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Automation Error Messages Explained

Modified on: Mon, Mar 30, 2026 at 10:29 PM

This guide lists common error messages you may encounter when creating, validating, or running automations. Each entry explains what caused the error and how to fix it.

Connection Errors

These errors occur when the automation cannot establish or maintain a connection to the remote server or API.

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`Failed to connect to FTP server:`	The FTP server is unreachable, or the credentials are wrong. The automation retries up to 3 times before failing.	Verify the `address`, `username`, and `password` in the connection config. Confirm that the server is online and your network allows outbound connections on the configured port (default 21).
`Failed to connect to SFTP server:`	The SFTP server rejected the connection or login failed.	Check `address`, `username`, and `password`. If using a key file, set `is_key_file: true` and provide the full private key content as the `password` value. Verify the port (default 21 for SFTP).
`Failed to connect to HTTP server:` `:`	The HTTP login endpoint returned an error or was unreachable. The detailed message after the colon provides additional context.	Verify `login_address` and credentials. Test the endpoint manually with a tool like curl or Postman to isolate the issue.
`Failed to connect to Email:`	The email (IMAP) server connection failed.	Verify the email `address` (IMAP server hostname), `username`, `password`, and `port` (default 993 for IMAP over SSL).
`Failed to connect to S3 server:`	AWS S3 returned an error during connection.	Check the S3 bucket name, path, and that the credentials have the necessary IAM permissions for the bucket.
`Failed to navigate to path on` `:`	The automation connected successfully but could not change to the configured directory on the SFTP server.	Verify that the `path` exists on the remote server and that the user has read/execute permissions on it. SFTP paths must be absolute (starting with `/`).
`Not authorized to change relative paths`	An SFTP path was specified as a relative path instead of an absolute path.	Change the `path` value to an absolute path starting with `/`. For example, use `/home/user/exports` instead of `exports`.

Authentication Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`Failed to get OAuth Access Token from:` `:`	The OAuth token refresh request failed. The remote authorization server rejected the refresh attempt.	Verify the `oauth` configuration: `address`, `client_id`, `client_secret`, and that the refresh token is still valid. You may need to re-authorize the connection through the OAuth flow.
HTTP status 401 in logs	The request was rejected as unauthorized.	Check that credentials (API key, username/password, or OAuth token) are correct and have not expired. For OAuth automations, re-authorize to get a fresh token.
HTTP status 403 in logs	The credentials are valid but the user does not have permission for the requested resource.	Contact the vendor to verify that the API user account has the required permissions or scopes.

File Download Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`Fatal Error: Failed to download remote file:`	The automation connected to the server but could not download the specified file.	Check that the file exists at the expected path on the remote server. Verify the filename (or regex pattern) is correct and that the user has read permission.
`No files found in matching`	The regex pattern for the filename did not match any files in the remote directory.	Verify the `regex` pattern in the file config. Log in to the remote server manually to confirm what files exist. Remember that regex delimiters are required (e.g., `/^products_\d+\.csv$/`).
`File not found in email`	An email import automation could not find a matching attachment in any email.	Check the `email_search` criteria (subject, from, date range). Verify that the email has arrived and has an attachment matching the configured filename or regex. Check the `mailbox` setting (defaults to `INBOX`).
`Failed to copy remote file:`	A file copy operation on SureDone's internal SFTP (sdsftp) failed.	This is typically a transient error. Retry the automation. If persistent, contact support.

File Processing Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`All files failed to process`	Every file in the `file_configs` array encountered an error during processing.	Review the log entries above this error for the specific failure reason for each file. Common causes: download failures, empty files, parsing errors.
`Failed to open compressed file:`	The automation could not open a ZIP or compressed archive.	Verify the file is a valid archive and is not corrupted. If password-protected, ensure the `extract.password` is correct.
`Failed to extract file(s):`	The specified files could not be found inside the compressed archive.	Check that `files_to_extract` (or `regex_extract`) matches the actual filenames inside the archive. Open the archive manually to verify its contents.
`Failed to parse EDI file : Does not exist`	An EDI file referenced in the config does not exist at the expected location.	Verify the EDI file path. EDI files must be present and accessible for the automation to parse them.
`Error parsing XML:`	An XML file could not be parsed, usually due to malformed XML.	Validate the XML file. Check for encoding issues, unclosed tags, or invalid characters. The detail message includes the specific parsing error.
`Invalid delimiter:`	The configured CSV delimiter is not a single character.	Set `delimiter` to exactly one character (e.g., `","`, `"\t"` for tab, `"	"` for pipe).

Validation Errors

These errors are returned when creating or updating an automation config.

Missing Fields

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`Missing required fields:`	One or more required config fields were not provided.	Add the listed fields to your config. Required top-level fields include `name`, `active`, `schedule`, `type`, `action`, and `connection`.
`Missing parameters`	An installed automation requires parameters but none were provided.	Include the `parameters` array with values for all required parameters defined by the parent automation.
`Must set at least one of the following actions: create, update, remove`	An import file config does not specify what to do with matched items.	Add at least one of `create`, `update`, or `remove` to the file config. For products: `"create": "add"`, `"update": "edit"`, or `"remove": "end"`. For orders: use boolean values like `"create": true`.
`Must map the following fields for fitment:`	A fitment automation is missing required fitment field mappings.	Add the listed fitment fields to your `field_map`.
`Field "channel" must be mapped for new orders`	An order import with `create: true` is missing the `channel` field in `field_map`.	Map the `channel` field so the system knows which channel the new orders belong to.
`Must specify both compressed file and file(s) to extract`	The `extract` config has a compressed file name but no files to extract, or vice versa.	Provide both `name` (or `regex`) for the compressed file and `files_to_extract` (or `regex_extract`) for the files inside it.

Type Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`The following fields must be of type :`	A field was provided with the wrong data type (e.g., a string where a boolean was expected).	Fix the data type. Common examples: use `true`/`false` (no quotes) for booleans, use numbers without quotes for integers, use arrays `[]` where arrays are expected.
`'type' must be 'products' or 'orders' or 'fitment'`	The `type` field has an unrecognized value.	Set `type` to one of the three valid values: `"products"`, `"orders"`, or `"fitment"`.
`'action' must be 'import' or 'export'`	The `action` field has an unrecognized value.	Set `action` to either `"import"` or `"export"`.
`Invalid value for . Must be one of:`	An import action (`create`, `update`, or `remove`) was set to an invalid value.	For product imports, valid values are: `create`: `"start"` or `"add"`, `update`: `"edit"` or `"relist"` or `"fitment"`, `remove`: `"end"` or `"delete"`. For order imports, use boolean `true` or `false`.

Connection Validation Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`Cannot create export automation without connection`	An export automation was created without a `connection` section.	Add a `connection` object with at least a `type` and the required fields for that connection type.
`does not support s`	The connection type does not support the configured action. For example, FTPS does not yet support exports.	Change the connection type to one that supports your action. See the connection type documentation for supported actions.
`Must use valid bucket for s3`	The S3 connection is missing a bucket name.	Add `"bucket": "your-bucket-name"` to the connection config.
`Must use /private directory for s3`	The S3 path does not start with `/private`.	Set the `path` to start with `/private/` for security.
`Invalid HMAC algorithm:`	The HMAC algorithm specified in the connection config is not supported by the server.	Use a valid algorithm such as `sha256`, `sha1`, or `md5`.
`Invalid email address:`	The email address in the connection config is not a valid email format.	Correct the email address format.

Schedule Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`Schedule must be valid cron expression. is invalid`	The `schedule` field is not a valid cron expression.	Use standard cron syntax with 5 fields: minute, hour, day of month, month, day of week. Example: `"0 /6 "` for every 6 hours. Use a tool like crontab.guru to build and verify cron expressions.

Search and Filter Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`Invalid search:`	The `search` string could not be parsed into valid filter criteria.	Check the search syntax. Make sure field names are correct, operators are valid, and the string follows SureDone's search format (e.g., `stock:>0 condition:New`).
`Failed to generate filters from search:`	The search string was parsed but could not be converted into database filters.	Simplify the search or break it into individual filter conditions using the `filters` array instead.

Template Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`Invalid twig template syntax:`	The Twig template in the `template` field contains a syntax error.	Check the template for unclosed tags, misspelled function names, or incorrect Twig syntax. The error details indicate the specific problem. Common issues: missing `{% endfor %}` or `{% endif %}`, unclosed `{{ }}` expressions.
`Need valid template to convert to PDF`	The `pdf` option is set to `true` but no `template` is provided.	Add a valid Twig HTML template in the `template` field, or remove the `pdf: true` setting.
`Attachment setting for email must be true if using PDF`	PDF generation is enabled but the email connection is not configured to send attachments.	Set `send_as_attachment: true` in the email connection config when using `pdf: true`.

Identifier Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`Cannot set identifier for exports`	The `identifier` field was set in an export file config, where it is not applicable.	Remove the `identifier` field from the export file config. Identifiers are only used for imports to match incoming data to existing records.
`'identifier' and 'identifiers' are mutually exclusive`	Both `identifier` (single) and `identifiers` (array for multi-identifier matching) were set in the same file config.	Use one or the other. Use `identifier` for single-field matching, or `identifiers` for multi-identifier priority matching.
`Invalid identifier`	The identifier value is empty or invalid during processing.	Verify that the `identifier` field is correctly mapped in `field_map` and that the source data contains non-empty values for the identifier field.

Field and Channel Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`Invalid field:` / `Invalid field in` `:`	A field name in the config is not recognized as a valid config option.	Check the field name for typos. Refer to the config model documentation for the list of valid fields in each section.
`Invalid channels:`	One or more channel names in `skip_channels` are not valid channels in the account.	Verify the channel names. Channel names include the instance number if applicable (e.g., `ebay`, `ebay2`, `amazon`, `bigcommerce`).
`Failed to create custom field(s):`	The `create_custom_fields` option failed to create one or more fields.	Check that the field definitions are valid (proper `type`, `length`, etc.) and that the field names do not conflict with existing system fields.

Processing Errors

These errors occur during the automation run, after the connection is established and data is being processed.

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`No items to create!`	The automation was configured to create items, but no items in the source data qualified for creation (all matched existing records).	This is informational. If you expected new items, verify that the identifier values in the source data do not already exist in SureDone.
`No items to update!`	The automation was configured to update items, but no items matched existing records, or `diff_update` determined that nothing changed.	If using `diff_update`, try resetting the status tables. Verify that identifiers in the source data match existing records in SureDone.
`No items to remove!`	The automation was configured to remove items, but no items in the source data matched existing records for removal.	Verify identifier matching.
`No orders to create!` / `No orders to update!` / `No orders to remove!`	Same as the items messages, but for order automations.	Same solutions as above, applied to orders.
`No orders in SureDone match search`	An order export search returned zero results from the database.	Test the search string in SureDone's order search UI to confirm it returns results. Check that matching orders exist and are in the expected status.
`No order identifiers matched for`	None of the order identifiers in the export matched orders in SureDone.	Verify the `identifier` field is set correctly and that the orders exist in SureDone with matching identifier values.
`Failed to make '' from item`	The identifier field could not be extracted from a source item during processing.	Ensure the identifier field is mapped in `field_map` and the source data contains a value for it.
`Got empty order when trying to match update search`	An order matched for export but was empty when the update search was applied.	Check the `order_update_search` criteria. The search may be filtering out the order's data.

Batch Errors

These errors relate to automations that use batched processing (limit_batch_size).

Error Message	Cause	Solution
Batch appears stalled (no progress for configured stall time)	A batch did not complete within `batch_stall_time` seconds (default: 10,800 seconds / 3 hours). The system will automatically retry stalled batches up to `batch_max_retries` times (default: 3).	If batches stall repeatedly, increase `batch_stall_time` for slow-processing data sets, or reduce `limit_batch_size` to create smaller batches.
`Batch size must be no more than`	The `limit_batch_size` value exceeds the maximum allowed.	Reduce `limit_batch_size` to the maximum value shown in the error.
`Max batch concurrency must be no more than`	The `limit_batch_concurrency` value exceeds the maximum allowed.	Reduce `limit_batch_concurrency` to the maximum value shown in the error.
`Max batch concurrency must be at least 1`	`limit_batch_concurrency` was set to zero or a negative number.	Set `limit_batch_concurrency` to at least `1`.
`Missing batch_throttle.request_limit`	The `batch_throttle` object was provided but `request_limit` is missing.	Add `"request_limit":` inside the `batch_throttle` object.
`Batch throttle time period must not exceed 24 hours`	The `batch_throttle.time_period` exceeds 86,400 seconds.	Reduce the `time_period` value to 86,400 or less.

HTTP-Specific Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
OAuth token expired (HTTP 401 on API requests)	The OAuth access token has expired and the refresh attempt failed.	Re-authorize the automation through the OAuth flow to obtain new tokens. Check that `oauth.address`, `oauth.client_id`, and `oauth.client_secret` are correct.
HTTP 429 (Rate limited)	The remote API is rejecting requests because too many were sent in a short period.	Add or adjust the `throttle` settings in your connection config. Set `request_limit` and `time_period` to stay within the vendor's rate limits. Example: `"throttle": { "request_limit": 2, "time_period": 1 }` for 2 requests per second.
Pagination returns the same data repeatedly	The automation detects that consecutive paginated responses contain identical data (excluding timestamp-like fields), indicating a pagination loop.	Check the `pagination` settings. Verify that `next_token` maps to the correct response key. If the API uses a query parameter instead of a URL, set `next_parameter`. If using page-based pagination, confirm `page_parameter` and `page_start` are correct.
`Failed to process all trigger responses. See logs for details.`	One or more trigger requests in a multi-trigger chain failed after exhausting all retries.	Check the trigger `address` and `key` mappings. Increase `max_retries` or `retry_time` if the remote server is intermittently slow. Review logs for the specific trigger step that failed.

Throttle Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`Missing throttle.request_limit`	A `throttle` object was provided without the required `request_limit` field.	Add `"request_limit":` to the throttle config.
`Throttle time period must not exceed 1 hour`	The `throttle.time_period` exceeds 3,600 seconds.	Set `time_period` to 3,600 or less.
`Throttle rate too high`	The calculated requests-per-second rate exceeds the system's maximum.	Reduce `request_limit` or increase `time_period`.

Permission Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`Permission denied: specifying user`	A non-admin user attempted to set the `user` field when creating an automation.	Remove the `user` field from the config. Only administrators can specify which user an automation belongs to.
`Permission denied: cannot create shared automations`	A user without sharing permissions attempted to create a shared automation.	Contact your account administrator to request sharing permissions, or remove the `shared` flag from the config.
`Cannot install shared automation without shared_id`	An install request was made without specifying which shared automation to install.	Include `"shared_id":` in the request body.
`Shared automation does not exist!`	The `shared_id` references an automation that does not exist or has been deleted.	Verify the `shared_id`. List available shared automations with `GET /v3/automations/custom` to find the correct ID.

Parameter Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`Error: Parameter cannot be missing name`	A parameter in the `parameters` array does not have a `name` field.	Add a `name` field to every parameter object. The name is used to match `{{parameter_name}}` placeholders in the rest of the config.
`Cannot use linked parameters without value map`	A linked parameter was defined without a `value_map` to determine its value based on the parent parameter.	Add a `value_map` object to the linked parameter that maps parent values to child values.
`Value not found in linked parameter value map:`	The parent parameter's current value does not exist as a key in the linked parameter's `value_map`.	Add the missing value as a key in the `value_map`, or change the parent parameter's value to one that exists in the map.
`Invalid parameters:`	Parameters were provided that do not match any `{{parameter_name}}` placeholder in the automation config.	Remove the listed parameters, or add corresponding `{{parameter_name}}` placeholders in the config where they should be used.
`Invalid properties:`	A parameter object contains properties that are not recognized.	Remove the invalid properties. Valid parameter properties include: `name`, `value`, `label`, `description`, `encrypted`, `hidden_from_user`, `date_format`, `allowed_values`, `type`, `required`, among others.
`Error: The following parameters are reserved:`	Parameter names conflict with system-reserved names.	Rename the parameters to avoid reserved names.
`Invalid value for sd_options:`	A parameter with `sd_options: true` references an options field that does not exist.	Verify the `value` matches the name of an existing `sd_options` field in the account.
`Invalid keys in allowed_values:`	The `allowed_values` array contains objects with unrecognized keys.	Each object in `allowed_values` should contain only `label`, `value`, and optionally `description`.

Miscellaneous Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
`Error: EDI spec not supported:`	The EDI specification referenced is not supported by the automation engine.	Check the `edi_spec` value against the supported EDI specifications.
`Must provide EDI Receiver ID`	An EDI automation requires a receiver ID but none was provided.	Add `"edi_receiver_id": ""` to the file config.
`Invalid regex: ''`	A regex pattern in the config (for filenames, extract, etc.) is syntactically invalid.	Test the regex pattern with a tool like regex101.com. Remember to include delimiters (e.g., `/pattern/`).
`Must set stock_field if stock_sum_fields is set`	Stock aggregation fields were configured but no target field was specified.	Add `"stock_field": ""` to specify which field should hold the summed stock value.
`Must set stock_field if stock_negative is set`	The `stock_negative` option requires `stock_field` to be defined.	Add `"stock_field": ""` to the file config.
`Cache TTL must be greater than 0`	The `cache_ttl` value was set to zero or a negative number.	Set `cache_ttl` to a positive number of seconds (default is 86,400 for 1 day).
`limit_export can only be used with payload_multi export`	The `limit_export` setting was used with an export that does not have `payload_multi: true`.	Set `"payload_multi": true` on the file config, or remove `limit_export`.
`limit_import can only be used with non-payload_multi import`	The `limit_import` setting was used with an import that has `payload_multi: true` (the default).	Set `"payload_multi": false` on the file config, or remove `limit_import`.
`limit_template_size can only be used with item templates`	Template size limiting is only supported for item-level templates.	Remove `limit_template_size` if not using per-item templates, or restructure the config to use item-level templates.
`Must set either xpath or jsonpath to parse response from export`	An export with `response_field_map` needs to know how to parse the response.	Add `"xpath": true` or `"jsonpath": true` to the file config to indicate the response format.
`Static filename ('name') is invalid if using regex in extract`	Both a static `name` and a `regex` were specified in the `extract` config.	Use either `name` for a fixed filename or `regex` for pattern matching, not both.

Tip: When reporting errors to SureDone support, always include the exact error message text, the automation ID, and the approximate time the error occurred. This helps the team locate the relevant log entries quickly.