# Import Errors - Difference between invalid record ID and update only import **URL:** \ **Category:** CRM\ **Tags:** companies\ **Created:** [June 16, 2025, 12:57pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/import-errors-difference-between-invalid-record-id-and-update-only-import/134567 "2025-06-16T12:57:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MVerita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@MVerita](https://community.hubspot.com/u/MVerita)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 12:57pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/import-errors-difference-between-invalid-record-id-and-update-only-import/134567/1 "2025-06-16T12:57:22Z")
Hello everyone, Recently I imported some new companies into Hubspot: after the import, the app returned some records as failed imports. Now, the import was an update-only type, so “Update only import” errors were expected since I knew some records might’ve belonged to old records that are not anymore present in the app. So far so good, but I also got another error for some records, which is the “Invalid record ID”: the documentation says that this type of error arises when “[Record](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/records/deduplication-of-records?_ga=2.5375797.720570980.1655823033-1647239738.1655823033&hubs_content=knowledge.hubspot.com/import-and-export/troubleshoot-import-errors&hubs_content-cta=record#deduplicate-records-by-object-id&zorseWidget)[ID](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/records/deduplication-of-records?hubs_content=knowledge.hubspot.com/import-and-export/troubleshoot-import-errors&hubs_content-cta=id#deduplicate-records-by-object-id&zorseWidget)listed in the file did not match existing IDs in HubSpot”. Isn’t this exactly the kind of error that the Update only import error catches? I exactly want to NOT import records where the company ID doesn’t match any record in Hubspot, but I was expecting only the Update only import error to appear, and I don’t understand what’s the difference compared to the “Invalid record ID” error. ---
**Author:** ![karstenkoehler](https://d10pqhm3lwygmk.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.hubspot.com/karstenkoehler/32/68554_2.png) [@karstenkoehler](https://community.hubspot.com/u/karstenkoehler)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 1:05pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/import-errors-difference-between-invalid-record-id-and-update-only-import/134567/2 "2025-06-16T13:05:44Z")
Hi [@MVerità](https://community.hubspot.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/954697), How many other identifiers were in your import? Was there also the company domain name in there? It’s a nuance but could explain the different error messages. Highlights below are mine. Update only import: “You selected that the import should only update existing records, but your import file contains **unique identifier values** that don’t correspond to existing records in HubSpot. For example, you imported an Email value that doesn’t match an existing contact’s email, or a Record ID value that doesn’t match an existing record. The affected rows were not imported, so new records were not created, but existing records were updated.” Invalid record ID: “During the import, one of the file’s columns was mapped to **Record ID**. However, Record ID listed in the file did not match existing IDs in HubSpot. The records were not imported.” For your overall goal, correct, it doesn’t make a difference. Personally, I would not spend time on further investigating it and close the issue as, in any case, no new records were created. Best regards ---
**Author:** ![MVerita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@MVerita](https://community.hubspot.com/u/MVerita)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 7:44am UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/import-errors-difference-between-invalid-record-id-and-update-only-import/134567/3 "2025-06-17T07:44:59Z")
Thank you Karsten! Yes, it was more a curiosity than anything, but also wanted to make sure the records were not imported for the right reason. I didn’t have any other identifiers in that particular import, only the Record ID. In any case, thanks for the help 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nhal](https://d10pqhm3lwygmk.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.hubspot.com/nhal/32/206123_2.png) [@Nhal](https://community.hubspot.com/u/Nhal)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2025, 3:00pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/import-errors-difference-between-invalid-record-id-and-update-only-import/134567/4 "2025-07-02T15:00:59Z")
Ah yeah, I’ve run into that too! It’s confusing when the error message doesn’t quite line up with what you expect. Quick q: when you exported the records to prep the update, did you grab the HubSpot Record ID field directly? If not, try this: 1. Go to your Companies view. 2. Create a filtered view of the records you want. 3. Click Actions \> Export view and make sure Record ID is included. 4. Use that ID column as your match key in the import file. I once got hit with the “Invalid record ID” error when I accidentally used a contact ID in a company import. Easy mixup if you’ve got multiple tabs open or someone renamed columns. Give that a shot and let me know how it goes 🙂