When uploading your e-file to the state filing system, the importer will validate your e-file one line at a time. It is a time consuming process to go through, so it is important to make sure you have fully addressed all the errors and warnings generated by ISP before you upload your e-file.
However, there are some cases that ISP does not fully cover with our internal error checking. Here are some common validation errors you may receive from the NY site and how to address them.
If the errors are not resolved by the troubleshooting steps below, please reach out to Support for assistance.
“Either FILING_PERIOD_ID and/or ELECT_ID do not exist in the database.” OR
“ELECT_ID is required.” OR
“The Election Year (ELECT_YEAR_ID) does not match the value in Filing Period (ELECT_YEAR_ID) and Election (ELECT_YEAR_ID)” OR
“Filing Period (FILING_TYPE_ID) and Election (ELECT_TYPE_ID) in #ROW 1.”
These errors usually mean there is a mismatch between the Election and Report Period parameters on your generated report. More often than not, it is the Election that is at issue. Please make sure you have the correct Election selected for the type of report you are trying to file. For Pre- and Post-Election reports, this means that the Election parameter should be set to that election date AND election type. For periodic reports, the Election parameter should be set to the date of the regular election that took place during the reporting period.
In ISP, this also means ensuring that your Current Election is set to the appropriate election and that the report period is correct. There are multiple years for each periodic report available to select, and if you select the incorrect one, NY will return a Validation Error when you attempt to upload. You should also ensure the Report Due Date is correctly set to the filing deadline.
Transaction Number already exists for this file
This is usually seen when attempting to upload an amended report. In the past, this has been an issue on the NY state side where their system needed to be updated.
CSV requires XX columns separated by XX commas
This typically means there is something wrong with where the file is being uploaded or that the file was opened in Excel, Numbers, or another program besides Notepad/Notepad++ (right click and select open with Notepad or Notepad++ if you wish to view your efile prior to upload). Variations on this message include “CSV requires 69 columns separated by 68 commas” received when attempting to upload the NY CF-01 and “CSV requires 28 columns separated by 27 commas” received when uploading the NY Weekly Report.
Please ensure that the file being uploaded has been exported from ISP and uploaded directly into the NY system without being modified in any way. Additionally, please ensure that the report is being uploaded to the correct page on the NY site. Attempting to upload the report in a different part of the site may also return this error.
TREAS_ADD1 “Street Address must contain at least four characters”, TREAS_ZIP “Numbers and – are allowed”
This error was returned when the work address was listed as NA in the system for the street address. Please ensure that all relevant information is entered completely and accurately for the entity in question, especially when that information is required to be reported.
FLNG_ENT_FIRST_NAME “Letters, numbers and characters’#-., are allowed.”
This error was returned when quotation marks were used on to designate an individual’s nickname. If any symbols not included in their list of “letters, numbers and characters ‘#-., ” are included, this error will likely be triggered. Please refrain from using unsupported characters when entered data.
Error has occurred while importing the ExampleFileName.csv Row# XX, TRANS_EXPLNTN.
This error means one of your transactions should have a compliance note but doesn’t. There are many reasons for this but the likeliest causes are either (1) a transaction code used a reporting code that required further explanation, or (2) a transaction is missing a reported transaction method. In the case of #2, transactions without transaction methods are reported as an Other method which requires further explanation.
Unless the transaction method the transaction was made through is not supported on ISP, please make sure all your reported transactions have a transaction method listed.
The Data in Row# XX is not placed correctly.
Usually this means that there are commas used as part of an individual’s name or other field where commas are not allowable. Please update the relevant entity record to remove it.
