Studio Admin Guide

Last updated: October 26, 2026

Studio Admins manage organization-wide Studio settings, including how plugins are released and what background information Studio uses when creating projects. Studio Admins can also view all Studio projects within their organization.

Access requirements: Your Organization Admin must assign yFou the Studio Admin role in Canvas Platform. For instructions on managing user access, see Adding Studio Users.

Accessing Studio Settings

  1. Sign in to Canvas Platform.

  2. Select Studio → Studio Settings.

  3. Choose one of the two settings tabs:

    • Baseline: Manage organization-wide context for Studio.

    • Release Strategy: Configure how completed plugins are released.

Configuring Your Baseline

The Baseline tab lets you upload reference files that provide organizational context to Studio's AI assistant.

Examples include:

  • Organizational strategy and goals.

  • Clinical care models and workflows.

  • Naming conventions and standards.

  • Communication style and tone guidelines.

Studio makes these files available to the assistant at the start of every new project, helping it build plugins that align with your organization's needs.

Configuring Your Release Strategy

The Release Strategy tab determines how completed plugins move from Studio to your Canvas instances.

Choose a release method and click Save Changes.

Release Strategy

How it works

Direct Release

Studio installs your plugin directly on a configured Canvas instance. The button reads Publish to (target name).

Gated Release

Studio submits your plugin to your team's code repository for review and approval. Your team's release process then moves it into production. The button reads Promote to (your repo), and the finished stage is labeled Promoted.

Until a release strategy is configured, projects that reach Final Review display a setup notice instead of a Publish button.

For more information, see Gated Release: From Promote to Production.

Configuring Direct Release Targets

Studio can deploy plugins to the Canvas instance used during development. You can also configure additional instances as release targets.

Adding a Release Target

  1. Open Studio Settings → Release Strategy.

  2. Under Direct Release Targets, click Add Target Instance.

  3. Enter the target Canvas instance.

  4. Provide the instance's client ID and client secret.

  5. Save your changes.

Understanding Publishing Permissions

Publishing permissions depend on the target instance. Your Organization Admin assigns the Deploy Manager role in Canvas Platform.

Release Target

Required Permission

Studio's development instance

Users who can build plugins in Studio

Production instance

Deploy Manager role

Connecting a Repository for Gated Release

Gated Release requires a connection to your organization's GitHub or GitLab repository.

Option 1: Connect GitHub

  1. Install the Canvas Studio GitHub App in your GitHub organization.

  2. Grant the app access to the repository where plugins will be stored.

  3. In Studio Settings → Release Strategy, select Gated Release.

  4. Enter the GitHub App installation ID. You can paste either the numeric ID or the full installation URL.

  5. Click Verify.

Option 2: Connect GitLab

  1. In Studio Settings → Release Strategy, select Gated Release, then GitLab.

  2. Enter your GitLab project URL.

  3. Provide a Project Access Token with:

    • api scope.

    • write_repository scope.

    • Developer role or higher.

  4. Click Verify.

Troubleshooting Repository Connections

If verification fails, Studio identifies the issue and retains your settings so you can make corrections.

Common issues include:

  • Insufficient repository permissions.

  • Incorrect repository access or configuration.

  • Base branch issues.

  • Failed test pushes.

After resolving the issue, click Re-verify.

GitLab token expiration: Studio emails Studio Admins reminders 30, 14, 7, and 1 day before a connected GitLab token expires.

Importing an Existing Plugin

Bring plugin code from GitHub into a Studio project so you can keep building on it, for example a plugin that was started outside Studio.

  1. On the Studio All Projects screen, click the arrow beside New Project.

  2. Select Import Plugin.

  3. Paste a GitHub URL pointing to:

    • A Canvas or Medical Software Foundation plugin repository.

    • A plugin folder within a repository.

  4. Click Look Up Plugin.

  5. Select the plugin you want to import.

  6. Enter a project name.

  7. Click Import Plugin.

Import only brings code into a new build project. To install a Plugin Catalog plugin as is, use Start Installation in Studio (see Installing a Plugin Catalog plugin with Studio). Your developers deploy your organization's own plugins with the Canvas CLI.

FAQ

Q: How do I make someone else a Studio admin?

A: Your Organization Admin manages roles in Canvas Platform. Ask them to assign the Studio Admin role from the Users page.

Q: Why can't I see the Publish button?

A: There are two common reasons:

  • No release strategy configured: A Studio Admin must select and save a release strategy.

  • Insufficient permissions: Publishing to another instance or production requires the Deploy Manager role.

Q: Why won't my Gated Release connection verify?

A: Studio displays the reason verification failed, such as missing permissions, incorrect repository access, base branch issues, or a failed test push.

Review the error, correct the configuration, and click Re-verify.

Next: Adding Studio users