Hi @at7140,
The “missing separator” error means the input file format doesn’t match the expected delimiter or structure. To avoid losing records, always validate the file structure, enforce consistent delimiters, handle special characters properly, and configure the Data Loading activity with the correct settings.
Cause of the “missing separator”
This error typically occurs during data ingestion in a Data Loading (file) activity when the incoming file does not strictly follow the expected format. Common reasons include:
Delimiter mismatch – The file may use a different separator (e.g., , vs ; or tab) than what is configured in the Data Loading activity.
Unescaped special characters – A delimiter character (like a comma or semicolon) is present inside a field value but isn’t properly quoted or escaped.
Irregular line breaks – Extra newlines within fields or inconsistent row termination can break parsing.
Encoding issues – Non-UTF-8 or unexpected BOM markers can interfere with correct parsing.
Extra / missing columns – Some rows may have fewer or more separators than expected, leading to parsing errors.
When this happens, Adobe Campaign skips the affected rows, logging them as ignored.
Best practices to prevent ignored records
Ensure the file uses the correct, consistent delimiter.
Quote/escape values containing delimiters.
Match column counts with the schema.
Set the right separator and text qualifier in Data Loading activity.
Use reject files to review and fix problematic rows.
Thanks
Sushant Trimukhe
