FAR Error Message Glossary
This guide provides a description of error codes and messages that may occur during a load process of Faculty Activity Reporting (FAR, Faculty180).
FAR UI and Base Data Loads
Below is a list of possible error messages, by file type, returned when using the FAR Upload data tool, or within a base-data autoload notification email. The most likely explanation and fix for each error is provided.
Faculty File
| Error Message | Explanation of Message | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Invalid unit | File contains a Unit that does not exist in the FAR unit hierarchy. | Check the FAR unit hierarchy, and add any missing Units, or modify the invalid Unit(s) in the file. |
| Current user email does not match records on file | The user’s email address in FAR does not match their Interfolio account primary email. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Email associated with another user | This can occur when trying to update a faculty email with an email address that is already in use by a different Interfolio account. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Account exists as a Support Account | Occurs when trying to update a Support Account using a Faculty file. | Support accounts can be updated using the Support Account file type, or manually using the UI. |
| Duplicate Record | Duplicate records are skipped. | Check the file for any duplicates, and remove if needed. |
| User does not have a PID | The user does not have an associated Interfolio account. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Email not defined in upload | Check that the failed record has a valid email address. | Fix the failing email address. |
| Failed to copy file | This can occur when the file is removed during the load process, or it can signify a system error. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| PID has already been taken |
Duplicate user may exist in the system. |
Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Upload form not configured properly or uploaded file not formatted correctly | The file format or filename may not match required naming conventions. The file may not contain the correct fields, or the fields may not be in the correct order. | Check file format is in .csv. Check that the filename matches required convention. Compare fields with the Upload Form in FAR. Contact Interfolio support if the above settings are correct but the error is occurring. |
| Automatic upload not configured for this type | The upload settings need to be saved for the autoload file type. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Incorrect number of filename parts. Are you missing an underscore? | The file name does not adhere to Interfolio's convention. | Consult the naming conventions on “Bulk Base Data Uploads.” |
Current Position File
| Error Message | Explanation of Message | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Invalid unit | File contains a Unit that does not exist in the FAR unit hierarchy. | Check the FAR unit hierarchy, and add any missing Units, or modify the invalid Unit(s) in the file. |
| Missing Faculty Member | The facultyID could not be found in FAR. | Check that the facultyID is listed correctly. If new, add the new faculty member. |
| Failed to copy file | This can occur when the file is removed during the load process, or it can signify a system error. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Upload form not configured properly or uploaded file not formatted correctly | The file format or filename may not match required naming conventions. The file may not contain the correct fields, or the fields may not be in the correct order. | Check file format is in .csv. Check that the filename matches required convention. Compare fields with the Upload Form in FAR. Contact Interfolio support if the above settings are correct but the error is occurring. |
| Automatic upload not configured for this type | The upload settings need to be saved for the autoload file type. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Incorrect number of filename parts. Are you missing an underscore? | The file name does not adhere to Interfolio's convention. | Consult the naming conventions on “Bulk Base Data Uploads.” |
Secondary Units File
| Error Message | Explanation of Message | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Invalid unit | File contains a Unit that does not exist in the FAR unit hierarchy. | Check the FAR unit hierarchy, and add any missing Units, or modify the invalid Unit(s) in the file. |
| Missing Faculty Member | The facultyID could not be found in FAR. | Check that the facultyID is listed correctly. If new, add the new faculty member. |
| Failed to copy file | This can occur when the file is removed during the load process, or it can signify a system error. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Upload form not configured properly or uploaded file not formatted correctly | The file format or filename may not match required naming conventions. The file may not contain the correct fields, or the fields may not be in the correct order. | Check file format is in .csv. Check that the filename matches required convention. Compare fields with the Upload Form in FAR. Contact Interfolio support if the above settings are correct but the error is occurring. |
| Automatic upload not configured for this type | The upload settings need to be saved for the autoload file type. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Incorrect number of filename parts. Are you missing an underscore? | The file name does not adhere to Interfolio's convention. | Consult the naming conventions on “Bulk Base Data Uploads.” |
Unit File
| Error Message | Explanation of Message | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No parent unit found | A parent Unit is missing in FAR for the unit in the file. | Check FAR unit hierarchy, and add missing parent unit. |
| Failed to copy file | This can occur when the file is removed during the load process, or it can signify a system error. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Upload form not configured properly or uploaded file not formatted correctly | The file format or filename may not match required naming conventions. The file may not contain the correct fields, or the fields may not be in the correct order. | Check file format is in .csv. Check that the filename matches required convention. Compare fields with the Upload Form in FAR. Contact Interfolio support if the above settings are correct but the error is occurring. |
| Automatic upload not configured for this type | The upload settings need to be saved for the autoload file type. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Incorrect number of filename parts. Are you missing an underscore? | The file name does not adhere to Interfolio's convention. | Consult the naming conventions on “Bulk Base Data Uploads.” |
Support Account File
| Error Message | Explanation of Message | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Current user email does not match records on file | The user’s email address in FAR does not match their Interfolio account primary email. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Email associated with another user | This can occur when trying to update a faculty email with an email address that is already in use by a different Interfolio account. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| User does not have a PID | The user does not have an associated Interfolio account. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Email not defined in upload | Check that the failed record has a valid email address. | Fix the failing email address. |
| Failed to copy file | This can occur when the file is removed during the load process, or it can signify a system error. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| PID has already been taken |
Duplicate user may exist in the system. |
Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Upload form not configured properly or uploaded file not formatted correctly | The file format or filename may not match required naming conventions. The file may not contain the correct fields, or the fields may not be in the correct order. | Check file format is in .csv. Check that the filename matches required convention. Compare fields with the Upload Form in FAR. Contact Interfolio support if the above settings are correct but the error is occurring. |
| Automatic upload not configured for this type | The upload settings need to be saved for the autoload file type. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Incorrect number of filename parts. Are you missing an underscore? | The file name does not adhere to Interfolio's convention. | Consult the naming conventions on “Bulk Base Data Uploads.” |
Faculty Classification File
| Error Message | Explanation of Message | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Missing Classification Level: <classification field name> | This can occur when trying to load or update using a value that is not available in the configured list of values. | Modify the file so that it contains valid classification values, or add the new value to the FAR classification drop-down list. |
| Missing Faculty Member | The facultyID could not be found in FAR. | Check that the facultyID is listed correctly. If new, add the new faculty member. |
| No term matches | The term cannot be found in FAR. | Check that the term is listed correctly. If new, add the new term to FAR. |
| Failed to copy file | This can occur when the file is removed during the load process, or it can signify a system error. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Upload form not configured properly or uploaded file not formatted correctly | The file format or filename may not match required naming conventions. The file may not contain the correct fields, or the fields may not be in the correct order. | Check file format is in .csv. Check that the filename matches required convention. Compare fields with the Upload Form in FAR. Contact Interfolio support if the above settings are correct but the error is occurring. |
| Automatic upload not configured for this type | The upload settings need to be saved for the autoload file type. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Incorrect number of filename parts. Are you missing an underscore? | The file name does not adhere to Interfolio's convention. | Consult the naming conventions on “Bulk Base Data Uploads.” |
Courses Taught File
| Error Message | Explanation of Message | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Missing Faculty Member | The facultyID could not be found in FAR. | Check that the facultyID is listed correctly. If new, add the new faculty member. |
| No course matches | The course prefix and number combination cannot be found in FAR. | Check that the course values (such as the prefix, course number, course designation, section, and others) are listed correctly. If new, add the new course to FAR. |
| No term matches | The term cannot be found in FAR. | Check that the term is listed correctly. If new, add the new term to FAR. |
| Failed to copy file | This can occur when the file is removed during the load process, or it can signify a system error. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Upload form not configured properly or uploaded file not formatted correctly | The file format or filename may not match required naming conventions. The file may not contain the correct fields, or the fields may not be in the correct order. | Check file format is in .csv. Check that the filename matches required convention. Compare fields with the Upload Form in FAR. Contact Interfolio support if the above settings are correct but the error is occurring. |
| Automatic upload not configured for this type | The upload settings need to be saved for the autoload file type. | Contact Interfolio support to remediate. |
| Incorrect number of filename parts. Are you missing an underscore? | The file name does not adhere to Interfolio's convention. | Consult the naming conventions on “Bulk Base Data Uploads.” |
| Invalid faculty member | The facultyID could not be found in FAR. | Check that the facultyID is listed correctly. If the faculty needs to be added, a Faculty file can be used to load them. |
The error message “Deleting this item could damage your database. Contact Interfolio to delete this item" appears when an institution attempts to remove an Activity Classification from their database. Contact TSA to fix this error.
Other FAR Autoloads
Grants File
| Error Message | Explanation of Message | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate | The record was found to already exist within the file. | Remove duplicate records from the file prior to processing. |
|
Period End Date Before Period Start Date (Award or Proposal file) |
The End Date is earlier than the Start Date. | Modify the Start and End dates within the file. |
| Check Config/Activity Classification Value | The field includes a value that is not an option configured in FAR, such as a status or Activity Classification field. | Review the configured values in FAR and check that they match the options provided in the file. |
| Empty Requirement | A required field is empty. | Populate the required field. |
| Data Error | An unexpected data value was unable to be loaded. | Review data for characters not supported by UTF-8. Contact Interfolio support if more info is needed. |
Scholarly File
| Error Message | Explanation of Message | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate | The record was found to already exist within the file. | Remove duplicate records from the file prior to processing. |
| Check Config/Activity Classification Value | The field includes a value that is not an option configured in FAR, such as a status or Activity Classification field. | Review the configured values in FAR and check that they match the options provided in the file. |
| Empty Requirement | A required field is empty. | Populate the required field. |
| Data Error | An unexpected data value was unable to be loaded. | Review data for characters not supported by UTF-8. Contact Interfolio support if more info is needed. |
| File Formatting/Layout Issues |
Errors during file upload are typically due to formatting or layout issues. If you're making multiple changes, it's helpful to upload after completing each section. This allows you to catch and resolve errors early before moving on. |
|
Custom File
| Error Message | Explanation of Message | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Data Error | An unexpected data value was unable to be loaded. | Review data for characters not supported by UTF-8. Contact Interfolio support if more info is needed. |
| WARNING: Check Drop-Down/Radio Button Value | The field includes a value that is not an option configured in FAR. | Review the specific drop-down field or radio button in FAR and ensure the options are valid and match the provided file. |
| WARNING: Check Checkbox Value | The field includes a value that is not an option configured in FAR. | Review the specific checkbox field and ensure the options are valid and match the provided file. |
| Term End Date BEFORE Term Start Date | The Term End Date is earlier than the Term Start Date. | Modify the Term Dates in the file. |
Technical Services Load Logs
Below is a list of possible error messages contained in the error logs returned by Technical Services. The most likely explanation and fix, for each error, is provided.
| Error Message | Explanation of Message | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| ERROR: “Missing Faculty” | File load process is unable to find the facultyID in FAR. | Check that the facultyID exists in FAR. Add faculty member if needed. |
| ERROR: "Could not Find Course” | File load process is unable to find the course prefix, course number, and section ID combination provided. | Check that the course data exists in FAR (Faculty ID, Course Prefix, Course Number, and Section ID). |
| ERROR: "Invalid File Name" | File attachment file name is not valid. | Check that the file type is supported by FAR. |
| ERROR: “Unable to find Faculty Member” | File load process is unable to find the facultyID in FAR. | Check that the facultyID exists in FAR. Add faculty member if needed. |
FAQ
What Special Characters Are Accepted, and How Can I Avoid UTF-8 Errors?
Interfolio accepts Basic Latin (Unicode). While some UTF-8 characters outside of Basic Latin may work, support is not guaranteed and varies case by case. These characters are often the cause of UTF-8 error messages during file upload or data entry.
Tips to Avoid Errors:
- Avoid copying and pasting directly from Word into Interfolio text boxes. Hidden formatting characters may be carried over.
If pasting from Word is necessary, first paste the content into Notepad or a plain text editor, then copy it into Interfolio. This helps expose and remove hidden characters.
- Use the “Clear Formatting” button in Interfolio’s Rich Text Editor to clean up pasted content.
- To paste without formatting, use the shortcut Shift + Ctrl + V (instead of Ctrl + V). This helps prevent hidden characters from being introduced.