# Troubleshooting

- URL: https://betteranalyst.com/docs/help/troubleshooting
- Updated: 2026-11-12
- Author: Better Analyst

Fix common Better Analyst issues with file uploads, database connectors, AI chat responses, account access, and browser compatibility. Step-by-step solutions.

Having trouble? This guide covers common issues and how to resolve them.

## File Upload Issues

### File won't upload

**Possible causes:**

- File exceeds size limit for your plan
- File format not supported
- Network connection issue

**Solutions:**

1. Check your plan's file size limit in **Billing**
2. Verify the file extension is supported (xlsx, csv, pdf, etc.)
3. Try refreshing the page and uploading again
4. Split large files into smaller parts

### File uploaded but data looks wrong

**Possible causes:**

- Encoding issues with special characters
- Unusual file formatting
- Corrupted file

**Solutions:**

1. Open the file in Excel and re-save as .xlsx
2. For CSV files, ensure UTF-8 encoding
3. Remove any merged cells or unusual formatting
4. Try exporting fresh from the source system

### PDF extraction incomplete

**Possible causes:**

- PDF is image-based (scanned)
- Complex table layouts
- Protected or encrypted PDF

**Solutions:**

1. Use OCR option for scanned PDFs
2. Try the non-tabular extraction mode
3. Remove password protection before uploading
4. Split multi-page PDFs into smaller sections

## Connector Issues

### Connection failed

**Possible causes:**

- Wrong credentials
- Network/firewall blocking
- Server not accessible

**Solutions:**

1. Double-check username and password
2. Verify host and port settings
3. Add Better Analyst's IP ranges (`74.220.50.0/24` and `74.220.58.0/24`) to your firewall allowlist
4. Check the database server is running

### Token expired (Google connectors)

**Possible causes:**

- OAuth token naturally expired
- Access was revoked in Google settings

**Solutions:**

1. Go to **Connectors** in the dashboard
2. Click **Reconnect** on the affected connector
3. Re-authenticate with Google

### Query returns no results

**Possible causes:**

- Date range has no data
- Filters too restrictive
- Wrong table selected

**Solutions:**

1. Expand the date range
2. Remove or adjust filters
3. Verify you're querying the right table
4. Check if data exists in the source system

### Query is slow or times out

**Possible causes:**

- Large dataset without filters
- Complex query
- Slow database server

**Solutions:**

1. Add date filters to limit data
2. Ask for aggregated data instead of raw rows
3. Break complex analysis into smaller questions
4. Check your database server performance

## Chat Issues

### AI doesn't understand my question

**Possible causes:**

- Question too vague
- Ambiguous column names
- Missing context

**Solutions:**

1. Be more specific about what you want
2. Mention exact column names from your data
3. Provide more context: "By revenue, I mean the 'total\_amount' column"
4. Try rephrasing the question

### Results seem incorrect

**Possible causes:**

- AI misinterpreted column meaning
- Different calculation method than expected
- Wrong data source selected

**Solutions:**

1. Ask the AI to explain its calculation
2. Specify exactly which columns to use
3. Clarify the calculation method you want
4. Verify the correct data is selected in the left panel

### Charts not displaying

**Possible causes:**

- Browser compatibility issue
- Interactive charts disabled
- Data not suitable for visualization

**Solutions:**

1. Try a different browser (Chrome recommended)
2. Enable "Interactive Charts" in settings
3. Request a specific chart type
4. Ensure data has numeric values to visualize

### Chat is stuck or not responding

**Possible causes:**

- Network connection issue
- Server processing delay
- Large dataset taking time

**Solutions:**

1. Wait a moment - complex queries take time
2. Check your internet connection
3. Refresh the page and try again
4. Simplify your question

## Account Issues

### Can't log in

**Possible causes:**

- Wrong password
- Account not verified
- Email typo

**Solutions:**

1. Use "Forgot password" to reset
2. Check spam folder for verification email
3. Verify you're using the correct email address
4. Try logging in with Google if configured

### Subscription not active

**Possible causes:**

- Payment failed
- Subscription cancelled
- Billing issue

**Solutions:**

1. Check your payment method in **Billing**
2. Update expired credit card
3. Verify no payment blocks from your bank
4. Contact support if payment was processed

### Features missing or limited

**Possible causes:**

- Plan doesn't include feature
- Usage limit reached
- Account issue

**Solutions:**

1. Check your current plan in **Billing**
2. Upgrade for additional features
3. Wait for monthly limit reset
4. Contact support for account issues

## Performance Issues

### Dashboard loading slowly

**Solutions:**

1. Clear browser cache
2. Try a different browser
3. Check your internet speed
4. Disable browser extensions

### Export taking too long

**Solutions:**

1. Export smaller datasets
2. Use CSV format for large files
3. Filter data before exporting
4. Try during off-peak hours

## Browser Issues

### Recommended browsers

- Google Chrome (latest)
- Mozilla Firefox (latest)
- Microsoft Edge (latest)
- Safari (latest)

### Clear cache and cookies

1. Open browser settings
2. Find "Privacy" or "History"
3. Clear cached images and files
4. Clear cookies for betteranalyst.com

### Disable problematic extensions

Ad blockers or privacy extensions may interfere. Try:

1. Disable extensions temporarily
2. Use incognito/private mode
3. Whitelist betteranalyst.com

## Still Stuck?

If you've tried these solutions and still have issues, email us at <hello@betteranalyst.com> with:

- What you were trying to do
- What happened instead
- Any error messages
- Browser and device information
- Screenshots if possible