Troubleshooting & FAQ

Prerequisites

• You have a valid Arkan user account.
• You are using a supported browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari).

Login Issues

What if I cannot log in?

Problem: You enter your email and password but cannot sign in.

Possible Causes and Solutions:

1. Incorrect credentials -- Double-check your email and password. Ensure Caps Lock is off.
2. Account not activated -- If this is your first login, check your email for an activation link. Use the Create Password flow to set your password.
3. Account deactivated -- Contact your system administrator to verify your account status.
4. Browser cache -- Clear your browser cache and cookies, then try again.

What if I forgot my password?

Problem: You do not remember your password.

Solution:

1. On the login page, click Forgot Password.
2. Enter your email address and click Submit.
3. Check your inbox for a reset email and follow the link.
4. See Getting Started - Recovering Your Password for detailed steps.

What if my password reset link expired?

Problem: You click the reset link and see a "Link Expired" message.

Solution: Return to the login page, click Forgot Password, and request a new reset link. Reset links expire after a limited time for security.

What if I am stuck on the two-factor authentication page?

Problem: You are prompted for a 6-digit code but cannot complete verification.

Solution:

1. Ensure your Google Authenticator app is configured with the correct QR code.
2. Verify your device's clock is synchronized (time-based codes are sensitive to clock drift).
3. If you lost access to your authenticator app, contact your administrator to reset two-factor authentication.

Session Issues

What if my session expired?

Problem: You see an error or are redirected to the login page unexpectedly.

Cause: Your authentication token (JWT) has expired. Tokens have a limited lifetime for security.

Solution: Log in again. Arkan attempts to refresh your token automatically, but if the refresh fails, you must re-authenticate.

Tip: Check the Remember Me checkbox during login to extend your session duration.

What if I see the lock screen unexpectedly?

Problem: The application shows the lock screen instead of the expected page.

Cause: The screen was locked (manually or by inactivity).

Solution: Enter your password and click Submit. If the lock screen shows the wrong user, click Not you? to return to the login page.

Project Access Issues

What if I do not see any projects?

Problem: The Projects page is empty after logging in.

Cause: Your account has not been assigned to any projects.

Solution: Contact your project manager or system administrator to be added to a project.

What if I cannot access a specific project?

Problem: You can see a project but cannot open it or certain modules within it.

Possible Causes:

1. Insufficient permissions -- Your role may not include access to that module. Contact your administrator to review your permission template.
2. Project inactive -- The project may have been deactivated. Contact the project manager.

What if the URL shows "SQ" parameter errors?

Problem: You opened a shared link with an SQ query parameter and see an error.

Cause: The SQ parameter contains an encrypted project ID. If the encryption key or project ID is invalid, decryption fails.

Solution: Ask the link sender to share the link again or navigate to the project manually via All Projects in the sidebar.

Form Errors

What if I cannot save a form?

Problem: You fill out a form and click Save or Submit, but nothing happens or you see validation errors.

Solutions:

1. Check for red-highlighted fields -- these have validation errors. Hover over or click the field to see the error message.
2. Ensure all required fields (marked with an asterisk *) are filled.
3. Check character limits -- some fields have maximum character counts shown below the input.
4. Verify date fields have valid dates (e.g., end date after start date).

What if dropdown fields are empty?

Problem: A dropdown menu shows no options when clicked.

Possible Causes:

1. Lookup data not configured -- The dropdown depends on lookup values that have not been set up. Contact your administrator to configure lookup values in Settings > Lookup Management.
2. Dependent field -- Some dropdowns depend on a parent field selection (e.g., selecting a Company before choosing an Assignee). Fill in the parent field first.
3. No data available -- The API returned no results. Check your network connection.

Data Not Loading

What if a page shows a loading spinner indefinitely?

Problem: A page or grid never finishes loading.

Solutions:

1. Check your internet connection -- Ensure you are connected to the network.
2. Refresh the page -- Press F5 or click the browser refresh button.
3. Clear browser cache -- Outdated cached scripts can cause loading issues.
4. Check the browser console -- Open Developer Tools (F12) and look for red error messages in the Console tab.

What if grid data is missing or incomplete?

Problem: A data grid shows fewer rows than expected or some columns are empty.

Possible Causes:

1. Active filters -- Check if any filters are applied. Look for filter chips or an active Filters panel and click Clear Filters.
2. Pagination -- The data may span multiple pages. Check the pagination controls at the bottom of the grid.
3. Permissions -- You may only see records you have permission to view.

What if charts or widgets show no data on the dashboard?

Problem: Dashboard widgets appear empty.

Cause: The project may not have enough data yet (e.g., no submittals created, no inspections completed).

Solution: Populate the relevant modules with data first. Dashboard KPIs aggregate from other modules.

Permission Denied

What if I see "Permission Denied" or "Unauthorized"?

Problem: You try to access a page or perform an action and see an error about insufficient permissions.

Cause: Your user account does not have the required permission for that action.

Solution:

1. Check with your administrator which permission template is assigned to your account.
2. Permissions are managed at Settings > Permission Templates and control access per module (Retrieve, Insert, Update, Delete, Export).
3. Your administrator can update your permissions or assign a different permission template.

What if buttons are disabled or hidden?

Problem: You expect to see an action button (e.g., New Task, Edit, Delete) but it is not visible or is grayed out.

Possible Causes:

1. Insufficient permissions -- You may not have Insert/Update/Delete permissions for that module.
2. Status restriction -- Some actions are only available in certain statuses (e.g., you cannot edit a Closed RFI or a Closed punch item).
3. Ownership -- Some actions are restricted to the item creator or assignee.

File Upload Failures

What if a file upload fails?

Problem: You try to attach a file and it fails or shows an error.

Solutions:

1. File size -- Check if the file exceeds the maximum allowed size (typically 10 MB). Reduce the file size or compress it.
2. File type -- Ensure the file type is supported. Common allowed types: images (PNG, JPG), PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX.
3. Network timeout -- Large files on slow connections may time out. Try again on a faster connection.
4. Browser issue -- Try a different browser or clear your cache.

What if uploaded files do not appear?

Problem: You upload a file successfully but cannot see it in the attachments list.

Solution: Refresh the page. If the file still does not appear, check the browser console for errors. The upload may have failed silently.

Notification Issues

What if I am not receiving notifications?

Problem: You expect notifications but the bell icon shows no new items.

Possible Causes:

1. Real-time connection lost -- Arkan uses SignalR for real-time notifications. If the connection drops, notifications will not appear until the next page refresh.
2. Notification preferences -- Check if notifications are enabled for the relevant module.
3. Browser tab inactive -- Some browsers throttle background tabs. Bring the Arkan tab to the foreground.

Solution: Refresh the page to re-establish the SignalR connection and fetch missed notifications.

What if the notification count is wrong?

Problem: The badge shows a number but the dropdown shows fewer notifications.

Solution: Click Mark All As Read to reset the count, then refresh the page.

Browser Compatibility

Supported Browsers

What if the layout looks broken?

Problem: UI elements are misaligned, overlapping, or missing.

Solutions:

1. Update your browser to the latest version.
2. Disable browser extensions that may interfere (ad blockers, CSS modifiers).
3. Check zoom level -- Ensure your browser zoom is set to 100% (Ctrl+0 / Cmd+0).
4. Clear cache -- Outdated CSS files can cause layout issues.

What if RTL (Arabic) mode displays incorrectly?

Problem: After switching to Arabic, some elements still display left-to-right.

Solution: Refresh the page after switching languages. Some dynamically loaded components require a full page reload to apply RTL correctly.

Common Error Messages

"401 Unauthorized"

Cause: Your session has expired or your token is invalid.

Solution: Log in again. If the issue persists, clear your browser cookies for the Arkan site and log in fresh.

"503 Service Unavailable"

Cause: The server is under maintenance or temporarily unavailable.

Solution: Wait a few minutes and try again. If the issue persists, contact your system administrator.

"408 Request Timeout"

Cause: A request to the server took too long and was cancelled.

Solution: Check your internet connection. If on a slow network, try again when connectivity improves. For large file uploads, use a wired connection if possible.

"Project selection required"

Cause: You navigated to a project-specific page without selecting a project first.

Solution: Go to All Projects in the sidebar and select a project before accessing project modules.

Form validation errors (red highlights)

Cause: One or more required fields are empty or contain invalid data.

Solution: Review each highlighted field, read the error message below it, and correct the value.

FAQ

Can I use Arkan on my phone?

Arkan is designed as a desktop web application. While it may work on mobile browsers, the full experience is optimized for desktop screen sizes.

Can I export data to Excel or PDF?

Yes. Most grid views include an Actions dropdown with Export to Excel and Export to PDF options. Some modules also have a Generate Report button.

Can multiple users edit the same item simultaneously?

Arkan does not provide real-time collaborative editing. If two users edit the same item, the last save wins. Coordinate with your team to avoid conflicts.

How do I change my password?

Navigate to My Account from the user profile menu in the top bar. If a password change option is available, use it there. Otherwise, use the Forgot Password flow from the login page.

How do I change my language?

Click the flag icon in the top bar and select your preferred language. See Getting Started - Switching Languages.

How do I get added to a new project?

Contact your project manager or system administrator. They can add you through Project Settings > Stakeholder > Users.

Where can I find audit trails or history?

Most modules include a Workflow History or Activity Timeline section within the detail view of each item. This shows all actions taken, by whom, and when.

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