Sync and import problems
Missing people, skipped rows and reverting job titles, and what each one is telling you.
- Last updated
- 6 minute read
- Troubleshooting
- People
Both the sync and the import tell you exactly what they did. Read the result summary before you start changing things, because it usually answers the question on its own.
People are missing after a sync
| Reason | What to do |
|---|---|
| They are a guest in your directory | Guests are skipped by design. Add them by hand or with a CSV import |
They are an external account with an #EXT# address | Also skipped by design. Add them manually |
| Their account is disabled in Microsoft 365 | Signed only reads enabled accounts. Enable it and sync again |
| They have no email address at all | A person needs an address to be matched. Give them one in the directory |
Note: People already in Signed are never deleted by a sync. Someone removed from your directory is marked inactive, their record stays, and their signature stops.
The sync reports an error
- Microsoft sign-in failed. The connection has been revoked or the app registration changed. Disconnect and reconnect as an owner.
- Microsoft Graph error. Usually a permissions problem on the Microsoft side. Check that admin consent is still granted.
- No changes, repeatedly. Nothing has changed in the directory, which is a success rather than a failure.
Tip: The daily sync runs at most once every 24 hours. If you have just run it by hand, the automatic run will skip, which is expected rather than broken.
Rows were skipped in an import
The import lists every skipped row with a row number and a reason, so you can fix the file rather than guessing.
| Reason | What it means |
|---|---|
| Missing or invalid email | No email, or something that is not an address. This is the key Signed matches on |
| Duplicate email in file | The same address appeared twice. The first occurrence was used |
- Column headers not recognised. Header names are matched loosely, but a misspelling is ignored rather than guessed. Check the accepted names in Import people from a CSV file.
- The people limit stopped it. The limit is checked against the people the import would actually add, so a file that only updates existing records never hits it.
- Departments look wrong. A department is created when the file names one that does not exist. Check the Departments page for near-duplicates.
A job title keeps reverting
You are editing the copy rather than the source. The Microsoft 365 sync wins on every field it covers, so a change made in Signed is overwritten the next time the directory has a value for it.
- Change the value in Microsoft 365 rather than in Signed.
- Run Sync now from the Microsoft 365 page.
- Check the person's record, then preview their signature.
- If it is a field the sync does not cover, such as LinkedIn or a photo, edit it in Signed and it will stay.
Related articles
- Syncing with Microsoft 365Connect once and stop maintaining people by hand. What comes across, what does not, and how the daily sync behaves.
- Import people from a CSV fileWhat the importer expects, what it does with duplicates, and how it creates departments on the way through.
- Adding and editing peopleThe fields on a person's record, which ones matter for signatures, and what happens when you delete someone.
Something here out of date, or a step that did not work? Tell us and we will fix the article. Every page is checked against the running product, so corrections are welcome.