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Troubleshooting & FAQ ​

Common issues and solutions for On Book Pro users.

Common Issues ​

Script Import ​

Q: My PDF won't import. What's wrong?

A: The AI script analyzer works best with:

  • PDF format (text-based or scanned — both work)
  • Standard theatrical formatting
  • Clear character names and scene divisions

Try these steps:

  1. Ensure the file is a PDF (the AI handles both text-based and scanned scripts)
  2. Check that the file size is under 10MB for web upload, or 200MB via Cloud Storage relay
  3. If import fails, try manually adding acts/scenes

Q: The AI extracted incorrect character names.

A: You can manually edit imported data:

  1. Go to Show Structure → Characters
  2. Edit names or merge duplicate entries
  3. The AI uses pattern matching—unusual names may need correction

Q: The import is taking a very long time.

A: Large scripts (100+ pages) can take 1-3 minutes. The system uses a cloud relay for big files:

  1. Wait for the progress indicator to complete
  2. If it stalls, check your network connection
  3. Try importing in smaller chunks if the full script fails

Cloud Sync ​

Q: My changes aren't syncing to my team.

A: Check these items:

  1. Verify you're online (offline changes sync automatically when reconnected)
  2. Check presence indicators in the header to see who's online
  3. Try refreshing the page to force a sync
  4. Check the cloud status indicator for sync errors

Q: I see a "permission denied" error.

A: This usually means:

  • You're not logged in to a Google account
  • You don't have access to this project (ask the owner for an invite link)
  • Your membership is still pending (owner needs to approve)
  • You lack the specific permission for that action

To fix:

  1. Sign out and sign back in
  2. Ask the project owner to check your membership status
  3. Request the appropriate role for your needs

Q: I made changes but they disappeared!

A: Changes may appear lost due to:

  1. Sync conflict: Another user's changes may have overwritten yours. Use Undo (Ctrl+Z) to recover.
  2. Offline mode: If you were offline, changes queue until reconnection. Ensure you're online.
  3. Browser issue: Try hard-refreshing (Ctrl+Shift+R) to reload from server.

Offline Mode ​

Q: Does everything work offline?

A: Yes! All features work offline. Changes are queued and sync when you reconnect.

Q: How do I know if I'm offline?

A: Look for the offline indicator in the app header. The app automatically detects connection status and shows:

  • 🟢 Green: Connected and synced
  • 🟡 Yellow: Syncing or pending changes
  • 🔴 Red/Gray: Offline

Q: My offline changes didn't sync when I came back online.

A: This is rare, but can happen if:

  1. You were offline for an extended period
  2. There were conflicting changes from other users
  3. The browser cleared local storage

To check:

  1. Open browser DevTools → Application → IndexedDB
  2. Look for the On Book Pro database
  3. If missing, your local data may have been cleared

Permissions & Access ​

Q: I can't see certain features or tabs.

A: Features are filtered based on your role and workspace:

  1. Workspace filtering: Some tools only appear in certain workspaces (Prep, Showtime, Reflect)
  2. Permission filtering: Your role may not include access to that feature

To check:

  1. Try the "All Tools" workspace to see everything available to your role
  2. Ask a project admin what role you've been assigned
  3. Request additional permissions if needed

Q: I can see a feature but can't edit anything.

A: You have VIEW permission but not EDIT permission. This is common for:

  • Cast members viewing the schedule
  • Crew viewing the run sheet
  • Designers viewing budget info

Contact a Stage Manager or Owner to request edit access.

Q: I'm an admin but can't access the Admin Portal.

A: The Admin Portal requires the MANAGE_USERS permission. Check:

  1. Are you the project Owner? Owners always have access.
  2. Ask another admin to verify your role includes MANAGE_USERS.
  3. The gear icon () should appear in the header if you have access.

Q: A team member can't claim their profile.

A: Profile claiming requires email matching:

  1. The email they sign in with must match the email in their personnel record
  2. If emails don't match, use Admin Portal → Members → Link to Personnel
  3. Manual linking bypasses email matching

Printing ​

Q: The print output looks wrong or is missing content.

A: Print issues can occur due to:

  1. Browser print settings: Try "Print using system dialog" instead of browser preview
  2. Page size: Ensure page size matches your document (Letter/A4)
  3. Margins: Reduce margins if content is cut off
  4. Landscape vs Portrait: Some reports work better in landscape

Q: Print is cutting off table rows mid-row.

A: Enable "Avoid breaking inside" in print settings, or:

  1. Use a PDF export instead
  2. Reduce zoom level before printing
  3. Try a different browser (Chrome has best print support)

PWA & Installation ​

Q: How do I install On Book Pro as an app?

A: On Book Pro is a Progressive Web App (PWA):

Desktop (Chrome/Edge):

  1. Look for the install icon in the browser address bar
  2. Click "Install" when prompted
  3. The app appears in your Start Menu / Applications

Mobile (iOS):

  1. Open in Safari
  2. Tap the Share button
  3. Select "Add to Home Screen"

Mobile (Android):

  1. Open in Chrome
  2. Tap the menu (⋮)
  3. Select "Install app" or "Add to Home Screen"

Q: The app feels stuck on an old version.

A: The PWA caches content for offline use. To force update:

  1. Soft refresh: Pull down to refresh (mobile) or F5 (desktop)
  2. Hard refresh: Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)
  3. Clear cache: Browser Settings → Clear browsing data → Cached images and files
  4. Reinstall: Uninstall the PWA and reinstall from the browser

Sound & Audio ​

Q: Sounds won't play.

A: Check:

  1. Browser autoplay policy: Interact with the page first (click anywhere)
  2. Volume settings: Check master volume and individual clip volume
  3. File format: Ensure your files are MP3, WAV, or OGG
  4. Browser support: Try Chrome for best audio compatibility

Q: Downloaded sounds aren't available offline.

A: Sounds must be fully downloaded to work offline:

  1. Play each sound once while online to cache it
  2. Check browser storage settings—some browsers limit cache size
  3. Large sound libraries may exceed cache limits

Account & Profile ​

Q: I can't update my profile information.

A: Profile editing requires:

  1. Being signed in
  2. Having a personnel record linked to your account
  3. Having the UPDATE_OWN_PROFILE permission (Cast and above)

If you see read-only fields, ask a Stage Manager to update them for you.

Q: My profile changes aren't showing in the Personnel Directory.

A: Changes should sync automatically. If not:

  1. Refresh the page
  2. Check that your account is linked to the correct personnel record
  3. Ask an admin to verify the link in Admin Portal → Members

Q: I see old data from a previous session after logging out and back in.

A: This is rare and usually resolves itself. Try:

  1. Log out from your profile modal
  2. Hard refresh the page (Ctrl+Shift+R)
  3. If stale data persists, clear your browser's site data for on-book.app:
    • Chrome: Settings → Privacy → Site Settings → on-book.app → Clear Data
    • Or open DevTools → Application → Storage → Clear Site Data

Still Need Help? ​

If your issue isn't listed here:

  1. Check the User Guide for feature-specific help
  2. Review the Feature Guides for detailed instructions
  3. Report a bug via GitHub Issues

Last updated: February 2026