--- url: https://pencel.ai/docs/reference/troubleshooting.md description: >- Fixes for common Pencel problems, from sign-in and AI access to RFP sources, Gmail, paused rooms, missed schedules, failed work and updates. --- # Troubleshooting Find the problem you're seeing below. Most fixes take a minute or two. ## I can't sign in * **Check your internet connection.** Signing in always needs one. * **Google:** Pencel opens your browser. Finish signing in there, then switch back to Pencel. * **GitHub:** Pencel shows a short code and waits. Enter the code on the GitHub page that opens, approve, then switch back. * **Email:** If your password isn't accepted, click **Forgot password?**. Pencel emails you a 6-digit reset code. * **You declined the terms.** **Decline & sign out** signs you out. Sign in again and click **Agree & continue**. * **Signed in but something still says to sign in?** Open **Settings ▸ Account**, click **Sign out**, and sign in again. ## "This room can't run yet" or no AI access This means Pencel has no way to pay for AI work right now. Click **Set up AI →** in the message, or open **Settings ▸ Credentials**, and fix one of these: * **New account, no credits yet.** Free starter credits need a verified email and anonymous usage data turned on. Verify your email in **Settings ▸ Account** and click **Opt in** in **Settings ▸ Privacy**. * **Starter credits used up or expired.** Choose a plan in **Settings ▸ Plan & Billing**, or add your own API key in **Settings ▸ Credentials**. * **Your own key stopped working.** Its row in **Settings ▸ Credentials** shows **Failed**. Paste a new key and click **Save & test**. Other messages you might see: | Message | What to do | |---|---| | "You're out of credits" | Top up in **Settings ▸ Plan & Billing**, wait for next month's credits, or add your own API key. | | "Your current plan doesn't include this" | Upgrade in **Settings ▸ Plan & Billing**. | | "Managed AI is temporarily paused" | Add your own API key in **Settings ▸ Credentials** to keep going. | | "Too many requests right now" | Wait a few seconds and try again. | | "Monthly budget of $… exceeded" | You hit your own spending limit. Raise or remove it in **Settings ▸ Cost & Usage ▸ Monthly Budget**. | | "You've reached the Free plan limit" | Delete workflows, agents or connections you don't use, or upgrade to Solo or Pro. | See [Accounts, plans and credits](https://pencel.ai/docs/getting-started/accounts.html). ## "Can't reach the RFP sources" This card means Pencel didn't start an RFP search, because it would have found nothing. The card lists each source and what's wrong with it. * **Not signed in:** click **Sign in**. * **No credits for Pencel's shared source keys:** on the setup card, click **Get free starter credits**, or choose a plan. * **Prefer your own source keys:** click **Add my own keys**. After fixing it, click **Fixed it? Check again** on the setup card, or run a new search from the RFP room. ## "GovCon wasn't searched" or "HigherGov wasn't searched" Your last RFP search worked, but skipped one source. The chip on the card says why: * **Allowance used up**: you've used today's share of Pencel's key for that source. * **Key needed**: the source needs a key. * **Turned off**: the source is switched off. Click **Add my own key** to add your own key for that source, so it's searched every time. The card goes away after the next search that includes it. See [RFP Operations](https://pencel.ai/docs/programs/rfp-operations.html). ## Gmail says "Needs sign-in", or mark as read fails **Needs sign-in:** Google has asked you to sign in again. Open **Settings ▸ Connections**, find Google Workspace and click **Sign in** (or **Re-authorize** on the **Installed** tab). **"Reconnect Gmail with modify access to mark messages read":** connections made with an older version of Pencel don't have permission to change the read state of your mail. To fix it: 1. Open **Settings ▸ Connections ▸ Installed**. 2. On Google Workspace, open the menu (the three dots) and click **Disconnect**. 3. Click **Connect** and sign in with Google again, allowing everything it asks for. 4. Go back to the inbox room and try again. The inbox room reads Gmail only. Microsoft 365 mail works in chat but not in the inbox room. See [Google Workspace](https://pencel.ai/docs/integrations/google-workspace.html). ## A room is paused or out of budget Look for a banner above the room's message box. * **The room is paused.** Click **Resume**, or open the room's settings (click its name) and go to **Schedule ▸ Resume**. * **The room is out of credits for this month.** Its scheduled work is paused, not failed. Click **Open Advanced** and raise or clear the **Monthly budget**. Otherwise it picks up again on its own when the month resets. See [Control what you spend](https://pencel.ai/docs/guides/managing-costs.html). ## Scheduled work didn't run Check these in order: 1. **Pencel must be open and your computer awake.** Nothing runs while the app is closed or the computer is asleep. When you open Pencel again, it runs a missed daily or weekly schedule once to catch up. 2. **Is the room paused?** See the section above. 3. **Is the routine switched on?** Open the room's settings ▸ **Schedule**. Under **Routines**, make sure the switch is on. A banner saying every schedule is off has an **Open Rhythm** button that takes you there. The RFP room's daily scan is off until you turn it on in the room. 4. **Are background checks on?** In **Schedule**, check **Work in the background** and how often it runs. Click **Check now** to run one immediately. 5. **Is the room or the app out of budget or credits?** See above. **Studio ▸ Jobs** also flags work that **Missed its schedule** or whose **Last run failed**. See [Check on scheduled work](https://pencel.ai/docs/guides/monitoring-runs.html). ## Home is empty "Your feed fills as rooms work" is normal before any Room has done work. Click **Add a room** to set one up, or see the [Quickstart](https://pencel.ai/docs/getting-started/quickstart.html). If you expected cards: * Make sure the filter is on **All**, not **Needs action** or a topic. * Rooms that find nothing new stay quiet on purpose. Open the room to see its latest activity. * To bring back the setup cards, go to **Settings ▸ General** and click **Restart getting started**. ## Something couldn't finish When work fails, Home shows a card such as "Weekly report couldn't finish". 1. Click **See why**. It opens the run in **Studio ▸ Jobs** with what happened. 2. If the problem is access to an account, click **Fix source access** on the card, or reconnect it in **Settings ▸ Connections**. 3. Click **Retry** on the job's last run. To retry a single step, click its **Retry** and optionally describe what to do differently. A card saying work "finished without producing anything" usually means some setup is missing. **See why** shows what. ## QuickBooks won't connect QuickBooks Accountant is in beta, and connecting QuickBooks Online may not work for every account yet. * Try again from **Settings ▸ Connections**. * If an expense import shows an unknown result, click **Check status** before trying the import again, so it isn't posted twice. * If it still fails, email . See [QuickBooks Accountant (Beta)](https://pencel.ai/docs/programs/quickbooks-accountant.html). ## Updates * **An update is ready:** click **Restart & Install** in the bar at the top of the window, or **Install & Restart** in **Settings ▸ Account**. * **"Update check failed":** check your internet connection and try **Check for Updates** again later. * **An update never installs:** download the latest version from [pencel.ai/download](https://pencel.ai/download) and install it over the old one. Your workspace and documents are kept. * **Pencel is slow to open the first time on a Mac:** macOS checks the app for about a minute on first launch. Later launches are quick. ## Still stuck? Click the **Send Feedback** icon at the top of the Pencel window, or email . Tell us what you were doing and copy any message you saw. ## Related * [Accounts, plans and credits](https://pencel.ai/docs/getting-started/accounts.html) * [Connect your accounts](https://pencel.ai/docs/guides/setting-up-connections.html) * [Check on scheduled work](https://pencel.ai/docs/guides/monitoring-runs.html) * [FAQ](https://pencel.ai/docs/reference/faq.html)