Actions: troubleshooting

Fixes for common problems with Actions and their error messages. For how Actions work, see Actions; for step-by-step instructions, see Actions: how-to.

An Action I expected isn’t in my list

Why it happens:

1. The person filter is on Mine & Unassigned, and the Action is assigned to a colleague.
2. It’s a setup task for a property you haven’t finished setting up. Setup tasks are hidden from the normal list.
3. It’s snoozed.
4. Another filter is on: a property, action type, tag, status or Workflow tasks ONLY.
5. Its workflow is fully ticked, so its status is Completed, although the task isn’t done yet.
6. Your role can’t see that category. For example, maintenance Actions need Maintenance access.
7. COHO hasn’t raised it yet. COHO checks after most changes, and at least every 8 hours. For a certificate, the panel must be on with its terms accepted.

How to fix it:

1. Choose All in the person filter.
2. Switch on Setup tasks, or click End this process on the property’s setup checklist to move them into your list. See See setup tasks.
3. Tick Include snoozed.
4. Clear the other filters.
5. Filter by status Completed.
6. Ask an admin for the permission. See Who can use it.
7. Check the feature’s own settings, for example the certificate panel’s reminder period in Compliance, or the rent-due reminder switch in Rent Collection.

The dashboard shows more Actions than the panel

Why it happens: the dashboard counts every open Action for you or everyone (depending on its person icon). The panel may be filtered differently, or hide setup tasks, snoozed Actions, or open Actions whose workflow shows Completed.

How to fix it: match the panel’s person filter to the dashboard, clear the other filters, then try Filter by status > Completed and Include snoozed.

An Action didn’t clear after I did the task

Why it happens:

1. COHO hasn’t rechecked yet.
2. The task isn’t quite what the Action is waiting for. For example, a certificate whose expiry date is still inside your reminder period keeps the renewal Action open; a partly paid rent charge keeps Rent Payment Due open.
3. It’s a reminder-type Action, which you dismiss yourself. For example, a new-lead Action stays when the lead goes stale.

How to fix it:

1. Click the panel’s reload icon. If it’s still there, wait for the next check (at most 8 hours).
2. Open the Action and check what it asks for.
3. Dismiss it with the tick or Dismiss Action, or archive the lead.

I can’t dismiss or delete an Action

Why it happens: Actions can’t be deleted. Actions about a COHO record, such as a certificate renewal, an onboarding step, Rent Payment Due or “Complete deposit management”, close only when the task is done, so they have no tick or Dismiss Action.

How to fix it:

1. Do the task. Most Actions show the form you need when you open them.
2. If it doesn’t apply, change the cause. For example, switch off a certificate panel that doesn’t apply, or end the tenancy.
3. If you need it out of the way for now, snooze it.

I’ve got lots of Actions for old tenancies or new properties

Why it happens: when you add properties or historic tenancies, COHO raises Actions for missing paperwork, such as deposits, contracts and right to rent. For new properties these are setup tasks; once you click End this process, they move into the normal list.

How to fix it: add the missing records where you have them. For services that don’t apply, switch them off for that property, and COHO removes their Actions. Snooze the rest. Leave a property’s setup process open until its paperwork is in.

I didn’t get an email about an Action

Why it happens:

1. COHO notifies people once, about a minute after an Action is created. Snoozing, unsnoozing or reaching the due date doesn’t send another.
2. The Action is assigned to someone else. Only the assignee is told; everyone who can see it is told only if it’s unassigned.
3. It’s a setup task, or a recommendation. These never send notifications.
4. It was closed, or its property or room was disabled, before COHO sent the notification.
5. Your notification settings for that channel or type are Off, or set to Grouped.
6. You can’t see that kind of Action. Rent, deposit and rent review Actions also need Rent Collection access.

How to fix it: check the panel daily rather than relying on email. Check Subscriptions in your account settings. Set up automatic action assignments so Actions reach the right person.

I keep getting emails about Actions

Why it happens: each email is for a new Action. Some features raise a new Action each time, for example one Rent Payment Due per rent charge, or one Action per property for a recurring Action. If you’re not the assignee, you get them because they’re unassigned.

How to fix it: set up automatic action assignments so these go to one person. Change your Subscriptions settings to Grouped or Off for that type.

An Action went to the wrong person

Why it happens:

1. An automatic assignment rule matched it. Newer rules win over older ones, and a rule with no types or properties matches everything.
2. No rule matched, so it went to the property’s (or organisation’s) default in the Users panel’s Automatic assignments.
3. Your own and recurring Actions on a property, with nobody chosen, go to that property’s Property management default.
4. The rule was added or changed after the Action was created. Rules don’t reassign existing Actions.

How to fix it: reassign it in the Assigned column. Then check Automatic Action Assignments and the Users panel defaults.

A workflow template isn’t offered, or didn’t apply

Why it happens:

1. Use template and Add Action list your templates; built-in templates are for one type of Action.
2. The template is archived.
3. Always use this workflow for actions of this type isn’t ticked, or the Action is snoozed. COHO applies automatic templates every few minutes, to open, unsnoozed Actions without a checklist.
4. The Action already has a checklist.
5. In a form, the message “It seems you have not set up any workflow templates for actions of type ‘…’” means there’s no template of that workflow type.

How to fix it: create or restore the template, tick Always use this workflow…, unsnooze the Action, or create one of the right type. See Create a workflow template.

I changed a template but my Actions didn’t change

Why it happens: a template is copied onto an Action when it’s applied. Later changes only affect checklists added afterwards.

How to fix it: edit the steps on the Action itself, with Add another step or by editing a step.

I ticked every step, but the Action is still open

Why it happens: the Action closes itself only when the task is done, for example when the certificate is added. Its status shows Completed meanwhile.

How to fix it: do the task in COHO. Filter by status Completed to find these Actions.

I can’t see completed workflow steps

Why it happens: ticked steps and sections are hidden.

How to fix it: click [number] completed below the checklist, and Hide completed to hide them again. You can untick a step there.

A recurring Action created too many Actions

Why it happens: each run creates one Action per property. With no properties or tag chosen, that’s every active property.

How to fix it: edit the recurring Action and choose Specific properties or By property tag. Dismiss the extra Actions.

The report or export isn’t what I expected

Why it happens:

1. Generate Report and Export (CSV) follow the panel’s filters, and the selected category tile. The report uses only one property; with several chosen, it uses the first.
2. Export (CSV) includes open Actions only. Export ALL (CSV) includes completed and dismissed Actions only.
3. Snoozed Actions are left out unless Include snoozed is ticked.
4. Completed Actions older than 30 days don’t show in the panel or report.

How to fix it: set the filters first, choose one property or none, and use both exports if you need open and closed Actions.

I ended a property’s setup process by mistake

Why it happens: End this process can’t be undone.

How to fix it: nothing is lost. The property’s setup tasks are now in your normal Actions list. Work through them there.

Error messages

Message (as shown)	What it means	What to do
“You do not have permission to view actions for this organisation”	Your role can’t see Actions	Ask an admin for view permission for Actions
“You do not have permission to manage actions for this organisation”	Your role can’t change Actions	Ask an admin for edit permission for Actions
“This action cannot be manually set to completed”	The Action closes itself when its task is done	Do the task, or snooze it
“Saving this record with auto apply turned ON would result in two progression templates applying for the same action type. First disable the other template or save this template without auto apply.”	Another template already applies automatically to that type	Untick Always use this workflow… on the other template first
“It seems you have not set up any workflow templates for actions of type ‘…’. First create a template from the Actions panel.”	No template of that workflow type exists	Create a workflow template of that type
“Unable to load the service configuration for this action. Close and try again, or configure the service from the property page.”	The Action’s service settings couldn’t load	Close and reopen it, or open the property’s service panel
“For performance reasons, completed actions older than 30 days cannot be shown.”	Shown when filtering by Completed	Use Export ALL (CSV) for older Actions
“You have successfully satisfied this action and it has been marked as dismissed.”	The task is done and the Action closed	Nothing to do