My file won't upload to Placemaker

This article is for Placemaker customers.

What each upload message means and how to fix your file

Symptoms

At the Check step, the upload window shows 'We couldn't use this file' with a short title and message, and the Continue button is greyed out. The message tells you either that the file has been blocked because it holds personal information, or what Placemaker couldn't read in it.

Cause

Placemaker checks every file before saving it, and stops for one of two reasons:

The file is about people. Placemaker doesn't accept personal information, such as individuals' names, home addresses or phone numbers, and blocks a file it detects is about people.
The file can't be used as it is. Placemaker can't open it, can't find a location for the rows, or the file is over a limit.

Nothing is saved, so you can fix the file and upload it again.

Resolution

Find the title you see, then follow the fix.

Option 1: the file holds personal information

Placemaker maps places and assets, not people. Remove every column that identifies a person – names of individuals, home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses – save the file and upload it again. The names of sites, assets and branches are fine to keep.

If your file is only about places or assets and Placemaker still blocks it, contact support with the file name.

Option 2: the file can't be opened

Title	What to do
Unsupported file type	Save the file as CSV, XLSX, GeoJSON, KML, a zipped shapefile or a zipped MapInfo TAB file.
File can't be read	The file is incomplete or damaged. Export it again from the source system.
Shapefile incomplete	Zip the .shp, .shx, .dbf and .prj files together. The message names the missing ones.
File is empty	Check the file has rows. In a spreadsheet, delete any title or note rows so the column headers sit in row 1.
Macros not supported	Save the workbook as CSV or as an XLSX without macros.
Multiple sheets found	Save the sheet you want as its own file. Placemaker reads one sheet per file.

Option 3: the file is over a limit

Title	What to do
File too large	Placemaker accepts files up to 50 MB. Remove columns you don't need, or split the file.
Too many addresses	Placemaker looks up to 8,000 addresses per file. Split the file, or add latitude and longitude columns – files located by coordinates have no row limit.

Option 4: Placemaker can't find a location for each row

Title	What to do
No location columns found	Rename your headers to ones Placemaker recognises, such as latitude and longitude, or address, suburb, state and postcode. The full list is in What files can I upload to Placemaker?
Coordinates not readable	Check the coordinates are decimal degrees for places in Australia, for example -37.81383 and 144.96323. Eastings and northings, such as MGA grid coordinates, aren't accepted – convert them to latitude and longitude first.
Multiple addresses found	Keep one set of address columns and remove the others.
Multiple coordinates found	Keep one pair of latitude and longitude columns and remove the others.

Option 5: the geometry or projection can't be used

Title	What to do
No geometry found	Export the file again with its geometry included.
Geometry can't be read	The message names the damaged feature. Fix or remove it and export again.
Geometry type not supported	Placemaker maps points, lines and polygons. Remove the feature the message names.
Cannot detect projection of file	Export the file again in GDA2020 (EPSG:7844) or WGS 84 (EPSG:4326).

Option 6: addresses need resolving

At the Fix addresses step, each unmatched address shows a reason, such as 'Postcode mismatch', 'Suburb only', 'Multiple candidates', 'No street number' or 'Address not found'. Select Fix address to correct it and Re-geocode, Place pin to drop the location on the map, or Remove to leave it out. If most addresses fail, fix them in the file – full street, suburb, state and postcode for every row – and upload again.

If this doesn't resolve the issue

If you see 'Check didn't complete', upload the file again. If it keeps failing, or Placemaker blocks a file that isn't about people, contact support and include:

the file name and file type
the title and message you see
a screenshot of the upload window