Documents a user uploads to KnowledgeFlow are stored in their browser, on their device, not on a server. They stay there when the user signs out, closes the browser or restarts the device, until the user deletes them. Because they live in one browser on one device, anything that clears that browser’s stored data also removes them.
Audience: customer IT teams
Likely cause: the user is on a different device or browser, or the browser’s stored data has been cleared. Not a platform defect.
Checks
- Is the user on the same device and the same browser they uploaded from? Documents don’t follow the user to another device or browser.
- Was the browser in a private or incognito window? Browsers remove that window’s data when it closes.
- Has the browser’s site data been cleared, by the user, a browser setting that clears data on exit, or an IT policy that clears browser data at sign-out?
- Does the user’s device use a profile that resets at sign-out, such as a shared or non-persistent desktop?
- Has the user deleted the documents? They can see what’s stored, and delete documents, in the Document Manager.
- Whether this affects one user or several.
Fix
- Documents removed from the device can’t be recovered. The user needs to upload them again.
- To stop it happening again, exclude your organisation’s KnowledgeFlow address from any policy or browser setting that clears site data. It’s usually
knowledgeflow.followed by your organisation’s domain, for exampleknowledgeflow.yourorganisation.co.uk. Check the address your users open. - For documents a user relies on, they can export their collections as a backup file from the Document Manager.
Your organisation’s indexed library is not affected. It is stored separately, and is never removed by clearing a user’s browser.
Escalate when
- documents disappear on the same device and browser, with no private window and no data clearing involved
- several users lose documents at the same time
Ready to escalate? See the Escalation page for what to collect first.