Find the message you see below. Most of them appear on Add existing records, the screen where you match a file's columns to a record type. See import records from files for the whole process.

The file isn't listed

When you choose a file to import as records, Data Files lists only the kinds it can import: GeoPackage, Shapefile in a ZIP, GeoJSON, CSV, Excel (.xlsx) and KML or KMZ. Other files, such as older .xls workbooks, GPX or DXF files, aren't offered. On Android, choosing one of them with Add file says These records could not be added.

Save the data again in one of those formats from the software it came from. See supported file formats.

These records could not be added

This message means two different things, depending on where it appears.

As soon as you choose the file. Dipper Field couldn't read it. Check that:

  • A ZIP holds exactly one Shapefile, with its .shp, .shx and .dbf (and its .prj), or exactly one KML file. A ZIP with several Shapefiles, or with no Shapefile or KML, can't be read.
  • A KMZ holds one KML file.
  • An Excel workbook has data in at least one sheet.
  • The file is no larger than 2 GB.
  • The file isn't damaged. Try opening it in desktop GIS software, and save it again from there.

At the bottom of Add existing records, with Refresh under it. The check of the data, or the import itself, didn't finish. Tap Refresh to check again, then Add them. The project is unchanged.

This project has no compatible record type for this data

Each row must go into a record type with the same kind of shape: points, lines or areas. The project has none that matches the file. If you started from one record type's list, only that type is offered.

  • Add a record type with the file's kind of shape, then import again. See points, lines and areas.
  • Inspections can't receive rows from a file. Import the assets, not their inspections.
  • To show the file under your records without making records of it, add it as a reference layer instead. See reference layers.

Messages about coordinates

A line under the item count says what Dipper Field knows about the file's coordinates.

MessageWhat to do
Coordinates will be converted as they are addedNothing. The file names its coordinate system, and the records will land in the right place.
This file does not name its coordinate system. Every coordinate in it could be a longitude and a latitude, and it will be read as such.Usually nothing. If the records land in the wrong place after the import, the file is in another system: save it again with its coordinate system included.
This file does not name its coordinate system, and its extent cannot be read beforehand. It will be read as longitude and latitude.As above. Check where the records land.
This file does not name its coordinate system, and its numbers are far outside longitude and latitude — they look like a projected system in meters. Save it again from the software it came from with its coordinate system included.Add them stays off. Export the file again with its coordinate system. For a Shapefile, put its .prj in the ZIP.

See coordinate systems for import and export.

These columns could not be read as locations

The full message is These columns could not be read as locations. Check the selection and coordinate reference. It appears for a CSV or Excel sheet after you tap Use these location columns.

  • With Longitude column and Latitude column, check that they're two different columns of plain numbers, and that X (easting or longitude) and Y (northing or latitude) aren't swapped.
  • With One shape column, check that the column holds shapes written as WKT, such as POINT (-73.98 40.75).
  • Check the Coordinate system. Numbers in feet or meters need the projected system they're in, such as a State Plane zone, not longitude and latitude.

Use these location columns stays grayed out until both columns are chosen and they're different.

Check this field's values.

This appears under a field when some rows have values that don't fit it. Those rows will be skipped. A value fits when it's:

  • a whole number, for a whole-number question
  • a number, for a decimal question
  • yes, no, true, false, 1 or 0, for a yes/no question
  • a date written as year-month-day, such as 2026-10-23, for a date question
  • a date and time such as 2026-10-23T14:30:00, for a date-and-time question
  • one of the options, for a choice question; several options are separated by semicolons
  • within the question's own rules, such as its range and whether it's required

For a choice question, values that don't match an option are listed under the field. Pick which option each one means. You can also fix the values in the file and import it again.

A column isn't offered for a field

A field lists only the columns that can fill it. A column of decimal numbers can't fill a whole-number or yes/no question, and date and choice questions take text columns only. Signature questions can't be filled from a file.

Complete the required questions before saving.

A required question has no column matched to it. Choose a column for it, or enter a value under Use when blank so every new record gets one. Add them stays off until you do. When you update matching records instead, their existing answers are kept, so this doesn't apply.

Rows to skip

The summary says what will happen, such as New 120 · Update 0 · Skip 3. A row is skipped when:

  • it has no location
  • its shape is a different kind from the record type, such as a line in a file of points, or it has too few points to be a line or an area
  • a value doesn't fit its field (see above)
  • its asset number appears more than once in the file
  • its asset number is already in the project and Update matching assets is off, or more than one record in the project has that number

To import the other rows, turn on Skip invalid records and duplicate numbers. Add them stays off until you do.

Records were added again instead of updated

  • For a record type with an asset number, turn on Update matching assets. Rows with the same number update those assets, and their inspection history is kept.
  • A file exported from the project keeps each record's ID in an fw_id column. Dipper Field turns on Update matching records for such a file, so rows whose record is still in the project update it.

Add them stays grayed out

Look for one of these on Add existing records:

  • Checking data is still showing.
  • A message about coordinates is shown in red.
  • A CSV or Excel sheet still needs its location columns.
  • There is not enough room on this device: the device needs about three times the file's size free. Free up space and try again.
  • Complete the required questions before saving.
  • Some rows will be skipped and Skip invalid records and duplicate numbers is off.
  • The summary has nothing new and nothing to update.

Starting a new project from a file

When you start a new project from a file, a message in red on New Project says why the file can't be used:

MessageWhat to do
This file has no locations, so its records can't be placed on the map.The file has no shapes. For a CSV or Excel file, Dipper Field asks for its location columns instead. Otherwise, use a file with shapes.
This file does not specify its coordinate systemSave the file again with its coordinate system, such as a Shapefile with its .prj.
These records could not be addedDipper Field couldn't read the file. See above.

In a file with several layers, Choose layers shows these messages under the layers that can't be used, and they can't be selected.

Reference layers

MessageWhat to do
This file couldn't be read as a map layer.Use a file that carries its own shapes, such as a GeoPackage, Shapefile ZIP, GeoJSON or KML.
Nothing in this file could be placed on the map. If its coordinates are in meters, it may be missing its coordinate system (.prj).Export the file again with its coordinate system.
A project can show up to 8 reference layers. Remove one to add another.In Map layers, tap a layer you don't need and tap Remove layer.
This layer has more than 500,000 shapes, too many to show smoothly on this device.Split the data into smaller files in desktop GIS software, such as by area.

Left out, with no shape to show under a layer counts the features in the file that had no shape. The rest of the layer is shown.

Project backups and hand-overs

MessageWhat to do
Choose a Dipper Field project file (.fwp).Choose a .fwp file.
This is a data file, not a Dipper Field project. To use its records, create a new project and choose “Add existing records”.The file is a GeoPackage, Shapefile or other data. Import its records instead.
This Dipper Field project could not be imported. The original file was not changed.The file may be incomplete. Copy it to the device again, or ask for a new backup.
This project was made with a newer version of Dipper Field. Update the app to open it.Update Dipper Field from the App Store or Google Play.
This hand-over can only be merged into its project, which isn't on this device. To open it here, ask for the whole project file.Ask for a project backup instead.
This hand-over leaves out photos that aren't on this deviceMerge the same person's earlier hand-overs first, or ask for the whole project file.

See back up and restore a project.

Templates

  • This isn't a supported Dipper Field template. The file isn't a .fwt template, or it's damaged. Ask for it to be exported again.
  • This template was made with a newer version of Dipper Field. Update the app to use it. Update Dipper Field, then import it again.

Map files

For GeoPDF, GeoTIFF and MBTiles files, see import GeoPDF, GeoTIFF and MBTiles. It lists each message and what to do.