When something does not work
"Not found" or "not allowed"
Two different messages with two completely different meanings.
Last updated 1 min read
The rule in one sentence
If something is hidden from you, the answer is "not found". If you can see it but may not perform this particular action, the answer is "not allowed".
The distinction is deliberate: "not allowed" on something you should not see would itself confirm that it exists.
What to check
A link a colleague sent me says "not found"
- What it means
- Either it is in another workspace, or it is restricted content whose access list you are not on.
- What to do
- Check the active workspace first. If that is right, ask your colleague to grant access — they can see that you are not on the list.
I used to be able to see this page and now I cannot
- What it means
- Access to the content was closed, or you left that workspace.
- What to do
- Closing access takes effect immediately and there is no cache involved. Talk to the meeting's organiser or the document's owner.
It says I am not allowed, but I can see the record
- What it means
- This is exactly the second case: reading is permitted, this particular action is not.
- What to do
- It usually means the action needs the workspace admin role, or membership of that engagement's team.
A whole section of the product is missing for me
- What it means
- Your plan does not carry that module.
- What to do
- In that case the message talks about the plan explicitly rather than saying "not found". See the plans page.
Read this next
- Security & dataWho can see whatReads are open, with two exceptions — and both exceptions share one mechanism.
- When something does not workA button that should be there is notUsually role, membership or plan. None of them is a fault.
- Security & dataWhere your data livesOne boundary, and why another workspace's record answers "does not exist".
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