portal submission error "file corrupted" questionnaire export unreadable failure

TL;DR

Fix this in the questionnaire export by acting on the exact message first: regenerate the export from the answer library using a fresh template instead of repairing the unreadable file, open the regenerated file in a spreadsheet app to prove it parses, and resend it. Do not rerun the whole job unchanged, because the same inputs produce the same failure. Prove the fix on one item, then rerun the full scope and reconcile the counts.

file corrupted

Use this when

• The operation in the questionnaire export fails with this exact message: file corrupted.
• The same failure repeats on retry with unchanged inputs.
• A review, export or check is blocked until this item completes.

Not for this skill when

• The message is a permission or outage notice from the platform. Resolve that first, then return here if this error remains.
• The operation completes and you only disagree with its output. That is a quality review, not this failure.

Steps

1. Reproduce the failure with the smallest scope that still shows it in the questionnaire export, and copy the full message plus the questionnaire, answer or evidence item involved into the run notes. Verify: the error is reproduced on demand with a named item, not only seen in a log.
2. Apply the specific fix for this error: regenerate the export from the answer library using a fresh template instead of repairing the unreadable file, open the regenerated file in a spreadsheet app to prove it parses, and resend it. Verify: the regenerated file opens cleanly and its question count matches the library export count.
3. Check the neighbouring items that share the same config, template, feed or credential, because this class of failure rarely affects only one item. Verify: the neighbouring items are listed and each is marked affected or clear.
4. Compare the result counts, decisions or alerts against the source in the questionnaire export so a silent partial success is caught before sign off. Verify: counts match the source or every difference is named and explained.
5. Rerun the original operation in the questionnaire export on the previously failing scope, watching for the same message rather than assuming success from a quiet log. Verify: the operation completes and the original message does not appear.
6. Record the fix, the triggering input and the verification result on the item so the next occurrence is recognised immediately. Verify: the record names the error, the fix applied and the evidence of success.

Why it happens

the file was written from a damaged template or its write was interrupted, leaving a container that portal and spreadsheet readers reject as corrupted.

Variant phrasings

file corrupted

The verbatim form searchers paste from the terminal or console. Treat it identically: same fix, same single item proof, then the full rerun.

How to fix: portal submission error "file corrupted" questionnaire export unreadable failure

The how-to phrasing for the same failure in the questionnaire export. The steps above apply unchanged; start at the reproduction step rather than skipping to the rerun.

the questionnaire export troubleshooting for this failure

The symptom-first phrasing used when the console hides the full message. Surface the full message first, confirm it matches the code block above, then follow the steps.

Compatibility: the questionnaire export at current versions, plus the platform API or console the query names; no extra tooling beyond a text editor and the source system access needed to verify counts.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_zx2crcgWimX6YB1aCJ1riA