PDF Stamper troubleshooting

This page lists common problems with PDF Stamper, the messages it shows, and what to do about them. It covers both ways of running PDF Stamper: the single-record button, which opens the stamped document in a browser tab, and the batch process, which runs in the background from an email notification.

Start by checking where the result appears

What you look at depends on how PDF Stamper was started.

What you see	What it means
Single-record button: a new browser tab shows the stamped PDF	The document was created. If it isn't what you expected, see The document was created, but it isn't right.
Single-record button: the tab shows a message	PDF Stamper stopped. See Messages on the page and Authorization messages.
Single-record button: the tab shows no document and no message	See The page is blank.
Batch: PDF Stamper Batch Trigger Field (single setup) or Trigger Field (bulk setup) starts with `PROCESS COMPLETED_`	The batch run finished. In a bulk setup, the run also adds a record to the batch processing logs table with Status set to Completed and the number of Documents Processed. If the results aren't what you expected, see The document was created, but it isn't right.
Batch: the trigger field still says `Batch Execution Requested_` and no document appears	The run didn't start, or it stopped. PDF Stamper doesn't write error messages to your app during a batch run. See Nothing happens in a batch run.

Batch runs happen in the background, so give PDF Stamper a moment and refresh the record before you decide something went wrong.

Nothing happens in a batch run

The trigger field stays at Batch Execution Requested_, the Execute PDF Stamper Batch (or Execute Batch) button is gone, and no document appears. Check these, in order:

The email notification. It must be on the right table, be sent to the right address for your region (pdfstamper@pdfstamper.quickbasetools.com for US accounts, pdfstampereu@pdfstamper.quickbasetools.com for EU accounts), and its conditions must match what starts the run (for the wizard's button: the trigger field changes and contains Requested). See PDF Stamper email notification.
The custom message. It must contain only the PDF Stamper Batch Processing Arguments field. Extra text is read as parameters.
The batch configuration. The arguments must include configid= followed by the full Config Key, and every value must be one the configuration allows. If the key is missing, wrong, or a value doesn't match, the run stops without writing anything to your app. See Batch Config Portal messages and troubleshooting.
The required parameters. The arguments must include type (pdfstamper for US accounts, pdfstampereu for EU accounts), clientid, appid, msdb (the master table), tpdbid and tpid (the template table and the template record), and rsfid (the field that relates document subtables to the template). They must also say which records to stamp: msid for one record, or msqry or msqid for several. See PDF Stamper formula URL parameters and Set up batch.
Authorization. If clientid or appid is wrong, the app isn't authorized for PDF Stamper, or the app needs an application token and apptoken is missing or wrong, the run stops. Check the values in the formula, and that the app is listed for PDF Stamper in the Extensions Portal.
The template. The template record must exist in the table named by tpdbid, and it must have its PDF file attached.

To get the button back after fixing the cause, clear the trigger field.

Messages on the page

These messages appear on the page that the single-record button opens. Messages are shown as they appear, including their spelling.

Message starts with	What it means	What to do
Invalid parameters passed!	The button's URL has none of the main parameters (`clientid`, `appid`, `msdb`, `msid`, `tpdbid`, `faid`, `apptoken`).	Check that the button's formula builds the whole URL after the `?`. See PDF Stamper formula URL parameters.
Pre QB Action error is :	The Quickbase command in `preqbaction`, which edits the record before the document is created, failed. The rest of the message is Quickbase's reason.	Check the field IDs and values in the command, that the command is Base64 encoded, and that the application token allows the edit.
Please pass the field Id (FID) of the IsFillable? checkbox in the Query parameter or Please pass the field id (FID) of the IsFillable? checkbox in the formula	The template is fillable (`fill=y`), but the formula doesn't say which field on the Document Subtables table holds Is Fillable.	Add `fillfid=` with that field's ID.
There were no Related Document Template in the subtable and there are no fields to fill on the document	For a fillable template, PDF Stamper found no document subtable records for this template and no field IDs in the template's field list.	Check that `rsfid` is the field on the Document Subtables table that relates to the Document Templates table, and that the template record lists the field IDs it uses. See PDF templates.
… record(s) in Subtable … is not displaying on the document	The document was created, but the template has room for fewer related records than the master record has.	Add more rows to the area you marked for the subtable in the template, or narrow the related records. See Include related data with subtables.
Please correct the following issues. followed by You are trying to update a record in Repository table (rpmode=u)	The repository setting is update mode (`rpmode=u`), but PDF Stamper has nothing to identify which repository record to update.	Pass `rpfid`, or pass `rpkfid` and `rpkval` together. See PDF Stamper formula URL parameters.
QuickBase related error occured :	Quickbase refused a request PDF Stamper made, for example reading the template or master record, or saving the document. The rest of the message is Quickbase's reason.	Read the reason. Common causes are a wrong table ID or field ID, a missing or wrong application token, a record that doesn't exist, or a file attachment field the Quickbase user token can't edit.
Error occured : followed by Parameter is not valid. and Image doesn't exists at the specified path :	An image couldn't be stamped. The path is the image field's value or link.	For an image from a link, make sure the value starts with `http` and opens in a browser. For an image in a file attachment field, make sure the field has a file and that it's an image file.
Error occured : (any other text)	An unexpected error. The text after the colon is the technical reason.	Read the details. If they don't help, contact support (see below).

The page is blank

In a few cases PDF Stamper stops without showing a message:

The template PDF is damaged or password protected. Open the template in a PDF viewer. Re-save it without a password, or upload a fresh copy to the template record.
The document is too large to process. A very large template or very large images can use more memory than the server allows. Try a smaller template or compress the images.

Authorization messages

These appear before any stamping starts, in the single-record page. In a batch run they stop the run without a message in your app. Each message is followed by your account's support message.

Message starts with	What it means	What to do
Quickbase Application - … is not authorized to use … There is no valid authorization record for client id: …	No active authorization matches the `clientid` and `appid` in the button.	Check `clientid` and that `appid` is the app's ID (not a table ID). Check that the app is listed for PDF Stamper in the Extensions Portal.
The table passed in (…) does not belong to the application passed in (…).	The table ID in `msdb` isn't in the app named by `appid`.	Check `msdb`. Use `dbid()` to fill in the current table.
A user token is required to execute … We currently do not have a user token on file for your account.	No Quickbase user token is saved for your account.	A Client Admin can add one under Client Credentials in the Extensions Portal.
… User token ending with … on the client profile is invalid.	The saved Quickbase user token was deactivated, deleted, or replaced.	A Client Admin can update the token under Client Credentials in the Extensions Portal.
We do not have sufficient permission to execute this add-on with the user token that we have on file ending with …	The saved token's user can't access the app or table.	Give that Quickbase user access to the app, or save a token for a user who has it.
Unable to get authorization details. Quickbase Rate Limit Error Code : 429	Quickbase was limiting requests when PDF Stamper checked authorization.	Wait a minute and run it again.
Unable to get authorization details. (any other text)	The authorization check couldn't finish. The rest of the message has the reason.	Run it again. If it continues, contact support (see below).
Temp Token Status is : followed by Your temporary authorization token …	Your account checks the signed-in Quickbase user before running, and the check failed: the token expired, or the user can't access the record.	Run PDF Stamper again from its button in Quickbase; don't reuse an old tab or bookmark. If the message says the token isn't authorized or can't access the record, ask an app administrator to check your access to the record.

Batch run messages

When a batch run stops, PDF Stamper records the reason in its own error log, not in your app. You won't see these messages yourself, but if you contact support, they can look them up. Use this table to find the likely cause first.

Message starts with	What it means	What to do
Invalid parameters passed! Missing required parameters - clientid/appid/tpdbid/tpid/rsfid/msdb!	One or more of the required parameters is missing.	Add the missing parameters to the batch arguments. See Nothing happens in a batch run.
This application is not authorized to use PDF Stamper Batch Version!	The authorization check failed. See Authorization messages for the possible reasons.	Check `clientid`, `appid`, `apptoken`, and the Quickbase user token.
Missing report id/query critieria in the input parameters!	The arguments don't say which records to stamp.	Add `msid`, `msqry`, or `msqid`.
No ConfigID was passed in, Could not find a Config with ConfigID, or The following parameters do not match the configuration	The batch configuration check failed.	See Batch Config Portal messages and troubleshooting.
Error occured while downloading PDF Template. or QuickBase related error occured while downloading PDF Template.	The template file couldn't be downloaded from the Document Templates table.	Check `tpdbid` and `tpid`, and that the template record has its PDF attached.
Syncfusion related error occured while stamping pdf document.	The PDF library couldn't process the template, usually because it's damaged or password protected.	Open the template in a PDF viewer. Re-save it without a password or upload a fresh copy.
I/O Exception error occured while stamping pdf document.	A file couldn't be read or written while stamping.	Run the batch again. If it continues, contact support.
QuickBase related error occured while stamping pdf document.	Quickbase refused a request, for example saving the document. The rest of the message is Quickbase's reason.	Check table IDs and field IDs (`faid`, `mrgdbid`, `mrgfa`), the application token, and the user token's access to those tables.

The document was created, but it isn't right

What you see	Likely cause
Data from the record isn't in a fillable template	For a fillable PDF with `~field_id~` placeholders, the button must pass `fill=y`, and each placeholder must use the field's ID, surrounded by tildes. See PDF templates.
Stamped text is slightly off from where you expected	The coordinates Adobe Acrobat shows are close but not an exact match, so treat them as a starting point and adjust the X and Y values on the document subtable record in small steps. See Find X and Y coordinates with Adobe Acrobat.
A font color isn't applied	Only named colors work. The Use Hex Code for Font Color and Font Color Hex Code columns on the document subtable are ignored. See Stamp data using X and Y coordinates.
The file name has a number added	PDF Stamper adds an underscore and the Record ID# to `fn` (for example, `PurchaseOrder_3.pdf`). In batch, pass `fnrid=n` to leave it off.
The file went to a Quickbase field instead of Amazon S3, or the S3 file name isn't what you set	In a button, set the S3 file name with `s3key` and the key field with `keyfid`. The alternate names `s3customkey` and `s3keyfid` are ignored when they're in a button's URL (they work in batch arguments). Also check that `amazons3` is `y`, `d`, or `m`. See Cloud provider overview.
The document wasn't saved in the repository table, or the wrong repository record changed	Check `repository=y`, `rpdbid`, `rpfid`, `rpfafid`, and `rpmode`. With `rpmode=u` and more than one matching record, only the last match is updated. If none match, a new record is added.

Contacting support

If you can't solve the problem, submit a technical support case. Include the app and table, the Record ID#, the date and time of the run, whether you used the single-record button or the batch process, the value of the trigger field (for batch), and the exact text of any message on the page.