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Troubleshooting Conversations

Solutions to common problems you might encounter when working with the Conversations section.

Quick Troubleshooting Guide​

Symptom → Solution Lookup​

ProblemQuick FixDetailed Section
Conversations won't loadRefresh page, check internetPage Won't Load
Filter not workingClear filters, reapplyFilter Issues
Modal won't openRefresh page, try different browserModal Issues
Can't edit feedbackCheck permissions, verify logged inEdit Issues
No conversations showingCheck date range, verify data existsEmpty Table
Sources not displayingNormal for cache hits, check JSON formatSource Issues

Page Loading Issues​

Conversations Page Won't Load​

Symptom: Page is blank, stuck loading, or shows error message

Possible Causes:

  1. Network connection issue
  2. Server problem
  3. Browser cache problem
  4. Session expired

Solution 1: Refresh the Page​

Steps:

  1. Press F5 or Ctrl/Cmd + R
  2. Wait 5-10 seconds for page to load
  3. Check if conversations appear

Why: Often resolves temporary loading glitches

Solution 2: Hard Refresh​

Steps:

  1. Press Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)
  2. This clears browser cache and reloads fresh data
  3. Wait for page to load completely

Why: Clears cached JavaScript that may be causing issues

Solution 3: Check Internet Connection​

Steps:

  1. Try opening another website (e.g., google.com)
  2. Verify you're connected to the internet
  3. If connection is slow, wait and try again
  4. Switch to a more stable network if possible

Solution 4: Log Out and Log Back In​

Steps:

  1. Click Logout (if button is visible)
  2. Or navigate to login page manually
  3. Log in with your credentials
  4. Navigate back to Conversations

Why: Session may have expired

Solution 5: Try Different Browser​

Steps:

  1. Open a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
  2. Log in to admin panel
  3. Navigate to Conversations
  4. Check if issue persists

Why: Isolates browser-specific problems

Filter and Search Issues​

Filter Not Working​

Symptom: Selecting a filter doesn't update the table

Possible Causes:

  1. Filter not applied (forgot to click "Apply")
  2. No conversations match filter criteria
  3. JavaScript error
  4. Browser cache issue

Solution 1: Apply Filter Properly​

Steps:

  1. Select your filter (e.g., "Negative Feedback Only")
  2. Click "Apply Filters" button (don't assume it auto-applies)
  3. Wait for table to refresh
  4. Check if results updated

Why: Some interfaces require explicit "Apply" action

Solution 2: Clear and Reapply​

Steps:

  1. Click "Clear Filters" or "Reset"
  2. Verify table shows all conversations
  3. Select filter again
  4. Click "Apply Filters"

Why: Clears any conflicting filter settings

Solution 3: Check Browser Console​

Steps (for advanced users):

  1. Press F12 to open Developer Tools
  2. Click Console tab
  3. Look for red error messages
  4. Take screenshot and contact support if errors present

Why: JavaScript errors may prevent filters from working

No Results After Filtering​

Symptom: Filter applied, but table shows "No conversations found" or is empty

Possible Causes:

  1. No conversations match the filter criteria (legitimately)
  2. Date range too narrow
  3. Filter combination too restrictive

Solution 1: Verify Filter Criteria​

Steps:

  1. Check what filters are active
  2. Ask: "Are there actually conversations matching these criteria?"
  3. Try broadening the filter (e.g., "All Feedback" instead of "Negative Only")

Example:

Filter: Negative Feedback + Last 24 Hours
Result: No conversations

Reality: You only got 2 negative feedbacks this week, none in last 24 hours

Action: Change date range to "Last 7 Days" or "All Time"

Solution 2: Clear Filters Completely​

Steps:

  1. Click "Clear Filters"
  2. Verify some conversations appear
  3. If table is still empty, there may be a data issue (see No Conversations Showing)

Conversation Modal Won't Open​

Symptom: Clicking "View" button does nothing or shows error

Possible Causes:

  1. JavaScript error
  2. Browser popup blocker
  3. Session expired
  4. Corrupted conversation data

Solution 1: Try Again​

Steps:

  1. Wait 2-3 seconds
  2. Click "View" button again
  3. Sometimes requires double-click or takes a moment to load

Solution 2: Refresh and Retry​

Steps:

  1. Refresh the page (F5)
  2. Find the conversation again
  3. Click "View"

Why: Clears temporary JavaScript errors

Solution 3: Check Browser Console​

Steps:

  1. Press F12 to open Developer Tools
  2. Click Console tab
  3. Click "View" button on a conversation
  4. Look for red error messages
  5. Screenshot errors and contact support

Solution 4: Try Different Conversation​

Steps:

  1. Try clicking "View" on a different conversation
  2. If other modals open, issue is with that specific conversation
  3. Note the conversation ID
  4. Contact support about that specific conversation

Symptom: Clicking X, Cancel, or Esc doesn't close the modal

Possible Causes:

  1. Modal is saving data (wait for completion)
  2. JavaScript error
  3. Browser freeze

Solution 1: Wait for Save to Complete​

Check for:

  • Loading spinner
  • "Saving..." message
  • Progress indicator

Action: Wait 5-10 seconds for save to finish

Solution 2: Multiple Close Attempts​

Try all methods:

  1. Click X in top-right corner
  2. Click Cancel or Close button at bottom
  3. Press Esc key
  4. Click outside the modal (on darkened background)

Solution 3: Refresh Page​

If modal still won't close:

  1. Press F5 to refresh
  2. You'll lose any unsaved changes in the modal
  3. Modal should close when page refreshes
Unsaved Changes

Refreshing the page will lose any unsaved edits. Only use this as last resort.

Data Issues​

No Conversations Showing​

Symptom: Conversations table is completely empty (not just filtered)

Possible Causes:

  1. No conversations have been logged yet (new system)
  2. Database connection issue
  3. Permissions problem (can't view conversations)
  4. Date range filter excluding all data

Solution 1: Clear All Filters​

Steps:

  1. Click "Clear Filters" or "Reset"
  2. Ensure no filters are active
  3. Refresh page (F5)
  4. Check if conversations appear

Solution 2: Verify System Has Data​

Questions to ask:

  • Is the chatbot live and receiving user questions?
  • Has anyone used the chatbot recently?
  • Is this a brand new installation?

If brand new: No conversations yet - this is normal. Check back after users start asking questions.

Solution 3: Check Permissions​

Steps:

  1. Try accessing other sections (Cache Management, Dashboard)
  2. If they load but Conversations doesn't, may be a permissions issue
  3. Contact IT support to verify your account has conversation view permissions

Sources Not Displaying​

Symptom: Sources field in conversation modal is empty or shows []

Possible Causes:

  1. Response was from cache (not RAG search) - NORMAL
  2. No sources were found (unusual)
  3. Display issue

Solution 1: Check Response Time​

Steps:

  1. Look at Response Time in the conversation
  2. If < 1 second: This was a cache hit (no sources expected)
  3. If 2-8 seconds: This was RAG search (sources should be present)

Empty sources + fast response = Cache hit (normal)

Solution 2: Check Response Quality​

If sources are empty and response time is slow:

  1. This is unusual (RAG search but no sources found)
  2. Check if the response makes sense
  3. If response is generic or vague, may indicate issue
  4. Note the conversation ID and report to support

Response Text Looks Broken​

Symptom: Response has weird characters, broken formatting, or doesn't display properly

Possible Causes:

  1. Markdown rendering issue
  2. Special characters not escaped
  3. Database encoding problem

Solution: View Raw Data​

Steps:

  1. Copy the response text
  2. Paste into a plain text editor (Notepad, TextEdit)
  3. Check if content is readable there
  4. If readable, it's a display issue in the admin panel
  5. If not readable, it's a data corruption issue

Report to support with:

  • Conversation ID
  • Screenshot of broken display
  • Copy of raw text

Performance Issues​

Conversations Loading Very Slowly​

Symptom: Page takes 10+ seconds to load conversation table

Possible Causes:

  1. Very large number of conversations (thousands)
  2. Slow internet connection
  3. Server performance issue

Solution 1: Use Filters to Reduce Data​

Steps:

  1. Filter by date range (e.g., "Last 7 Days" instead of "All Time")
  2. Filter by feedback type (e.g., "Negative Only")
  3. Reduce items per page (e.g., 10 instead of 100)

Why: Loading fewer conversations is faster

Solution 2: Check Internet Speed​

Steps:

  1. Run a speed test (speedtest.net)
  2. If download speed < 1 Mbps, you may have slow connection
  3. Try switching networks (Wi-Fi to Ethernet, or vice versa)

Solution 3: Contact Support​

If consistently slow (every time, not just once):

  1. Note the time of day when it's slow
  2. Check if other admin sections are also slow
  3. Report to IT support with details

Editing Issues​

Can't Edit Feedback​

Symptom: Edit button is missing or clicking it does nothing

Possible Causes:

  1. Insufficient permissions
  2. Conversation is read-only (archived, locked)
  3. JavaScript error

Solution 1: Check Permissions​

Steps:

  1. Verify you can edit other things (cache entries, prompts)
  2. If you can edit those but not conversations, it's a permission issue
  3. Contact support to request conversation edit permissions

Solution 2: Try Different Conversation​

Steps:

  1. Try editing a different conversation
  2. If some are editable but not others, specific conversations may be locked
  3. Note which ones aren't editable and report to support

Changes Don't Save​

Symptom: Clicking "Save" doesn't save edits to feedback

Possible Causes:

  1. Network issue
  2. Session expired
  3. Validation error
  4. Server error

Solution 1: Check for Error Messages​

Look for:

  • Red notification at top of page
  • Error message in modal
  • "Required field" warnings

Action: Fix any validation issues and try saving again

Solution 2: Log In Again​

Steps:

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

Why: Session may have expired

Solution 3: Copy Changes and Refresh​

If save consistently fails:

  1. Copy your changes to a text file (notes, rating change)
  2. Refresh the page (F5)
  3. Open the edit modal again
  4. Paste your changes back
  5. Try saving

Export/Print Issues​

Can't Export Conversation Data​

Symptom: Export button is missing or not working

Note: Export functionality may not be available in all admin panels

Solutions:

  1. Check with IT if export is supported
  2. Use browser "Print to PDF" as workaround:
    • Ctrl/Cmd + P
    • Select "Save as PDF"
  3. Manually copy data to spreadsheet

Symptom: Printed conversations are cut off or poorly formatted

Solutions:

  1. Adjust browser print settings:
    • Change orientation (portrait vs. landscape)
    • Adjust margins
    • Enable "Print backgrounds"
  2. Use "Print Preview" before printing
  3. Export to PDF instead of direct printing

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. Conversation ID (if relevant)
  6. Browser and version (Chrome 120, Firefox 115, etc.)

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 conversations
  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. Use Stable Internet

    • Avoid editing on spotty connections
    • Save work frequently

  2. Keep Browser Updated

    • Use latest browser version
    • Clear cache monthly

  3. Log Out When Done

    • Don't leave sessions open indefinitely
    • Prevents session timeout errors

  4. Review Changes Before Saving

    • Double-check edits
    • Verify you didn't accidentally change wrong field

  5. Document Important Actions

    • Add admin notes to edited feedback
    • Keep a log of major changes

  6. Regular Maintenance

    • Review conversations weekly
    • Address negative feedback promptly
    • Keep cache entries up to date

Still Stuck?​

Additional Resources​

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

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