Spec Version: v1 (Latest)v0.1

Troubleshoot Import and Apply Errors Beta

This guide covers common validation and error scenarios when you import workspace resources into a CLI project or run apply afterward.

Unsynced changes in project

If your project has unsynced changes, running the import workspace command will give you the following error:

Error: import not allowed as project has changes to be synced

Fix: Run apply to sync pending changes, then run import workspace again.

Imported directory already exists

If an imported directory already exists in your project, the import workspace command will fail with the following error:

Error: directory for import: my-project/imported already exists

Fix: Move anything you need out of imported/, delete the imported directory, and run import workspace again.

Import fails for a specific resource

When import workspace or a resource-specific import fails:

• Confirm the workspace still contains the remote_id you’re importing
• Confirm your token includes the required permissions for that resource type
• Make sure the local_id doesn’t conflict with an existing CLI-managed resource

Apply fails after import

When apply fails right after an import:

• Check that every generated YAML file is present and valid
• For SQL models you imported with --sql-location, keep the YAML and the referenced .sql file on the paths Rudder CLI expects
• Confirm you’re logged in and the token can reach the workspace
• Confirm that no manual changes were made to the resource in the RudderStack dashboard after import — if changes were made outside Rudder CLI, you will be prompted to reconcile them

Resource deleted from dashboard before apply

If you delete a resource from the RudderStack dashboard after running import workspace but before running apply, the apply command will fail with:

Resource with ID not found

Fix: Remove the matching YAML from the project (or rewrite it so Rudder CLI creates a new resource), then run apply again.