A parse error is generated when a line of data does not match the header.
There are several ways this can happen. An interrupted file transfer can leave a partial line in a file. Some programs append file information onto the end of CSVs that will generate parse errors.
A common example is a file exported from Salesforce, which could include copyright, report, user, and company information and more at the end of a correctly encoded file.
Troubleshooting Parse Errors
To troubleshoot and resolve parse errors, consider the following steps:
- Check Data Integrity: Ensure that the data transfer was complete and no interruptions occurred. Re-transfer the file if necessary.
- Clean Up Data: Remove any extraneous information appended by programs, especially at the end of CSV files.
- Validate Data Format: Ensure that each line of data matches the header format. Correct any discrepancies in the data structure.
- Use Robust Data Processing Tools: Employ tools that can handle and report detailed errors to make it easier to identify and fix issues.
Parse errors do not indicate a problem with the entire file, they only show the number of lines in the file that could not be processed.