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

invalid context for group

Error message

invalid context for group

What it means

ImportOutcomes raises this when the source group's context (explicit or derived from the group) is neither the global site (nil source_context is allowed) nor included in target_context.associated_accounts — i.e. the target account does not have access to the source account's outcomes. Outcome import is only allowed from the global context or accounts associated with the target.

Solutions

1. Import from the target context's own account chain or the global outcomes (sourceContext omitted and global group)
2. Add the source account to the target's association chain (sub-account hierarchy or trust settings) if policy allows
3. Import via the root account instead of a course so associated_accounts covers the source
4. Choose a source group that lives in an associated account

Example fix

# verify association before calling
source = LearningOutcomeGroup.active.find(group_id).context
target = LearningOutcomeGroup.active.find(target_group_id).context
raise "unassociated" unless target.associated_accounts.include?(source)
# then run importOutcomes(groupId:, targetGroupId:)

// rails console precheck
source = LearningOutcomeGroup.active.find(group_id).context
target = context_for(target_args)
abort("invalid context for group") unless target.associated_accounts.include?(source)

try {
  await importOutcomes(input);
} catch (e) {
  if (e.message === "invalid context for group") {
    // choose a source group from an associated account or the global outcomes
  }
}

When it happens

Trigger: Importing a group from Account A into Account B where B's associated accounts (account chain/trust) do not include A; importing into a Course whose account chain excludes the source account; importing from an unrelated sub-account tree.

Common situations: Cross-institution imports without trust/association set up; admin trying to import from a sibling sub-account not in the target's association chain; expectations that any account's outcomes are importable.

Understand the failure class

Background: "You do not have permission" / 403 Forbidden errors: authenticated but not allowed — causes and fixes across open-source libraries — this error's family across 31 libraries.

Related errors

• group not found
• insufficient permission
• insufficient permission
• insufficient permission
• insufficient permission

AI-assisted analysis of instructure/canvas-lms@1c9f0bb801 (2026-09-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/dcf6176c83f29e4e. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at app/graphql/mutations/import_outcomes.rb:85

    verify_authorized_action!(target_context, :manage_outcomes)

    if (group_id = input[:group_id].presence)
      # Import the entire group into the given context
      group = LearningOutcomeGroup.active.find_by(id: group_id)
      if group.nil?
        raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, I18n.t("group not found")
      end

      # If optional source context provided, then check that
      # matches the group's context
      source_context ||= group.context
      if source_context && source_context != group.context
        raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, I18n.t("source context does not match group context")
      end

      # source has to be global or in an associated account
      unless !source_context || target_context.associated_accounts.include?(source_context)
        raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, I18n.t("invalid context for group")
      end

      # source can't be a root group
      if group.learning_outcome_group_id.nil?
        raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, I18n.t("cannot import a root group")
      end

      return process_job(
        source_context:, group:, target_group:
      )
    elsif (outcome_id = input[:outcome_id].presence)
      # Import the selected outcome into the given group

      # verify the outcome is eligible to be linked into the group's context
      unless target_context.available_outcome(outcome_id, allow_global: true)
        raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, I18n.t(
          "Outcome %{outcome_id} is not available in context %{context_type}#%{context_id}",
          outcome_id:,

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