Troubleshooting user access problems

This article will try to help users having trouble signing into or gaining access to PayLab.

What password do I use?

If you are asked for a password, it typically the one you normally use to login to Microsoft services (Microsoft Teams, Outlook email etc) under

Or alternatively, depending on your authentication requirements,  may instead be sent a One Time Password (OTP) you will need to enter here. In future, your browser should remember you and skip requiring an OTP.

"You can't sign in here with a personal account"

This typically occurs with personal email addresses (such as Gmail, Hotmail, or Outlook.com accounts) or in cases where your work email address has been updated or changed. Read on for why this happens and how to resolve the issue.

Who is affected?

• Users trying to sign in with a personal/free email (e.g., Gmail, Hotmail, Outlook.co.nz) that does NOT exist in an Azure Active Directory.
• Users whose company/work email has changed (such as after a surname update/change), but whose previous email address still exists or is active in Az AD.

Common Symptoms

• Error message after attempting login:
  "You can’t sign in here with a personal account"
  (may also read: “The request body must contain the following parameter: ‘client_id’”)
• Attempts to reset the password or accept invitation fail.
• Logging in directly via PayLab or clicking the invitation link yields the same error.

Resolution Steps

For Free/Personal Email Accounts Not in Azure AD

Scenario: You are using a Gmail, Hotmail, or other personal email and encounter the error above.

Solution:

• Ask a PayLab Admin to invite your email address again from within the PayLab admin portal.
• This triggers the issuance (or re-creation) of your Azure AD record linked with your PayLab profile.
• After the new invite, follow the invitation link to set up access.

Note: If you’re an admin supporting a user, remove any entries for this email in Azure AD if it was previously present and re-invite afresh.

For Users With Changed/Updated Company/Work Emails

Scenario: Your organisation has changed your email address (e.g., after a name change), but login fails even though your new address is shown everywhere in PayLab.

Solution:

• Check Azure Active Directory for any old entries under your previous email address.
• If an old record exists, delete the outdated email/user from Azure AD.
• Re-invite the new/updated email from the PayLab admin portal.
• The user should accept the new invite and proceed to login.

Important Notes

• Clear Browser Cookies: If the user still cannot log in after being re-invited, clear browser cookies (especially for PayLab domains) and try the invite/link again.
• Misleading Error Message: The Microsoft error message does NOT explicitly name the real problem. Always double-check for AD presence and any alias/previous email issues!

Escalation & Next Steps

If these actions do not resolve the issue, please escalate to PayLab support with:

• The email address affected
• Error message screenshot
• Confirmation of steps tried above

The product team is working on a more direct code-side fix.