---
schema_version: "1"
id: 989794b27e541753ce4796a27280145d4f7fa099319e64d615c74026440ef122
title: Prevent Import API Jobs from Importing Stale Data
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/release-notes/264-0-0/rn_mce_import_maxfileagehours.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_mce_import_maxfileagehours.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 6450fda63736426d6f125b02e5cf17726800658fbac467b519ea207314e07322
description: Use the maxFileAgeHours parameter in the Data Import API operation to prevent files from being imported if they weren’t created or modified within a specified period. When a developer includes this parameter in a request, Marketing Cloud Engagement checks the modified date of the file. If the difference between the modified date and current system time exceeds the maximum number of hours, the import doesn’t run. The system normalizes timestamps so that different time zones don’t impact the file age calculation.
products:
  - Cross Cloud
release: "264"
---
# Prevent Import API Jobs from Importing Stale Data

Use the `maxFileAgeHours` parameter in the Data Import API operation to prevent files from being imported if they weren’t created or modified within a specified period. When a developer includes this parameter in a request, Marketing Cloud Engagement checks the modified date of the file. If the difference between the modified date and current system time exceeds the maximum number of hours, the import doesn’t run. The system normalizes timestamps so that different time zones don’t impact the file age calculation.

**Where:** This change applies to all Marketing Cloud Engagement editions with API access.

#### See Also

- [_Salesforce Developers_: Queue and Start a One-Time Data Import](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/references/mc-import_job_api?meta=Queue%2Band%2Bstart%2Ba%2Bone-time%2Bdata%2Bimport)