I Can't Sign In to Govenda

Having trouble signing in? Find the error message you're seeing below for step-by-step instructions to fix it.

"The email address or password that you entered didn't match our records"

Cause: The email or password you entered is incorrect.

Steps to resolve:

1. Make sure you're using the correct email address — the one your administrator set up for you. It may be different from your personal email.
2. Check for typos — look for extra spaces before or after your email address.
3. Verify that Caps Lock is turned off on your keyboard.
4. If you're not sure of your password, click "Forgot?" on the sign-in page to reset it. See [How Do I Reset My Password?] for full instructions.

If this still doesn't help:

• Your account may not be activated yet. Look for a welcome or invitation email from Govenda in your inbox (including spam/junk folders). If you haven't received one, ask your administrator to activate your account and send you an invitation.
• Your account may be locked from too many failed attempts. If you see "Account Locked," see [My Account Is Locked] for recovery steps.
• Your company may require Single Sign-On (SSO). If your organization uses SSO, password sign-in is disabled for your account. See [Single Sign-On (SSO) Is Not Working].
• Your account may have been deactivated. If your organization removed your access, contact your administrator.

"Your company uses a single-sign-on provider. Please sign in using that provider."

Cause: Your organization has enabled Single Sign-On (SSO). Signing in with a Govenda email and password is not available for your account.

Steps to resolve:

1. Go to the Govenda sign-in page.
2. Click the SSO / Single Sign-On button (do not enter your email and password in the form fields).
3. You'll be redirected to your organization's identity provider (such as Microsoft, Okta, or Google).
4. Sign in with your organization credentials (the same ones you use for your work email or other company applications).
5. After signing in, you'll be redirected back to Govenda automatically.

Important: Even if you recently reset your Govenda password, SSO-only accounts must sign in through SSO. Resetting your password does not change this. If you're unsure whether your company uses SSO, contact your administrator.

"Account Locked"

Cause: You've exceeded the maximum number of login attempts (10 attempts).

What to do: See [My Account Is Locked] for detailed recovery options including password reset, wait times, and how your administrator can help.

"SSO not configured"

Cause: Govenda can't find or use your organization's Single Sign-On configuration. This is typically a setup issue on the administrator's side.

What to do:

• If you are a board member or standard user: Contact your administrator and let them know you're seeing this error. They may need to enable or configure SSO for your organization.
• If you are an administrator: See [Single Sign-On (SSO) Is Not Working] for a detailed troubleshooting checklist.

"We could not find a valid Govenda account for you"

Cause: Your identity provider (Microsoft, Okta, Google, etc.) authenticated you successfully, but Govenda couldn't match your identity to an existing user account.

What to do:

• If you are a board member or standard user: Contact your administrator. They may need to create your Govenda account or correct the email address associated with it.
• If you are an administrator: Verify that the user's email in Govenda exactly matches the email or NameID sent by your identity provider. See [Single Sign-On (SSO) Is Not Working] for full details.

"You are approaching the login attempt limit"

Cause: You've used several incorrect login attempts and are close to being locked out.

What to do: Stop trying to guess your password. Click "Forgot?" on the sign-in page to reset your password instead. This will also prevent your account from being locked. See [How Do I Reset My Password?] for instructions.

Blank page, spinning wheel, or nothing happens after clicking Sign In

Cause: This is usually a browser compatibility issue.

Steps to resolve:

1. Switch to Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge (these are the recommended browsers for Govenda).
2. Clear your browser cache and cookies, then try again.
3. Make sure JavaScript is enabled in your browser settings.
4. Temporarily disable any ad blockers or browser extensions that might interfere.
5. If you're using Internet Explorer, it is not supported. You'll be automatically redirected to download Microsoft Edge.
6. Try opening Govenda in a private/incognito browser window to rule out extension conflicts.

I never received an invitation or welcome email

Possible causes:

• The email may have gone to your spam or junk folder — check there first.
• Your administrator may not have activated your account yet. In Govenda, users must be set to "Active" before invitation emails can be sent.
• Your email address may be entered incorrectly in the system.

What to do:

1. Check your spam/junk folder for emails from Govenda.
2. Contact your administrator and ask them to: 
   • Verify that your email address is correct in your user profile.
   • Confirm your account is set to Active.
   • Resend the invitation from the Users management page.