3782679 - Employee Data Import Fails for Alumni External Users with Target Population Error - Onboarding

When importing employee data for alumni external users, the following error is displayed even after applying the standard resolution in KBA 2434802 (disabling target population validation for Employee Central Import Entities in the administrator's permission role):

Error: You are trying to import data for a user not part of your target population. Contact your administrator to proceed with the import.

The error occurs specifically when the target user record belongs to the External Alumni User type. Imports targeting internal employee records are not affected by this limitation.

SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding

1. Convert an employee to an alumni user through the Offboarding process.
2. Apply the standard resolution in KBA 2434802: navigate to Admin Center > Manage Permission Roles, open the administrator's permission role, click Permission, expand Administrator Permissions > Employee Central Import Entities, and disable the Target Population option for the relevant entities.
3. Navigate to Admin Center > Import and Export Data.
4. Run an import file targeting the alumni user's record (for example, Job Information).
5. The error is displayed despite target population validation being disabled.

The Employee Data import tool processes target population validation against the internal employee user type. Alumni users are converted to the External Alumni User type after the Offboarding process completes. The import tool does not recognize the External Alumni User type in its target population validation layer, as it is designed exclusively for internal employee records. Disabling the Target Population option under Employee Central Import Entities (the standard resolution in KBA 2434802) removes the validation for internal users, but the External Alumni User type mismatch causes the import to fail regardless of how the permission role is configured.

This error persists for alumni external users because the Employee Data import tool does not account for the External Alumni User type in its validation layer. Before concluding this is the cause, confirm that the standard steps were correctly applied to the permission role used for the import.

1. Navigate to Admin Center > Manage Permission Roles.
2. Open the permission role used to perform the import.
3. Click Permission.
4. Under Administrator Permissions, expand Employee Central Import Entities.
5. Confirm that the Target Population option is disabled for Job Information and for all other entities included in the import file. Note: As of the 1H 2025 release, target population validation applies to all HRIS entities. For the complete list of affected entities and configuration steps, see KBA 2726519: How To Grant Permission to Employee Central HRIS Elements Import - Before and After 1H 2025 Release.
6. Save the role and retry the import.

If the error persists after confirming step 5, the cause is the platform limitation described above. No further configuration change resolves this behavior for alumni external users.

If importing employee data for alumni external users is a business requirement, submit an enhancement request through the SAP Influence portal. Instructions are available in KBA 2090228: How to Submit Enhancement Ideas for SAP SuccessFactors Products.

After applying the steps above, the target population error is resolved for imports targeting internal employee records. For alumni external users, the error confirms the platform limitation described in the Cause section and no additional troubleshooting is required.

• KBA 2434802: Employee Import Error: You are trying to import data for a user who is not part of your target population.
• KBA 2726519: How To Grant Permission to Employee Central HRIS Elements Import - Before and After 1H 2025 Release
• KBA 3776907: "Job Information - You Do Not Have the Necessary Permission" in Alumni Experience - Onboarding
• KBA 2090228: How to Submit Enhancement Ideas for SAP SuccessFactors Products
• Role-Based Permissions for Former Employees as Alumni Users

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