When I try to upload my class list I get an error message that says: ERROR: You have a classmate record without a last name. The usual cause of this is that the Last (Maiden) Name and Married Name fields are swapped in your file. Please double check, switch those fields and try again.

I have checked and don't see anything missing. I've tried to upload many times and get the same message. I am just setting up my site for the first time. What am I doing wrong? Thanks for your help!
Karen

Please email your csv file to mail@classcreator.com, I'll check it out. Also, make sure there are no commas anywhere in your file. You can use the built in Excel search feature to search for commas.

I downloaded your file and looked at it. I haven't thoroughly reviewed it but one thing you want to do before uploading is to format the ZIP column to special, zip. That way you'll pick up the leading zeroes.

How do I do that? I am VERY inexperienced with Excel. Thanks for your help!

Oops, I totally missed that you uploaded the file to your initial post. I took a look at your file and you have 3 commas in it. All 3 commas need to be removed. I'm nearly certain that's why you're getting the error.

I don't see the commas. Can you tell me where they are?

You can use the find tool and just search for commas. Excel will take you right to them. Your commas are on lines 158, 159, and 258.

Karen Miske wrote:

Click on the top of the column labeled ZIP. The entire column should highlight as a result. Go to Format in the tool bar at the top of the page. On the drop down format menu select Cells. In the box that pops up on the left hand side is Category. Select Special. To the right in Type select Zip. Leading zeroes should then appear and you're good to go as far as zip code is concerned.

I'm happy to see all my zeros! I couldn't figure why I would type them and then they would disappear.
Thank you!

I got rid of the commas and I am still getting the same error message. Any ideas on what I should try next? Attached is my file, again.

I just checked my site and my class list has been partially uploaded through line 159, even though I always got an error message after each try. How can I get the rest of the list up?

Hi Karen,

There are actually more than just a few commas still in there. They all seem to be in the address field column. Click the top of that column so it highlights the field and then choose Edit and then Replace. Put a comma in the Find field and nothing in the replace field and it will take out all of the commas in that column.

Hi Jessica,
I followed your instructions for each column and I am still getting the same error message. Half of my class list is uploaded. What next? Thank you for your help and patience!

Hi Karen,

The last attachment includes commas in the address field. Make sure you are uploading the file you have removed all of the commas from. You may have more than one copy of the file on your system now.

I've checked the file with Excel find and replace 3 times. It doesn't find any commas. I tried uploading again and get this message:
ERROR: You have a classmate record without a last name. The usual cause of this is that the Last (Maiden) Name and Married Name fields are swapped in your file. Please double check, switch those fields and try again.
I've always gotten this message and half of my class list is up including some of the lines with commas.
I'm blonde but usually not dumb...please help me figure this out! Thank you!!

Row 161 Christopher Lauria doesn't have a last name, it is all in the first name column.

you can see this better if you load the file in Excel and then increase the size of each column (move the mouse to the top of each column and when the mouse cursor changes to arrows, click and drag)

That worked! So unbelievably simple. Thank you for taking the time to help!!
Karen