Why Isn't My AI Assistant Working?

Short Answer

When an AI assistant cannot read your Dashboardly data, the cause is usually one of: a revoked OAuth connection, a missing or revoked API key, the wrong shop scope, an outdated AI assistant version that does not support the Model Context Protocol, or a shop that has been disconnected on the TikTok side. Each has a quick fix below.

This article covers both Dashboardly account sign-in (OAuth) and API-key connections. If you have not connected an assistant yet, start with Connecting AI Assistants to Dashboardly.

"I don't see the API Keys tab in Settings"

MCP API keys are included with Brand Growing, Pro and Enterprise, and all Agency plans. Brand Free and Starter do not include this feature. Developer REST access is a separate capability; MCP eligibility does not grant it.

What to do

1. Go to Settings > Subscriptions and check your current plan.
2. If you use Brand Free or Starter, compare eligible plans before deciding whether to upgrade.
3. After a plan change, refresh Settings and check API Keys.

If your eligible Brand or Agency plan still does not show the tab, log out and back in to refresh the session. If it remains missing, contact support.

"Failed to load API keys" appears on the page

This means your browser reached Dashboardly but could not load the list of keys.

What to do

1. Refresh the page. A temporary network blip or a recent deployment can cause a transient failure. Refreshing usually fixes it.
2. Log out and back in. Your session token may have expired. After logging back in, navigate to Settings > API Keys again.
3. Check your TikTok Shop connection. Some account types require an active TikTok Shop to load Dashboardly. Go to Settings > Shops and confirm that at least one shop shows "Active" or "Connected".
4. Try a different browser or incognito window. Browser extensions sometimes interfere with secure requests.

If the error persists in two browsers after signing in again, contact support with the error and a screenshot. Remove API keys, authorization headers, cookies, tokens and customer data from screenshots or console excerpts before sharing them.

"My AI assistant says it can't connect to Dashboardly"

The most common reasons:

The endpoint URL is wrong

Use the endpoint for the connection type: MCP is not the Developer REST API. ChatGPT and Claude Desktop use Dashboardly account sign-in (OAuth); they do not need a raw API key. Claude Code and Cursor can use the remote HTTP MCP endpoint with a Bearer key.

What to do

Read the public setup instructions; you do not need to create a temporary key to find the URL. For MCP, use https://mcp.dashboardly.io/mcp, including /mcp. Developer REST uses https://api.dashboardly.io/api/developer/v1 from your server, not your browser or mobile app. Do not interchange these endpoints.

Your AI assistant version doesn't support MCP

Check that your assistant supports the intended MCP connection and that your account or workspace enables it. Updating an app alone does not grant a disabled integration.

What to do

Update your AI assistant to the latest version:

• Claude Desktop: Check for updates and follow the Dashboardly OAuth setup instructions.
• Claude on the web: Check the current integration options for your account or workspace.
• ChatGPT: Custom connections depend on account and workspace settings; see official guidance.
• Cursor: Update the app and use the MCP setup instructions.

After updating, restart the app and try the connection again.

"Authentication failed" or "Invalid API key"

Your assistant reached Dashboardly but the key was rejected.

What to do

1. Confirm the key is active. In Settings > API Keys, a revoked key cannot be reused; create a replacement if needed.
2. Check the expiry date. An expired key cannot authenticate; replace it if needed.
3. Remove accidental whitespace. Do not include spaces or line breaks around the key.
4. Copy the full secret. It starts with dk_live_. Dashboardly shows it only when the key is created or rotated. If it is lost, use the available rotate action or create a replacement, then update the assistant.
5. Check the account. The key must belong to the Dashboardly account whose data you want to read.

If a new key is rejected immediately, check the endpoint, authentication method, expiry and account. Contact support if the issue persists; do not repeatedly create more keys just to troubleshoot it.

"AI assistant returns no data" or "I can't find any orders"

The connection works, but the assistant says there is no data for your question.

What to do

1. Check the shop and access type. In API Keys, check Shop. Replace a wrongly scoped key with one for the intended shop. Only eligible owners/admins can choose All shops for an MCP key; Collaborator keys and Developer REST keys are limited to one shop. New MCP keys default to Reporting & reconciliation, which excludes buyer contacts, addresses and tracking. Full orders & fulfilment requires explicit eligible owner/admin selection.
2. Check the date range. A quiet shop may have no orders last week. Try this month or this year.
3. Check Dashboardly for the same period. If the metric is absent there too, investigate the shop connection and import status — see Why is my data delayed?.
4. Check relevant activity. Ads or live-stream metrics need corresponding data. No ads may mean zero or no ROAS data, not a connection error.

"AI assistant only sees one shop, but I have several"

The fix depends on whether the assistant uses Dashboardly account sign-in or an API key.

What to do

For a ChatGPT or Claude Desktop OAuth connector:

1. Open Settings > API Keys and find the assistant under Connected Apps.
2. If it says Current shop only, reconnect only if you need a different shop scope. Revoking the connection removes its current access.
3. On the new consent screen, choose Selected shops only for specific shops, or All shops I can access only if you intend to authorize all accessible shops.

One connector can then work across the authorized shops. Dashboardly automatically removes a disconnected shop or a shop you can no longer access. An OAuth connection created before multi-shop selection keeps its original one-shop scope until you revoke and reconnect it.

For an MCP API key, the available options depend on your account role:

• One key per shop. Name each key for its shop, such as "Claude Code — US Shop" or "Claude Code — UK Shop", and select the intended key in your assistant.
• One MCP key for all shops. Eligible owners/admins can explicitly select All shops in Shop if they need cross-shop questions. Collaborator keys remain single-shop; Developer REST keys also require one selected shop. An all-shop MCP key does not grant Developer REST access or optional write permissions.

You cannot change a key's shop binding after creation. To switch a key from one shop to another, revoke it and create a new one.

"Some questions take a long time to answer"

Response time depends on the assistant, network, date range and query complexity. There is no guaranteed response time for every question. Examples that can take longer:

• Profit & Loss over a long period. A full-year breakdown can require more processing.
• Top products across several shops. Comparing multiple shops adds work.
• Customer lifetime value. Repeat-purchase analysis can require more data.

If response times are consistently over 30 seconds for simple questions, contact support with the timestamp of the slow request so we can check the logs.

"I revoked a key by accident"

Revoked keys cannot be restored. There is no "undo" because the key's secret is permanently invalidated on the Dashboardly side.

What to do

1. Go to Settings > API Keys and click New API key.
2. Select the intended shop, expiry and permitted access. New MCP keys default to reporting-only access; do not assume a replacement inherits optional permissions.
3. Copy the new secret when shown and update your assistant.

The replacement has its own secret and usage history. Verify its shop and permissions before use; the name alone does not make its access identical to the revoked key.

"I see a connection in Connected Apps that I don't recognize"

The Connected Apps section at the bottom of the API Keys page lists AI assistants that signed in with your Dashboardly account. If you see a connection you don't recognize:

What to do

1. Click Revoke next to the connection. This immediately invalidates its access and refresh tokens and prevents future use.
2. Change your Dashboardly password if you suspect your account itself has been compromised.

If you recognize the assistant but need a different shop scope, revoke it and reconnect it from the assistant.

When to Contact Support

Reach out to support if:

• You followed the steps above and still cannot connect.
• A key has usage you do not recognize.
• API Keys behavior contradicts this article, such as a revoked key apparently still working.
• An eligible Brand or Agency plan still has no API Keys tab after signing in again.

Include the key name, assistant name, exact error and relevant screenshot — not the secret. Redact tokens, authorization headers, cookies and customer data. For slow requests, include the time of the request.

Never share the full API key in a support message. Treat it like a password.