The Canvas Navigator

Last updated: September 4, 2026

Navigator is Canvas Medical's customer-facing AI assistant. It helps your team find Canvas documentation, answer implementation questions, troubleshoot your deployed plugins, and draft validated SQL from the tools where you already work.

Navigator is scoped to your organization. It is designed to answer questions using Canvas documentation, Canvas product information, and your organization's own configured Canvas context.

How to use Navigator

You can use Navigator in two ways:

  • In Slack: Ask Navigator a question in your organization's Navigator Slack channel.

  • From a coding agent: Connect Navigator to tools such as Claude Code using MCP.

Both entry points use the same Navigator knowledge and customer-specific scope. The difference is where you ask the question.

What you can ask Navigator

Navigator is best for Canvas implementation, configuration, and development questions, including:

  • Finding the right Canvas SDK or FHIR API documentation.

  • Understanding how to build or update a plugin.

  • Troubleshooting why one of your deployed plugins is not behaving as expected.

  • Finding relevant Canvas Help Center articles or product updates.

  • Drafting SQL for reporting or investigation workflows.

  • Checking whether a SQL query is valid before you use it elsewhere.

  • Learning what changed in recent Canvas product updates.

Using Navigator in Slack

To ask Navigator a question in Slack, post your question in your organization's Navigator channel. You can mention Navigator directly or continue an existing thread.

Navigator reads the thread context, searches the sources available to your organization, and replies in the same thread.

If you do not currently have a shared Slack channel with the Canvas team and would like to use Navigator, please contact our team to get set up.

Example questions

  • How do I build a plugin that listens for a new appointment?

  • What FHIR resource should I use for medication data?

  • How do I create a new staff member?

  • Can you write a SQL query for patients with active prescriptions?

  • What shipped in Canvas recently?

Using Navigator from a coding agent with MCP

Navigator can also be connected to a coding agent using the Model Context Protocol (MCP). This lets you ask Navigator questions from your development workflow while you are working in tools such as Claude Code.

When connected through MCP, Navigator can receive relevant development context from your coding agent and return Canvas-specific answers in that same workflow.

Before you begin

  • Your organization must have Navigator enabled.

  • MCP access must be enabled for your Navigator deployment.

  • You need an individual Navigator MCP API key.

If you are not sure whether MCP is enabled for your organization, contact your Canvas representative.

What Navigator can access

Navigator uses customer-safe Canvas sources, including:

  • Canvas SDK documentation.

  • Canvas FHIR API documentation.

  • Canvas Help Center articles.

  • Canvas product updates and release notes.

  • Your organization's deployed plugins, when available to Navigator.

  • Canvas reference plugin examples.

  • SQL validation tools that check query structure without executing the query.

What Navigator does not do

Navigator is intentionally limited. It does not:

  • Have access to PHI

  • Make broad changes to your Canvas instance.

  • Create or modify plugins for you.

  • Execute SQL queries.

  • Access other customers' information.

  • Replace Canvas Support for urgent production issues.

Privacy and security

Navigator is scoped to your organization. It is designed so your data and plugin context remain isolated to your deployment.

Navigator's SQL validation checks whether a query is valid, but it does not run the query or return database results.

FAQ

Q: Is Navigator the same in Slack and MCP?
A: Yes. Slack and MCP are two entry points to the same Navigator assistant. MCP is designed for developer workflows inside a coding agent.

Q: Can Navigator write code for me?
A: Navigator can explain Canvas concepts, point to relevant examples, and help troubleshoot or draft implementation ideas. It does not directly modify your plugin code or deploy changes.

Q: Can Navigator run SQL?
A: No. Navigator can help draft SQL and validate that a query is structurally valid, but it does not execute the query.

Q: How do I get MCP access?
A: Ask Navigator in Slack to create an MCP API key. If MCP is not enabled for your organization, contact your Canvas representative.

Q: What should I do if Navigator cannot answer my question?
A: Contact Canvas Support or your Canvas representative with the question and any relevant context.

Keywords

Keywords: Navigator, MCP, Model Context Protocol, Claude Code, Cursor, Canvas SDK, FHIR API, plugins, SQL validation, developer assistant