The Webex Events platform provides many opportunities to streamline your workflow, and feature import templates are one of the best. Import templates save you time building out features and making quick, mass updates to existing data in the Webex Events Platform.
Sometimes, however, you may encounter an error with your import that must be resolved before importing data successfully. If you receive an import error you're not sure how to fix, then you're in the right place!
This article lists the most common import errors and tips for resolving them.
Looking for instructions on how to use import templates and best practices for preventing errors? Read our Import and Export Feature Content article to learn more.
Searching for your error message in this article
This article is organized into categories of errors. Each section has a table that lists error messages and provides suggestions for resolving them.
Error messages generally state where the error happened, what caused the error, and affected fields or items. To quickly find the error you're looking for, try using ctrl+f (Windows) or cmd+f (Mac) and search for the part of the error message that states the cause.
Here's an example - If you get an error that says "There is a problem with the value in F2: "email@example" is not a valid e-mail.", search for 'not a valid e-mail'.
💡 Keep in mind, this article lists common errors and isn't a comprehensive list of every error you may encounter. If the error you received isn't listed here, start a chat with our helpful support team or email support@socio.events for assistance.
Import template errors
The following table lists errors that involve overall import template formatting.
Error message | Resolution |
It looks like you are trying to import a spreadsheet with a sheet named <xxx> instead of <yyy>. Please check that you are uploading the correct file, or rename the sheet in the file if needed. |
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Your sheet is empty. |
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The contents of Preset Agendas sheet seems wrong. Please export the sheet from platform and do not rearrange rows in it. | This error occurs when certain cells in the Preset Agenda import template aren't labeled properly. Make sure the following cells and labels are correct on your template:
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URL formatting errors
If the URL you entered in the affected cell doesn't adhere to a standard URL format, you'll receive an invalid URL error. Make sure URLs in the template are formatted correctly and link to real places.
Error message | Resolution |
| Make sure URLs added to the import template are valid and adhere to the proper URL format. |
| The image URL must be a URL that links to an existing image. Consider using our image uploader, which generates a link to paste into the affected cell. |
Your handle was not properly formatted! | You must enter the social account in the proper format. Here's an example - LinkedIn URLs should be in the following format: https://www.linkedin.com/in/username |
Field formatting errors
Formatting the information in your import template is key to avoiding a lot of errors. The following errors occur when a cell in an import template doesn't have the correct format. These errors are tied to fields with strict formatting conventions, like email, phone, dates, times, and color fields.
Error message | Resolution |
| Make sure email addresses adhere to the following format: |
Phone number is not valid phone number. | Make sure phone numbers adhere to one of the following formats:
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| Make sure times adhere to one of the following formats:
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| Make sure dates adhere to the following format:
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| Enter the name of a color or a hex code that represents the color you want. |
| These errors refer to the session and attendee Unique Identifier columns in the Preset Agenda import template, which should adhere to the following format: {000000-0000000}
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Send time must be in the future. | Make sure to schedule announcements to be sent at a date and time in the future. |
End time must be greater than start time. | Make sure the session end time is after the start time.
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Stream start time must be at least 10 minutes from now. | Set the stream start time to be 10 minutes or later than the current time, and make sure the date for that session is today's date or in the future, depending on what day you want the live stream to happen. |
Maximum Attendance must be a number. | Update maximum attendance to a whole numeric value greater than 0 if you want to set a limit on attendance for a session. Otherwise, leave it blank. |
Unique Identifier value is not a whole number. | Make sure that the Unique Identifiers column only contains whole numbers.
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| Enter a positive whole number in the affected cell. |
Option(s) must be ordered (1,2,3..etc). | Make sure that the option columns in the Poll import template are in ascending order. Here's an example.
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Required fields and field dependency errors
There are required fields throughout the Webex Events Platform. The same is true when using an import template. Usually, required fields are indicated with an asterisk, and the error message is straightforward.
Some fields in the Webex Events Platform have specific values to choose from, and the import template needs to reflect these options. There are also some fields that have dependent relationships, meaning that if one field is populated, the other field needs a value, too.
Error message | Resolution |
| When a required field is blank on the import template, you'll receive an error.
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Visible To All is required. |
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| Content Link is related to Content Provider.
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| Announcements can be from the event or on behalf of a sponsor. Make sure the value in the affected cell is either the name of the event or the name of an existing sponsor in your Event. |
| Enable Custom Tab, Custom Tab Name, and Custom Tab Link are related fields.
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| If the Provider type is Webex or Zoom, then Open External for that row should have a value of 'yes'. |
URL is not defined. |
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Closed Captions Provider not supported. |
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The value in cell <cell> is not allowed. Please use 'X' or leave the cell empty. | Enter an X in the cell specified by the error message, or leave the cell blank. |
Session <session> on column <column> is not visible to Attendee <attendee> on row <row> because of a Track's Visible To setting on this session. | This means that the session you're trying to add to an attendee's preset agenda is only visible to a group that the attendee isn't in.
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| Enter a valid status in the affected cell.
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| Every poll question must have two options. Enter values in the Option 1 and Option 2 columns for every question. |
These values must all be specified together: <value1>, <value2> | This error happens when two fields are dependent on each other but aren't consistently filled in on the template.
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You can use only one internal or external link. | When importing a template to the Announcements feature, each announcement can only have one linked item, whether it's internal or external. In the template, ensure that no more than one of the following columns is populated for each row.
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Content Link Embed can import with only other content provider. |
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Duplicate errors
In general, features and feature items all need to have unique names. You'll receive errors if you try to import a template that has duplicate columns, duplicate items in a single cell, or a feature or feature item named the same as what already exists in your Event.
Error message | Resolution |
Duplicate title(s) found: <title> | Remove any duplicate columns from the import template. Each column in the spreadsheet must be unique.
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Unique Identifier value is a duplicate of one that exists. | Check to make sure your template doesn't have any duplicate Unique Identifiers. Never edit Unique Identifiers. |
| Make sure the affected cell doesn't have the same item listed twice.
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There are multiple sessions named '<session-name>' at the same time and location. |
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<Email> is used by another attendee. | Each user in your Event needs to have a unique email address to log in to the Event App.
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Attendee <attendee> in cell <cell> has been found more than once.
| Delete any duplicate rows of data from your preset agenda import template. |
| When importing attendees, the external IDs for each user need to be unique and not used by another attendee.
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Passcode <passcode> is not unique. | All passcode values imported to the Event Game feature must be unique. |
Capacity and character limit errors
Most text fields have a character limit, and it's important to stay within that limit to avoid errors. Likewise, some parts of the platform have limits that will cause an error if your import template tries to exceed those limits.
Error message | Resolution |
| Refer to the error message to find the field's character limit, and adjust the value in the cell so that it's under the character limit. |
The option limit is exceeded. Max option count can be 50. | Polling supports up to 50 options per poll. Make sure that each question has under 50 polling options. |
You cannot add more than 3 moderators to a room | The number of moderators you import can't exceed the limit specified in the error message. |
Session <session> on column <column> has a limited capacity of <capacity> attendees and you are trying to add <attendee-count> attendees. | If a session has a set Capacity Limit, then the number of attendees whose preset agenda you add the session to can't exceed that limit. |
Fields that can't be updated via import
Though you can update a lot with import templates, there are a few exceptions.
Error message | Resolution |
Live stream closed captions provider cannot be updated via import. | This error occurs when changing the Closed Captions Provider to or from 'voicea' (known as Webex Events Closed Captions & Translations within the platform) on the import template.
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Invalid url is given. Live stream link for RTMP and Socio-Streaming provider cannot be updated. | It's not possible to update the live stream link via import for RTMP, Webex Events Production Studio, or Production Studio by Restream. Never edit the Live Stream link column on an import template. |
Currently RTMP and Socio Streaming Live Stream Provider is not supported on bulk import. | If you update the Live Stream Provider with socio-streaming or RTMP for a session, you'll receive this error.
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The email address of active users cannot be changed. | Active users have already logged in to the Event App, and you can't change their email address after that happens. Make sure the emails of active users in your template match their email addresses on the Users & Groups page. |
External ID can not be changed. | When updating users with the Attendee Import template, you can't update an external ID that already exists for a user. Export the Attendees template again and leave existing external IDs as-is. |
'Item not found' errors
In cases where you're referencing one item in your Event with another item in your Event, like internal links, or assigning tracks, groups, and categories to feature items, those items you're referencing in the import template need to already exist in the Event. The item names on the template also need to exactly match the item names as they are in your Event.
Error message | Resolution |
Feature name(s) was not found: <feature-name>. | Ensure that the feature exists in your Event before using it in the template and that the spelling in the template matches exactly. |
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Session(s) not found: <session-name>. | Ensure that the session exists in your Event before using it in the template and that the spelling in the template matches exactly. |
Unique Identifier was not found. |
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Attendee not found for email(s), <email addresses>. | Ensure that the Attendee with this email exists in your Event before using it in the template and that the spelling in the template matches exactly. |
Need further assistance with import errors? Start a chat with our helpful Support team or email support@socio.events for assistance.
Questions? Chat Us or Email support@socio.events