CSV validation errors: classify failures before retrying

Define the decision

An import result is a reconciliation report, not simply a success badge. Some rows may be usable while others need correction, and a processing failure may say nothing about contact validity. Preserve the original result so a later retry can be compared accurately rather than treated as a fresh start.

Work through the procedure

1. Record job status and counts shown for processed, imported, duplicate, invalid or skipped rows where available.
2. Separate file-level from row-level problems. Repair headers or mapping before interpreting every row as invalid.
3. Inspect a sample from each category and identify a concrete correction. Avoid guessing addresses or merging different people to remove an error.
4. Prepare a corrected file with a version name. Reconcile it with records already created so the retry does not obscure the first outcome.

Worked example

The following is a synthetic example for this procedure, not a customer result or performance benchmark.

Missing email mapping → correct mapping
Company comma shifts fields → repair structure
Blank address → review source, do not invent one
Existing address → inspect record and membership
Processing service error → operator investigation, not arbitrary data edits

Read the result

A duplicate may need no new record, while a source error needs a corrected row. A service fault may require checking the worker or uploaded file storage. Repeated uploads without this distinction produce more jobs but little evidence. The corrected file should address an identified problem and have a predictable relationship to existing records.

Check before moving on

1. Retain original row references in the correction worksheet.
2. Verify a corrected sample, including saved email and custom fields.
3. Reconcile final unique contacts rather than adding all jobs' processed counts together.

Limits and next action

Do not assume completion means every row was accepted or failure means no records were created. Zintara processes imports as jobs. Use job evidence and actual saved contacts together when determining what remains to be imported and whether a retry is appropriate.

Source: Zintara product and contact workflow context