Common Conference App Builder Import Data Errors and Import Exclusion Reasons

Modified on Tue, 05 Sep 2023 at 05:19 PM

Data is often imported from a variety of sources with many different people inputting content. For example, you may have your team members use an Abstract Management System like ScholarOne and other team members use an exhibitor management system like A2Z. 


If, in a tool like ScholarOne, a session is added on that system without a correct date, or it's missing a required field like Session Type, then you will see errors. Some errors are automatically skipped by the Conference App Builder. Check the import reports to know which data fields have been excluded from the import so you know to fix those in your data sources. This could be as simple as a wrong image format for your exhibitor logo (e.g. images must be png or jpg format). See video below.


If you are stopped from publishing due to orphan errors, you are linking to content that doesn't exist in the Conference App Builder. Please review the article about orphans.



Note that the errors are the same, regardless of the type of data.


Example Session Errors


End time before start time

Data Row: 9 ID: 1024 Column Header: Start Time - end time 15:00:00 is earlier than start time 16:00:00


The data says that this session ends an hour before it starts. Ensure each timed session has a logical start and end time, and a non-zero duration. If dealing with a subsession or presentation, ensure its date and times are set to occur within the date and time of the parent session. 


Missing Session Title Field (required)

Data Row: 2 ID: 2039 Column Header: Title - Data missing. This is a required field.


All sessions must have a title. Ensure your session with ID 2039 has a title filled in in your source data.


Subsession id same as parent

row: 10 id: 2039, subsession cannot have itself as parent 2039


Presentations are linked to parent sessions by listing the ID of the parent session. So if the parent has the ID 10 and the presentation the ID 1000, then the presentation would list 10 as it's parent. This links the two records together. The presentation ID 1000 cannot have 1000 as the parent - this means it links to itself as the parent. Correct your source data. 


Sample Speaker/Exhibitor/Media Errors


Email not in correct format

Data Row: 3 ID: 3400 Column Header: Email - the following email is invalid: testativ.me


An email address must have this format abc@abc.com and include the @ symbol. 


Email has multiple values

Data Row: 2 ID: 9867 Column Header: Email - only one email address allowed: test@ativ.me,test2@ativ.me

Each email field can only have one single email address per person.


Missing Required Field (ID, Last Name/Exhibitor Name)

Data Row: 8 ID: 8734 Column Header: Last Name - Data missing. This is a required field.


The speaker in your data source row 8 is missing required fields. In this example, the record is missing the last name field.


Wrong Image Format

Data Row: 7 ID: 4883 Column Header: Photo - incorrect image file ext photo.pdf


The image has an unsupported file extension. Only .png or .jpg files can be imported because only .png or .jpg files are supported on most mobile devices.


Wrong Media Item Type

Data Row: 102 ID: 1000 invalid media type: doc


The media type does not exist. Media items can only have the following types: 

  • html (web links)
  • pdf
  • ext/html (external web links)
  • int/html (abstracts)
  • sso/html (links - login required)


Search Training


Value has less than two characters

Data Row: 4 ID: g Column Header: word - g must be a string of 3 or more characters


You must have terms that are at least two characters long. 



Incorrect Date/Time formats


Date/Time - dt1 validator (Start DateTime)

  • Start value in wrong format
    • row: 1 id: 1000, invalid date-time, expects format Y-m-d H:i:s <value>
  • Missing end value
    • row: 1 id: 1000 specifies a start time, but does not have a matching end time validator
  • End value in wrong format
    • row: 1 id: 1000, starttime field: <value> has an invalid matching endtime <end value>
  • Start value is greater than end value
    • row: 1 id: 1000, end time is earlier than start time
  • Start and end values on different dates
    • row: 1 id: 1000, start and end times must be on the same calendar date


Date/Time - dt2 validator (End DateTime)

  • Value in wrong format
    • row: 1 id: 1000, invalid date-time, expects format MM/dd/yyyy HH:mm:ss $val


Time - t1 validator (Start Time)

  • Start value in wrong format
    • row: 1 id: 1000, invalid date-time, expects format HH:mm:ss <value>
  • MIssing end value
    • row: 1 id: 1000, specifies a start time, but does not have a matching end time validator
  • End value in wrong format
    • row: 1 id: 1000, starttime field: <value> has an invalid matching endtime <end value>
  • Start time later than end time
    • row: 1 id: 1000, end time <end value> is earlier than start time <value>
  • Start time same as end time
    • row: 1 id: 1000, end time <end value> is the same as the start time <value>


Time - t2 validator (End Time)

  • Value in wrong format
    • row: 1 id: 1000, invalid date-time, expects format HH:mm:ss <value>


Date - date validator (Date)

  • Value in wrong format
    • row: 1 id: 1000, invalid date, expects format YYYY-MM-DD: <value>

Bad Data

Value being a comma, or starting with a comma

Data Row: 5 ID: 346 Column Header: Level - Field value must contain more than a comma. Comma has been removed.


To resolve, remove that comma from the item with the ID 346, or correct the data such that there is actual content in the "Level" column for item ID 346.


Data Row: 4 ID: 427 Column Header: Session Description - Field value cannot start with a comma.


Just like you cannot start a sentence with a comma, you cannot have a data field start with a comma. Your content for ID 427's session description must start with an alphanumeric character. 


Line breaks in non-description fields

Data Row: 8 ID: 4763 Column Header: Level - Metadata must not contain line breaks: Keyword 1, Keyword 2, Keyword 3


Metadata in this case refers to fields that are used for filter keywords. The column "Level" is being used as a filter. The sample record ID 4763 has line breaks in its "Level" field. Line breaks are not supported in any metadata fields -- they are supported only in description fields. Remove any other line breaks in your source data.


Too much content in a field

Data Row: 24 ID: very-long-exhibitor-id-exceeds-max-length Column Header: Exhibitor ID - Exhibitor ID exceeds max length 20: 42 'very-long-exhibitor-id-exceeds-max-length'


Each field in your table has a content limit. In this example, the ID field allows for 20 characters but, as you can see, the value is much longer than 20 characters. It's exceeding the limit. 


Field Mapping Errors

For information on errors pertaining to your field mapping, please see this article: https://support.ativsoftware.com/support/solutions/articles/24000076234