Permissions Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting guide for common permission issues and solutions
Having trouble with permissions? This guide covers the most common issues and their solutions.
Before You Start Troubleshooting
Essential Testing Tools
"View as User" feature (👥 icon) - Test from user's perspective
Incognito browser window - Test without builder cache
User table inspection - Verify role assignments
Quick Diagnostic Questions
Are permissions enabled for the affected table?
Does the user have the expected role assigned?
Are the permission rules saved and applied correctly?
Is the user testing in live mode (not build mode)?
Common Record-Level Permission Issues
Problem: Users Can't See Any Records
Symptoms:
Users get empty lists when they should see data
"No records found" messages appear incorrectly
Possible Causes & Solutions:
No Permission Rule Exists for User Role
Check if a permission rule exists for the user's role
Create a new rule if missing
Verify the rule is enabled and saved
Permission Condition Too Restrictive
Review the record access condition
Check if the relationship field is populated correctly
Test with simpler conditions first
User Role Assignment Issue
Verify user has the expected role in the User table
Check for typos in role names
Ensure role is active and properly configured
Relationship Field Missing or Incorrect
Verify the linking field exists in your data
Check that relationships are properly established
Ensure linked records exist and are accessible
Problem: Users See Too Much Data
Symptoms:
Users can access records they shouldn't see
Sensitive data is visible to restricted roles
Solutions:
Review Permission Conditions
Check if permission rules are too permissive
Tighten access conditions
Remove "All Records" access if inappropriate
Check for Multiple Roles
Users with multiple roles get combined permissions
Review all roles assigned to the user
Consider creating more specific roles
Verify Rule Logic
Test permission conditions with sample data
Use "View as User" to validate restrictions
Check if any default rules are overriding custom rules
Problem: Permission Rules Not Applying
Symptoms:
Changes to permission rules don't take effect
Users still have old access levels
Solutions:
Clear App Cache
Test in incognito browser window
Clear browser cache and reload
Log out and back in as the test user
Check Rule Configuration
Verify rules are saved properly
Ensure permission conditions are correctly configured
Test with simple conditions first
Role Assignment Timing
Permission changes may take a few moments to propagate
Try logging out and back in
Check if role was assigned correctly and recently
Common Field-Level Permission Issues
Problem: Fields Still Editable When They Should Be Read-Only
Symptoms:
Users can edit fields despite Update permissions being disabled
Read-only fields accept input
Solutions:
Check Field-Specific Permissions
Navigate to table permissions
Find the specific field in question
Verify Update permission is disabled for the role
Review User Roles
Check if user has multiple roles
One role might have Update permission enabled
Consider role priority and inheritance
Form vs Table Permissions
Check if field is marked as required in forms
Required fields might override read-only settings
Adjust form configuration if necessary
Problem: Hidden Fields Still Appearing
Symptoms:
Fields appear despite Read permission being disabled
Sensitive data visible to restricted roles
Solutions:
Verify Read Permission Settings
Double-check Read permission is disabled
Save permission rules again
Test immediately after saving
Check Builder vs Live Mode
Ensure you're testing in live mode
Builder mode may show all fields regardless of permissions
Use "View as User" feature properly
Review Field Usage
Check if field appears in forms, views, or record pages
Hidden fields should disappear from all app sections
May need to refresh or clear cache
User Role and Assignment Issues
Problem: Permission Rules Don't Apply to Specific Users
Common Causes:
Incorrect Role Assignment
User doesn't have the expected role
Role name doesn't match permission rule exactly
Multiple roles causing permission conflicts
Role Configuration Issues
Custom roles not properly configured
Built-in roles modified incorrectly
Role inheritance problems
Debugging Steps:
Check User Record:
Open the User table
Find the affected user
Verify their Role field value
Verify Role Settings:
Go to Settings > User Roles
Check role configuration
Ensure role names match exactly
Test Role Assignment:
Change user's role temporarily
Test with a different user who has the same role
Use "View as User" with different role assignments
Data Model and Relationship Issues
Problem: Permission Conditions Can't Find Required Relationships
Symptoms:
Permission condition fields are empty or missing
Relationship-based conditions don't work
Solutions:
Verify Data Relationships
Check that linking fields exist between tables
Ensure relationships are properly configured
Test that related records are linked correctly
Check Field Mapping
Verify field names match between permission rules and data
Ensure linked fields contain the expected data
Check for empty or null relationship values
Data Consistency
Ensure all records have required relationship data
Check for orphaned records without proper links
Verify data import included relationship mappings
Performance and Caching Issues
Problem: Permission Changes Take Time to Apply
Symptoms:
New permission rules don't work immediately
Changes appear inconsistently across users
Solutions:
Clear Application Cache
Test in incognito/private browser window
Clear browser cache and cookies
Try different browsers or devices
User Session Management
Have affected users log out and back in
Check if user sessions need to be refreshed
Test with newly created user accounts
App Publishing
Some permission changes may require app republishing
Check if changes are visible in build mode vs live mode
Publish app if necessary to propagate changes
Testing and Validation Issues
Problem: "View as User" Feature Not Working
Symptoms:
"View as User" shows incorrect permissions
Test results don't match expected behavior
Solutions:
Check User Selection
Verify you've selected the right test user
Ensure test user has the role you're testing
Try testing with different users of the same role
Refresh Testing Environment
Exit and re-enter "View as User" mode
Refresh the page while testing
Clear browser cache if test results seem cached
Verify Test User Data
Check that test user has realistic data relationships
Ensure test user's record is properly linked to test data
Create proper test scenarios with valid data
Advanced Troubleshooting
Multiple Permission Rules Conflicts
When multiple rules apply to the same role:
Permission rules are additive - users get combined access
Check all rules affecting the role
Consider rule priority and interaction
Simplify by consolidating rules when possible
External Data Source Permissions
When using external data sources (Airtable, PostgreSQL, etc.):
Ensure relationships between external data and Noloco User table
Check that user linking is properly configured
Verify that external data structure supports permission filtering
API Access Validation
To confirm permissions work at API level:
Test API endpoints with different user tokens
Verify restricted data isn't returned in API responses
Check that API errors appropriately when access is denied
Getting Help
If you're still having issues after trying these solutions:
Document Your Setup:
User roles and assignments
Permission rules configuration
Expected vs actual behavior
Create Minimal Test Case:
Test with simple data and single permission rule
Use built-in roles before custom roles
Start with basic conditions before complex ones
Contact Support with:
Screenshots of permission configuration
Description of expected behavior
Steps taken to reproduce the issue
Pro Tip: Most permission issues come from incorrect role assignments or missing data relationships. Start by verifying these basics before diving into complex configuration debugging.
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