---
schema_version: "1"
id: 0ee8e1b593556d5b69114f4fc326abbb06a4ed691330bdb6b3f94f6aeb4968b1
title: Common Errors with Exporting and Importing Translation Files
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/workbench_troubleshooting.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.workbench_troubleshooting.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 5c0ff1fd08068bdb06498cf655a371e0ca0f7f6a1776aeb5b326d6e391bae858
description: Troubleshoot issues that you can encounter when exporting and importing files in Translation Workbench.
products:
  - Salesforce Platform
  - Security
release: "264"
---
# Common Errors with Exporting and Importing Translation Files

Troubleshoot issues that you can encounter when exporting and importing files in Translation Workbench.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Metadata translation available in: Salesforce Classic and Lightning Experience</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Data translation available in: Lightning Experience</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <strong>Professional</strong>, <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Data translation applies to: B2B Commerce</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small ">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:33.33333333333333%">
          <col style="width:33.33333333333333%">
          <col style="width:33.33333333333333%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d34463e89">Error Message</th>
            <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d34463e92">What It Means</th>
            <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d34463e95">Troubleshooting Steps</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Bilingual file section starts with non-header row: &lt;line number&gt;</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">The header rows of the file that you're trying to import are missing. Or
              there’s extraneous text in those rows, such as notes that aren't commented
              out.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Export your file again Make sure that there are header rows for all sections
              and that all extraneous text has been commented out or removed from the header
              rows.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Data translation import for key &lt;key&gt; failed. A translated value for the
              &lt;object name&gt; &lt;unique record ID&gt; record ID’s Name field is required to
              translate data for the &lt;field name&gt; field.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">This error message only applies to data translation files. A translated value
              for a record ID’s Name field is required to translate data in other fields for that
              record ID.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Provide a translated value for the data stored in the Name field for that
              record ID, and then import again.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Data translation isn’t enabled for this org.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">This error message only applies to data translation files. Data translation
              isn’t enabled or was disabled after the data translation file was exported.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Enable data translation, and then import the file again.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Duplicate key: &lt;key&gt; exists in import file, re-export.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">The specified key appears in your imported file more than one time. Each
              translated item must have its own unique key, and each key can only appear in the
              file one time.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Export your file again, and make sure that each key is unique. Then import the
              file again.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">File contains translation keys that don't match the translation type specified
              in the file header. Create separate import files for metadata and data
              translation.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">The file contains at least one key with a translation type that doesn’t match
              the file type in the header.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Create separate import files for metadata and data translation.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Invalid Key</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">During translation, Salesforce generates unique keys, or identifiers, for each
              object, picklist value, or page element that you're translating. If these names or
              keys are changed after you export your file, Salesforce can't match the correct key
              with the correct name.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Export your file again, and make sure that the keys in it match the keys in the
              file that you're trying to import. </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Invalid key: &lt;key&gt;. Data translation isn’t enabled for the &lt;field
              name&gt; field on the &lt;object name&gt; object.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">This error message only applies to data translation files. Data translation was
              disabled on the field after the translation file was exported.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Enable data translation on the field through the Data Translation Settings
              Setup page, or delete references to the key from the translation file.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Invalid key: &lt;key&gt;. The &lt;field name&gt; field on the &lt;object
              name&gt; object doesn’t support data translation.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">This error message only applies to data translation files. The key includes a
              field that doesn’t support data translation. Either an exported key was changed
              after the export or the key was manually added.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Export your file again, and compare it with the identified key. If the
              identified key was modified, use the newly exported key. If it doesn’t exist in the
              exported translation file, delete the identified key from the translation
              file.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Invalid key: &lt;key&gt;. The key's translation type must match the file's
              translation type.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">Imported translation files must contain either metadata keys or data
              translation keys. This key doesn’t match the file’s translation type.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">
              <p>Update the file’s translation type in the file header.</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Create separate import
                files for metadata and data translation as needed.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Invalid key: &lt;key&gt;. The &lt;object name&gt; object doesn’t support data
              translation.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">This error message only applies to data translation files. The key includes an
              object that doesn’t support data translation. Either an exported key was changed
              after the export or the key was manually added.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Export your file again, and compare it with the identified key. If the
              identified key was modified, use the newly exported key. If it doesn’t exist in the
              exported translation file, delete the identified key from the translation
              file.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Invalid key: &lt;key&gt;. You can't delete the data translation value for a
              record's name and update the value for another of that record's fields at the same
              time.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">This error message only applies to data translation files. The file includes a
              key to delete the data translation for this record’s Name. The file also includes a
              data translation value for another of the record’s fields. Because deleting the
              translated value of a record’s Name deletes the translated values for all fields
              related to that record, the translation keys conflict.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">
              <p>Edit your file. To delete all data translations associated with this record,
                remove all keys related to this record except the key deleting the translated value
                for the record’s Name. To update other fields, remove the key deleting the
                translated value for the record’s Name.</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">See Considerations for Working with
                Translation Files for more information.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Key: &lt;key&gt; couldn’t be uniquely resolved. Caused by a change to our
              Custom Report Type Column key format. Re-export and use the new key format for those
              keys.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">One of the keys in your Custom Report Type (CRT) column is in the wrong
              format.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Export your file again, and make sure that you're using the correct CRT key
              format. </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Maximum character limit &lt;x&gt; for &lt;field type&gt; translation exceeded
              in line:</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">Each type of field, such as a picklist value, can only have a certain number of
              characters. Your translated labels for the type of field at the line specified in
              the error message are too long. </td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Edit your translated labels so that they're within the character limit listed
              for the field type, and then import your file again.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Missing translation for: &lt;key&gt;</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">The missing translation for error simply means there is no target node in the
              segment of the source file.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Remove the segment from the source file or add target node to the
              segment.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">No data to import</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">The file that you’re trying to import is empty or doesn’t contain any
              translation changes. This result is expected when the conditions for inserting or
              updating a translation aren’t met. A translation is inserted only when no existing
              translation entry exists and the new translation value differs from the master label
              value. A translation is updated only when an existing translation entry exists and
              the new translation value differs from the existing entry’s value.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Make sure that you’re importing the correct file and that it contains
              translated data. If the file is correct, verify that the translation values differ
              from the master label and from any existing translations.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">No language code specified in file header</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">The file that you're trying to import doesn't have a valid language code, or
              the language code is in the wrong place.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">
              <p dir="ltr">Make sure that your language code is valid and isn’t missing or
                commented out.</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;"><strong>Note:</strong> Make sure that the headers are in the
                organization’s default language. To confirm, export a translation file and copy the
                headers.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">No translated or untranslated section header found in the bilingual file </td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">The file that you're trying to import is missing section headers.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Make sure that your file has section headers, and import it again.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">No valid file type specified in file header</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">The file that you're trying to import doesn't have a valid import/export type
              (Source, Outdated and untranslated, or Bilingual) specified in the file header. The
              file type attribute must be in the default language for your org.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">
              <p dir="ltr">Make sure that your file’s header contains a valid import/export
                type and isn’t translated.</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;"><strong>Note:</strong> Make sure that the headers are in the
                organization’s default language. To confirm, export a translation file and copy the
                headers. </p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">No valid translation type specified in file header</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">
              <p>The file that you’re trying to import doesn’t have a valid translation type
                specified in the file header. The translation type is only required if data
                translation is enabled.</p>
              <p>The attributes for metadata translation are:</p>
              <ul>
                <li><code>Translation Type: Metadata</code> for .stf files and</li>

                <li><code>translation-type="metadata"</code> for .xlf files</li>

              </ul>
              <p>The attributes for data translation are:</p>
              <ul>
                <li><code>Translation Type: Data</code> for .stf files and</li>

                <li><code>translation-type="data"</code> for .xlf files</li>

              </ul>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">The translation type attribute must be in the default language for your
                organization.</p>
            </td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">
              <p dir="ltr">Make sure that your file has a valid translation type in the file
                header and that the header isn’t translated.</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;"><strong>Note:</strong> Make sure that the
                headers are in the organization’s default language. To confirm, export a translation
                file and copy the headers.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Not a valid file to import. Select a .stf, .xlf, or a .zip file for
              import.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">You can import files in .stf or .xlf formats, or .zip files that contain .stf
              or .xlf files.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Make sure that your file is a .stf, .xlf, or .zip file, and try importing it
              again.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Salesforce cannot make this key for your Custom Report Type column unique:
              &lt;Key&gt;. Please delete this key from your file and use the Translation Workbench to
              translate this item. After you have deleted the key, import your file again.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">The key appears more than once in the import file.</p>
            </td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Delete the key from your file. Use the Translation Workbench to translate the
                item, then import your file.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Some keys are appended with their sort order for uniqueness. Re-export your
              file and ensure that the keys in both files match.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">The order of the picklist values in your source file doesn't match your
              setup.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Export your source file, match the order of the picklist values to your import
              file, and then import again.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">There were issues with import of file: importFileName.xlf [Your import request
              failed. Retry or contact support.] </td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">The file that you’re importing has invalid or missing HTML tags. HTML tags are
              used in translations for rich text area fields.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">
              <p dir="ltr">Export your file again, and identify the fields with HTML tags in the
                exported source text.</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;" dir="ltr">Edit your translation values for these rich text area fields with the
                correct HTML tags. For more information on translating rich text fields, see
                Considerations for Working with Translation Files.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Wrong number of columns in line: &lt;line number&gt;. Check that you have
              escaped tabs (\\t), new lines (\\n), and carriage returns (\\r) in your
              files.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">The file that you're importing has extra tabs, new lines, or carriage returns
              in the line specified in the error message.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">To remove or escape any extra tabs, newlines, or carriage returns be sure to
              edit your data. Make sure that the translated file has the same number of columns as
              the file you exported. </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Your export request failed. Retry or contact support.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">Salesforce had an unexpected problem while exporting your file.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Contact Salesforce Customer Support.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Your import request failed. Retry or contact support.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">Salesforce had an unexpected problem while importing your file.</td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Contact Salesforce Customer Support.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Error Message" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e89 ">Your organization doesn’t have language permissions for
              &lt;language&gt;.</td>

            <td data-label="What It Means" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e92 ">The file that you're trying to import is in a language that you haven't yet
              added to Translation Workbench. </td>

            <td data-label="Troubleshooting Steps" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d34463e95 ">Add the language that you want to use to Translation Workbench through the
              Translation Language Settings Setup page. Then import your file again.</td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

#### See Also

- [Export Metadata Translation Files](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.workbench_export.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "To easily translate your metadata, create files for your translators that contain your Salesforce org’s translatable metadata. Examples of translatable metadata include custom field labels, report type names, and picklist values.")
- [Export Data Translation Files](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.workbench_export_data.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "If data translation is enabled in your Salesforce org, you can create files for your translators that contain your org’s data translations. Examples of translatable data include B2B Commerce Product names and data stored in custom fields.")
- [Import Translated Files](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.workbench_import.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Import and update the translations for your Salesforce org’s metadata, such as custom fields, report types, and picklist values. Or import and update data translations, such as Product names. Typically, you export translation files from Salesforce, then send them to outside translators or a translation agency for bulk translation activities. You then import the translated files.")
- [Considerations for Working with Translation Files](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.workbench_translation_file_considerations.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Review some important considerations to ensure that your edited translation file can be successfully imported.")