Keyboard Navigation

Introduction

Keyboard navigation increases user efficiency by allowing the completion of commands without the need of a mouse.

Basic navigation includes:

• ENTER to select
• TAB to navigate fields
• ARROWS left, right, up, and down to navigate within a drop-down menu.

Key Objectives:

• You will learn how to use keyboard navigation in Canvas.
• You will learn how to highlight using keyboard shortcuts.

Video

FAQ:

Q: Do I have to use keyboard navigation if I prefer my mouse?

A: No, keyboard navigation is not required.  However, Canvas has been designed specifically to reduce the amount of eye and hand movement, using keyboard navigation helps support this flow. 

Q: When using keyboard navigation, I cannot commit the command.

A: There are several commands that do not support a commit with keyboard navigation.  As of June 2021, we have essential back-end work to improve this workflow.

Tips and Tricks

• To learn other keyboard navigation that is native to Google Chrome, review this article
• To learn other keyboard navigation that is native to a Windows operating system, review this article
• To learn other keyboard navigation that is native to a Mac operating system, review this article

Step by Step:

• Begin in an open note
• Type any command into the note and press ENTER
• Fill in fields using free text                                                                                                                       
  • • If free text generates a drop-down menu where you can only make one selection, use ARROW KEYS to navigate the menu
    • Press ENTER to make a selection and navigate to the next field

OR

• • • If free text generates a drop-down menu where you can make more than one selection, use ARROW KEYS to navigate the menu
    • Press ENTER to make the selection
    • Repeat until all desired selections have been made
    • Press TAB to navigate to the next field

OR

• • • If the free text does not generate a menu, type the desired text
    • Press TAB to navigate to the next field                                                                                                                    
• Press TAB to navigate to the next field
• If the next field is a toggle, press ENTER to turn the toggle on and off

Commit command

• Navigate through command with steps described above
• Press TAB after completing the last field of the command this will bold the designated commit button 
• If the designated commit button has a down arrow you can press TAB again to view options
• Use arrows to navigate the options available, if more than one selection is available
• Press ENTER on the desired commit option and the cursor will navigate to the following line to continue charting

NOTE: All commit buttons are labeled differently depending on what command or questionnaire you are using. Options within a commit button also vary depending on the command. (i.e. Refer command will have DELEGATE as commit button but pressing TAB again to view options displays REFER as commit button) 

Highlighting Text (Useful for Physical Exams)

• Press and hold SHIFT 
• Press the left or right arrow to highlight one letter at a time

OR

• Press and hold SHIFT 
• Press the up and down arrow to highlight one line of text at a time

OR

• Press and hold SHIFT
• Press and hold CTRL (Windows) or Press and hold OPTION (Mac)
• Press the left or right arrow to highlight one word at a time

Roles:

• Provider
• Clinical staff
• Administrative staff
• Billing staff
• Management
• Document Manager
• Population Health Care Coordination