This article lists tips and guidance connected to the manual user import through the "Mass-edit" functionality.
NOTE: When downloading file templates from Eletive, the CSV. file format and file content will be according to the accepted Eletive standards/format. However, global settings on your computer or software (e.g. Excel) may overwrite this when opening the file.
Also note that Excel and CSV are not the same file format, even though Excel can open and edit CSV files. Excel sometimes views and saves CSV files in strange ways, such as date format and value delimiter.
Below is a list of common tips, guidance, and information regarding error messages that can be used before and during upload of user data into Eletive. For more context, see: Add, edit or remove users
File Format
1. Not uploading a .csv file
"Mass-edit" supports the csv. file type.
Make sure to save the file as .csv. before uploading it to Eletive.
Solution example Excel - Save file as csv
2. Comma separator/delimiter
CSV files (comma-separated values) can use different delimiters (e.g. ",", ".", ";") to separate values in the file. Eletive only supports semicolon (;) as a delimiter.
This is a common issue when using Google Sheets.
Tip: Open the file in a raw/plain text editor (e.g. Notepad on Windows) to view the delimiter. If needed, use the "find/replace all" -functions e.g. to replace all commas "," with semicolons ";"
2.1 All data shows in one column --> Text to columns
Often when having issues with the value delimiter, all data may be shown in the same column when opening the export csv file from Eletive in Excel. Use the Text to columns functionality in Excel to split the data into separate columns. Solution example Excel - Text to Coloumns
3. File format/character encoding
If you have the character "�" in Eletive means that some characters have not been recognized in your file upload.
To ensure that all characters are recognized (e.g. for Scandinavian languages including "å", "ä", "ö"), choose a file format where these characters are recognized, e.g. the file format "CSV UFT-8"
4. Latest software version
Make sure you are using the latest version of your software (e.g. Excel) to avoid any rendering errors.
File content
For issues related to the file content, an error log file will be available for download.
This file contains the rows in the CSV file that have been skipped due to errors.
The file contains these columns: Row, Email, Message.
See the list below of common file content errors, suggested solution examples, related error messages, etc.
1. Missing mandatory information
Make sure to include information in all mandatory fields. Mandatory fields are:
Email and/or ExternalId, Firstname, Lastname
Related error messages:
"Error [Email]: Email is in the wrong format or missing
"Error [First name]: Mandatory and cannot be empty"
"Error [Last name]: Mandatory and cannot be empty"
2. Template headers are not the same as in the Eletive template
Adjust to the correct heading. Example "Email" and not "E-mail. Do NOT change the template headers in general.
Related error messages:
Note: This message display as a Pop-up (namned Import Analysis) when uploading the file.
"Unnamed column: #{column number}"
"Unknown columns: '{list of column names}'. To import them, first add them as attributes."
3. Incorrect email format
Make sure the email addresses are correct.
The Email field is case-insensitive. Emails are saved in lowercase letters in Eletive.
Related error message:
"Error [Email]: Email is in the wrong format or missing"
4. User duplicates
Users are uniquely defined by the fields Email and/or ExternalId
Email field is case-insensitive, while ExternalId field is case-sensitive.
Remove duplicates: Solution example Excel - Find and remove duplicates
Check both Email and ExternalId for duplicate values
Related error message:
"More then one user with this email in the imported file"
5. Incorrect date format (not the same as in the template)
The Eletive-supported date format is YYYY-MM-DD.
Excel may auto-change/detect dates and change to an incorrect date format.
Tip: Open the file in a raw text editor (e.g. Notepad on Windows) to view the date values as they will be uploaded, don't use Excel to check this (as it will auto-change/detect the date values).
Changing the Windows time format will prevent Excel from auto-changing to the wrong time format in CSV files when opening .csv in Excel. To change the Windows time format, do the following: Open Settings. Click on Time & Language. Click on Date & time. Click on Date and time formats. Change the short date to YYYY-MM-DD.
Or see more detailed info here.
Related error message:
"Not a date (use format YYYY-MM-DD)"
6. Incorrect language codes
Adjust to the correct language codes listed here: Languages codes.
E.g. using "se" and not "sv" for Swedish.
The language codes are case-sensitive.
You can use search/replace in the column to change this. Solution example Excel - Find or Replace
Related error message:
"Error [Language]: Language not supported or in the wrong format"
7. There are spaces before and after segment names
Remove the spaces. Solution example Excel
8. There are empty columns with empty values
If you keep getting messages that "....is missing or cannot be found" and you don't know why. Remove all the columns that have empty values and try to upload the file again. It's best practice to always remove columns that should not be updated in the platform, even if they seem empty.
9. Users type attribute
An Eletive hierarchy is built based on the information the users type attribute/column.
Use column:"{userAttributeName} Email" and/or "{userAttributeName ExternalId}" to reference another profile/row.
9.1 The column {userAttributeName} Email"
Write the email in lowercase letters.
Solution example Excel - Change the case of text
9.2 The column {userAttributeName} ExternalId"
Needs to match an existing ExternalId, this field is case-sensitive.
9.3 Loop in the segment hierarchy
There cannot be a loop in the segment hierarchy/user references.
Below are examples of common loops that occur:
- A user reference to him-/herself (User 1 --> User 1)
- A loop further down/up the reference line (User 1 --> User 2 --> User 3 --> User 1)
A loop as User 3 references to User 1).
Related error messages:
Note: These error messages display as a Pop-up when uploading the file.These need to be solved
in the file in order to be able to upload it.
7.1 and 7.2
Manager {Manager Email/ExternalId} not found for user {User Email/ExternalId}
7.3
Circular reference detected: {User caught in loop} -->...-->...--> {User caught in loop}
10. Numbers attribute
The numbers attribute is stored as a float value. Use "." as a decimal operator if needed. E.g. "0.5" and NOT "0,5".
Related error message:
"Not a number"
Known limitations
Upload of large files
Larger csv files with large, especially those containing the users type attribute, are prone to time out (not able to execute all updates in time).
The file upload will either be stuck the loading stage (despite not actually performing any tasks) or you'll receive error pop-up messages (s) indicating the servers could not be reached.
In such scenarios, it is sometimes enough to just reattempt to upload the file. If the upload does not proceed successfully, the file needs to be split into smaller files (divide in half, if not working, repeat and split in half). Once all the smaller files has been uploaded successfully, upload the full file again.
NOTE: The above guides you on how to remove mistakes in .csv-files before uploading them into Eletive. Eletive cannot guarantee consulting capabilities in other systems than Eletive such as Excel, Google Sheets, Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Microsoft Azure Active Directory) etc.
For this reason, Eletive does not do any consulting in other systems than Eletive, which is by default stated in the Terms and Conditions in customer contracts. We do hope that above stated common errors help you towards the successful uploading of your .csv-file.