Troubleshooting

Before you retry

Note what you were doing, the exact error message, and the time with your time zone. Keep any Reference shown with the error; your installation’s operator can use it to find the related log entry.

If the editor has unsaved changes, keep the page open. Download your changes before reloading or signing out.

Common problems

Database setup stops

Read the Supabase error printed by the guided command. If migrations finished and only the final cleanup connection failed, rerun the same setup command. It can finish a migrated installation that has no people, content, media or configured cleanup destination. A configured installation or different migration history needs the upgrade guide, not a database reset.

A published Update is missing

Open Updates → All updates, rather than the selected home page or For you. Check the published article's direct link; saved draft edits are not a publication. If the item is still missing, record the page, selected view, refresh method and elapsed time for the operator. A waiting period is not part of normal publication.

You can’t sign in

Go to your installation’s usual address and start a new sign-in attempt. Don’t reuse an old sign-in callback from browser history.

Ask an Administrator to check the email on your account and whether your account is active. If Fieldbook says Sign-in services are unavailable, give the message, Reference, and time to the installation’s operator. That message can indicate a service or configuration problem. See Access and registration.

Changes won’t save or publish

If saving fails, keep the editor open. Select Download your changes, then Retry saving. If another session changed the item, review the differences before replacing anyone’s work. Load saved draft replaces your open changes after confirmation. See The editor.

If Publish is unavailable, open Details → Before publishing and resolve the listed items. Wait for saving and uploads to finish. Saved draft changes are not visible to readers until you publish them.

An upload fails or media is missing

Check that the file type and size are supported, then try the upload again. Keep the editor open until Checking uploaded file… finishes; the transfer alone does not mean the upload is complete. See Private media and upload limits.

If media appears for an author but not a reader, check that the content containing it is published and that the reader can access the installation. Ask the operator to investigate if it still fails.

Search can’t find an item

Search uses published content. Check that the text appears in the published version, then try a distinctive phrase and the right content-type filter. If Search says Search unavailable, select Retry search. If the problem continues, give the operator the message, Reference, and time. See Search.

Report a problem

For a reproducible Fieldbook bug, open a GitHub issue (opens in a new tab). Include the steps to reproduce it, what you expected, what happened, the Fieldbook version if known, and any error Reference. Remove personal data, private content, and secrets from screenshots and logs. See Contributing (opens in a new tab) for more detail. If you cannot access the repository, contact your installation’s operator so they can pass the report along.

For a possible security vulnerability, use Report a vulnerability in the repository’s Security tab (opens in a new tab) if available. Do not put exploit details, credentials, or personal data in a public issue. If private reporting is unavailable, open an issue asking only for a private contact. Report an incident involving your installation’s accounts or data directly to its operator. See Security reporting (opens in a new tab).