Classification Set - Error (job surpassed max retries)

[user70977]

i did a direct api import for classification set but facing this issue. My data is only 20 rows of data. What can I do to fix this?

[SamuelPaulPeter]

“Job surpassed max retries” means the import failed repeatedly — often because the file or API call is malformed, unauthorized, or hitting a processing/format issue. Fix it by checking a few high-probability items below.

Quick checklist (do these in order — 90% of fixes live in #1–4):

1. Open the import job details / logs
   Admin → Classification Sets → Import History → click the failed job. Look for the exact error message returned by the API (it’s the most useful clue).

2. Validate file format

   • CSV, UTF-8 (no BOM), correct delimiter (comma) and newline (CRLF).

   • No hidden characters, extra header rows, or blank columns.

   • Only the columns the classification set expects (key + classification value).

   • Remove any control characters or very long cells (> several KB).

3. Check mapping / header names
   Make sure your file columns match the expected classification import schema (classificationKey, classificationValue, etc.). If you uploaded to the wrong classification ID the job can fail.

4. Auth / API limits / endpoint

   • Confirm the API token hasn’t expired and your integration has the right scopes/permissions.

   • If you’re using a scheduled job or integration, make sure rate limits or retries aren’t being hit.

5. Try a manual UI import
   Upload the same 20-row CSV via the Admin UI. If UI import succeeds, the problem is the API payload/headers. If UI fails, it’s the file.

6. Reduce & sanitize
   If still failing, try the simplest file: 1–2 rows with plain ASCII values. If that works, gradually add rows to find the bad row.

7. Network / proxy / size
   Your file is small, but proxies or TLS interruptions can break the API call. Retry from a different network or run the API call via curl to see full response.

8. Check Adobe status & support
   If logs show a 5xx or “internal processing error,” check Adobe status or open a support ticket with the job id and logs.

[Jennifer_Dungan]

I agree, it really does sound like something might be malformed... 20 rows should process quickly (unless you have encountered an intermittent bug, which might require client care).

I would follow some of the suggestions provided, and if you still have issues, client care might be your best bet.

[jeff_bloomer]

@user70977 Dumb question, you say you have only 20 rows.  How many columns was it?  Adobe Analytics gets persnickety with uploads having only two columns.  Both @Jennifer_Dungan and @SamuelPaulPeter have provided great feedback, I've just found it's the silly stuff that causes the most heartburn sometimes.