FAQ & Troubleshooting
This page covers the most common questions and issues reported by CutOptim users. Topics are organized by category. If your question is not answered here, contact support via the in-app chat or email support@cutoptim.com.
Getting Started
Q: I just signed up. Where do I begin?
Start with the Getting Started guide. The quickest path to your first result: select a mode (2D, 1D, or Wood), add at least one stock sheet/bar and one demand piece, then click Run Optimization. Most users have their first result within 5 minutes.
Q: Do I need to create an account to use CutOptim?
No. You can use CutOptim without an account on the free plan. Without an account, projects are stored in your browser’s local storage. Create an account to unlock Pro features and protect your data from browser storage loss.
Q: What is the difference between Free, Pro, and Business?
The free plan limits you to 3 stock sheets, 20 demand pieces per cut, and 1 cut per project. PDF exports have a watermark. Pro removes all limits, adds cloud sync, and unlocks SVG/DXF/label exports, edge banding tracking, material library, custom fields, cutting sequence animation, and company branding. Business adds quotation PDF export, grain matching groups, and a shared team workspace for up to 3 members. See Getting Started for the full comparison table.
Q: Can I try Pro before buying?
Yes. New accounts receive a 14-day Pro trial with no credit card required. All Pro features are available during the trial. At the end of the trial, you can subscribe or continue on the free plan.
Optimization Issues
Q: The Run button is greyed out or shows a warning. What is wrong?
Hover over the Run button to see the specific warning. Common causes:
| Warning message | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| ”No stock entered” | Stock table is empty | Add at least one stock sheet or bar |
| ”No demand entered” | Demand table is empty | Add at least one piece |
| ”Piece does not fit on any stock” | A demand piece is larger than all stock sheets | Reduce the piece dimensions or add larger stock |
| ”Quantity must be a positive number” | A quantity field is 0 or blank | Enter a valid quantity |
| ”Plan limit reached” | Free plan limits exceeded | Reduce pieces below limit or upgrade to Pro |
Q: The optimization runs but yield is very low (below 70%). What should I do?
Low yield usually has one of these causes:
- Kerf is too large — Check Settings and verify your kerf. A 10 mm kerf instead of 3 mm on a small-piece job will destroy yield.
- Rotation is locked on all pieces — If grain or face direction doesn’t matter, unlock rotation for more flexibility.
- Cut type mismatch — Switch to Nested mode if you’re using a CNC router, for better packing.
- Pieces are disproportionate — Very long narrow pieces are hard to pack efficiently. Consider whether they could be ganged differently.
- Too few pieces to fill sheets — If you’re only cutting a few pieces, they may not fill a sheet well. Add more pieces from upcoming jobs to batch the cut.
Q: The optimization takes a long time or freezes the browser.
Optimization for up to 500 demand pieces typically takes under 5 seconds. For very large jobs (1000+ pieces), it may take 10–30 seconds. During this time the browser may appear unresponsive — this is normal. If it doesn’t complete after 60 seconds:
- Try splitting the job into two separate cuts
- Reduce the number of distinct piece sizes (identical pieces run faster than many unique sizes)
- Refresh the page and try again (your data is auto-saved)
Q: Some of my demand pieces are missing from the result — they were not placed.
This happens when a piece cannot fit on any remaining stock. Check:
- The piece dimensions — is it larger than the stock?
- The quantity of stock — did the optimizer run out of sheets?
- Lock rotation — is the piece locked in an orientation that prevents it fitting?
Unplaced pieces are listed in the results panel under the Unplaced tab with the reason they were excluded.
Export & PDF Issues
Q: My PDF download doesn’t start.
Try these steps in order:
- Check your browser is not blocking pop-ups or downloads from CutOptim
- Try a different browser (Chrome is most reliable for PDF generation)
- Disable browser extensions that block downloads (ad blockers can sometimes interfere)
- Check your internet connection — PDF generation happens server-side for Pro users
- If the issue persists, use the CSV export as a temporary workaround and contact support
Q: The PDF is generated but the layout diagram is blurry or cut off.
This is usually a paper size or orientation mismatch. In the Export dialog:
- Switch paper size to A3 for very wide sheet diagrams
- Switch to Landscape orientation for sheets wider than they are tall
- Enable “Fit to page” in the PDF options
Q: DXF file doesn’t open in my CAD/CNC software.
CutOptim exports DXF R2010 format. If your software can’t open it:
- Check if your software supports DXF R2010 or later (most modern software does)
- Try opening in LibreCAD (free) as a test — if it opens there, the issue is with your specific software’s DXF importer
- Contact support with the name and version of your CNC software
Q: The CSV export opens with garbled characters in Excel.
This is a Unicode/encoding issue. In Excel:
- Do not double-click the file to open it
- Open Excel, go to File → Open
- Change the file type filter to “Text Files”
- Select the CSV and click Open
- In the Text Import Wizard, set “File origin” to UTF-8
Alternatively, open the CSV in Google Sheets (File → Import, encoding: UTF-8) and re-export from there.
Account & Login Issues
Q: I can’t log in — it says my email/password is incorrect.
First, try the Forgot Password link on the login page to reset your password. If you signed up with Google or Apple SSO, use that login method instead of email/password — CutOptim does not create a separate password for SSO accounts.
Q: My projects have disappeared.
If you are on the free plan and your projects are gone, browser storage was likely cleared (by clearing cookies, using a different browser, or a browser extension). On the free plan there is no backup — this data cannot be recovered.
To prevent this in future: either upgrade to Pro (cloud storage) or regularly export CSVs of your cuts.
If you are on Pro and projects are missing, contact support immediately with your account email — cloud data is never deleted without explicit user action.
Q: I upgraded to Pro but still see the free plan limits.
Try logging out and back in to refresh your account status. If the issue persists, clear your browser cache and reload. If Pro features are still unavailable after 10 minutes of upgrading, contact support with your order confirmation number.
Plan Limits & Billing
Q: How many pieces can I add on the free plan?
The free plan allows up to 3 stock sheets and 20 demand pieces per cut, and 1 cut per project. Upgrading to Pro removes all these limits.
Q: Can I downgrade from Pro to free without losing my data?
Yes. Downgrading does not delete your data. However, cuts that exceed the free plan limits will become read-only — you can view and export them but cannot edit or re-run them until you upgrade again.
Q: My Pro trial ended but I was charged. I didn’t want to subscribe.
The trial requires a credit card to start and auto-converts to a paid subscription unless cancelled before the trial ends. Contact billing@cutoptim.com within 7 days of the charge for a full refund, per our refund policy.
To cancel before the trial ends, go to Settings → Account → Subscription → Manage Subscription and click Cancel Trial. You will keep Pro access until the trial period ends, with no charge.
Business Plan
Q: What does the Business plan include that Pro does not?
Three exclusive features: (1) Quotation PDF — generate a client-facing pricing document with tax, validity date, cutting charges, and your company branding; (2) Grain matching — guarantee that specific pieces come from the same stock bar, essential for matched timber panels; (3) Team Workspace — share your project library with up to 3 team members. All Pro features are also included.
Q: How do I set up the Quotation PDF?
You need three things in place: (1) enable Detailed Cost Entry in Advanced Settings and enter unit prices in the Stock or Demand table; (2) configure Quotation Settings in the Dashboard (tax rate, validity days, footer text); (3) run an optimization, then click Export → Quotation PDF. See Quotation PDF for the full walkthrough.
Q: I run a small workshop with two employees. Is Business worth it?
If your employees need access to the same cutting jobs (e.g. an estimator prepares jobs, operators view or update progress), yes — Business pays for itself quickly. If everyone works on separate jobs that never overlap, Pro per-person is often more cost-effective.
Data & Privacy
Q: Is my cutting data stored on CutOptim’s servers?
On the free plan, data is stored only in your browser’s local storage — nothing is sent to CutOptim’s servers. On Pro, projects sync to encrypted cloud storage on CutOptim’s servers. See our Privacy Policy for full details.
Q: Can I export all my data and delete my account?
Yes. Go to Settings → Account → Data and Privacy:
- Export All Data — Downloads a ZIP file containing all your projects as JSON and all cuts as CSV
- Delete Account — Permanently deletes your account and all associated cloud data after a 7-day grace period
Q: Does CutOptim share my data with third parties?
No. CutOptim does not sell or share your cutting data. Aggregate anonymised statistics (e.g. average yield %, popular material sizes) may be used internally to improve the product. See the full Privacy Policy at cutoptim.com/privacy.