Troubleshoot imports
Find out what to do if your import was compete with issues or failed.
- Import complete with issues (Partial Success - Some data imported)
- Some of your data was imported but some wasn't. Click Download failed records, check which data was not imported, review the error messages, fix the issues in your import file, then re-import it.
- Import failed (Critical - No data imported)
- Your data was not imported. Read the error messages on the screen, fix the errors, then re-import the file.
General errors
- Your custom Excel file doesn't meet the import file formatting requirements.
- Review the import file formatting requirements in the article on importing a custom Excel file to check if your file meets all the requirements.
- The column headers in your custom Excel import file aren't correctly mapped to the corresponding Sovos headers.
- Review the article on mapping your data for instructions on how to map your headers successfully.Tip:
Having trouble importing your custom Excel file? Try our import templates. They're pre-formatted and mapped correctly.
- You are importing form data before adding payer and recipient data.
- Each form must be linked to a payer and recipient, so their information must be in the system before you import the forms. You should:
Import or manually add the payer and recipient data, then
Import the form data.
- You are importing forms with withholding values, but the payers associated with the forms do not have state identifiers.
- Follow these steps:
On the Payers page, use the filters or the search tool to find the payer, then click the payer's row.
Enter the two-letter state abbreviation in the State field and the state identifier in the State ID field. Click Add another state to add more state identifiers.
A state ID is a string of letters and numbers assigned by a state to identify the payer, for example, 1234567 or 1234567890ABC. States may assign an ID to a payer if they have previously reported to them. Some states call their state ID a company number or withholding account number. If you have reported to a state before but don't know your state ID, contact the state. Learn more about state-specific filing requirements and deadlines.
Click Save, then re-import the form data.
- Your import is stuck in the import queue.
- Contact support.
Field validation errors
For a complete list of field validations by record type, download our import templates and review the Field Validations column on the Fields Explained tab.
- Recipient fields
- TIN
- The recipient's taxpayer identification number (SSN or EIN) is required and must be 9 digits, dashes are allowed. For example, 123-45-6789 or 12-3456789.
- TINTYPE
- Indicates the recipient's TIN type. Enter 1 for EIN, 2 for SSN, 3 for QEIN, or 4 for no TIN. If left blank, the TIN type will be marked as unknown and won't be formatted on forms.Note:
If you use dashes in the TIN field, the system will automatically assign the recipient's TIN type based on the formatting. For example, 123-45-6789 will be set as SSN and you can leave this field blank.
- Name fields (NAME (First name), MiIDDLENAME, LASTNAME)
- Per IRS instructions, valid characters include standard letters, numbers, and the following special characters: commas (,), periods (.), ampersands (&), hyphens (-), slashes (/), and number signs (#).
- Address and mailing fields (CITY, STATE, ZIP, MAILINGCITY, MAILINGSTATE, MAILINGZIP)
- Recipient addresses must have valid city/state/zip combinations.
- RESCOUNTRYCODE
- Required for recipients with non-US addresses. Enter the 2-letter ISO country code of the recipient's foreign address. Leave blank for US addresses.
- FOREIGNCOUNTRYIND
- Required for recipients with non-US addresses. Enter 1 to indicate a foreign address. Otherwise leave blank.
- Payer fields
- PEIN
- The payer's employer identification number (EIN) is required and must be 9 digits, dashes are allowed. For example, 12-3456789.
- PTINTYPE
- Indicates the payer's TIN type. Enter 1 for EIN or 2 for QEIN. Leave blank if unknown.Note:
If you use a dash in the PEIN field (12-3456789), the system will automatically assign the payer an EIN TIN type and you can leave this field blank.
- Address and mailing fields (PCITY, PSTATE, PZIP, MAILINGPCITY, MAILINGPSTATE, MAILINGPZIP)
- Payer addresses must have valid city/state/zip combinations.
- FOREIGNCORPIND
- Required for payers with non-US addresses. Enter 1 to indicate a foreign address. Otherwise leave blank.
- PHONE
- Enter numbers only, do not include dashes or other symbols. For example, 1112223333.
- CONTACTPHONE
- A contact for the payer's phone number is required to meet IRS IRIS filing requirements and if the payer issues 1042-S forms or does 1042 withholding (PAYERTYPE field = W). Enter numbers only, do not include dashes or other symbols. For example, 1112223333.
- PCH3STCODE
- Required if the payer issues 1042-S forms or does 1042 withholding (PAYERTYPE field = W). Must be a valid code between 5 and 23.
- PCH4STCODE
- Required if the payer issues 1042-S forms or does 1042 withholding (PAYERTYPE field = W). Must be a valid code between 1 and 19.