instructure/canvas-lms · error · GraphQL::ExecutionError

cannot create non-collaborative groups when the…

Error message

cannot create non-collaborative groups when the differentiation tags feature flag is disabled

What it means

CreateGroupInSet#resolve raises this ExecutionError when input[:non_collaborative] is true but the owning account does not have allow_assign_to_differentiation_tags? enabled. Non-collaborative (differentiation tag) groups are only creatable while that account-level setting is on.

Solutions

1. Enable allow_assign_to_differentiation_tags on the account (account settings / feature flag) if tag groups are desired.
2. Otherwise omit non_collaborative (or pass false) to create a normal collaborative group.
3. Check the account of the group set's context — the flag is evaluated on set.context.account, possibly a different account than expected.
4. Gate the UI option on the account's differentiation-tags setting before offering it.

Example fix

// before
createGroupInSet({groupSetId, name, non_collaborative: true})

// after
if (account.allowAssignToDifferentiationTags) {
  createGroupInSet({groupSetId, name, non_collaborative: true})
} else {
  createGroupInSet({groupSetId, name, non_collaborative: false})
}

if (nonCollaborative && !account.allowAssignToDifferentiationTags) {
  warn('differentiation tags disabled; creating collaborative group instead')
}

const tagGroupsEnabled = (account) => account?.allowAssignToDifferentiationTags === true

When it happens

Trigger: createGroupInSet with non_collaborative: true against an account where the 'Assign to Differentiation Tags' feature flag / allow_assign_to_differentiation_tags setting is disabled.

Common situations: Client built against a staging account with the flag on, deployed against production with it off; flag recently disabled at the account or site-admin level while the UI still offers tag groups; sub-accounts inheriting a parent account's disabled setting.

Related errors

• cannot create collaborative groups in a non-collaborative…
• insufficient permissions to create non-collaborative groups
• custom gradebook statuses feature flag is disabled
• custom gradebook statuses feature flag is disabled
• custom gradebook statuses feature flag is disabled

AI-assisted analysis of instructure/canvas-lms@1c9f0bb801 (2026-09-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a4bf973ca01145b8. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at app/graphql/mutations/create_group_in_set.rb:40

  graphql_name "CreateGroupInSet"

  argument :group_set_id, ID, required: true, prepare: GraphQLHelpers.relay_or_legacy_id_prepare_func("GroupSet")
  argument :name, String, required: true
  argument :non_collaborative, Boolean, required: false, default_value: false

  field :group, Types::GroupType, null: true

  def resolve(input:)
    category_id = GraphQLHelpers.parse_relay_or_legacy_id(input[:group_set_id], "GroupSet")
    set = GroupCategory.find(category_id)
    account = (set.context_type == "Account") ? set.context : set.context&.account
    verify_authorized_action!(set.context, :manage_groups_add)

    if input[:non_collaborative]
      if account&.allow_assign_to_differentiation_tags?
        raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, "insufficient permissions to create non-collaborative groups" unless set.context&.grants_right?(current_user, session, :manage_tags_add)
      else
        raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, "cannot create non-collaborative groups when the differentiation tags feature flag is disabled"
      end
    elsif set.non_collaborative
      raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, "cannot create collaborative groups in a non-collaborative group set"
    end

    group = set.groups.build(name: input[:name], context: set.context, non_collaborative: input[:non_collaborative])

    if group.save
      { group: }
    else
      errors_for(group)
    end
  rescue ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound
    raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, "not found"
  end
end

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