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Troubleshooting Cache Issues

Solutions to common cache management problems and issues you might encounter.

Quick Troubleshooting Guide​

Symptom → Solution Lookup​

ProblemQuick FixDetailed Section
Entry not matching usersAdd variationsLow/Zero Matches
Wrong answer returnedCheck confidence, review variationsWrong Matches
Can't save changesCheck network, required fieldsSaving Issues
Low hit rateAdd more entries, improve variationsLow Cache Hit Rate
Outdated informationUpdate response, adjust TTLStale Content
Modal won't closeClick X, press Esc, refresh pageUI Issues

Cache Entry Not Matching Users​

Problem: Low or Zero "Times Served"​

Symptom: Cache entry has been active for weeks/months but "Times Served" remains 0 or very low.

Possible Causes:

  1. Poor variations - Questions don't match how users ask
  2. Wrong topic - Users aren't asking about this subject
  3. Low confidence - Score below matching threshold (< 0.70)
  4. Inactive status - Entry is disabled

Solution 1: Add More Variations​

Steps:

  1. Review actual user questions in Conversations
  2. Look for questions similar to your cache topic
  3. Add those exact phrasings as variations
  4. Use the Variation Generator

Example:

  • Cache question: "What are the prerequisites for HFIM 3000?"
  • User asks: "what do i need before 3000"
  • Add variation: "what do i need before 3000" exactly as typed

Solution 2: Check Status​

Steps:

  1. Find the entry in Cache Management
  2. Click Edit
  3. Scroll to Status field
  4. Verify it says "Active"
  5. If Inactive, change to Active
  6. Click Save Changes

Why: Inactive entries never match, regardless of quality.

Solution 3: Increase Confidence​

Steps:

  1. Click Edit on the entry
  2. Find Confidence field
  3. If below 0.70, increase to 0.80-0.90
  4. Only increase if you've verified accuracy!
  5. Click Save Changes

Why: Low confidence entries require very high similarity to match.

Solution 4: Review Topic Relevance​

Questions to ask:

  • Do users actually ask about this topic?
  • Is it too niche?
  • Is there a better way to phrase the question?

Action:

  • If relevant: Improve variations and wait 2 more weeks
  • If irrelevant: Set to Inactive or delete

Problem: Wrong or Inappropriate Matches​

Symptom: Cache entry matches user questions, but returns wrong or misleading answers.

Possible Causes:

  1. Variations too broad - Matching unrelated questions
  2. Response doesn't match question - Answer is off-topic
  3. Confidence too high - Matching too aggressively
  4. Similar entries conflicting - Multiple entries matching same query

Solution 1: Review and Narrow Variations​

Steps:

  1. Check Conversations for questions that matched this entry
  2. Identify which variations caused false matches
  3. Click Edit on the cache entry
  4. Remove or modify overly broad variations
  5. Save changes

Example:

  • Problem variation: "HFIM courses" (too general)
  • Matches: Questions about any course, not just prerequisites
  • Fix: Remove or make more specific: "HFIM 3000 prerequisite courses"

Solution 2: Lower Confidence​

Steps:

  1. If entry is matching too aggressively, reduce confidence
  2. Try reducing by 0.05-0.10 increments
  3. Monitor for 1 week
  4. Adjust further if needed

Why: Lower confidence requires higher similarity to match.

Solution 3: Split into Multiple Entries​

When: One cache entry is trying to answer multiple different questions

Steps:

  1. Identify the different questions being asked
  2. Create separate cache entries for each
  3. Use specific variations for each entry
  4. Deactivate or delete the overly broad entry

Example:

  • Broad entry: "Tell me about HFIM 3000" (matches prereqs, instructor, description)
  • Split into:
    • Entry 1: "What are the prerequisites for HFIM 3000?"
    • Entry 2: "Who teaches HFIM 3000?"
    • Entry 3: "What is HFIM 3000 about?" (course description)

Performance Issues​

Problem: Low Cache Hit Rate​

Symptom: Dashboard shows hit rate below 50-60%

Possible Causes:

  1. Too few cache entries - Many topics not cached
  2. Poor variation coverage - Entries don't match user language
  3. Users asking diverse questions - Hard to predict and cache
  4. New cache - Hasn't had time to grow yet

Solution 1: Expand Cache Coverage​

Steps:

  1. Go to Dashboard → Popular Questions (if available)
  2. Or review Conversations for frequently asked questions
  3. Identify topics asked 5+ times that aren't cached
  4. Create new cache entries for these topics
  5. Generate variations immediately

Target: Add 5-10 new entries per month based on usage data.

Solution 2: Improve Variations on Existing Entries​

Steps:

  1. Sort cache by Times Served (Low → High)
  2. Focus on active entries with < 10 "Times Served"
  3. Click Edit and generate variations
  4. Review actual user questions and add manual variations
  5. Wait 2 weeks and check if "Times Served" increased

Target: 7-12 variations per entry.

Solution 3: Analyze Uncached Questions​

Steps:

  1. Go to Conversations
  2. Look for patterns in questions that didn't match cache
  3. Identify themes or topics
  4. Create cache entries for common themes

Example Pattern:

User questions NOT matching cache:
- "how hard is HFIM"
- "is HFIM a difficult major"
- "HFIM workload"

Action: Create cache entry:
- Question: "Is HFIM a difficult major?"
- Variations: Include all three phrasings above

Problem: Success Rate is 0%​

Symptom: Dashboard shows "Success Rate: 0%"

Possible Causes:

  1. Brand new cache - Entries just created, no time to match
  2. All entries inactive - Nothing available to match
  3. Very low traffic - Few users asking questions
  4. Variations don't match user language - See "Low/Zero Matches" above

Solution 1: Wait (If New Cache)​

Action: Give it 1-2 weeks for users to ask matching questions.

Why: Success rate only counts entries that have matched at least once. New caches start at 0%.

Solution 2: Verify Active Entries​

Steps:

  1. Filter cache by Status: Active
  2. Confirm you have at least 5-10 active entries
  3. If all are inactive, activate appropriate entries
  4. Wait 1 week and check again

Solution 3: Generate Variations​

Steps:

  1. Select all active entries
  2. Click Generate Variations (Bulk)
  3. Wait for completion
  4. Monitor success rate over next 1-2 weeks

Content Issues​

Problem: Outdated or Stale Content​

Symptom: Cached responses contain old information (dates, requirements, contacts)

Possible Causes:

  1. TTL expired - Entry hasn't been reviewed in TTL period
  2. Information changed - Program updates not reflected in cache
  3. No review schedule - No process for regular updates

Solution 1: Update Immediately​

Steps:

  1. Find the outdated entry
  2. Click Edit
  3. Update Response with current information
  4. Update Sources if using new documents
  5. Update TTL based on how often this info changes
  6. Add Admin Notes: "Updated for [semester/year], verified with [source]"
  7. Click Save Changes

Solution 2: Implement Review Schedule​

Create a system:

Weekly: Review entries with TTL ≤ 7 days
Monthly: Review entries with TTL ≤ 30 days
Quarterly: Review all entries with "Last Updated > 90 days"

Use calendar reminders to ensure consistency.

Solution 3: Monitor High-Traffic Entries​

Steps:

  1. Sort cache by Times Served (High → Low)
  2. Review top 10-20 entries monthly for accuracy
  3. These affect the most users, so prioritize them

Why: A single outdated high-traffic entry affects hundreds of users.

Problem: Conflicting Information​

Symptom: Multiple cache entries give different answers to similar questions

Possible Causes:

  1. Duplicate entries - Same topic cached multiple times
  2. Different sources - Entries based on different (possibly contradictory) sources
  3. Outdated entries - Some updated, others not

Solution 1: Identify Duplicates​

Steps:

  1. Search for common keywords
  2. Review all matching entries
  3. Identify entries answering the same question
  4. Keep the most accurate, comprehensive entry
  5. Deactivate or delete duplicates

Solution 2: Consolidate Information​

If entries have different but valid information:

Steps:

  1. Combine information into one comprehensive entry
  2. Include all relevant details in the response
  3. Update variations to cover all question phrasings
  4. Deactivate redundant entries

Example:

  • Entry 1: "HFIM requires 3.0 GPA" (old requirement)
  • Entry 2: "HFIM requires 3.2 GPA" (new requirement)
  • Solution: Keep Entry 2, deactivate Entry 1

Technical Issues​

Problem: Can't Save Changes​

Symptom: Clicking "Save Changes" does nothing or shows an error

Possible Causes:

  1. Network issue - Lost internet connection
  2. Session expired - Been logged in too long
  3. Validation error - Missing required field
  4. Server error - Backend problem

Solution 1: Check Internet Connection​

Steps:

  1. Verify you're still connected to the internet
  2. Try refreshing another website
  3. If offline, reconnect and try again

Solution 2: Log In Again​

Steps:

  1. Open a new tab
  2. Navigate to admin panel URL
  3. Log in again
  4. Return to original tab
  5. Try saving again

Why: Sessions expire after 30 minutes of inactivity.

Solution 3: Check Required Fields​

Common required fields:

  • Question
  • Response
  • Confidence
  • Status
  • TTL

Steps:

  1. Scroll through entire modal
  2. Verify all required fields have values
  3. Ensure confidence is between 0.00 and 1.00
  4. Verify TTL is a positive number
  5. Try saving again

Solution 4: Copy Content and Refresh​

If nothing works:

  1. Copy your changes to a text file (Question, Response, Variations)
  2. Close the modal
  3. Refresh the page (F5)
  4. Log in if needed
  5. Open edit modal again
  6. Paste content back
  7. Save

Problem: Modal or UI Problems​

Symptom: Edit modal won't open, won't close, or displays incorrectly

Solution 1: Close Modal Properly​

Methods to close:

  • Click the X in top-right corner
  • Click Cancel button at bottom
  • Press Esc key
  • Click outside the modal (on darkened background)

Solution 2: Refresh Page​

Steps:

  1. Press F5 or Ctrl/Cmd + R
  2. Log in again if prompted
  3. Try opening the modal again

Warning: Unsaved changes will be lost!

Solution 3: Clear Browser Cache​

Steps:

  1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+Delete (Mac)
  2. Select "Cached images and files"
  3. Choose "All time" or "Last 24 hours"
  4. Click "Clear data"
  5. Refresh the page

Solution 4: Try Different Browser​

If problem persists:

  1. Copy the admin panel URL
  2. Open a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
  3. Log in and try again

Why: Sometimes browser-specific issues occur.

Data Issues​

Problem: Activity Log Shows "Failed to Load"​

Symptom: Activity Log section displays error message

Impact: Low - this doesn't affect cache functionality

Cause: Audit log database query failed

Solution: Ignore or Refresh​

Steps:

  1. Option 1: Ignore it - main functionality still works
  2. Option 2: Refresh the page to try loading again
  3. Option 3: Contact support if it persists for days

Why it's okay: Activity log is supplementary. Cache, edits, and all core features work fine without it.

Problem: Metrics Not Updating​

Symptom: Dashboard or entry metrics seem frozen or incorrect

Possible Causes:

  1. Caching delay - Metrics update periodically, not instantly
  2. Browser cache - Viewing old cached page
  3. Server issue - Backend metrics calculation problem

Solution 1: Wait and Refresh​

Steps:

  1. Wait 5-10 minutes
  2. Refresh the page (F5)
  3. Check if metrics updated

Why: Metrics may update every 15-30 minutes, not real-time.

Solution 2: Hard Refresh​

Steps:

  1. Press Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)
  2. This forces a fresh load, bypassing browser cache
  3. Verify metrics

Solution 3: Check Different Time Period​

If "Last Served" or "Last Updated" seems wrong:

  1. Check the timestamp format (AM/PM, timezone)
  2. Verify current date/time on your device
  3. Consider if entry was truly used/updated recently

Variation Generation Issues​

Problem: Variation Generator Not Working​

Symptom: Clicking "Generate Variations" button does nothing or times out

Possible Causes:

  1. Network issue - Slow or interrupted connection
  2. Server overload - High usage or processing other requests
  3. Complex entry - Very long question/response taking too long

Solution 1: Wait and Retry​

Steps:

  1. Wait 2-3 minutes
  2. Try clicking Generate Variations again
  3. Be patient - generation takes 10-60 seconds

Don't: Click the button multiple times rapidly (causes queue buildup)

Solution 2: Try Single Entry First​

If bulk generation fails:

  1. Select just one entry
  2. Click Edit
  3. Click Generate Variations (single entry)
  4. If this works, try smaller bulk batches

Solution 3: Simplify Entry​

If a specific entry always fails:

Possible issues:

  • Question is extremely long (> 200 words)
  • Response is very long (> 1000 words)
  • Special characters or formatting confuse AI

Action:

  • Shorten question/response temporarily
  • Generate variations
  • Restore original content
  • Manually add variations

Problem: Generated Variations Are Poor Quality​

Symptom: AI creates irrelevant, awkward, or off-topic variations

Cause: AI misunderstood question intent or received unclear input

Solution 1: Review and Edit​

Steps:

  1. Review all generated variations
  2. Delete irrelevant ones
  3. Edit awkward phrasings
  4. Add your own manual variations

Remember: Generated variations are a starting point, not final product.

Solution 2: Improve Source Question​

Steps:

  1. Make main question clearer and more specific
  2. Ensure response directly answers the question
  3. Try generating variations again

Example:

  • Vague: "Tell me about courses"
  • Clear: "What courses are required for the HFIM major?"

Getting Additional Help​

When to Contact Support​

Contact support@uga.edu if:

  • ❌ Solutions here don't resolve the issue
  • ❌ Problem persists for more than 24 hours
  • ❌ Issue affects multiple admins
  • ❌ Data appears lost or corrupted
  • ❌ You suspect a system-wide problem

Include in your email:

  1. Detailed description of the problem
  2. Steps you've already tried
  3. Screenshots of errors
  4. Your UGA email address
  5. Cache entry ID (if relevant)

Before Contacting Support​

Try these first:

  1. ✅ Refresh the page
  2. ✅ Clear browser cache
  3. ✅ Log out and log in again
  4. ✅ Try a different browser
  5. ✅ Check if problem occurs for other entries
  6. ✅ Review this troubleshooting guide
  7. ✅ Check FAQ

This helps support:

  • Saves time on basic troubleshooting
  • Provides more context in your report
  • Demonstrates the issue is persistent

Preventive Measures​

Prevent Future Issues​

Best practices to avoid problems:

  1. Save work frequently - Don't leave modals open long
  2. Test changes on low-impact entries first
  3. Back up important content (copy to text file before major edits)
  4. Review metrics regularly to catch issues early
  5. Follow best practices - See Best Practices
  6. Use stable internet - Avoid editing on spotty connections
  7. Keep browser updated - Use latest browser version
  8. Log out when done - Don't leave sessions open indefinitely

Still Stuck?​

Additional Resources​

Remember: Most cache issues are solvable! Work through this guide systematically, and don't hesitate to reach out to support if needed.

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