaud ID authentication?

WarningGoogle Apps SSO will be replaced by Blackbaud ID. All Blackbaud ID usernames must be email addresses. -


Question #2. In regards to this information. Does this mean that now our Gmail users (faculty/staff and students), now will only be able to access their Gmail by logging into our School website first or can they still just go to Gmail.com?

Manage links

Create a Gmail link in the Blackbaud school management solution so users can SSO into Gmail.

  1. From Core, select Settings, and then Inbox.

  2. Under Gmail, add a custom label and URL.

    Note: The URL should be your Google Gmail login URL, such as: https://mail.google.com/a/domain.org.

  3. Changes will save automatically.

  4. A Gmail link will show up in the top navigation.

Question #3. 
How successful have you been pushing grades from Google Classroom back to BBK12? Any tips or things we need to look out for?


Thank you!!

Comments

  • Hi Josceline,

    Question 1: The warning you found is from summer 2019 when we ended the old Google Apps SSO, because you can now connect your users via Blackbaud ID to authenticate with Google. 

    Blackbaud ID does require the username is an email address.  Assuming this is your email with your gmail account, if you  have logged in first to gmail or into the school branded login, your active Google session will save the user from having to re-enter their password.


    THIS SUMMER we are requiring that any user with a manager role will need to change from username/password authentication to use Blackbaud ID (with an email address).  If your users have a Gmail account, it would be simplest for them for you to implement SSO to GSuite via these instructions: 
    https://webfiles.blackbaud.com/files/support/helpfiles/auth/content/auth-g-suite-setup.html



    Question 2: No - what you are describing is the old integration that ended in June of 2019.   Users can log into gmail first.  the Manage Links is available to give a quick link from the top navigation to get over to gmail.


    Question #3: We do not have an existing integration to receive google classroom grades back into the SIS.  We are planning to use the OneRoster specification to work with learning management tools that use OneRoster to send grades to the SIS.


    Janet


     
  • Hi Jackie,

    Thank you for your response. Just to confirm.

    #1. If we integrate with Google and use One Roster, we do or do not need to have everyone (faculty/staff & students) switch to Blackbaud authentication?

    #2. The Manager roles that need to switch, does that included cloned Manager roles? And when you say Manager role, you mean Platform, Grading, Academic, Attendance Manager, etc... any role that has "Manager" in it?

    Thanks again.

    Josceline
  • Josceline,

    #1 - you are confusing two independent things.  The authentication just has to do with the login experience.

    OneRoster (which doesn't work with Google Classroom because Google has not implemented it) is a separate capability to allow a 3rd party LMS to push assignments back into Blackbaud's SIS gradebook.


    #2 - yes we are expecting to require roles with 'manager' in the title or cloned from such a role to authenticate via BBID this summer.


    Janet
  • Okay so what I'm hearing is there isn't a way to push rosters to Google and push grades back to BBK12 using One Roster because Google has not integrated with Global One Roster.


    Can the above be achieved with LTI or API and if so is there documentation on setting this up or does any type of BBK12 and Google Classroom push to and fro 

    have to be done manually? As in upload a csv with courses and rosters to Google Classroom and then export grades from Google Classroom and then the teachers has to manually enter in BBK12 grade books?

    My apologies for so many questions, but we are trying to have things set by June to begin teacher training, in the event that we have to do distance learning or hybrid learning in the Fall.

    Thank you!!

    Ps: If you have any Google schools that I could reach out to that would be a tremendous help as well.
  • So Google Said this about transferring grades from Google Classroom back to BBK12. 

    Josceline: So are you saying if we setup Single Sign On with a Google project at the developers console, then we can transfer grades back from Google Classroom to Blackbaud?

    Google Cloud Support, Rafael12:46 PM

    That is correct.

    12:47 PM

    Do you have any documentation how any of this looks after we set it up? Any screenshots ?

    Google Cloud Support, Rafael12:48 PM

    The only source that I found is from Blackbaud, but I would advise you to corroborate that information with them, from the Google search that I mentioned to you earlier in the chat.

  • Josceline...have you gotten any more information on this?  We are looking at the Google integration with our Blackbaud LMS, but our teachers really like Google Classroom....if we could verify that two-way sync, we could use Google Classroom as our front end LMS and just push everything we need back to Blackbaud.  Any information appreciated.  Thanks!


     
  • Hi  Laura Rinaldi,

    Here is everything I have. I've included my chat with Google as well. They told me one thing, but BBK12 confirmed it was a no.

    I'll keep you posted if I figure anything else out. I think I'm going to do the "integration" which basically allows students and teachers to access their Google Drive to post and submit

    documents.

    Josceline

     

    Blackbaud Support Case 017816359: Blackbaud ID authentication & Two Factor

    Blackbaud Email - May 21, 2020 - 10:01:10 AM

    To:jmreardon@savcds.org


    Hello Josceline,

     

    I apologize for the confusion. At this time, there is not a way to import grades from Google into the Grade Book. While it may be something Google offers with their API, it's not a current function of ours. I believe there are plans in the works to use OneRoster to work with learning management tools that use OneRoster to import grades but that is a future plan and is not currently implemented. 


    Please let me know if you have questions and have a great rest of your day! The link below will take you directly to your case on Case Central where you can view your case history or add updates and notes to this case:


    https://app.blackbaud.com/support/cases/017816359


    Sincerely,


    Halle

    Blackbaud Customer Support

     ref:_00Dd0gupQ._5003o1OolBI:ref


    Reply above this line

    Any text below this line will be omitted when the email is added to your case.servlet.ImageServer?oid=00Dd0000000gupQ&


    Re: Blackbaud Support Case 017816359: Blackbaud ID authentication & Two Factor

    Blackbaud Email - May 20, 2020 - 02:03:17 PM

    To:casesupport@blackbaud.com


    Hi Halle, Yes I've posted in the community, but no feedback from other schools. Here is my chat with Google yesterday. Please see the bottom where I ask about the SSO and to confirm I can push grades from Google Classroom back to Blackbaud. I put in red. Josceline Reardon: Do you see anywhere in your Google API info if we can in fact transfer student Grades from Google Classroom back to Blackbaud Grade book by using the API? Google Cloud Support, Rafael: One moment Josceline, I am checking on that right now. Google Cloud Support, Rafael: Allow me no more than five minutes while I check on this. Josceline Reardon: Thank you Google Cloud Support, Rafael: You're welcome. Google Cloud Support, Rafael: That is not possible at the moment , you need to use Single Sign On. Google Cloud Support, Rafael: And create your Project at the Developers console. Josceline Reardon: So are you saying if we setup Single Sign On with a Google project at the developers console, then we can transfer grades back from Google Classroom to Blackbaud? Google Cloud Support, Rafael: That is correct. Josceline Reardon: Do you have any documentation how any of this looks after we set it up? Any screenshots ? Google Cloud Support, Rafael: The only source that I found is from Blackbaud, but I would advise you to corroborate that information with them, from the Google search that I mentioned to you earlier in the chat. Josceline Reardon: okay thank you for your help on Google's end On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 1:35 PM Halle Kasson > wrote: Hello josceline, I can not share that information at this time. The community is the best place to ask other schools questions, however. Have you submitted a post and didn't get any response? If you are trying to import grades from Google Classroom to Blackbaud gradebook, we do have an idea for this as it's not currently a function: https://blackbaudk12.ideas.aha.io/ideas/K12OR-I-2188. You can upvote this enhancement, throwing your school's support for the need for this change to be implemented. This is where our developers look for feedback. Please let me know if you have questions. The link below will take you directly to your case on Case Central where you can view your case history or add updates and notes to this case: https://app.blackbaud.com/support/cases/017816359 Sincerely, Halle Blackbaud Customer Support ref:_00Dd0gupQ._5003o1OolBI:ref ref:_00Dd0gupQ._5003o1OolBI:ref
  • Thank you, Josceline!  This is great information.  We are taking a harder look at integrating Canvas LMS with Blackbaud SIS, but we have not yet made that decision.  This integration is a strong backup for us, even though I think we would have to do some double-entry on the grades.  Thanks again.  I look forward to hearing your updates...
  • I am a Google school that uses Google authentication for our Blackbaud ID (BBID). We have all our students and staff use their Google logins to access the Blackbaud LMS and it works really well for us. It is a pretty easy process to set up, and I would recommend going in that direction. I can also confirm that there is no integration at this time between Blackbaud's LMS and Google Classroom. For us, we use the Blackbaud LMS exclusively and do not want to deviate from this, but I would love it if there was an integration with Google Classroom that would allow us to leverage features of Google Classroom within the Blackbaud LMS ecosystem. 
  • Hi, Rick…have you integrated Google Drive and Assignments yet? If you are set on the Blackbaud LMS, then this integration could be wonderful for you….



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  • Hi Rick,

    I setup the Google Drive Integration today, but keep getting an API Key error. Any thoughts?

     

    When I go to Topics and pull over a download widget and go to add a download, I now see the Google Drive authentication, it lets me select my google login and allow access to my google account Yay!! However, when I select to add a download, I receive an error message of invalid API Key.  I've attached the Google Project API key credential screenshots so you can see if something looks incorrect. Thank you for your help in advance!

  • Are there any new videos or instructions regarding establishing SSO with Google and Blackbaud ID?  I confess I'm getting a little confused as it sounds like Managers must have Blackbaud IDs soon.  On the other hand, if we enable SSO with Google, will we be forced to include students and all faculty/staff in enabling SSO/Blackbaud IDs?


    Leilani McHugh
  • Hi Leilani,


    What I understand is by February Blackbaud would like us to have those with elevated roles using BBID (date moved from June 2020 due to COVID) and then By Fall 2021 to move over other users moved over.


    I just set up our Google SSO. I've created step-by-step directions that I can share with you.


    I'm slowing moving faculty & staff over to the SSO, which in-turn connects them via BBID.


    The only problem I'm currently having is that when they accept the invite, via email that they receive an error message, but if they

    just go straight to our website and put in their email address, it works just fine. I have a case in with support. I'm thinking it is because fac/staff are on our domain and do not need the email invite (but I was trying to prompt them to actually make the switch).


    The next is an internal user problem, is the 2nd time people go to sign-in, they call me because they cannot login-----user error, they have to 

    use their email address.


    I like having the Google SSO, it makes setting up new users easier in Blackbaud and we control our Lower & Middle Sch. passwords, so we only have one place to change it.


    Josceline 
  • Hi, Josceline, Thanks so much for your reply! I would really like to see your directions for establishing SSO.  My email is Lmchugh@fsha.org.


    Leilani McHugh

     
  • I would also like to see the steps you've come up with. I've switched myself over but am still having some issues so I'm hesitant to ask my staff to do so. My email is shlong@thesalisburyschool.org

    Thanks ahead of time for your help,

    Sheila
  • Brian Gray
    Brian Gray Community All-Star
    Eighth Anniversary Kudos 5 First Reply bbcon 2025 Attendee Badge
    If you haven't already done so, take a look at the community discussion dedicated to BB-ID: https://community.blackbaud.com/bbid


    One of the recent posts there from Janet Wittenberg discusses the process for parents using BB-ID.



     

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