# Permissions Troubleshooting

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

1. Are permissions enabled for the affected table?
2. Does the user have the expected role assigned?
3. Are the permission rules saved and applied correctly?
4. 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**:

1. **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
2. **Permission Condition Too Restrictive**
   * Review the record access condition
   * Check if the relationship field is populated correctly
   * Test with simpler conditions first
3. **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
4. **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**:

1. **Review Permission Conditions**
   * Check if permission rules are too permissive
   * Tighten access conditions
   * Remove "All Records" access if inappropriate
2. **Check for Multiple Roles**
   * Users with multiple roles get combined permissions
   * Review all roles assigned to the user
   * Consider creating more specific roles
3. **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**:

1. **Clear App Cache**
   * Test in incognito browser window
   * Clear browser cache and reload
   * Log out and back in as the test user
2. **Check Rule Configuration**
   * Verify rules are saved properly
   * Ensure permission conditions are correctly configured
   * Test with simple conditions first
3. **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**:

1. **Check Field-Specific Permissions**
   * Navigate to table permissions
   * Find the specific field in question
   * Verify Update permission is disabled for the role
2. **Review User Roles**
   * Check if user has multiple roles
   * One role might have Update permission enabled
   * Consider role priority and inheritance
3. **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**:

1. **Verify Read Permission Settings**
   * Double-check Read permission is disabled
   * Save permission rules again
   * Test immediately after saving
2. **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
3. **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**:

1. **Incorrect Role Assignment**
   * User doesn't have the expected role
   * Role name doesn't match permission rule exactly
   * Multiple roles causing permission conflicts
2. **Role Configuration Issues**
   * Custom roles not properly configured
   * Built-in roles modified incorrectly
   * Role inheritance problems

**Debugging Steps**:

1. **Check User Record**:
   * Open the User table
   * Find the affected user
   * Verify their Role field value
2. **Verify Role Settings**:
   * Go to Settings > User Roles
   * Check role configuration
   * Ensure role names match exactly
3. **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**:

1. **Verify Data Relationships**
   * Check that linking fields exist between tables
   * Ensure relationships are properly configured
   * Test that related records are linked correctly
2. **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
3. **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**:

1. **Clear Application Cache**
   * Test in incognito/private browser window
   * Clear browser cache and cookies
   * Try different browsers or devices
2. **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
3. **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**:

1. **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
2. **Refresh Testing Environment**
   * Exit and re-enter "View as User" mode
   * Refresh the page while testing
   * Clear browser cache if test results seem cached
3. **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:

1. **Document Your Setup**:
   * User roles and assignments
   * Permission rules configuration
   * Expected vs actual behavior
2. **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
3. **Contact Support** with:
   * Screenshots of permission configuration
   * Description of expected behavior
   * Steps taken to reproduce the issue

{% hint style="success" %}
**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.
{% endhint %}


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