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Understanding the Error Assistant

The error assistant is cobby's intelligent error detection and guidance system. Rather than simply reporting that something failed, it provides structured information about what went wrong, why it matters, and how to address it. Understanding how it works helps you resolve issues quickly and prevents recurring errors.

What the Error Assistant Represents​

The error assistant is a specialized task pane that appears automatically when cobby detects validation errors during the save operation. It's not just an error message—it's a diagnostic interface that bridges the gap between detecting a problem and fixing it.

Why Automatic Error Detection Matters​

In traditional spreadsheet workflows, errors often aren't discovered until much later—sometimes after data has already been pushed to production. cobby's approach is fundamentally different:

  • Preventive: Errors are caught before they reach Magento
  • Contextual: You see exactly which products and attributes have issues
  • Actionable: Direct links to problematic data for immediate correction
  • Educational: Error explanations help you understand why something is wrong

This proactive approach prevents data corruption and reduces troubleshooting time significantly.

How the Error Assistant is Structured​

The error assistant organizes information into three key components:

1. Attribute Identification​

Shows which attribute is affected by the error. This immediately narrows your focus to the relevant data field rather than requiring you to search through entire product records.

2. Error Message and Explanation​

Provides the actual error code and message. Clicking on the error message opens detailed documentation explaining:

  • What the error means
  • Why it occurs
  • Common causes
  • How to prevent it in the future

This transforms cryptic error codes into understandable guidance.

The eye icon is the most powerful feature—it instantly navigates you to the exact cell containing the incorrect value. This eliminates manual searching and ensures you're fixing the right data.

Error assistant interface

Why Structured Error Reporting is Essential​

Speed and Efficiency​

Traditional error handling often looks like this:

  1. Save operation fails
  2. Read error log
  3. Identify which product has the issue
  4. Search for the product in the spreadsheet
  5. Guess which field is wrong
  6. Fix it and retry

cobby's error assistant reduces this to:

  1. Error assistant opens automatically
  2. Click eye icon
  3. Fix the highlighted issue
  4. Retry

The time savings compound when dealing with multiple errors across many products.

Learning and Prevention​

Each error message links to detailed documentation. This means every error is an opportunity to:

  • Understand validation rules
  • Learn about Magento requirements
  • Improve data quality processes
  • Prevent similar errors in the future

Over time, users make fewer errors because they understand the underlying rules.

Confidence in Data Quality​

Knowing that cobby validates data before sending it to Magento provides confidence that:

  • Invalid data won't corrupt your product catalog
  • Errors are caught in a safe environment
  • You can experiment and iterate without risk
  • Data quality standards are enforced consistently

How Error Detection Works​

Understanding the error detection process helps you appreciate what the error assistant does:

Validation Phase​

When you save products, cobby performs validation checks before attempting to sync with Magento. These checks include:

  • Required field validation: Ensuring mandatory attributes have values
  • Data type validation: Confirming numbers are numeric, dates are valid, etc.
  • Length validation: Checking text fields don't exceed limits
  • Constraint validation: Verifying dropdown values exist, SKUs are unique, etc.
  • Relationship validation: Ensuring configurable products reference valid simple products

Error Classification​

Not all errors are the same. The error assistant distinguishes between:

Blocking Errors: Issues that prevent the save operation entirely (red job status, error assistant opens)

Warnings: Informational messages that don't block the operation (yellow job status with exclamation mark)

Server Errors: Issues that occur in Magento itself (red job status, but error assistant doesn't open)

Understanding this classification helps you prioritize responses.

The Difference Between Error Assistant Errors and Server Errors​

This is a critical distinction:

Error Assistant Errors (Data Validation)​

These occur during cobby's validation phase:

  • Detected before data reaches Magento
  • Error assistant opens with detailed information
  • Fixable directly in the spreadsheet
  • Examples: missing required fields, invalid dropdown values, duplicate SKUs

Server Errors (Magento Issues)​

These occur after data passes validation but fails in Magento:

  • Detected during Magento processing
  • Error assistant doesn't open
  • Require checking Magento error logs and PHP error logs
  • Examples: permission issues, database errors, PHP timeouts

When you see a red job status but no error assistant, you're dealing with a server error that requires different troubleshooting approaches.

Why the Error Code Library Exists​

cobby maintains a comprehensive library of error codes with detailed explanations. This library serves multiple purposes:

Standardization​

Consistent error codes across all users and installations mean:

  • Documentation applies universally
  • Team members can share knowledge about specific errors
  • Support can reference standard solutions
  • Error patterns can be identified and addressed systematically

Education​

Each error code page explains:

  • The technical reason for the error
  • Business context (why this rule exists)
  • Step-by-step resolution
  • Prevention strategies

This transforms errors from frustrating obstacles into learning opportunities.

Reference​

The error library serves as living documentation of:

  • Magento's validation rules
  • cobby's additional validations
  • Common pitfalls in product data management
  • Best practices for data quality

Error Categories and What They Reveal​

The error library organizes errors into categories that reflect different aspects of product data:

Attribute Errors​

These reveal issues with basic product properties and data quality fundamentals

Configurable Product Errors​

These indicate problems with product relationships and variant configurations

Tier Price and Quantity Errors​

These show issues with pricing structures and customer group configurations

Media Errors​

These surface problems with image handling and file management

Other System Errors​

These indicate integration issues or system-level problems

Understanding these categories helps you identify patterns—if you frequently see configurable product errors, it suggests a need for better understanding of variant management.

The Role of Error Assistant in Workflow Quality​

The error assistant isn't just about fixing problems—it's about improving processes:

Data Quality Gates​

By catching errors early, the error assistant acts as a quality gate that:

  • Prevents invalid data from reaching production
  • Enforces data standards automatically
  • Reduces manual quality checks
  • Builds quality into the workflow itself

Process Improvement Feedback​

Recurring errors indicate opportunities for:

  • Better training on specific features
  • Improved data entry processes
  • Enhanced validation in source systems
  • More robust import procedures

The error assistant makes these patterns visible.

Why Real-Time Validation is Superior to Batch Processing​

Traditional import systems often validate entire batches and report all errors at once. cobby's real-time approach offers advantages:

Immediate Feedback Loop​

You see errors as soon as you save, creating a tight feedback loop:

  • Change → Save → Validate → Fix → Retry

This rapid iteration helps you learn faster and maintain momentum.

Contextual Awareness​

Because you're still actively working on the products, you have full context about:

  • What you were trying to accomplish
  • Why you made specific choices
  • What the correct values should be

This context fades if errors are discovered hours or days later.

Reduced Error Accumulation​

Catching and fixing errors immediately prevents them from multiplying through related products or subsequent operations.

For step-by-step guidance on working with the error assistant, see:

  • How-To: Resolve errors using the error assistant (coming soon)
  • How-To: Interpret specific error codes (coming soon)
  • How-To: Prevent common errors (coming soon)

For comprehensive error code documentation, see:

  • Error Code Reference (coming soon)

For information on job status, see: