Import History: Troubleshooting

This page covers the messages and blocks you may run into during an import, what each one means, and how to clear it.

"Start an import" is replaced with a permission message

What it means: Starting an import requires permission to post journal entries. Without it, the button is replaced with a line explaining that the permission is required.

Fix: Ask an administrator to grant the posting permission for this property, then reload the tab.

The file will not upload

What it means: The file is not a CSV or Excel (.xlsx) file, or it is too large (the limit is 50 MB). URBI also checks that the workbook itself can be opened: a password-protected or damaged Excel file gets its own message, "This file could not be read. Check that it is not password protected or damaged, then choose another file."

Fix: Re-export the ledger from your accounting system as a .csv or .xlsx file. If the file is very large, narrow the date range of the export or split it. If a failed upload leaves an import behind in Import History, it is cleaned up automatically; if that cleanup itself fails, the error message says so and names Import History as where to discard it.

Commit is blocked by held entries

What it means: One or more entries cannot be posted as-is. The review screen shows them as held, in two categories:

• Held, unbalanced: the entry's debits do not equal its credits.
• Held, closed-period conflict: the entry falls in a fiscal period that is already locked.

Fix: Open Fix Held Entries from the review screen and clear each one:

• For an unbalanced entry, click Fix to edit the lines until debits equal credits, or click Exclude to leave it out of the import.
• For a closed-period entry, click Acknowledge & exclude. URBI never re-opens a closed period during an import. If you need that entry posted, re-open the period manually first, then re-run the import.

Once every held entry is fixed or excluded, Commit Import becomes active.

Commit sends me back to an earlier step

What it means: URBI found an account, vendor, or unit match that is still unresolved, for example a proposal that was never confirmed, or a payer that was never assigned to a unit or member. Rather than fail the import, URBI takes you back to that Resolve step so you can finish it.

Fix: Resolve or exclude the flagged item on the step you land on, then continue forward through the wizard again to Commit Import. See the GL Upload Automation article for how these proposals are generated and how to exclude an item you cannot resolve.

A row says "Code clash" and Continue is unavailable

What it means: A new account in your file has a code that another account in your chart already uses. URBI flags it as soon as the GL accounts step opens, so the import cannot fail halfway through posting. The banner at the top counts the clashes, and the footer reads Resolve N code clashes to continue.

Fix: On the red row, select Change code and pick a code nobody uses, then Stage account; or select Map to existing account to use the account that already holds that code. Show me in the banner jumps to the first clash. Continue switches on as soon as the last clash clears. See How to Import Your Accounting History.

"We stopped the import before anything was posted"

What it means: After you pressed Commit Import, URBI found a code clash that had appeared since you staged the import, for example an account added to your chart in the meantime. It stopped before posting anything, so your ledger is unchanged.

Fix: You are returned to the GL accounts step with the clashing row ready. Change the code or map the row to the existing account, then commit again.

"This file has account names but no account codes"

What it means: Your file identifies accounts by name only. URBI needs a code for each account, because lines without a code cannot be told apart and could be posted to the wrong account. Continue stays unavailable on Map Columns and the footer shows Still need: Account code.

Fix: Map the column that holds each account's code to Account. If your file has no code column, add one and upload the file again. When you choose the corrected file while the first import is still open, select Start over with this file to replace it.

"This import can't be reopened while some of its entries are still posted"

What it means: You selected Reopen for editing on an older reversed import, but some of its journal entries are still posted on your books (for example entries that were kept because they were matched in a bank reconciliation). Reopening would risk booking them twice. The message names the entries.

Fix: Void the named entries in the General Ledger, then reopen. The same check stops Discard on such an import: This import still has entries posted on the books. It cannot be discarded while they are posted.

Reverse and reopen is refused

What it means: A month was closed after the import, an imported invoice was paid or written off, or a newer import was committed after this one. The red banner in the dialog names the months, invoices or import, and ends with Nothing was changed. No entries were voided.

Fix: Reopen the named months, reverse or refund the payments, undo the write-off, or reverse the newer import first, then try again. See How to Reverse an Import.

"Trial balance only"

What it means: Your property can import a trial balance (opening balances per account) but not line-by-line transaction history. The Units and Vendors steps are hidden, and the wizard runs as 5 steps instead of 7.

Fix: This is expected for your property's accounting setup. If you need full transaction-level history for the current fiscal year, contact URBI support.

The import shows a "Failed" status

What it means: Something stopped the commit before any entries were posted, for example the property's accounting access changed, or the user's permission to post journal entries was removed while the import was running. No partial data is posted in this case. Whatever refused the commit, the screen always says why: Commit Import never fails silently.

Fix: Open the batch to read the failure reason. You will also receive a "Import failed" email confirming nothing was posted. Resolve the underlying cause (restore the property's accounting access or the posting permission), then retry the import or discard it and start fresh.

Re-upload duplicate warning

What it means: The file you selected matches one from a previously committed batch (by content or by overlapping date range). This is a safeguard against importing the same history twice.

Fix: Cancel if it is a duplicate. If you genuinely intend to re-import (for example after reversing the earlier batch), you can proceed knowingly.

Opening an import link shows "We could not find this import"

What it means: You followed a link (for example from an email) to a specific import batch, and that batch no longer exists. It may have been discarded.

Fix: Nothing is broken. Select Dismiss on the notice and open Import History normally to see the current batches.

A row reads "matched, name unavailable"

What it means: URBI matched the row to a unit or a vendor, but that unit or vendor has since been removed and its name can no longer be shown.

Fix: Nothing to do. The import will still post to the matched unit or vendor; only the display name is unavailable.

A count in the file summary looks off

What it means: The header row URBI reports (for example when you use Adjust) is counted over non-empty rows in the file, so a blank line near the top of your export will not shift the count the way counting every physical line would.

Fix: This is expected. If the header still looks wrong, use Adjust to point at the correct row directly; the correction saves immediately, without waiting for you to click Continue.