This guide covers the most common errors guests encounter when booking through the online portal, what causes them, and how to resolve them — both from the guest's side and from a staff or admin perspective.
"Session Expired" or "Your Session Has Timed Out"
What it means: The guest's browser session was inactive for too long, or a cookie was cleared.
Guest fix:
Refresh the page and start the booking process again.
If the error persists, clear browser cookies and cache, then try again.
Use a supported browser (Chrome or Firefox are recommended). Some older browsers or strict privacy settings can interfere with session handling.
Admin note: This error cannot be prevented from the Sharper side — it is a normal browser session timeout. If a guest reports it frequently, ask them to check that cookies are enabled.
"Invalid Dates" or "Please Select Valid Dates"
What it means: The dates the guest entered are outside the allowed booking window, or the From Date is after the To Date.
Guest fix:
Confirm the dates are entered correctly (From Date must be before To Date).
Confirm the dates are not in the past.
Check whether the property has a minimum advance booking requirement — some properties do not allow same-day or next-day bookings.
Admin check:
If guests are reporting this error with valid-looking dates, confirm the product's booking window settings in Bookings/Marina/Campground → Products → [Product] → Booking Setup.
Check whether a minimum lead time is configured that may be blocking near-future dates.
"No Availability" or "No Units Found" for Dates That Appear Open
What it means: Sharper found no available spaces for the search criteria, even though staff can see open spaces.
Common causes and fixes:
Cause | Fix |
Guest dimensions (vessel LOA, beam) exceed space limits | Ask the guest to verify the dimensions entered |
Product is inactive | Confirm the product is set to Active in admin settings |
Space Group not assigned to product | Check the product's Booking Setup in admin settings |
A blackout is covering those dates | Check Settings → Space Blackouts |
Online booking not enabled for the product | Enable Online Booking on the product |
See the "No Available Units" troubleshooting guide for a full diagnostic walkthrough.
Payment Failed at Checkout
What it means: The guest's card or payment method was declined during booking.
Guest fix:
Double-check the card number, expiration date, and CVV.
Confirm the billing address entered matches the address on file with the card issuer.
Try a different card or payment method.
Contact their bank — some banks decline unfamiliar online transactions by default.
Admin check:
If multiple guests are experiencing payment failures at the same time, check the payment processor settings in System Settings → Payment Methods and verify your Payroc account is in good standing.
A processor outage affecting all customers requires contacting Payroc directly.
"Promo Code Not Valid" or "Code Does Not Apply"
What it means: The promo code entered is not recognized, has expired, or does not apply to the product being booked.
Guest fix:
Confirm the code is entered exactly as provided (no extra spaces).
Check whether the code has an expiration date that has passed.
Admin check:
Navigate to Settings → Promo Codes and confirm the code is active, has not reached its usage limit, and is assigned to the correct product.
Portal Is Not Loading or Shows a Blank Page
What it means: A script error, network issue, or browser incompatibility is preventing the portal from rendering.
Guest fix:
Try a different browser (Chrome or Firefox).
Disable browser extensions — ad blockers and privacy extensions can block scripts the portal requires.
Clear browser cache and cookies.
Try a different device or network connection.
Admin check:
If the portal is down for all guests, contact Sharper support — this may indicate a hosting or configuration issue on the portal.
If the portal uses a custom domain, confirm the DNS and SSL certificate are valid.
When to Escalate to Sharper Support
Contact Sharper support if:
Multiple guests are experiencing the same error simultaneously.
Payment failures are occurring across all customers with no processor-side explanation.
The portal is not loading for any guest.
An error message appears that is not covered in this guide.
When escalating, provide screenshots, the error message text, the browser and device the guest was using, and the date and time the error occurred.