Troubleshooting Guide

Having problems? This guide helps you solve common issues. Try the solutions in the order listed.

Login Issues

Can’t Log In - “Invalid Username or Password”

Try these steps:

1. Check your email address

   • Make sure you typed it correctly
   • No extra spaces before or after
   • Check CAPS LOCK is off

2. Check your password

   • Passwords are case-sensitive
   • Make sure CAPS LOCK is off
   • Try retyping it carefully

3. Reset your password

   • Click “Forgot Password” link
   • Follow the email instructions
   • Create a new password

4. Contact your administrator

   • They can verify your account is active
   • They can reset your password if needed

[SCREENSHOT: Login page with Forgot Password link highlighted]

Page Says “Not Authorized” After Login

This means:

• Your account exists but doesn’t have permission
• You may not be assigned to a company

What to do:

1. Contact your system administrator
2. They need to assign you to your company
3. They’ll set up your permissions

Navigation Problems

Can’t See the Sidebar Menu

Try these:

1. Look for the menu icon
   • Top left corner
   • Three horizontal lines (hamburger icon)
   • Click it to show the menu

[SCREENSHOT: Collapsed sidebar with hamburger icon]

2. Browser window too small
   • Make your browser window wider
   • Zoom out if too zoomed in (Ctrl+Minus or Cmd+Minus)

Clicked Something and Nothing Happened

Possible causes:

1. Page still loading

   • Wait a few seconds
   • Look for a loading spinner

2. Need to save first

   • Click Save button if editing something
   • Then try navigating again

3. Internet connection issue

   • Check your internet connection
   • Refresh the page (F5)

Data Display Issues

Can’t See Any Data / Empty Lists

Common causes and fixes:

1. Wrong company selected
   • Look at company selector in sidebar
   • Click it and select the correct company
   • Data will reload automatically

This is the #1 cause of “missing data”!

2. Filters are active
   • Look for active filter indicators
   • Click “Clear Filters” or “Reset”
   • All data should appear

[SCREENSHOT: Active filters with Clear button]

3. Search box has text

   • Look at the search box at the top
   • Clear any text in it
   • Press Enter or click X

4. No data exists yet

   • If you’re new to the system, lists start empty
   • You need to add data first

Data Looks Wrong or Outdated

Try these:

1. Refresh the page

   • Press F5
   • Or click browser refresh button
   • Or navigate away and back

2. Check you’re on right company

   • Verify company selector
   • Switch if needed

3. Clear your browser cache

   • Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows)
   • Cmd+Shift+Delete (Mac)
   • Select “Cached images and files”
   • Click Clear

Saving and Editing Problems

“Save” Button Doesn’t Work

Check these:

1. Required fields missing
   • Look for red outlines on fields
   • Look for error messages in red text
   • Fill in all required fields (often marked with *)

[SCREENSHOT: Form with required field error]

2. Invalid data entered

   • Numbers in wrong format
   • Dates in wrong format
   • Check error messages for guidance

3. Internet connection lost

   • Check your connection
   • Try saving again

Changes Disappeared After Saving

This usually means:

• The save didn’t actually work
• Look for error messages
• Check required fields were filled
• Try again more carefully

Prevention:

• Wait for “Saved successfully” message before leaving page
• Don’t click browser back button while saving

Can’t Edit or Delete Something

Possible reasons:

1. Item is being used elsewhere

   • Example: Can’t delete inventory that’s in an optimization
   • Example: Can’t delete order that’s linked to a cutting plan
   • You may need to remove links first

2. Don’t have permission

   • Contact your administrator
   • Your account may need different permissions

3. Item is locked

   • Some completed items can’t be edited
   • Create a new one instead

Upload Problems

Upload Button Does Nothing

Try these:

1. Check file type

   • Make sure it’s an accepted format
   • PDF for certificates
   • Excel (.xlsx) for data uploads
   • Images (JPG, PNG) for photos

2. File too large

   • Maximum is usually 10MB
   • Compress or resize the file
   • Try again

3. Browser popup blocker

   • Allow popups from GoSmarter
   • Check browser settings

Upload Failed with Error

Common errors:

“Invalid file format”

• Wrong file type
• Use the correct format (PDF, Excel, etc.)

“Missing required columns”

• For data uploads (inventory, orders)
• Download the template again
• Don’t change column names
• Fill it correctly

“Duplicate entries”

• Some items already exist
• Check for duplicates in your file
• Or in the existing data

[SCREENSHOT: Upload error message]

Template Download Not Working

1. Popup blocked

   • Allow popups for this site
   • Try downloading again

2. Download to wrong location

   • Check your Downloads folder
   • Check browser download settings

Optimization Problems

Optimization Won’t Run

Check these:

1. No inventory selected

   • You must select inventory bars
   • Click inventory selector
   • Choose material and diameter

2. No orders selected

   • You must select at least one order
   • Check order checkboxes
   • Make sure they match the inventory material

3. Inventory and orders don’t match

   • Material types must match
   • Diameters must match
   • Select matching items

Optimization Failed or Gave No Results

Common causes:

“Not enough inventory”

• Orders need more material than you have
• Add more inventory
• Or reduce order quantities

“No compatible matches”

• Order lengths too long for inventory bars
• Order material/diameter doesn’t match inventory
• Check specifications match

“Calculation timeout”

• Very complex optimization
• Try selecting fewer orders
• Run multiple smaller optimizations

Cutting Plan Results Don’t Make Sense

Review these:

1. Check the cutting patterns carefully

   • Read each pattern
   • Verify the math
   • Check units (should be mm)

2. High waste percentage

   • May be unavoidable for these lengths
   • Try the scrap calculator to verify
   • Consider different inventory bars

3. Download and review offline

   • Sometimes easier to review in Excel
   • Print and check manually

Search and Filter Problems

Search Not Finding Items

Try these:

1. Check spelling

   • Type carefully
   • Try partial matches (e.g., “Grade” instead of “Grade 250”)

2. Clear other filters

   • Active filters might hide the item
   • Clear all filters first
   • Then search again

3. Different company

   • Verify correct company selected
   • Item might be in different company’s data

Too Many Results

Narrow it down:

1. Use filters together with search
2. Be more specific in search
3. Sort by relevant column

Performance Problems

Page Loading Slowly

Try these:

1. Check internet speed

   • Run a speed test
   • Contact IT if very slow

2. Close other browser tabs

   • Each tab uses memory
   • Close unnecessary ones

3. Clear browser cache

   • See instructions under “Data Looks Wrong” above

4. Try different browser

   • Chrome, Edge, or Firefox work best
   • Update to latest version

System Feels Sluggish

Quick fixes:

1. Logout and login again

   • Clears temporary data
   • Refreshes connection

2. Restart your browser

   • Close completely
   • Open again

3. Restart your computer

   • If problem persists
   • Clears all caches

Certificate Problems

Can’t View Certificate PDF

Try these:

1. Download it first

   • Don’t try to view in browser
   • Download and open with PDF reader

2. Install PDF reader

   • Adobe Reader (free)
   • Browser PDF viewer
   • Windows/Mac built-in viewers

3. File corrupted

   • Ask for original certificate
   • Upload again

Certificate Won’t Link to Inventory

Check these:

1. Material types match

   • Certificate grade matches inventory grade
   • Can’t link Grade 250 cert to Grade 500 inventory

2. Already linked elsewhere

   • One certificate can link to multiple items
   • But check if it’s already linked correctly

Browser Compatibility

GoSmarter Works Best With:

✅ Google Chrome (recommended) ✅ Microsoft Edge (recommended) ✅ Mozilla Firefox ✅ Safari (Mac/iOS)

⚠️ Not Internet Explorer - Too old, won’t work properly

Update your browser:

• Use the latest version for best experience
• Auto-updates usually handle this

When All Else Fails

If you’ve tried everything and still have problems:

Step 1: Document the Issue

Write down:

• What you were trying to do
• What you clicked
• Exact error message (take screenshot)
• What company you’re working with
• What time it happened

Step 2: Try These General Fixes

1. Logout completely

   • Click your name → Sign Out
   • Close browser completely
   • Open browser again
   • Login again

2. Try incognito/private window

   • Ctrl+Shift+N (Chrome/Edge)
   • Cmd+Shift+N (Safari)
   • Tests without cache/cookies

3. Try different browser

   • If Chrome doesn’t work, try Edge
   • Helps identify if it’s browser-specific

4. Try different computer

   • If available
   • Helps identify if it’s your device

Step 3: Contact Support

Reach out to:

• Your system administrator
• IT support desk
• Provide all documentation from Step 1

They’ll need to know:

• Your username/email
• Which company you’re working with
• What you were doing when the problem occurred
• Error messages (screenshots help!)
• Steps you’ve already tried

Preventing Problems

Good habits to avoid issues:

1. ✅ Always verify correct company is selected
2. ✅ Save work regularly
3. ✅ Clear filters when done
4. ✅ Keep browser updated
5. ✅ Don’t use browser Back button while editing
6. ✅ Wait for “Save successful” messages
7. ✅ Double-check data before clicking Delete
8. ✅ Keep paper backups of important information
9. ✅ Download important results (cutting plans, etc.)
10. ✅ Log out when leaving for the day

Quick Diagnostic Checklist

Use this to troubleshoot any problem:

• Is the correct company selected?
• Are any filters or searches active?
• Is my internet connection working?
• Have I tried refreshing the page?
• Have I tried logging out and back in?
• Is my browser up to date?
• Are there any error messages on screen?
• Have I checked for required fields?
• Did I wait for save confirmation?
• Have I tried a different browser?

Error Messages Explained

Still stuck? Don’t hesitate to ask your administrator for help. That’s what they’re there for!