Suppliers · Troubleshooting
Suppliers: troubleshooting
Fixes for common supplier problems and error messages. For how suppliers work, see Suppliers; for step-by-step instructions, see Suppliers: how-to.
“An organisation supplier with the same email address already exists”, but I can’t see them
Section titled ““An organisation supplier with the same email address already exists”, but I can’t see them”Why it happens: each email can only be used by one supplier in your organisation, and archived suppliers count. The supplier is probably archived.
How to fix it:
- In the Suppliers panel, turn on Archived only and click Filter.
- Search for the email or name.
- Click Restore, then edit them if needed.
I can’t see Suppliers in the menu, or the Add, Edit or Archive buttons
Section titled “I can’t see Suppliers in the menu, or the Add, Edit or Archive buttons”Why it happens: your role doesn’t include the right permission. View permission shows the panel; edit permission shows Add supplier, Import suppliers and Edit; the Supplier archive permission shows Archive and Restore.
How to fix it: ask an admin in your organisation to update your role.
The supplier didn’t get the job
Section titled “The supplier didn’t get the job”Why it happens:
- You chose No to Do you want to share this issue with the supplier?, so the supplier is only recorded on the job.
- The email address or mobile on the share form is wrong or out of date. Jobs go to the details the supplier was last sent jobs on, not necessarily the email in Suppliers.
- The email went to spam, or no mobile was given, so no text was sent.
- The supplier has claimed a COHO account and turned off job emails or texts.
How to fix it:
- Check the supplier section. If it doesn’t say “Shared with supplier on…”, click Sharing and share it.
- Check Shared to Email: and Shared to number:. To change them, see Change where a supplier receives jobs.
- Click Copy link and send the link yourself.
- Ask the supplier to check their spam folder and their notification settings.
I changed a supplier’s email, but jobs still go to the old one
Section titled “I changed a supplier’s email, but jobs still go to the old one”Why it happens: once a supplier has been sent a job, COHO keeps the contact details used for sharing separately. Editing Email in Suppliers doesn’t change them.
How to fix it: open a job, click Sharing, enter the new Email address, and click Confirm. COHO uses it from then on. If the supplier still can’t log in with the new email, contact COHO support.
The supplier’s link says “That link doesn’t appear to be valid”
Section titled “The supplier’s link says “That link doesn’t appear to be valid””Why it happens: the link only works while the job is shared with that supplier. It stops working when you unassign or change the supplier, or delete the job. A link to a job that’s no longer shared can also show “Issue not found”.
How to fix it: check the job still has this supplier and says “Shared with supplier”. If not, share it again; the supplier gets a new link. If it is, click Copy link and send them the current one.
The supplier is asked to verify their email or log in
Section titled “The supplier is asked to verify their email or log in”Why it happens: the supplier has set up their own COHO account with the same email. COHO may then ask them to log in, verify their email, or enter a two-step login code.
How to fix it: ask the supplier to log in with their account, or use I’ve forgotten my password. If they’re stuck on email verification, contact COHO support with the supplier’s email address.
The supplier can only see one job
Section titled “The supplier can only see one job”Why it happens: each job link opens that one job.
How to fix it: ask them to click View dashboard at the top of the job page. It lists every job shared with them. See Help a supplier find their jobs.
The supplier’s dashboard is missing a job
Section titled “The supplier’s dashboard is missing a job”Why it happens:
- The job isn’t shared with them (you chose No, or unassigned them).
- The job was closed more than 30 days ago.
- The job is deferred, so it’s under Deferred.
- The property or room has been deactivated.
- The job was sent to a different email address from the one they’re logged in with.
How to fix it: check the supplier section of the job and share it if needed. Check Shared to Email: matches the address the supplier uses.
Quotes, invoices, dates or completion are accepted without my review
Section titled “Quotes, invoices, dates or completion are accepted without my review”Why it happens: the supplier’s Permissions are ticked. Each ticked box skips your review for that step.
How to fix it: open the supplier, click Edit, untick the steps you want to review, and click Update. This applies to their next submissions; anything already accepted stays accepted.
An issue has a supplier I didn’t choose
Section titled “An issue has a supplier I didn’t choose”Why it happens:
- It’s a recurring maintenance issue set up with that supplier.
- A colleague assigned it.
- A category setting assigns a supplier to new issues in that category. The supplier is recorded on the issue, but isn’t sent anything.
How to fix it: check the issue history. If you want the supplier, click Sharing to send them the job. If not, use Change supplier. For a category setting you don’t recognise, contact COHO support.
“Create financial item” is missing
Section titled ““Create financial item” is missing”Why it happens: COHO shows the reason under the invoice, after “You cannot create a financial item for this invoice. Reason(s):”
| Reason | What to do |
|---|---|
| “No property owner for this property” | Add the owner to the property |
| “Issue already has a financial item” | Open the existing item in Finances |
| “Property is owned” | For properties your organisation owns, record the cost another way in Finances |
| “It’s an estimate” | Wait for the invoice, or add one with Add invoice |
| “Invoice status is incorrect” | Accept the invoice first |
| “Invoice already has … financial item(s)” | The cost is already in Finances |
If none of these show, you need edit permission for Finances.
“Sum of unpaid invoices” doesn’t match Finances
Section titled ““Sum of unpaid invoices” doesn’t match Finances”Why it happens: the card only counts unpaid financial items created from this supplier’s job invoices. Costs you added directly in Finances aren’t included.
How to fix it: in Finances, filter financial items by the supplier and Unpaid for the full list.
A supplier bill is on the wrong Xero contact
Section titled “A supplier bill is on the wrong Xero contact”Why it happens: Xero uses the supplier on the financial item, not the one on the maintenance job. If the financial item was created with a different supplier, the bill follows it.
How to fix it: check the supplier on the financial item. It can’t be changed after creation; see Finances: troubleshooting to replace it. Also check the supplier’s mapping under Contacts > Suppliers in your Xero integration.
Supplier bills aren’t reaching Xero
Section titled “Supplier bills aren’t reaching Xero”Why it happens:
- Synchronise Supplier Settlements is off, or the item is dated before the Staging date (Sync items from).
- The financial item uses Misc. Supplier instead of a specific supplier.
- The sync hasn’t run: automatic sync is off or Sync supplier items isn’t ticked.
- Xero rejected the bill, often because a category isn’t mapped to a valid account under Settlements & supplier expenses.
- Automatic syncs are paused because the last supplier sync had errors.
How to fix it: check the integration settings and the sync log. Fix the mapping errors, tick the box confirming you’ve reviewed previous errors, and run Synchronise Supplier Invoices & Commissions again. For a Misc. Supplier item, replace it with one for a specific supplier.
The import fails
Section titled “The import fails”Why it happens: COHO checks every line before importing, and one problem stops the whole file.
How to fix it: read the error, fix that line, and import again. See the error messages below. Each line needs a company name or a contact forename. Leave email and mobile blank, or make them valid.
Error messages
Section titled “Error messages”| Message (as shown) | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| “Please provide a company name” | The Company Name is empty | Enter a company name |
| “Please provide a valid email address” | The email isn’t in a valid format | Correct the email |
| “Please provide a valid phone number” | The mobile on the share form isn’t valid | Correct it, or leave it blank |
| “An organisation supplier with the same email address already exists.” | Another supplier, possibly archived, has this email | Restore or edit that supplier instead |
| “The email address [email] is already associated with an organisation supplier.” | An imported email is already in your directory | Remove that line, or restore the supplier |
| “There are duplicate emails in this import” | The same email appears twice in the file | Remove the duplicate line |
| “You have provided [n] import lines lines that do not have a contact name or a company name (at least one of these must be provided).” | Some lines have no name | Add a company name or contact forename |
| “Email ‘[email]’ provided is not valid” | An imported email is invalid | Correct it |
| “Number ‘[number]’ provided is not valid” | An imported contact number isn’t a valid mobile | Correct it or leave it blank |
| “The import file could not be read correctly” | COHO couldn’t read the CSV | Save it as CSV from the template and try again |
| “Please provide a name for the trade specialism.” | The specialism name is empty | Enter a name |
| “Trade specialism names cannot exceed 100 characters.” | The name is too long | Shorten it |
| “A trade specialism named ‘[name]’ already exists.” | The name is taken | Use a different name |
| “Default trade specialisms cannot be edited.” | You tried to rename one of COHO’s defaults | Add your own specialism instead |
| “You do not have permission to view suppliers for this organisation” | Your role can’t see Suppliers | Ask an admin for view permission |
| “You do not have permission to manage suppliers for this organisation” | Your role can’t add or edit suppliers | Ask an admin for edit permission |
| “You do not have permission to archive suppliers for this organisation” | Your role can’t archive | Ask an admin for the Supplier archive permission |
| “An email address is needed for sharing an issue to an Organisation Supplier” | You chose to share with a supplier who has no email | Add the Email address on the share form |
| “This supplier is already assigned” | That supplier is already on the job | Use Sharing instead, or choose another supplier |
| “That link doesn’t appear to be valid. Please contact the person who gave you the link.” | The supplier’s link no longer works | Share the job again or send the current link |