--- title: Troubleshooting Login, Roles, and Portal Access description: If a vendor or staff member cannot log in, access their dashboard, or open a VendorHearth Pro portal, the problem is usually related to the user account, WordPress role, portal page, or page configuration. Use the following steps to narrow… url: "https://vendorhearth.com/docs/troubleshooting-login-roles-and-portal-access/" updated: "2026-09-23" category: Troubleshooting — System Information, email problems, payment issues, roles/access, common problems --- # Troubleshooting Login, Roles, and Portal Access If a vendor or staff member cannot log in, access their dashboard, or open a VendorHearth Pro portal, the problem is usually related to the user account, WordPress role, portal page, or page configuration. Use the following steps to narrow down the problem. ## Vendor Cannot Log In First verify that the vendor has a WordPress user account associated with VendorHearth. Check: - The account exists - The username or email is correct - The account has the appropriate Vendor role - The vendor is using the correct login page The VendorHearth front-end login page uses: `[cmn_vendor_login]` ## Vendor Forgot Their Password VendorHearth uses WordPress user accounts. If a vendor forgets their password, use the normal WordPress password-reset process rather than manually creating a new account. Avoid sending passwords through email whenever possible. ## Vendor Can Log In but Cannot Access the Dashboard If login succeeds but the Vendor Dashboard does not work, check the dashboard page. The page should contain: `[cmn_vendor_dashboard]` Also confirm that VendorHearth is configured to use the correct Vendor Dashboard page. ## Registration Page Is Not Working The Vendor Registration page should contain: `[cmn_vendor_register]` If registration does not appear correctly: 1. Verify the shortcode. 2. Confirm the page is published. 3. Check VendorHearth System Readiness. 4. Test the page while logged out. 5. Clear applicable website caches. Testing while logged out is important because an Administrator may see different behavior than a new vendor. ## Check the User's Role VendorHearth uses WordPress roles to determine what users are allowed to access. The primary roles include: - Administrator/Organizer - Vendor Relations Manager - Event Staff - Vendor Make sure the affected user has the role appropriate for their responsibilities. ## Do Not Make Vendors Administrators If a vendor cannot access something, do not solve the problem by assigning them the WordPress Administrator role. VendorHearth is specifically designed to provide vendor functionality through front-end pages. Giving a vendor Administrator access could expose areas of your WordPress website they should not be able to manage. ## Vendor Relations Portal Problems The Vendor Relations Portal uses: `[cmn_vendor_relations_portal]` If a Vendor Relations Manager cannot access the portal: 1. Confirm their WordPress account exists. 2. Verify their Vendor Relations Manager role. 3. Confirm the portal page is published. 4. Verify the shortcode is correct. 5. Test the page while logged in as that user. 6. Review System Readiness. Do not rely solely on testing the page as an Administrator. ## Organizer Portal Problems The Organizer Portal uses: `[cmn_organizer_portal]` If the Organizer Portal is not displaying correctly, confirm the page and shortcode first. Then verify the user's role and permissions. ## Event Staff Access Event Staff should only receive access appropriate to their event-day responsibilities. If an Event Staff user cannot access an expected feature, verify their assigned role before changing other VendorHearth settings. Do not increase their permissions beyond what is necessary simply to bypass an access problem. ## Check-In Page Problems The Vendor Check-In page uses: `[cmn_vendor_checkin]` If event staff cannot access check-in: - Confirm the page exists - Confirm the shortcode - Verify the staff user's role - Test the page from the front end - Check System Readiness - Clear applicable caches Test this before event day whenever you plan to use digital check-in. ## Event Packet Problems The Vendor Event Packet uses: `[cmn_event_packet]` If a vendor cannot access event information, verify both the page itself and the vendor's participation in the appropriate event. ## Administrator Can Access It but Other Users Cannot This usually indicates a role or permission issue. Administrators have broad WordPress permissions, so successful Administrator access does not prove that the portal is correctly configured for other users. Always test important VendorHearth portals using an account with the actual role that will use them. ## Page Shows the Shortcode as Text If a page displays something such as: `[cmn_vendor_dashboard]` instead of the VendorHearth interface, check that VendorHearth Pro is installed and active. Also verify that the shortcode was entered correctly. ## Page Is Blank or Missing Content If a portal page loads but appears empty: 1. Confirm the user is logged in. 2. Verify their role. 3. Confirm the correct shortcode. 4. Review VendorHearth System Readiness. 5. Clear caches. 6. Test using a default or simplified page layout if your theme or page builder may be interfering. ## Check Caching Caching can occasionally cause login, role, or dashboard information to appear outdated. Clear applicable: - WordPress cache - Server cache - CDN cache - Browser cache Then sign out and back in before testing again. Vendor-facing account pages generally should not be aggressively cached. ## Registration or Login Redirects Incorrectly If users are being sent to an unexpected page, review your VendorHearth portal configuration and any WordPress login or redirect plugins installed on the site. A separate login customization or security plugin can sometimes change normal WordPress login behavior. ## Test With a Separate Account One of the best troubleshooting methods is to create or use a dedicated test account. Assign it the same role as the affected user and attempt the same workflow. If the test account works, the issue may be specific to the original user's account. If both accounts fail, investigate the role or portal configuration. ## Check System Readiness Open: **VendorHearth → System Readiness** Review warnings involving: - Portal pages - Roles - Role isolation - Setup status These checks can quickly identify common configuration problems. ## Before Contacting Support Gather: - Affected user's role - Portal page involved - Shortcode being used - Whether the user can log in - What happens after login - Whether an Administrator can access the page - Whether another user with the same role can access it - Relevant System Readiness warnings - Exact error messages or screenshots Do not send the user's password. ## Next Step Continue to **Troubleshooting Applications, Booths, and Waitlists** for solutions to problems involving application availability, capacity, booth selection, category limits, and waitlist workflows.