Your import file won't upload or parse
This page covers what to do when a file won’t upload to the import screen, or when MapleGather accepts the file but reports a parsing problem.
How to fix it
Section titled “How to fix it”The message above the drop zone names what stopped the upload. Find it below.
The file was refused before it uploaded
Section titled “The file was refused before it uploaded”- “… is larger than the 50 MB upload limit.” Import files can be up to 50 MB. Split the file into smaller files (for example, alphabetically by last name) and import each one separately.
- “… can’t be uploaded because its file type isn’t accepted here.” Choose a CSV, Excel or XML file. If your data is in another format (such as
.ods,.numbersor.tsv), open it in your spreadsheet app, use File > Save As or Export, and save it as CSV or.xlsx. - “The file name is longer than 255 characters.” Rename the file with a shorter name, then choose it again.
- “Your session has expired, so the upload didn’t start.” Sign in again, then choose the file again.
- “You can’t upload your import file because your role doesn’t include the “Start a data import” permission.” (or the same message naming the permission to upload files) Ask an org owner to add that permission to your role.
- “Files can’t be uploaded because your organization’s subscription is read-only …” — the organization’s free trial has ended, a payment didn’t go through, or the organization has been closed. Nothing can be imported while the subscription is read-only. If the trial has ended or a payment didn’t go through, reading and exporting still work; if the organization has been closed, reading still works but exporting doesn’t. The Subscription page, at
/admin/admin-security/subscription, shows the subscription’s status. - “You’re previewing the portal as a member, so everything is read-only.” Exit the preview, then upload again.
The file didn’t reach file storage
Section titled “The file didn’t reach file storage”- “Your file wasn’t uploaded because file storage refused it (error …).” or “… because file storage didn’t respond.” The file never arrived, so no import was created. Check your connection and choose the file again; each try uploads the whole file from the start.
- “The upload didn’t start because your browser couldn’t reach MapleGather.” Your browser is offline or lost its connection. Reconnect, then choose the file again.
- “The upload didn’t start because MapleGather’s server didn’t respond.”, “The upload didn’t start because MapleGather’s server hit an unexpected error while preparing it.”, “The upload didn’t start because MapleGather’s server refused the request (error …).”, or “The upload didn’t start because MapleGather’s reply didn’t include a usable secure (HTTPS) upload address, so your file was not sent.” The problem was on MapleGather’s side before your file was sent. Choose the file again.
The file uploaded but the import didn’t start
Section titled “The file uploaded but the import didn’t start”MapleGather reads your file when it creates the import. If that step fails, the screen shows “We couldn’t start this import. Please try again.”, the reason MapleGather gave, or — if the connection dropped at that moment — “Your file uploaded, but the import wasn’t created because your browser couldn’t reach MapleGather.” Choose the file again to start over.
Problems inside individual rows (a missing email, a level that doesn’t exist yet) don’t stop the upload — they show up on the import preview. See Your import has errors or skipped rows.
If that didn’t work
Section titled “If that didn’t work”If the same file keeps stopping at the same step, save it as a fresh .csv from your spreadsheet app, or split it into smaller files, and upload those.