SmartMerge AI Troubleshooting Guide
Step-by-step solutions for common issues. SmartCheck catches 92% of errors before they happen — this guide covers the rest.
Template Not Loading or Tags Not Detected
Template not appearing in the picker
SmartMerge AI uses Google Picker to browse your Drive. Make sure the template is a Google Doc (not a .docx file). If the file is in a shared drive, confirm you have at least Viewer access. Try searching by file name in the picker search bar.
Tags not detected in the template
SmartMerge AI looks for {{double curly braces}}. Common reasons tags aren't detected: (1) using single braces {like this}, (2) curly/smart quotes instead of straight braces — retype them manually, (3) the tag is inside an image or drawing (text in images cannot be read). Open your template in Google Docs and verify the braces are standard keyboard characters.
Tags show up in merged documents (not replaced)
The tag name doesn't match any mapped column. Check for: (1) case differences — {{first name}} is not {{First Name}}, (2) extra spaces inside braces, (3) invisible Unicode characters copied from other applications. Delete the tag and retype it manually in Google Docs. Run SmartCheck again to verify all tags are mapped.
Merge Errors and Timeouts
Merge times out on large batches
Google Apps Script has a 6-minute execution limit. SmartMerge AI uses a 5-minute time guard that stops gracefully before the hard limit. Documents that completed are saved. For very large datasets (200+ rows), the batch processing system automatically splits work into manageable groups of 50 documents per subfolder.
"Error creating document" for specific rows
This usually means a specific row has data that causes a problem — an extremely long cell value, special characters that break the document API, or an empty required field. Check the error message for the row number, review that row's data in your spreadsheet, fix the issue, and re-run the merge for just that row.
Merge succeeds but output folder is empty
Check your Google Drive "Recent" files. The output folder is created in your Drive root by default. If you have many Drive files, try searching for the folder name (it includes a timestamp). Also verify that the merge actually ran — check the sidebar for a success or error message.
AI Personalization Issues
AI toggle is disabled
AI personalization requires a paid plan or active trial. The free plan includes unlimited basic merges but no AI features. Check your current plan in the sidebar — if your trial has expired, upgrade to Starter ($3.99/mo) or higher to re-enable AI.
AI content is generic or not personalized
The AI generates content based on the data in each row. If your spreadsheet only has names and emails, the AI has limited context to work with. Add more data columns — notes, scores, descriptions, or other details — and the AI will produce more specific, personalized content. You can also edit the SmartPrompt to give the AI more specific instructions.
"AI uses exhausted" message
You've used all AI credits for this billing cycle. AI uses reset at the start of your next billing period. You can still run unlimited basic merges without AI. To get more AI uses immediately, upgrade to a higher tier — the change takes effect right away.
PDF Export Issues
PDF export requires Pro ($8.99/mo) or higher. If the PDF option is grayed out, check your current plan. PDF password protection requires Premium ($19.99/mo) or higher.
For detailed PDF troubleshooting, see the PDF export guide.
92%
Of errors caught by SmartCheck
5 min
Time guard prevents hard timeouts
24 hr
Support response (Pro+)
Frequently Asked Questions
My merge timed out — what happened to my documents?
SmartMerge AI has a built-in 5-minute time guard for large batches. Documents that completed before the timeout are saved to your Google Drive. You get a specific message showing which rows succeeded and which remain. Re-run the merge for just the remaining rows — SmartMerge picks up where it left off.
Why does SmartMerge AI ask for permissions again?
Google occasionally revokes add-on permissions after security updates or if you haven't used the add-on recently. Re-authorize by clicking "Allow" when prompted. SmartMerge AI uses the narrow drive.file scope — it can only access files you explicitly select through the picker.
My tags show up in the merged document instead of being replaced — what went wrong?
This happens when the tag name doesn't match a mapped column. Check that your tag spelling matches the spreadsheet column header exactly (case-sensitive). Also verify there are no invisible characters — try retyping the tag in your template. SmartCheck catches most mismatches before the merge, but invisible Unicode characters can slip through.
Who do I contact for help?
Email info@getsmartmerge.com. Free users receive best-effort responses. Pro and higher plans receive priority support with 24-hour response times. Include your Google account email and a description of the issue for fastest resolution.
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