Refresh QCDS Entitlement and Interpret the Result

Refresh Entitlement asks QCDS to resolve the current Authorized Domain entitlement and update the local entitlement state. Use it after authorizing a domain, correcting entitlement-task health, changing a subscription, or investigating an unexpected feature lock.

The returned message matters: a confirmed entitlement, a temporary transport failure, and an expired or invalid entitlement are handled differently.

Before You Refresh

  1. Open Components > QC Digital Signature > Status.
  2. Record the current Status, Base tier, Effective tier, Verification, domain, and any Entitlement Automation Integrity warning.
  3. If you expect Pro, Max, or All Access, confirm the exact domain is authorized for QC Digital Signature in your QuantaCade account.

Run Refresh Entitlement

  1. On Status, choose Refresh Entitlement. The same action is also available in the Settings licensing area.
  2. Wait for QCDS to contact the entitlement service and save the returned state.
  3. Read the result message before changing anything else.
  4. Recheck the Current Entitlement card.

A normal refresh does not start an unused 30-Day Max Preview. Preview activation is a separate explicit action.

If the Authorized Domain Resolves Successfully

QCDS updates its confirmed Base/Effective tier, entitlement source, access dates, validation timestamps, and signed local entitlement cache. The Status card should then show the paid or All Access state that belongs to that domain. An active server-authoritative Max Preview can still make the Effective tier Max while the Base tier remains Basic or Pro.

If No Current Paid Entitlement Is Available

Basic remains the safe fallback. A missing or unavailable paid claim does not make the component unusable; it removes access to features that require the higher Effective tier. Verify the Authorized Domain in the QuantaCade account before assuming saved QCDS configuration is wrong.

Temporary Validation Failure vs. Terminal Failure

A timeout, unreachable service, or other transport failure can qualify for a bounded grace period when QCDS has a recent confirmed entitlement. During eligible grace, the previously confirmed paid tier or active preview can remain available, but never beyond a known paid or preview expiration.

Explicit terminal states such as invalid, expired, revoked, deactivated, disabled, or cancelled fail closed. They do not receive transport grace from an older cache. When no valid higher tier remains, Effective access returns to Basic.

If the Entitlement Task Is Unhealthy

QCDS requires exactly one published Entitlement Revalidation task running at least hourly for access above Basic. If that integrity check fails, the Effective tier resolves to Basic even if older paid data is still stored. Use the Status tab repair guidance, restore the task, then refresh entitlement again.

What to Record for Troubleshooting

  • The exact refresh message.
  • Base tier and Effective tier after the refresh.
  • Verification source and domain.
  • Last checked and Next automatic check.
  • Entitlement Automation Integrity status, cadence, last exit code, and next execution.

Do not replace current keyless entitlement troubleshooting with instructions to enter a new license key. Current QCDS paid access is based on Authorized Domains; an old saved key is legacy compatibility state only.

Community Discussion

Want to compare workflows, share practical tips, or discuss how you use this QCDS feature? Visit the QC Digital Signature Community. For private support, bug reports, account-specific issues, or feature requests, use the QuantaCade support system.