> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.alana.shopping/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Understanding Error Messages

> Common error messages, what they mean, and how to fix them

# Understanding Error Messages

Sometimes Alana displays error messages to let you know something isn't quite right. This guide explains what common errors mean and how to fix them.

## Authentication & Login Errors

### "Session Expired"

**What it means:** Your login session timed out. This happens if you've been inactive for a while (usually 24+ hours) or if you logged in on another device.

**How to fix:**

1. Click **Log In Again** (or refresh the page)
2. Enter your email and password
3. You'll be back in your workspace

This is a security feature that prevents unauthorized access to your account.

### "Invalid Credentials"

**What it means:** Your email or password is incorrect.

**How to fix:**

1. Double-check that you're using the correct email address
2. Verify your password (watch for typos and CAPS LOCK)
3. If you can't remember your password, click **Forgot Password?**
4. Reset your password and log in again

### "Too Many Failed Login Attempts"

**What it means:** You've tried logging in with incorrect credentials multiple times. Your account is temporarily locked for security.

**How to fix:**

1. Wait 30 minutes
2. Try logging in again
3. If you still can't access it, use **Forgot Password?** to reset

This lock prevents hackers from guessing your password.

## Permissions & Access Errors

### "Insufficient Permissions"

**What it means:** You don't have permission to perform that action. Your workspace admin has restricted your access level.

**Common scenarios:**

* You're trying to delete a workspace setting (only admins can do this)
* You're accessing a feature restricted to premium members
* You were removed from a specific team or project

**How to fix:**

1. Ask your workspace admin to grant you permission
2. Or ask them to perform the action for you
3. They can adjust your role in Settings > Team Members

### "Access Denied"

**What it means:** Similar to insufficient permissions—you're trying to access something your account doesn't have access to.

**Possible reasons:**

* You were removed from this workspace
* Your subscription level doesn't include this feature
* The item has been deleted or archived

**How to fix:**

1. Check that you're in the correct workspace (top-left dropdown)
2. Ask your admin if you were accidentally removed
3. Upgrade your plan if the feature requires a higher tier

### "You Don't Have Access to This Workspace"

**What it means:** This workspace exists, but you're not a member.

**How to fix:**

1. Ask the workspace admin to invite you
2. Or switch to a different workspace where you do have access (top-left dropdown)
3. If you think this is a mistake, [contact support](/help/faq/contact-support)

## Sync & Integration Errors

### "Connection Lost"

**What it means:** Alana can't reach your e-commerce platform to sync products.

**Possible causes:**

* Your store's API is temporarily down
* Your internet connection is unstable
* The platform authorization expired

**How to fix:**

1. Wait a few minutes (your store may be temporarily unavailable)
2. Try a manual sync (Settings > Integrations > Sync Now)
3. Check your internet connection
4. Re-authorize your platform if the error persists

[Learn more about sync troubleshooting](/help/integrations/troubleshooting-sync).

### "API Rate Limit Exceeded"

**What it means:** You've made too many requests to your store's API in a short time. Your store has rate limits for performance reasons.

**How to fix:**

1. Wait 15 minutes and try again
2. The sync will automatically retry
3. Reduce your sync frequency if this happens regularly

This typically only happens with very large catalogs or frequent manual syncs.

### "Invalid API Credentials"

**What it means:** The connection credentials have become invalid or outdated.

**How to fix:**

1. Go to Settings > Integrations
2. Find the platform connection
3. Click **Re-authorize**
4. Follow the platform's authorization flow
5. Sync will resume

This is a security measure that occasionally requires re-authorization.

### "Sync Failed - Check Error Log"

**What it means:** The sync process encountered an error. The error log has more details.

**How to fix:**

1. Go to Settings > Integrations
2. Click your platform
3. Scroll to the error log or recent activity
4. Click the error to see full details
5. Most errors are self-resolving or have actionable next steps

[See the detailed sync troubleshooting guide](/help/integrations/troubleshooting-sync) for specific error messages.

## Product & Import Errors

### "Import Validation Failed"

**What it means:** Your import file has data problems. It doesn't match the expected format.

**Possible issues:**

* Column headers don't match expected fields
* Required columns are missing (e.g., product name)
* Data types are wrong (e.g., text where a number is expected)
* File format is not supported (must be CSV, XLSX, or JSON)

**How to fix:**

1. Download the error report (usually lists specific rows with problems)
2. Open your file in a spreadsheet app (Excel, Google Sheets)
3. Fix the issues listed in the error report
4. Re-upload the file

[See the detailed import guide](/help/catalogs/importing-products) for exact format requirements.

### "File Size Exceeds Limit"

**What it means:** Your import file is too large (max 50MB).

**How to fix:**

1. Split your file into smaller batches
2. Import each batch separately
3. Or compress images and data before uploading

### "Duplicate Product Detected"

**What it means:** A product in your import file already exists in your catalog.

**How to fix:**

1. Check that you haven't accidentally imported the same file twice
2. Remove duplicate rows from your file
3. Use unique identifiers (SKU, product ID) to prevent duplicates
4. Re-upload

## AI & Generation Errors

### "AI Credits Exhausted"

**What it means:** You don't have enough AI credits to perform this generation. You're out for this month.

**How to fix:**

1. Go to Settings > Billing to check your credit balance
2. Wait for your monthly reset (credits renew on your billing date)
3. Or upgrade to a plan with more credits
4. Or purchase additional credits if available

[Learn more about AI credits](/help/ai/ai-credits-and-usage).

### "Generation Failed - Please Try Again"

**What it means:** The AI service encountered a temporary issue.

**How to fix:**

1. Wait a minute
2. Try generating again
3. If it keeps failing, try a different product
4. [Contact support](/help/faq/contact-support) if it's a persistent issue

### "Insufficient Product Data for Generation"

**What it means:** The product is missing key information needed for AI to generate content.

**Required information:**

* Product name
* Product description or category
* At least one product image (for image-based generation)

**How to fix:**

1. Go to the product details
2. Add missing information (name, description, category, image)
3. Save the product
4. Try generating again

## System & Server Errors

### "500 - Internal Server Error"

**What it means:** Something went wrong on Alana's servers. This is rare.

**How to fix:**

1. Refresh the page
2. Wait a few minutes
3. Try again
4. If the error persists, [contact support](/help/faq/contact-support)

### "Connection Timeout"

**What it means:** The page took too long to load. Either your connection is slow or the server is busy.

**How to fix:**

1. Check your internet connection speed
2. Refresh the page
3. Try again in a few minutes
4. Use a wired connection instead of WiFi if possible

### "The Service Is Currently Unavailable"

**What it means:** Alana is temporarily down for maintenance or experiencing high traffic.

**How to fix:**

1. Wait 5-15 minutes and try again
2. Check our status page (if available)
3. You can still export your data while the service is down
4. [Contact support](/help/faq/contact-support) for ETA

## Error Messages at a Glance

| Error                    | Cause                   | Quick Fix                      |
| ------------------------ | ----------------------- | ------------------------------ |
| Session Expired          | Inactive too long       | Log in again                   |
| Invalid Credentials      | Wrong email or password | Use Forgot Password            |
| Insufficient Permissions | You don't have access   | Ask workspace admin            |
| Connection Lost          | Store unavailable       | Wait and retry                 |
| Rate Limit Exceeded      | Too many requests       | Wait 15 minutes                |
| Import Validation Failed | Bad file format         | Fix errors and re-upload       |
| AI Credits Exhausted     | Out of monthly credits  | Upgrade plan or wait for reset |
| 500 - Internal Error     | Server issue            | Refresh and try again          |

## Still Seeing Errors?

If you encounter an error not listed here or can't resolve it:

1. Try refreshing the page (Cmd+R or Ctrl+R)
2. Clear your browser cache
3. Try in incognito mode
4. Try a different browser
5. [Contact support](/help/faq/contact-support) with:
   * The exact error message
   * What you were trying to do
   * Screenshots if possible
   * Your workspace name

Our team typically responds within 24 hours.