Overview
If you see an error like:
"OAuth App Blocked"
"OAuth Error"
"OAUTH_APPROVAL_ERROR_GENERIC"
…it means that Scratchpad doesn’t have access to connect with your Salesforce account.
To resolve this, you’ll need help from your Salesforce Administrator or Operations team. They must confirm that Scratchpad is installed correctly and that your profile or user is allowed to access Scratchpad.
Resolution
Salesforce Admins can resolve this error in Salesforce by checking the following:
1. Confirm Scratchpad is installed as a connected app
In Salesforce, go to Setup → Apps → Connected Apps → Connected Apps OAuth Usage → Scratchpad → Install
2. Configure user access
Once Scratchpad is installed, click Manage App Policies and select a setting for Permitted Users. You have two options:
All users may self-authorize (Recommended, Salesforce Default)
→ Allows all users in the org to authorize the app after signing in.
Admin approved users are pre-authorized
→ Only users with the associated profile or permission set can access Scratchpad.
Admins must grant access by editing each profile’s Connected App Access list (or assigning a permission set with Scratchpad access).
3. Re-authenticate in Scratchpad
After policies are updated, users can log back into Scratchpad and re-authenticate with Salesforce successfully!
Still having trouble after following these steps?
Check out Salesforce's in-depth guide or email us at [email protected] and we'll help you troubleshoot.