⚙️Troubleshooting Common Issues

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Quick solutions to the most common problems users encounter.

Connection Issues

"Invalid API Key" Error

Symptoms:

• Error when saving Lunch Money API key
• "Authentication failed" message

Solutions:

1. Verify the key is complete

   • API keys are long - ensure you copied the entire string
   • Check for spaces at the beginning or end

2. Generate a new key

   • Go to Lunch Money Developer Settings
   • Delete the old key
   • Create a new one with a clear name

3. Check key permissions

   • Ensure the key has read access
   • Some older keys may have limited scope

Cannot Connect to Lunch Money

Symptoms:

• Timeout errors
• "Service unavailable" messages

Solutions:

1. Check Lunch Money status

   • Visit their status page
   • Try logging into Lunch Money directly

2. Verify your internet connection

   • Test other websites
   • Check firewall settings

3. Try again later

   • Temporary outages do occur
   • Usually resolved within hours

Data Sync Problems

Missing Transactions

Symptoms:

• Recent transactions don't appear
• Account balances seem outdated

Solutions:

1. Manual refresh

   • Click the refresh button in Settings
   • Wait for sync to complete

2. Check Lunch Money first

   • Ensure transactions appear there
   • Verify account is syncing in Lunch Money

3. Date range

   • We sync last 90 days by default
   • Older transactions won't appear

Duplicate Recurring Transactions

Symptoms:

• Same transaction appears multiple times
• Projections show inflated amounts

Solutions:

1. Review detection settings

   • Check for similar merchant names
   • Look for amount variations

2. Mark duplicates as ignored

   • Select the duplicate pattern
   • Choose "Ignore this pattern"

3. Merge similar patterns

   • Contact support for assistance
   • We can combine related entries

Wrong Account Balances

Symptoms:

• Projected balance doesn't match reality
• Starting balance is incorrect

Solutions:

1. Sync latest data

   • Force a manual refresh
   • Check "Last synced" timestamp

2. Verify in Lunch Money

   • Compare balances there
   • Ensure accounts are active

3. Check account type

   • Credit cards show as negative
   • Investment accounts may lag

Projection Accuracy

Projections Seem Wrong

Symptoms:

• Future balances don't make sense
• Unexpected spikes or drops

Solutions:

1. Review recurring transactions

   • Check all detected patterns
   • Verify amounts and frequencies

2. Look for ignored transactions

   • You may have ignored important ones
   • Review ignored list in settings

3. Check one-time transactions

   • Remove outdated entries
   • Verify amounts are correct

Missing Recurring Detection

Symptoms:

• Regular bills not detected
• Income not recognized as recurring

Solutions:

1. Wait for more occurrences

   • Need 2-3 instances minimum
   • Pattern must be consistent

2. Check transaction descriptions

   • Variations prevent detection
   • Similar amounts help

3. Add manually

   • Create one-time recurring entries
   • Set expected frequency

Account Management

Cannot See All Accounts

Symptoms:

• Some accounts missing
• Only seeing partial list

Solutions:

1. Check account status in Lunch Money

   • Inactive accounts won't sync
   • Reconnect if needed

2. Verify account types

   • We support cash, credit, investment
   • Some exotic types may not appear

3. Refresh account list

   • Sync to pull new accounts
   • May take a few minutes

Cannot Delete API Key

Symptoms:

• Delete button doesn't work
• Key reappears after deletion

Solutions:

1. Check for active sync

   • Wait for sync to complete
   • Try again after

2. Clear browser cache

   • Force refresh the page
   • Try different browser

3. Contact support

   • We can manually remove
   • Provide key details

Performance Issues

Slow Loading Times

Symptoms:

• Pages take long to load
• Charts appear slowly

Solutions:

1. Reduce date range

   • Shorter projections load faster
   • Try 30 days instead of 90

2. Limit accounts shown

   • Hide unused accounts
   • Focus on active ones

3. Check browser

   • Update to latest version
   • Disable problematic extensions

Charts Not Displaying

Symptoms:

• Blank space where charts should be
• Error messages about rendering

Solutions:

1. Browser compatibility

   • Use Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge
   • Update to latest version

2. Disable ad blockers

   • May interfere with charts
   • Whitelist our domain

3. Check JavaScript

   • Must be enabled
   • Check console for errors

Subscription & Billing

Trial Expired But Still Charged

Symptoms:

• Charge after trial should have ended
• Unexpected subscription fee

Solutions:

1. Check trial end date

   • View in Settings → Subscription
   • Trials are exactly 14 days

2. Cancel subscription

   • Can cancel anytime
   • Refunds for unused time

3. Contact support

   • We'll review charges
   • Process refunds if needed

Cannot Update Payment Method

Symptoms:

• Card update fails
• Stripe errors

Solutions:

1. Try different card

   • Some cards have restrictions
   • Use major credit cards

2. Check billing address

   • Must match card exactly
   • Include ZIP/postal code

3. Contact your bank

   • May be blocking charge
   • Authorize our merchant

Getting Help

Before Contacting Support

1. Try basic troubleshooting

   • Refresh data
   • Clear cache
   • Try different browser

2. Gather information

   • Screenshot errors
   • Note exact steps
   • Check browser console

3. Check documentation

   • Review relevant guides
   • Search for your issue

Contacting Support

Email: support@projectedcashflow.com

Include:

• Account email
• Description of issue
• Steps to reproduce
• Screenshots if applicable
• Browser and OS details

Response time: Usually within 24 hours

Emergency Issues

For urgent issues affecting your finances:

• Mark email as "URGENT"
• Include phone number
• We'll prioritize response