Troubleshooting Guide · Task Manager Pro – WordPress Project Management Plugin with Time Tracking & Team Collaboration Documentation

This guide helps you resolve common issues with Task Manager Pro. If you encounter a problem, start here.

🚨 Common Issues

Installation & Activation

Plugin Won't Activate

Symptoms:

Plugin fails to activate
Error message: "Plugin could not be activated because it triggered a fatal error"
White screen of death (WSOD)

Solutions:

1. Check PHP Version

Ensure PHP 7.4 or higher is installed
Check your PHP version: php -v
Contact your hosting provider to upgrade if needed

2. Check PHP Extensions

Required extensions: mysqli, curl, json, mbstring, openssl, zip, gd, xml
Check extensions: php -m
Enable missing extensions in php.ini

3. Check File Permissions

Ensure files have correct permissions (644 for files, 755 for directories)
Verify WordPress can write to plugin directories
Check upload directory permissions

4. Check for Plugin Conflicts

Deactivate all other plugins temporarily
Try activating Task Manager Pro again
Reactivate plugins one by one to find conflicts

5. Check PHP Memory Limit

Increase PHP memory limit to at least 256MB (512MB recommended)
Add to wp-config.php: define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '512M');
Or add to php.ini: memory_limit = 512M

Database Errors During Activation

Symptoms:

Error message about database tables
Tables not created
"Database connection failed" error

Solutions:

1. Check Database Connection

Verify database credentials in wp-config.php
Test database connection from hosting control panel
Ensure database user has CREATE and ALTER permissions

2. Check MySQL Version

Ensure MySQL 5.6+ or MariaDB 10.1+
Check version: mysql --version
Upgrade if necessary

3. Manually Create Tables

Deactivate and reactivate the plugin
Tables should be created automatically on activation
If issues persist, check error logs for specific table creation errors

Menu & Navigation

Menu Items Not Visible

Symptoms:

Task Manager menu not appearing in WordPress admin
Missing submenu items
Access denied errors

Solutions:

1. Check User Permissions

Ensure you're logged in as Administrator
Check user role capabilities
Verify user has access to Task Manager features

2. Clear Cache

Clear browser cache
Clear WordPress cache if using caching plugin
Clear server-side cache (OPcache, Redis)

3. Check Plugin Status

Verify plugin is activated
Go to Plugins page and check activation status
Try deactivating and reactivating the plugin

Tasks & Projects

Can't Create Tasks

Symptoms:

"Add New Task" button not working
Task creation form not loading
AJAX errors in browser console

Solutions:

1. Check JavaScript Errors

Open browser console (F12)
Look for JavaScript errors
Check for conflicting JavaScript from other plugins

2. Check AJAX Endpoints

Verify AJAX URL is correct
Check admin-ajax.php is accessible
Ensure nonce verification is working

3. Check Permissions

Verify you have permission to create tasks
Check project permissions if creating within a project
Ensure you're assigned to the project

Tasks Not Displaying

Symptoms:

Tasks not showing in lists
Boards appear empty
Tasks missing from dashboard

Solutions:

1. Check Filters

Clear all filters on task list
Check date range filters
Verify status filters are not excluding tasks

2. Check Permissions

Verify you have permission to view tasks
Check if tasks are in projects you can't access
Ensure tasks aren't marked as private incorrectly

3. Refresh Page

Hard refresh browser (Ctrl+F5 or Cmd+Shift+R)
Clear browser cache
Try incognito/private browsing mode

Boards & Kanban

Board Not Loading

Symptoms:

Board view is blank
Tasks not dragging
Columns not displaying

Solutions:

1. Check JavaScript

Disable browser extensions (ad blockers, etc.)
Check browser console for errors
Ensure jQuery is loaded

2. Check Database

Verify board exists in database
Check board configuration
Ensure tasks are assigned to board

3. Check Permissions

Verify you have permission to view board
Check project permissions
Ensure board is not archived or deleted

Drag and Drop Not Working

Symptoms:

Can't drag tasks between columns
Tasks snap back to original position
No visual feedback when dragging

Solutions:

1. Browser Compatibility

Use supported browser (Chrome 90+, Firefox 88+, Safari 14+, Edge 90+)
Update browser to latest version
Try different browser

2. JavaScript Conflicts

Disable other plugins temporarily
Check for JavaScript conflicts
Ensure no console errors

Permissions & Access

Permission Errors

Symptoms:

"Access denied" errors
Can't view/edit tasks or projects
Permission checks failing

Solutions:

1. Clear Permission Cache

Permission system uses intelligent caching
Cache should auto-invalidate, but can be manually cleared
Clear browser cache if available

2. Check User Roles

Verify user has correct role
Check role permissions in Team → Permissions
Ensure user is assigned to project/task

3. Check Project/Task Permissions

Verify project/task visibility settings
Check if marked as private
Ensure user groups are assigned correctly

Performance Issues

Slow Loading

Symptoms:

Pages take long to load
Tasks/projects load slowly
Dashboard is sluggish

Solutions:

1. Enable Caching

Use WordPress caching plugin (WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache)
Enable object caching (Redis, Memcached)
Clear existing caches

2. Optimize Database

Optimize WordPress database
Clean up old data
Remove unnecessary plugins

3. Increase Resources

Increase PHP memory limit to 512MB+
Upgrade hosting plan if needed
Use CDN for static assets

Note: Task Manager Pro includes intelligent permission caching that reduces database queries by 80%, significantly improving performance for large teams!

Public Visibility

Public URLs Not Working

Symptoms:

Public task/project URLs return 404
Shortcodes not displaying
Public links not accessible

Solutions:

1. Flush Rewrite Rules

Go to WordPress Settings → Permalinks
Click "Save Changes" (no need to change anything)
This flushes WordPress rewrite rules

2. Check Public Settings

Verify task/project is marked as "Public"
Ensure public slug is set
Check slug format (lowercase, hyphenated)

3. Check Shortcode

Verify shortcode syntax is correct
Check project/task ID is correct
Ensure task/project exists and is public

Time Tracking

Time Not Recording

Symptoms:

Timer not starting
Time sessions not saving
Time data missing from reports

Solutions:

1. Check JavaScript

Check browser console for errors
Ensure AJAX is working
Verify nonce verification

2. Check Database

Verify time tracking tables exist
Check database permissions
Ensure data is being saved

Import/Export Issues

CSV Import Not Working

Symptoms:

CSV file not uploading
Import fails silently
Data not importing correctly

Solutions:

1. Check File Format

Ensure file is valid CSV format
Check column headers match expected format
Verify file encoding (UTF-8)

2. Check File Size

Ensure file doesn't exceed upload limits
Check PHP upload_max_filesize setting
Split large files if needed

3. Check Permissions

Verify you have permission to import
Check file upload permissions
Ensure write permissions for temp directory

🔧 Debugging Steps

Enable Debug Mode

// Add to wp-config.php define('WP_DEBUG', true); define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true); define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false); @ini_set('display_errors', 0);

After enabling:

Check /wp-content/debug.log for errors
Review error messages carefully
Disable debug mode after troubleshooting

Check Error Logs

WordPress Error Log:

Location: /wp-content/debug.log
Contains PHP errors and warnings

Server Error Logs:

Location: Varies by hosting provider
Check hosting control panel
Contains server-level errors

Clear All Caches

Browser Cache: Clear browser cache or use incognito mode
WordPress Cache: Clear via caching plugin
Server Cache: Clear OPcache, Redis, Memcached
CDN Cache: Clear CDN cache if using CDN

System Check

Use WordPress built-in system check:

Go to Tools & Utilities → Performance for system status
Review all requirements
Fix highlighted issues

Or check manually:

PHP version
PHP memory limit
MySQL version
Required PHP extensions
File permissions

📞 Getting Additional Help

If you've tried the solutions above and still have issues:

Before Getting Help

Gather Information:
- WordPress version
- PHP version
- Task Manager Pro version
- Error messages (if any)
- Steps to reproduce the issue
- Browser and version
- List of active plugins
Check Documentation:
- Review relevant guides
- Check FAQ section
- Search documentation for similar issues
Enable Debug Mode:
- Enable WordPress debug mode
- Capture error logs
- Note any error messages

Getting Help

Documentation: Check the documentation for more information.

Include in your message:

Description of the issue
Steps to reproduce
Error messages or screenshots
System information (WordPress, PHP versions)
List of active plugins
Debug log (if available)

🆘 Emergency Fixes

Plugin Completely Broken

If the plugin causes your site to crash:

Via FTP:
- Rename /wp-content/plugins/task-manager-pro folder
- Site should work without plugin
- Reactivate when fixed
Via Database:
- Access phpMyAdmin
- Deactivate plugin via database
- Reactivate when ready

Database Issues

If you suspect database corruption:

Backup First: Always backup before repairs
Run WordPress Repair:
- Add to wp-config.php: define('WP_ALLOW_REPAIR', true);
- Visit: yoursite.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php
- Remove line after repair
Check Tables:
- Verify all wp_tmp_* tables exist
- Check table structure
- Repair if needed via phpMyAdmin

✅ Prevention Tips

To avoid common issues:

Regular Backups: Back up your site regularly
Keep Updated: Update WordPress, PHP, and plugins
Test First: Test updates on staging site
Monitor Resources: Watch memory and disk usage
Check Logs: Regularly review error logs
Use Caching: Enable caching for better performance
Limit Plugins: Only use necessary plugins

💡 Tip: Most issues can be resolved by checking permissions, clearing cache, and ensuring system requirements are met. Always start with these basic troubleshooting steps.

Need more help? Check the FAQ.