Q: How to use the Canva integration with Brandkit?(DRAFT)

Brandkit has an integration with Canva that enables Canva users to search for Assets in Brandkit and then drag and drop on to their design canvas in Canva. From there Canva users can create designs, download as a file, post to social media, and export a file back to their Brandkit account as a new Asset.

Coming soon

The feature is built. We’re waiting for approval for the new plug-in by Canva.

What can you do in Canva when integrated with Brandkit ?

Canva is already a great service for content creation, especially for social media. It supports Brand elements, Templates, Resizing for the latest social media formats, posting, scheduled posts, and more. In Canva you can upload images or use free and stock photos from Adobe.

However as I’m sure you know - it is always better to use your own authentic imagery, and hopefully you have all those safely tucked away in your Brandkit. Now with the Brandkit Add-on for Canva, you can search your Brandkit library directly inside Canva, and drag and drop images directly onto the design canvas you are working on in Canva.

Benefits include:

• Template driven content creation in Canva
• In-app searching of your Brandkit Asset library (inside Canva).
• Drag and Drop images from the Brandkit add-on, directly to your design canvas in Canva.
• Post (or schedule) directly to social media.
• Export new content to Brandkit directly in Canva.
• Save your new content as a Template.

How do I get the Brandkit Add-on for Canva?

1. Open Canva
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Screenshot coming soon
(Fig: Adding Brandkit to Canva)

Next - Add your Brandkit API Key to authenticate

You’ll find you API key in your Brandkit, from the Integrate menu in the Admin area. Note: that API keys can only be created by users with Admin access.

(Fig 3: API Keys page in Brandkit)

1. Open Brandkit in a separate browser Tab.
2. Login and navigate to Admin > Integrate > API Keys.
3. If a valid API exists, click View and copy the API key.
4. If no valid API key exists, create one by clicking the green “+ New API Key” button.
5. Copy the API key, switch to your browser Tab with AE open, and paste into the API input back in Adobe Express.

Next - Back in Canva

Now that you have pasted the API key in Canva and authenticated, you’ll see a Search box and the latest Assets from your Brandkit (Fig 4)

• You can Search using the search box
• You can browse though all your Assets using the pagination links at the top of the Grid
• Once the desired Asset is displayed, you can Drag it to your design Canvas

Screenshot coming soon
(Fig: Brand Add-on now authenticated and connected)

Lets make something

So now you have Canva open, and the Brandkit Add-on activated and open, we can create some new content in Canva.

This is not a guide to using Canva, we assume that you are familiar with the Canva interface and have used it before.

You of course can create content assets in Canva:

• From scratch
• Using a Template (either your own previously saved templates or a public template)
• Duplicate a previously created file

In each case we can find and <b>drag and drop</b> an Asset from the Brandkit Add-on.

You can find and use Assets of type:

• Images
• Video
• PDFs
• Audio

Note that when you drag or use an Asset you will get the current original file (not a thumbnail or conversion).

Create a new file in Canva

Screenshot coming soon
(Fig: Example of duplicating a previously created file in Canva)

1. Open Canva
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Open the Brandkit Add-on

1, click Add-ons in the lower left menu,

2. then the Your Add-ons tab,
3. then click the Brandkit icon to open.

The Brandkit Add-on will open in a panel on the right hand side of the page.

Screenshot coming soon
(Fig: Activating the Brandkit Add-on in Canva)

Note: that you will have to reopen th Add-on every time you start a new file (a bit of a pain Adobe).

Find an image and drag and drop

We want to replace the image used in this file, so we can just use the Brandkit Add-on - search for a Image and then drag it on to the design. canvas.

1. Search for the image you want in the Add-on (I grabbed a photo of me for this example).
2. On the design Canvas select the current image layer.
3. Now drag the Image on to the design canvas (and position how you want it).

Instead of dragging the Asset on to an existing layer, you can also just click the image in the Add-on to create a new layer in the design, and then resize and move the layer to suit your design or taste.

Screenshot coming soon
(Fig: Drag and drop the image from the Add-on directly to the design canvas)

Hey presto. Done.

The file is automatically saved, you can rename it, Download it or Share to Social Media, Save as a Template and more.

… And here is the result in this example (in this case an Instagram image post at 1080 by 1350px).

(Fig: Instagram Post ready image made in Canva and the Brandkit Add-on for Canva)

FAQs

Q: Where do I find my API key?

A: You will find your personal API key in your My Profile page, accessed from the Me menu in the top right nav menu (/me/profile).

Note that your API key must first be created for you by an Admin. API keys can be created by Admins or Owners for you in the Brandkit Admin area on the Integration page (Admin > Integrate > API Keys), of their account. API keys are attached to a particular user, so that API activity can be tracked and audited. This means that the permissions that each User has apply to the API key.

Before Admins and Owners can create API keys, your Brandkit account must have the Public API feature enabled. Please contact Brandkit Support to have this enabled.

Q: What Asset types can I drag and drop from the Brandkit Add-on in Canva?

A: You can find, access and use Assets of Type: Image(jpg,png,webp), Video(mp4), and PDF only.

Q: What happens when I export a new file from Canva back to my Brandkit Account via the Add-on?

A: A new draft Asset is created with the Asset name you specify, and with the image type you select (png,jpg or pdf).

Q: Why am I not seeing the Add to Brandkit button in the Add-on in Canva?

A: The Export file button is only shown if your Brandkit User Role has Upload rights. If you are an Admin or an Owner role, or a custom role with Upload rights enabled in Brandkit, then you will be able to upload to Brandkit and the + Add to Brandkit button will be shown.

Q: My User Role in Brandkit has been updated to allow me to Upload to Brandkit but the + Add to Brandkit button is still not shown. Why?

A: If your user role has changed you will need to Disconnect (by clicking the Disconnect button in the Add-on in AE) and then Reconnect with your ApI key again.

Q: I started a new file in Canva but the Add-on is no longer shown. What happened?

A: Unfortunately Canva does not remember that you had the Add-on open, and so each time you start a new files, or duplicate a file, you will have to reopen the Add-on in the Add-ons menu in AE. It’s a bit of a pain - but hopefully Adobe will fix that situation in future.

Enjoy :)