# Troubleshooting & FAQ

> Most issue questions are about classification and follow-up. Which type to pick, how to set priority, and what to do when an issue stalls or keeps reopening.

Source: https://tidalcontrol.com/docs/issues/troubleshooting-and-faq

Most issue questions are about classification and follow-up: which type to pick, how to set priority, and what to do when an issue stalls or keeps being reopened.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which issue type should I choose?

Generic covers planned, administrative work; the other six types are for things that went wrong or need a formal response.

**Choose based on origin and urgency:**

**Generic - For general matters:**
- Creating new procedures
- Updating policies
- Organisational changes
- **Test:** Is this something you would execute as planned?

**Incident - For acute problems:**
- Security breaches
- System outages
- Data breaches
- **Test:** Does this need to be resolved today?

**Audit finding - For external findings:**
- Auditor identifies deficiencies
- Certification body demands action
- Compliance review findings
- **Test:** Does this come from an external party?

**Control gap - For missing security:**
- Required measures are missing
- GAP analysis shows deficiencies
- New risks require action
- **Test:** Are we missing important protection?

> **tip:**

**When in doubt choose Generic**: If no specific type fits, use Generic. You can always adjust the type later in the Details tab.

### How do I determine the right priority?

Base priority on how close the deadline is and how much damage is already happening, not on how it feels.

**High priority for:**
- **Compliance deadlines** within 30 days
- **Active security risks** causing damage now
- **Audit findings** threatening certification
- **System outages** hindering business operations

**Medium priority for:**
- **Planned improvements** with quarterly deadline
- **Preventive measures** without direct threat  
- **Normal audit findings** without urgency
- **Organisational changes** with clear planning

**Low priority for:**
- **Optimisations** without compliance impact
- **Long-term projects** (> 6 months)
- **Nice-to-have improvements** that can wait
- **Documentation updates** without deadline

**Adjusting priority:**
- Change in Details tab when situation changes
- Higher priority as deadlines approach
- Lower priority when urgency disappears

### How do I collaborate on an issue when my team doesn't respond?

An @mention with a concrete deadline gets a response far more often than a comment alone; escalate to the owner if it still doesn't.

**Activating team members:**
- **Use @mentions** - @name in comments for direct notification
- **Set deadlines** - Concrete date for response or action
- **Escalate to owner** - If contributors don't respond
- **Schedule meeting** - For complex topics face-to-face

**Effective collaboration:**
- **Clear questions** - What exactly do you expect from whom?
- **Communicate timeline** - When do you need an answer?
- **Provide context** - Why is their input important?
- **Offer alternatives** - What happens if they don't respond?

**Escalation steps:**
1. **Second @mention** after 48 hours no response
2. **Direct contact** - Phone or personal conversation
3. **Involve manager** - For structurally non-responsive
4. **Change owner** - If contributor consistently unavailable

## Common problems

### Issue keeps getting reopened by owner

This is almost always an incomplete fix or missing evidence, not a communication problem.

**Possible causes:**
- **Solution is incomplete** - Problem manifests again
- **Evidence missing** - Owner cannot verify solution
- **Miscommunication** - Expectations about solution differ
- **Scope expansion** - New requirements are added

**Solutions:**
1. **Talk to owner** - What exactly is missing for closure?
2. **Collect more evidence** - Screenshots, tests, documentation
3. **Test more thoroughly** - Check if solution really works
4. **Document better** - Explain what you did and why

**Prevention for next time:**
- Ask owner for closure criteria upfront
- Test solution together with owner
- Document every step of implementation
- Plan follow-up meeting after closure

### Missing deadlines and issue overruns

Most overruns come down to underestimating complexity or scope creep during the work, not the original deadline being unreasonable.

**Causes of delay:**
- **Complexity underestimation** - Solution proved more difficult
- **Resource conflicts** - Team has other priorities
- **External dependencies** - Waiting for suppliers or approvals
- **Scope creep** - Issue grows during execution

**Take immediate action:**
1. **Update deadline** - Set realistic new date
2. **Communicate delay** - Inform owner and stakeholders
3. **Plan recovery** - What can be accelerated?
4. **Escalate if needed** - Request management support

**Prevention measures:**
- **Plan buffer time** - 20% extra time for unexpected problems
- **Weekly check-ins** - Early detection of problems
- **Dependency mapping** - Identify external dependencies
- **Realistic scoping** - Split large issues into smaller parts

### Still can't figure it out?

Send an email to support@tidalcontrol.com, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

> **info:**

**Useful information for support:** Note which browser you're using, exact error messages, screenshots of the problem, and which steps you've already tried. This significantly speeds up the solution.