Appearance
Permission problems
"You don't have access to this", a missing menu item, a disabled button, or a list that is empty when it shouldn't be — almost always one of the causes below. Work down the table.
Quick diagnosis
| What you see | Most likely cause | Jump to |
|---|---|---|
| A menu item is missing | Module not subscribed, or role lacks the permission | Missing menu item |
| "You don't have access to this" | Role lacks the permission for that page | No access to a page |
| A button is greyed out with a tooltip | Role lacks that specific action | Disabled button |
| Signed in, but "Nothing available yet" | Role has no permissions (often a built-in role) | Nothing available |
| Teacher sees no students or classes | No teaching assignment, or no current session | Teacher sees nothing |
| "That part of the institution is outside your access." | Unit is outside the person's access | Outside your access |
| "This institution isn't subscribed to that module." | Module not bought | Not subscribed |
| Lists are empty for a new custom role | Custom role's reach is "self" | Custom role sees nothing |
| Parent can't see a child | Child not linked | Parent can't see a child |
A menu item is missing
Menu items are hidden, not greyed out, when either:
- your institution doesn't have the module — Study Material, Examinations, Fees, Reports and People Directory are add-ons; or
- your role has no permission in that module.
Fix: a School Admin opens Access & Security → Roles & Permissions, opens your role and checks the module's row. If the module isn't listed at all ("Only modules your institution is subscribed to appear here."), ask SOL.
"You don't have access to this"
Shown as "You don't have access to this — Your administrator can grant it if you need it." when you open a page (for example from a bookmark) your role doesn't allow. Fix: as above, or use a page you do have.
A button is greyed out
Hover over it. The tooltip says why, for example "You need permission to give people access." Buttons can also be disabled because something must exist first:
| Button | Needs first |
|---|---|
| Assign a teacher | Subjects in the current session |
| Apply for leave | At least one leave type |
| Give access on a guardian | An email on the guardian, and the People Directory module |
| Save permissions | A change to save |
"Nothing available yet"
The Dashboard shows "Nothing available yet — Your administrator hasn't given this role access to anything yet."
Why: the person was given a role with no permissions — usually one of the roles marked built-in (Student, Parent / Guardian, Teacher, Management).
Fix: Access & Security → User Accounts & Access → pencil on their row → choose your institution's own role → Save changes.
A teacher sees no classes or students
Teachers only reach divisions they have a teaching assignment for in the current academic session. Check, in order:
- Academic Sessions — is a session marked current?
- Academics → Teaching Assignments — does the teacher have an assignment in that session?
- User Accounts & Access — does their access Scope cover the campus those divisions belong to?
- Have they signed out and in again since the change?
See Teaching assignments.
"That part of the institution is outside your access."
The unit you chose sits outside the part of the institution your access covers. Typical case: a teacher's access is at North Campus but they were assigned a class at South Campus — the class appears, but every action fails.
Fix: change their access Scope to cover both campuses (or Institution-wide), or assign classes only inside their campus. A similar message, "That class is outside the ones you work with.", means the class is inside their campus but they don't teach it.
"This institution isn't subscribed to that module."
The institution hasn't bought the module. Only SOL can add it. After SOL adds a module, tick its permissions on the roles that need it — they are not added automatically.
A new custom role sees empty lists
Permissions ticked on a brand-new role get the narrowest reach (their own records only), and the app has no control to widen it. See Custom roles.
Fix: give the person one of the onboarding roles instead, or ask SOL to set the reach.
A parent can't see their child
Parents see exactly the children linked to their guardian record. Fix: Students & Admissions → Parents & Guardians → open the guardian → link the child. See Linking children.
"Only a school-wide role can set this for the whole institution"
You tried to create something for the whole institution while your own access is limited to a unit. Choose a unit inside your access, or ask an institution-wide administrator.
"You can't change your own access. Ask another administrator."
Nobody can change their own role, scope or status. Keep at least two School Admins.