If you receive an error message while attempting to access through Watermark's SSO, try these troubleshooting steps based on the error message you receive.
Click the error message below to see what it means and how to fix it:
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"We weren't expecting you"
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“Access denied”
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“Something's wrong here”
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“PARAM error: access_denied: Invalid thumbprint”
1. "We weren't expecting you"
This error means the system is unable to locate a Watermark account that is connected to the email address you are attempting to log in with.
To fix the error:
Confirm that the email address you are attempting to log in with is your correct institutional email address. It will need to match the email address connected to your Watermark account exactly. This will likely be your institution's email and not a personal email (e.g. JDoe@schooldomain.com, not JaneDoe123@gmail.com)
Also consider:
- Is there a typo or domain change in your email address?
- Have you recently updated your email address?
If any of the above is true, their email address in the Watermark product may require updating. Contact your institution's Watermark administrator to confirm and/or update the email address aligned with your Watermark account.
If that doesn't work:
Step 1: Check that the URL (web address) you are logging in with is correct. The URL must be the exact web address that was set up by Watermark and should not be used from a bookmarked link, and bookmarks can reference inactive sessions.
Step 2: Clear your internet browser's cache/ delete browsing history. See the directions to clear the cache here: Clearing your cache
2. “Access denied”
This error means that access to a Watermark product is being denied, and is likely caused by not having an account set up or a role assigned to you in the Watermark product you are attempting to access.
To fix the error:
Contact your institution's Watermark administrator to ensure that you have an account set up and a role assigned to you in the Watermark product. Assigning a role to a user is an administrative task, and example roles are: Administrator, Contributor, Evaluator, etc.
If that doesn't work:
Step 1: Check that the URL (web address) you are logging in with is correct. The URL must be the exact web address that was set up by Watermark and should not be used from a bookmarked link, and bookmarks can reference inactive sessions.
Step 2: Check your email address. Ensure it matches the email address that your Watermark account was set up with exactly. This will be your institution's email and not a personal email (e.g. JDoe@schooldomain.com, not JaneDoe123@gmail.com)
3. “Something's wrong here"
This error means your session has timed out or your internet browser has stored a previous session that is now impacting your ability to log back in.
To fix the error:
Perform a full system logout to terminate any active sessions that may be lingering.
To do this:
- Completely close out of your internet browser.
- Open a new window in your browser and go to https://login.watermarkinsights.com/logout. This will fully end any previous sessions. Don't worry! It won't affect anything that you previously saved or worked on.
- Locate the exact URL (web address) your were given to access your Watermark product and attempt to login there. Do not go the URL through any bookmarked links, as those could be tied to inactive sessions.
If that doesn't work:
Step 1: Clear your internet browser's cache/ delete browsing history. See the directions to clear the cache here: Clearing your cache
Step 2: Attempt login through a different internet browser. For example, if you are using Chrome, try Firefox, Safari, etc.
Step 3: Try accessing with a private/ incognito browser window.
A private/ incognito browser window is a private browsing mode that doesn’t save your browsing history, cookies, or data after you close it. Here’s how to open one:
- In Chrome: Click the three dots in the upper-right corner, then select New Incognito Window.
- In Firefox: Click the three lines in the upper-right corner, then choose New Private Window.
- In Safari: Go to File in the top menu, then select New Private Window.
- In Edge: Click the three dots in the upper-right corner, then select New InPrivate Window.
4. “PARAM error: access_denied: Invalid thumbprint”
This error means that your institution's Watermark SSO (Navigator) certificate has expired.
To fix the error:
Contact your institution’s IT department. They will need to provide the updated certificate to Watermark by clicking the Submit A Request button or emailing support@watermarkinsights.com and attaching a copy of the certificate.
To request an update to your Watermark SSO certificate in advance, see:
Watermark Navigator SSO Certificate Change Request
To create a ticket for our Support Team to troubleshoot further, see: How to Contact Support for Watermark SSO Issues