Support evidence: give enough context, not the environment
A useful support request opens with a short case summary. It then adds only the redacted observations for the affected area. Send a backup only if an approved private channel explicitly asks for it. Never send the database, secret values, access tokens, private keys, certificate packages, or unredacted screenshots.
- Case summary
- Version, area, impact, blocker
- Details
- Redacted state for the affected area
- Left out
- Secrets and raw recovery files
Write the case summary first
Before you add any diagnostics, describe the user-visible failure in one sentence. Another operator should be able to read the summary on its own. It holds these fields.
- Exact VaultPilot and component versions
- Affected area: sign-in, installer, update, extension, AD sync, sharing, backup, license, HTTPS, or audit
- Windows Server version and browser family
- Impact: one user, all users, one vault, one device, or one update job
- Last known good time and previous version
- What changed before the failure
What to collect for each area
Every area has its own short list of fields and exclusions. The most common ones are below.
- Installer: MSI filename, signature status, service state, redacted error
- Sign-in: browser family, session state, the result of the session check; never the master password or TOTP secret
- Update: manifest version, hash, update job state
- Extension: extension version and pairing state; never the extension PIN
- AD sync: service state and redacted agent log; never the bind password or agent token
- Sharing: package expiry, maximum opens, decrypter error name; never the share passphrase
Replace real names, remove secrets
Use placeholders such as <VAULTPILOT_URL>, <SERVER_HOST>, <USER>, <VAULT>, <AGENT_ID>, and <REDACTED>. Do not collect plaintext credentials, master passwords, recovery keys, extension PINs, agent tokens, private keys, PFX/P12 packages, databases, backups, or unredacted screenshots.
- Crop and mask screenshots
- Read logs line by line
- Ask support for a private transfer path for anything you cannot redact safely
Limits to know
- An archive is not safe because its filename says diagnostics or support.
- Hashing a secret does not make the details around it safe to share.
- Do not collect unrelated customer or system data while you prepare the pack.
Check step by step
- 01
- 02
- 03
Replace real names, read every excerpt, and remove anything prohibited.
- 04
Say whether backup, sign-in, and audit are still accessible.
- 05
Have a second person check the redaction before you send anything.
Read more in the guides: Support evidence pack, Redacting support evidence