Canvas vs SuccessFactors LMS

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Our analysts compared Canvas vs SuccessFactors LMS based on data from our 400+ point analysis of LMS Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

SuccessFactors LMS Software Tool

Product Basics

Canvas helps you create and deliver engaging courses to your students and track their progress in real time. It allows you to post course materials, assignments, quizzes and grades. Students can access these resources, submit their work and communicate with other team members.

You can host discussions through discussion boards and chat rooms, provide personalized feedback using SpeedGrader and track student progress with built-in analytics. Canvas integrates with third-party apps like Zoom, Webex and GoToMeeting, and offers three mobile apps, one each for teachers, students and parents.

User reviews about Canvas praise its smooth interface, real-time collaboration tools and course creation capabilities. Since pricing details aren't mentioned online, you can contact the vendor directly for more information.

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SAP SuccessFactors Learning is an HR solution with LMS, talent management, payroll support and other capabilities. Some functionality mentioned below is available through additional modules offered through the wider company. The wide range of HR capabilities include benefits administration, compensation planning, employee lifecycle management, payroll, performance management, time tracking, succession planning and more. Customizable reporting and analytics make more effective measurements and actionable insights possible for users.
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Email
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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Product Insights

  • Ensures Continuous Learning: Experience minimal disruptions with a 99.9% uptime. Say goodbye to unexpected crashes and keep your educational ecosystem reliable and accessible at all times.
  • Enriches Learning with Unlimited File Size: Upload as much audio, visuals and video content as you need to courses. File size is not limited, so you can provide comprehensive and engaging materials without worrying about storage constraints.
  • Strengthens Collaboration: If you’re looking to create collaborative learning experiences for your team, Canvas is the perfect LMS for you. Based on our analysis, it provides a variety of collaboration tools fully out of the box, such as discussion boards, content sharing, group chat, two-way messaging, and notes and annotations.
  • Ensures Consistency in Evaluations: Create centralized repositories of questions at account levels. For instance, you can create sub-account question banks to store assessments like basic grammar rules across various courses. This ensures consistency in evaluations across different classes, making it easier to access and administer assessments. 
  • Offers a Flexible Pedagogy: Enable instructors to design classes around their preferred learning methods. That could mean standards-based grading, traditional grading, flipped learning, project-based learning and more.
  • Streamlines Corporate Training: Use Bridge LMS, Canvas’ corporate training solution, to meet your employee training needs. Create and track training programs, use built-in performance tools, integrate with HR systems and more.
  • Award-Winning LMS: Canvas ranks among our top 10 LMS software, alongside LMS giants like LearnUpon, Absorb LMS and Moodle. In the SelectHub Awards 2024 for the LMS category, it won best-in-class honors for assessments, collaboration, compliance, user management, gamification, and integrations and extensibility.
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  • Improved Experience for Employees: Provides more detailed feedback and an open line of communication between employees with flexible surveys, dashboards varied by role or reporting and planning tools. This allows leaders to better bridge the gap and cater better to their needs.
  • Better Tech Adaptation: Demonstrates where different technology may better serve the staff in their day to day lives. It also provides tools so users can express themselves when management institutes new technologies to ease implementation burdens. After using new software, management can reach out to those who may be struggling more.
  • Greater Employee Engagement: Actively measures employee engagement and gathers feedback on compensation and benefits plans. This allows workers to feel they have more input leading to greater employee buy-in and a more productive office.
  • More Effective Processes: Saves time and money across the organization through automation and analysis of traditionally manual processes, reducing frustrations for employees and HR alike.
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  • Course Creation: Create new courses using built-in interactive tools. Add specific details like name, course code, due date, language, grading scheme, modules and sections, description and more.
    • Announcements: Share key course information with everyone. Remind students of dates and tasks, point them to valuable resources, celebrate achievements and highlight events. You can include text, multimedia and files.
    • Grades: Show grades as points, percentages and complete/incomplete. Filter and arrange Gradebook entries, automatically apply grades for missing/late work, and hide grades until you're ready to release them.
    • People: Depending on permissions, add students, teachers, assistants and observers. Create student groups for group assignments, discussions and file sharing.
    • Pages: Create interactive content like weekly updates, collaborative wikis or resource lists. Include text, multimedia and links, and allow students to contribute to specific pages.
    • Files: Easily insert files into modules, assignments, discussions or pages. Share files with students or lock them until ready for download.
    • Quizzes: Use the New Quizzes engine for diverse question types. If unavailable, use Classic Quizzes to achieve your objectives.
    • Modules: Organize content by weeks and units. Add files, discussions, assignments, quizzes and more. Set prerequisites or lock modules until specific dates.
    • New Analytics: Use the New Analytics tool to monitor who has viewed content and participated in assignments and identify students needing extra support.
  • Dashboard: View published/unpublished courses, access the calendar and upcoming events, start new courses, view grades, enable notifications and more.
  • Assignments: Include quizzes, graded discussions and various online submissions (files, images, text, URLs media). Assign to everyone or set different due dates for specific groups. Organize assignments into groups, weigh them by percentage, and enable Peer Review for student feedback.
  • Gradebook: Easily input and distribute grades using various methods, such as points, percentages, pass/fail, GPA scale and letter grades.
    • Use SpeedGrader to assign grades and provide feedback efficiently.
    • Automatically create columns in the Gradebook for assignments, discussions, quizzes, surveys and attendance tracking.
    • View grades by grading periods, sort by due dates or student names, and apply specific filters for streamlined management.
    • Download and grade assignments offline and calculate totals.
    • Monitor grades across all courses, notify students of graded assignments and manage grade history.
    • Customize grading curves, message students based on assignment status, leave private comments and excuse assignments when necessary.
  • Rubrics: Set custom or outcome-based assessment criteria to communicate quality expectations. Use rubrics to align learning outcomes, assess submissions in SpeedGrader and support non-scoring assessments for comprehensive grading.
  • Canvas Catalog: Integrate with Canvas Catalog to streamline course offerings.
    • Easily bundle multiple courses into programs and enable registration for community education and professional development.
    • Create branded sub-catalog listings for specific departments or organizations.
    • Customize page templates for FAQs, contact info and individual course landing pages.
    • Set up personalized certificates and automate their distribution.
    • Allow students to track their progress with customized dashboards.
    • Generate reports on course progress, registrations, revenue and enrollment trends.
    • Offer hassle-free self-registration and self-paced courses with automated enrollment, payments and certificate distribution.
    • Build, manage and customize courses and programs.
  • SpeedGrader: Quickly grade student submissions in one place with SpeedGrader. Use a simple point scale or detailed rubrics to assign grades, and accept various document formats and URLs to mark up assignments directly for feedback. Sort submissions by student, hide names for anonymous grading and track your progress. Easily view submission details, handle resubmissions and manage moderated assignments.
  • Intelligent Insights: Enhance teaching and learning effectiveness with Intelligent Insights, a premium analytics solution tailored for admins.
    • Use AI and analytics to gather actionable data.
    • Leverage conversational AI for quick ad hoc data requests and pre-built analytics for tracking goals such as course effectiveness and student success.
    • Customize insights to pinpoint best practices, optimize LTI usage and address learning needs.
    • Build custom dashboards and automate SQL queries to streamline data management and improve learner support.
    • Identify courses that need improvement, notify instructors promptly and foster continuous improvement across teams.
  • Roll Call Attendance: Manage attendance in courses using the Attendance (Roll Call) tool, an external LTI app suitable for both online and face-to-face classes. Enabled at the account level, users can access it across all courses within your Canvas account.
  • Discussions: Communicate about course topics anytime. Create graded or casual discussions for idea exchange and problem-solving. Use threaded discussions for detailed topics and focused discussions for short exchanges.
  • Assessments: Administer assessments in the form of assignments, quizzes and discussions.
  • Assignments
    • Allow students to submit assignments online through text entry, file uploads, media recordings, external tools, URLs or Canvas pages.
    • Assign to individual students, groups or sections.
    • Include a due date for Not Graded assignments, without providing points or grades.
  • Discussions
    • Grade student responses to discussion topics.
    • Assign to individual students, groups or sections.
  • Quizzes
    • Conduct surveys or assess student comprehension of course content through quizzes.
    • Assign to individual students or sections, but not to groups.
  • Collaboration: Teachers can communicate with individual students, groups or the entire class through messaging, audio notes, video and more. Students can work together via chat groups, video and other messaging tools.
  • Mobile App: Provide equal access to curriculum and instruction with native mobile apps for students, teachers and parents on iOS and Android devices.
  • Canvas Student: Enables students to access courses anytime, anywhere. They can:
    • View grades and course content.
    • Submit assignments.
    • Keep track of coursework with a to-do list and calendar.
    • Send and receive messages.
    • Post to discussions, take quizzes and watch videos.
    • Receive notifications for new grades and course updates.
  • Canvas Teacher: Helps teachers manage their courses anywhere, both in and out of the classroom. This app offers quick access to three main tasks:
    • Browse submissions and give feedback to students with the enhanced mobile SpeedGrader.
    • Send announcements and messages (like "Message Students Who..."), and join course discussions quickly.
    • Change due dates, publish assignments and correct misspellings directly from your phone.
  • Canvas Parent: Allows parents to see their child's educational details easily at a glance. They can:
    • View assignment descriptions and due dates
    • Set reminders for assignments
    • View assignment and course grades
    • View course announcements
  • Outcomes: Set and track learning goals. Focus on skills and activities, not just grades. Assess progress using the Learning Mastery Gradebook. Import existing outcomes and align them with course rubrics.
  • SIS Imports: Upload and integrate data from SIS using CSV files or through the Canvas API. Manage users, accounts, courses, enrollments, logins and more. Use IMS Enterprise Specification XML zip files or Banner Grade Exchange Results XML for automated imports.
  • Canvas Studio: Create, deliver and organize video content in various formats within your media library using Canvas Studio.
    • Upload videos directly from devices or integrate them from YouTube into courses.
    • Monitor student engagement by tracking views, duration and interactions.
    • Connect with platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts.
    • Engage students with interactive video quizzes, real-time feedback and integrated Gradebook.
    • Provide personalized feedback using SpeedGrader and customize learning paths with MasteryPaths.
    • Encourage student participation through video creation and peer feedback.
    • Integrate instruction, assessment and additional learning opportunities directly into the video experience.
  • Conferences: Integrate with BigBlueButton to host lectures, office hours and group meetings. Broadcast audio/video, share slides, and demonstrate applications and resources.
  • ePortfolios: Create ePortfolios to display and discuss your students’ submissions and experiences. Allow them to collect and document educational projects, assignments and more. Keep ePortfolios private or share them with peers, instructors and future employers.
  • Video Assessments: Create engaging video quizzes where students answer questions as they watch. Give instant feedback and automatically submit grades to the Gradebook. Review videos and provide comments. Use SpeedGrader to apply rubrics and offer quick, personalized feedback.
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  • Learning Management: Provides training and learner experience to aid in employee development and better company-wide compliance. Information from experts makes the courses more engaging and relevant and can be delivered within the workday.
  • Talent Management: Helps leaders find, develop and keep the right staff. Tools include an ATS, cross-boarding, employee lifecycle administration, new hire paperwork, onboarding, performance management, recruiting, talent sourcing and more.
  • Employee Lifecycle: Allows administrators to fix gaps in helping employees develop or guiding them through the hiring process, with tools including:
    • Analytics, custom dashboards and reporting, and event-based triggers to manage employees from start to finish with the company.
    • Feedback after onboarding and offboarding to give deeper insight into the process.
  • Performance Management: Provides employees with the criticism and praise they need to become better at the job. Capabilities include:
    • Career planning, evaluations and reviews, goal management features and individualized reporting.
    • Feedback and analytics so workers and leaders can deliver praise and identify opportunities for improvement.
    • Premade questions for performance reviews, report designs and workflows.
    • Identification of at-risk employees who may be struggling in their position.
  • Succession Planning: Prepares candidates for leadership roles in case of sudden staff shake-ups and for in-house promotions.
    • Defines career path for employees, helping them think about further development.
    • Gets employees more invested in the company
    • Coordinates talent reviews with other factors, making it easier to identify candidates who might be overlooked
  • HR Capabilities: Handles the administration of benefits, payroll, time tracking and other important HR management issues.
    • Benefits: Design benefit packages and take employee feedback to gauge satisfaction. Helps provide clarity to employees about coverage and gives data to HR management to select the best plans. An intelligence engine allows administrators to run simulations based on budget and get employee feedback on their priorities, improving employee and leadership relations.
    • Payroll: Enables leaders to make and implement the best possible compensation and rewards programs. It automates, standardizes and streamlines accurate payment for employees and tax administration for employers.
    • Attendance and Finance: Keeps track of employee hours and transfers them into the payroll program, as well as helps the management team handle all other matters of finance in the organization.
    • Other HR: Manages compliance, organization management, employee profiles and more. Products include compliance, document generation, employee case management, HR ticketing, knowledge management, permits and visas.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Customizable reports measure the most important metrics for success to provide actionable, data-driven insights. Metrics include employee engagement, the effectiveness of HR processes, onboarding programs, technology gaps and more. It also helps with employee retention and workforce planning. Data can be exported and given to employees and other key stakeholders.

  • Limitations

    At the time of this review, these are the product limitations according to user feedback:

    • Difficult to learn
    • Has similar functionality to other solutions
    • Reporting isn’t as customizable as desired

    Suite Support

    mail_outlineEmail: There’s no general-purpose support email, but it’s likely that users can get help from representatives through email.
    phonePhone: Users can reach support for American products and services at +1 (800) 872-1727 and can get to the SAP Business One response center at +1 (888) 227-1727. For help in other countries, a full list is available on the support site.
    schoolTraining: It offers a multitude of training and support. Some training is available through paid courses; however, they do offer some free training as well. Customers also get access to additional resources such as certifications, microlearning, podcasts, videos, virtual events and whitepapers.
    local_offerTickets and Live Chat: Users can access live chat on the website 24/7 and send support tickets through the online portal.

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Product Ranking

#10

among all
LMS Software

#20

among all
LMS Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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SuccessFactors LMS
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AI-based Capabilities Assessments Collaboration Compliance Content And Course Management ECommerce Learning Delivery Mobile Capabilities Platform Capabilities Reporting And Dashboard User Management And Gamification 0 82 100 83 91 92 75 87 74 97 99 0 25 50 75 100
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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 5849 reviews
Good User Sentiment 277 reviews
91%
of users recommend this product

Canvas has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 91% when considering 5849 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

76%
of users recommend this product

SuccessFactors LMS has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 76% when considering 277 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

5.0 (11)
4.7 (11)
4.4 (1482)
3.3 (12)
4.6 (3998)
n/a
4.5 (77)
4.5 (77)
4.5 (281)
3.5 (177)

Awards

Canvas stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

User-Friendly Interface: According to 60% of users who mentioned this pro, Canvas offers an intuitive and navigable interface, and is easy to use for both instructors and students.
Mobile Accessibility: The Canvas mobile app, praised by 72% of users, offers a responsive design and on-the-go access on various devices.
Best-In-Class Integration Capabilities: 55% of users said Canvas integrates well with a wide range of third-party tools and services, and helps create a customized learning environment.
Effective Communication and Collaboration Features: 45% of users appreciate Canvas’ communication tools, specifically discussion boards, announcements and email.
Personalized Course Design: Canvas offers flexible course designs, allowing instructors to create personalized learning experiences for their students, said 40% of users.
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Sophisticated Performance Management: Over 90% of reviewers that discussed performance management loved the features and said it was better than other solutions.
Useful for Work: Users who referenced the system’s usefulness found it helpful in over 70% of reviews.
Good Functionality: Over 70% of reviewers mentioning this topic were happy with the various features of the program.
User Recommendations: Users who discussed recommendations and the software said they would recommend it in over 70% of comments.
Excellent Recruiting Tools: Over 70% of reviewers who talked about the talent acquisition features felt they worked well.
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Technical Glitches and Bugs: Nearly 40% of users report experiencing technical issues, such as system crashes, data loss and bugs.
Steep Learning Curve for Complex Features: According to 30% of users, while the overall interface is user-friendly, more advanced features have a steep learning curve.
Rigid Due Date Policies: Some users mentioned that Canvas's rigid due date rules can be challenging for students who submit work late due to technical issues or other reasons.
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Difficult to Learn: Users found the solution hard to adapt to with a steep learning curve in over 80% of reviews that discussed it.
Poor Administration Tools: Over 80% of reviewers who mentioned the management and administration features felt they were hard to use.
Mixed Reviews for Customer Service: Reviewers that discussed customer service had a nearly 50-50 ratio of good to bad experiences.
Mixed Reviews for Ease of Use: Users who talked about navigation and the UI were almost evenly split on whether or not they felt it worked well.
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Canvas is an eLearning solution used for online, in-person and hybrid learning in a variety of educational settings. Users praise its smooth interface, mobile accessibility and integration capabilities, while also highlighting some technical and usability challenges that may require attention.Users found the system easy to use and navigate, and were happy with its vast suite of features, especially the grading, assignments and assessment tools. Most reported that it’s budget-friendly and had positive experiences with customer service.On the downside, users said they encountered bugs and glitches in the program. They requested a more flexible due date policy and more ease of use in advanced features.All things considered, Canvas is a versatile LMS that provides a modern platform and industry-specific features to make learning more engaging and personalized. It may require some initial investment in training and customization, but it delivers a positive overall experience for both instructors and students.

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SAP SuccessFactors Learning is an LMS and HR management solution. By far and away, the best-reviewed feature was professional development especially for its goal management and career plans. A 2019 PCMag review went as far as to call it the “Cadillac” of performance management. Reviewers were pleased with the features, found it useful to their career and would recommend the system to others. Last, reviewers were pleased with the recruiting tools and felt it aided them during talent acquisition. The useability and customer service for the product had very mixed reviews with an almost equal number of people reporting good or bad experiences. Reviewers who had used learning systems before and had smaller businesses had more positive things to say than new LMS users and large business employees. On the flip side, users felt it was particularly difficult to learn and said they ran into problems during the implementation process. While reviewers were pleased with the learning management overall, they didn’t like the administrator’s abilities, feeling it was lacking and not customizable enough. This may be a good fit for small and medium-sized businesses that are particularly interested in performance management. Do a thorough check of an organization’s requirements before choosing.

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