FAQ & Troubleshooting Guide

Quick answers to common questions and solutions for any issues you might encounter.

🚀 Getting Started

Installation & Setup

Q: How do I install Scoop for Slack?

A: Installation is simple:

Admin visits go.scoopanalytics.com
Navigate to Settings → Integrations
Click "Add to Slack" button
Authorize permissions
Scoop appears in your workspace!

Individual users don't need to install anything.

Q: Why can't I see Scoop in my workspace?

A: Try these steps in order:

Refresh Slack: Press Cmd+R (Mac) or Ctrl+R (Windows)
Check Apps section: Look in the left sidebar under Apps
Search for Scoop: Use Slack's search (Cmd/Ctrl + K)
Verify installation: Ask your Slack admin to confirm
Permission check: Ensure you have access to use Scoop

Q: Do I need a separate Scoop account?

A: No! If Scoop is installed in your Slack workspace, you're ready to go. Your Slack identity is all you need.

Q: Which Slack permissions does Scoop need?

A: Scoop requests minimal permissions:

Read messages that mention @Scoop
Post messages as Scoop bot
Access basic workspace info
View public channel info
Access files you share

💬 Using Scoop

Basic Interactions

Q: How do I start using Scoop?

A: Four ways to begin:

Direct Message: Click Scoop in Apps → Type your question
In Channels: Type @Scoop your question here
Slash Commands: Type /scoop your question here
From App Home: Visit Scoop's Home tab for guided start

Q: Why does Scoop say "No dataset selected"?

A: You need to select a dataset first:

In channels:

@Scoop show datasets
@Scoop use sales data

In DMs:

datasets
use customer analytics

Q: What's the difference between DM and channel usage?

A: Key differences:

Feature	Direct Messages	Channels
@ mention	Not needed	Required
Privacy	Always private	Private until shared
Context	Full history	Thread-based
Best for	Deep analysis	Team collaboration

Slash Commands

Q: What are slash commands and how do I use them?

A: Slash commands provide quick access to Scoop functionality:

Available Commands:

/scoop query [question] - Ask any question about your data
/scoop dataset - Select or change dataset
/scoop save [name] - Save the last query with a name
/scoop run [name] - Run a saved query by name
/scoop deck - Run your personal deck
/scoop list - List saved queries
/scoop list decks - List saved decks
/scoop status - Check current dataset and session
/scoop help - Get command reference

Shortcut: Just type /scoop [question] to quickly query data!

Q: What's the difference between /scoop and @Scoop?

A: Both work, but have different use cases:

Feature	`/scoop` Commands	`@Scoop` Mentions
Speed	Faster	Standard
Privacy	Always private initially	Private until shared
Context	New conversation	Maintains thread context
Best for	Quick queries	Collaborative discussion

Q: Can I use slash commands in channels?

A: Yes! Slash commands work everywhere:

In channels: Results are private (ephemeral) initially
In DMs: Results appear in the conversation
In threads: Creates a new context

Privacy & Sharing

Q: Can others see my queries in channels?

A: No! Channel responses are private by default (ephemeral messages). Only you see them until you explicitly share.

![Screenshot: Share button on Scoop response]

Q: How do I share results with my team?

A: Simple one-click sharing:

Get your result privately
Review for accuracy
Click "📢 Share with Channel"
Add context if needed
Team sees the insight!

Q: Can I control what gets shared?

A: Yes! When you share:

✅ Shared: The specific result/visualization
✅ Shared: Your name as discoverer
✅ Shared: Original query for context
❌ Not shared: Your exploration history
❌ Not shared: Failed attempts
❌ Not shared: Other private queries

📊 Data & Datasets

File Uploads

Q: What file types can I upload?

A: Supported formats:

Format	Extensions	Max Size	Notes
Excel	.xlsx, .xls	100MB	Multi-sheet support
CSV	.csv	100MB	Auto-delimiter detection
JSON	.json	50MB	Coming soon
PDF	.pdf	25MB	Table extraction coming

Q: My file won't upload - why?

A: Common issues and fixes:

File too large: Keep under 100MB
Wrong format: Save as .xlsx or .csv
Complex layout: Remove merged cells, multiple headers
Special characters: Use UTF-8 encoding
Hidden data: Remove hidden sheets/columns

Q: Where is uploaded data stored?

A: Your data is secure:

🔒 Personal workspace (private to you)
🔐 Encrypted storage
🛡️ Isolated from other users
🗑️ Deletable on demand
⏰ Auto-cleanup per retention policy

Dataset Management

Q: How do I switch between datasets?

A: Quick switching:

@Scoop datasets                    # List all
@Scoop use "Q4 Sales"             # Switch
@Scoop current dataset            # Verify

Q: Can I combine multiple datasets?

A: Yes! Two approaches:

Upload pre-joined data: Combine in Excel first

Cross-dataset analysis: Ask questions that span datasets:

@Scoop correlate support tickets with revenue by customer

Q: How often is data refreshed?

A: Depends on dataset type:

Type	Refresh Frequency	How to Check
Organization	Admin-configured (usually daily)	`@Scoop dataset info`
Personal	Manual (re-upload)	Upload new version
Connected	Real-time or scheduled	Check integration settings

🤖 Queries & Analysis

Query Capabilities

Q: What kinds of questions can I ask?

A: Scoop understands everything from simple to complex:

Basic Queries

Show me all customers
What's our total revenue?
List top 10 products

Analytical Questions

Why did sales drop last month?
What drives customer churn?
Find anomalies in the data

Predictive Queries

Forecast next quarter
Predict which deals will close
What's our churn risk?

Comparative Analysis

Compare this year to last year
How do we compare to industry?
What changed between Q1 and Q2?

Q: Why did Scoop misunderstand my query?

A: Try these fixes:

Be more specific
- ❌ "Show data"
- ✅ "Show revenue by month"
Use consistent terms
- Check column names: @Scoop describe dataset
- Match terminology
Break complex queries
- Step 1: "Show all deals"
- Step 2: "Filter to closed won"
- Step 3: "Add close date"
Verify dataset
- Right dataset? @Scoop current dataset
- Has needed data? @Scoop columns

Q: Can I reference previous results?

A: Yes! Scoop maintains context:

You: Show me top customers
Scoop: [displays list]
You: Add their revenue          # Scoop knows "their" = top customers
Scoop: [enhanced list]
You: Now show just enterprise   # Builds on previous

Advanced Features

Q: How do I use machine learning features?

A: Natural language ML:

Find patterns in customer behavior
Segment our user base
What predicts success?
Classify these transactions
Detect anomalies

Q: Can I save queries for reuse?

A: Several options:

Scroll history: Past queries remain in chat
Copy favorites: Keep a note of useful queries
Ask for templates: @Scoop show me query examples
Natural patterns: Scoop learns your style

📈 Visualizations & Exports

Chart Management

Q: How do I customize visualizations?

A: Interactive controls:

Theme: Click 🌙/☀️/🎨 selector
Type: Request specific charts: "show as pie chart"
Details: Hover for values, click to drill down
Legend: Click items to show/hide

Q: Can I export visualizations?

A: Multiple export options:

Need	Solution
Quick share	Screenshot (Cmd+Shift+4)
Data + chart	Export to Excel
Presentation	Copy/paste image
Interactive	Share to channel

Q: Why don't my brand colors appear?

A: To enable brand colors:

Select "Auto" theme (🎨)
Scoop extracts colors from your uploads
Or: @Scoop use brand colors #1E40AF #10B981

Export Issues

Q: Excel export is taking forever - help?

A: Normal export times:

Rows	Expected Time	If Slower
Less than 10K	Instant	Check connection
10-100K	5-10 sec	Normal
100K-1M	30-60 sec	Consider filtering
More than 1M	2-5 min	Use sampling

Speed up options:

@Scoop export summary only
@Scoop export filtered view
@Scoop sample and export

🔒 Security & Privacy

Data Security

Q: Is my data secure with Scoop?

A: Enterprise-grade security:

✅ End-to-end encryption
✅ SOC2 Type II certified
✅ GDPR compliant
✅ Workspace isolation
✅ No data mixing
✅ Regular security audits

Q: Who can see my analyses?

A: Visibility control:

Your Activity	Who Sees It
DM queries	Only you
Channel queries (private)	Only you
Shared results	Channel members
Personal datasets	Only you
Failed queries	Only you

Q: Can I delete my data?

A: Yes, multiple options:

Personal datasets: @Scoop delete dataset "name"
All personal data: Contact admin
Shared insights: Follow Slack's deletion
Account removal: Admin can revoke access

Compliance

Q: Does Scoop comply with our security policies?

A: Scoop provides:

Detailed security documentation
Compliance certificates
Audit logs
Data processing agreements
Custom enterprise agreements

Contact [email protected] for details.

🔧 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Scoop is not responding"

Try these steps:

Check Slack status: status.slack.com
Refresh Slack: Cmd/Ctrl + R
Check dataset: @Scoop status
Try simple query: @Scoop help
Contact support if persists

"No data returned"

Debugging steps:

@Scoop describe dataset     # Verify data exists
@Scoop show sample         # Check data format
@Scoop count records       # Ensure not empty

"Unexpected results"

Troubleshooting:

Verify query interpretation: @Scoop explain last query
Check filters: @Scoop show active filters
Validate data: @Scoop data quality check
Try step-by-step approach

Performance Issues

"Queries are slow"

Speed optimization:

Add time bounds: "last 30 days" vs "all time"
Be specific: Name exact columns needed
Use sampling: "sample 1000 records"
Pre-filter: Start with filtered dataset

"Visualizations won't load"

Quick fixes:

Reduce data points: "top 20" instead of all
Simplify chart: Fewer series/dimensions
Check connectivity: Other Slack features working?
Try different chart type

Error Messages

"Dataset not found"

Solutions:

List available: @Scoop datasets
Check spelling/case
Verify permissions
Refresh dataset list

"Query too complex"

Simplification strategies:

Break into multiple queries
Reduce conditions
Use simpler aggregations
Ask for help: @Scoop help me write this query

"Access denied"

Access issues:

Verify dataset permissions with admin
Check workspace membership
Ensure Scoop has channel access
Confirm data classification allows access

💡 Pro Tips

Power User Shortcuts

Quick Commands

"qa" → Quick analysis with charts
"stats" → Summary statistics
"viz" → Auto-visualization
"export all" → Complete export package

Context Commands

"again" → Repeat last query
"undo" → Remove last filter
"reset" → Clear all filters
"explain" → Show query interpretation

Best Practices

For Fastest Results

Start specific: Include dataset context
Use time bounds: "last month" vs all data
Name exact metrics: "revenue" not "sales"
Build incrementally: Add complexity gradually

For Best Insights

Ask "why" questions for deep analysis
Request confidence levels on predictions
Compare time periods for trends
Use ML for pattern discovery

🆘 Getting More Help

Self-Service Resources

In-Slack Help: @Scoop help [topic]
Interactive Guide: Visit Scoop App Home
Documentation: docs.scoopanalytics.com
Video Tutorials: youtube.com/scoopanalytics

Contact Support

For technical issues:

Email: [email protected]
Slack: #scoop-support channel
Response time: Less than 2 hours (business hours)

For account/billing:

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-800-SCOOP-DATA

For security concerns:

Email: [email protected]
Urgent: [email protected]

🎓 Learning Resources

Scoop Academy

Free courses available:

Scoop Basics (30 min): First queries to insights
Advanced Analytics (1 hr): ML and predictions
Power User (2 hr): Automation and workflows
Admin Guide (1 hr): Setup and management

Community

Join the Scoop community:

User Slack: scoopusers.slack.com
Office Hours: Thursdays 2 PM ET
Webinars: Monthly feature deep-dives
User Conference: Annual ScoopCon

Still stuck? Remember, Scoop learns and improves. If something isn't working as expected, let us know - your feedback makes Scoop better for everyone! 🚀