Event Sources Troubleshooting
Every webhook delivery and CSV row gets a recorded outcome, nothing is ever silently dropped. When something isn't accepted, this page explains why and how to fix it.
Where to look first: open Events → Event sources → your source → Event log. Each entry shows the original data received, how it was mapped, the outcome, and a link to the matching section below.
Identity
No usable identity was found
Every mapped identity field, email, user ID, anonymous ID, was empty or missing in this record.
Fix: make sure the sender includes at least one identifier, and that your mapping points at the field that actually contains it. Open the delivery in the Event log to see exactly what arrived.
The email address is invalid
The mapped value isn't a complete email address, often a name, a placeholder, or a truncated field.
Fix: correct the value at the sender, or re-map to the field that holds the full address.
"Identity unresolved" accepted, not rejected
This one surprises people: the event was counted. Its email just matched more than one person in your workspace, and Usermaven never guesses which of them converted, a wrong guess would corrupt someone's profile and your attribution.
Fix: have the sender include a stable user ID, anonymous ID, or customer ID alongside the email. That makes the match deterministic. If a source's unresolved rate climbs, Usermaven flags it on the source card and links you straight to the affected events.
Event names
The event name is invalid or reserved
Event names must start with a letter and contain only lowercase letters, numbers, and underscores.
Fix: use a name like offline_sale or webinar_attended. If you're mapping the name from a payload field, consider a fixed name instead, it's more predictable.
This source reached its event-name limit
One source can emit at most 25 distinct event names,usually a sign that a mapped name field is passing through raw, noisy values.
Fix: switch to a static event name, add a filter to narrow what the source accepts, or split into separate sources per event.
Timing
The event time could not be parsed
The mapped timestamp field, format, or timezone doesn't match the data being sent.
Fix: in the mapping editor, pick the right field and format, then check the resolved UTC value in Preview. When in doubt, send ISO 8601: 2026-07-01T12:30:00Z.
The event is more than 24 months old
Retroactive imports reach back at most 24 months.
Fix: remove older rows, or if the dates look wrong, check whether the mapped timestamp or its format is off.
The event time is too far in the future
The resolved timestamp is more than one hour ahead, almost always a timezone mix-up.
Fix: correct the timestamp or the mapping's timezone setting and retry.
Revenue and attributes
Revenue is not numeric
The mapped amount looks like $1,299.00 or 1.299,00 € rather than a plain number.
Fix: select the Strip symbols transform in the mapping, or have the sender send a plain numeric amount.
A custom attribute has the wrong type
The value doesn't match the type you configured for the attribute (number, boolean, or date).
Fix: change the configured type, or normalize the value at the sender.
A custom attribute value is too large
Custom attribute values are capped at 4 KB.
Fix: send a shorter value. Don't map documents, encoded files, or message transcripts as event attributes, they don't belong in analytics.
The configured transform is unsupported
The mapping references a transform this field can't use.
Fix: open the mapping, choose a supported transform, and save, it becomes a new mapping version applied to new events.
Duplicates
Duplicates are protection, not errors, they're Usermaven counting a conversion once no matter how many times it arrives.
The External ID is duplicated in this file
Two or more rows in one CSV share the same External ID. The first row wins; the rest are reported here during the dry run.
Fix: keep one row per order, deal, or transaction ID.
This row is duplicated in the file
Without an External ID mapped, exactly identical rows within a file are caught, and the first wins.
Fix: nothing needed for this file, but map a stable External ID so overlapping files get the same protection.
The External ID was already imported
A previous delivery or import for this source already used this ID. The existing event stays the source of truth; this one is skipped.
Fix: usually nothing; this is a retry or an overlapping export doing no harm. Use a different ID only if this genuinely is a different conversion.
Limits and security
Webhook signature verification failed
The request's signature didn't match your configured secret, or it arrived too late to be trusted (stale signatures are rejected).
Fix: confirm you pasted the secret from the exact endpoint you created in the sending platform (each endpoint has its own), then resend a signed test event. If you recently rotated a secret, note the previous one stays valid for 24 hours.
The workspace daily cap was reached
Your workspace hit its daily Event Sources allowance, a safety limit against runaway senders. Capped records are kept in the delivery log and error report, but not counted.
Fix: senders receive a retry time and can resend after the daily reset (midnight UTC), accepted records deduplicate, so nothing double counts. If you're hitting the cap in normal operation, ask your workspace administrator to review the limit.
Rate limited
A sender pushed events faster than the short-term limit allows. Nothing is lost, the sender gets a retry signal, and well-behaved tools (Stripe, Zapier) retry automatically.
Fix: let the retry happen. Don't create another Event Source to work around the limit. Doing so usually creates duplicate events.
Backdated events and attribution
Backdated events (CSV backfills, delayed webhooks) join the matched person's existing history, including their original first-touch attribution. Usermaven won't invent history, though: if an event can't be tied to a known person or session, it still counts in event and revenue totals, but person-level attribution for it may remain unavailable. Your totals stay honest either way.
Still stuck?
Open the delivery in the Event log and check the Original data received panel against your mapping. Co
mpare the Original data received with your field mapping. In most cases, the issue is caused by an unexpected field name, missing value, or incorrect mapping.
Was this article helpful?