## TL;DR
Supply a valid start date on the hire record and make the import reject incomplete records loudly at intake. Open the failing record in Deel, add the agreed start date in the expected format, re-run the single record import, then add validation so future records without a start date are flagged to HR before the feed runs instead of failing mid-batch.

```text
Deel HR feed import failed: new hire record parser error missing start date
```

## Use this when
- The feed import log rejects one or more new hire records naming a missing or invalid start date.
- Other records in the same file or sync imported successfully.
- The hire contract in Deel is in draft or pending signature with incomplete onboarding fields.

## Not for this skill when
- The import fails for every record with a connection error. Repair feed credentials first.
- The rejection names a different required field such as tax information. Follow that field guidance.

## Steps
1. Open the import history in the downstream system or integration and list the rejected records with their Deel worker identifiers, confirming the error is the missing start date and not a date format rejection. Keep one record as the test case. Verify: rejected records and the exact date error are listed
2. In Deel, open the test hire worker profile and contract to see whether the start date is truly blank, stored on a different agreement type, or held in a pending contract that the feed does not read. Note who owns completing the field, usually HR operations. Verify: the Deel state of the start date is established
3. Enter the correct start date agreed with the hiring manager, using the date the employee actually starts work in their country, and check the record for other blank required fields while it is open so the next import does not fail one field later. Verify: the saved record shows a complete set of feed-required fields
4. Re-run the import for the single corrected record, confirm the downstream account or pending hire appears with the right start date driving account activation timing, and confirm no duplicate record was created by the earlier partial attempt. Verify: the test record imports cleanly with the correct date
5. Process the remaining rejected records the same way in Deel rather than editing the feed file by hand, because hand edits are overwritten on the next sync and hide the source data quality issue from HR. Verify: all previously rejected records now import
6. Add an intake check: a Deel report or integration validation that lists upcoming hires missing required feed fields several days before start, sent to HR operations, so dates are completed while there is still time. Verify: the report exists and shows the current upcoming cohort

## Why it happens
Feed parsers treat the start date as a mandatory scheduling key because account creation, payroll, and compliance steps all hang off it. Deel records reach the feed in incomplete states when contracts are drafted before terms are final or when a field lives on a document the integration does not read, and a strict parser rightly rejects the record rather than guessing a date that would mistime pay and access. Completing the source record and adding an early completeness check fixes both the immediate import and the recurring draft-record pattern behind it.

## Variants and edge cases
### Start date present but in the wrong field
Some agreement types store the date as a contract start rather than a worker start. Map the feed to the field Deel actually populates for that worker class.

### Date format rejection after a region expansion
New countries can introduce local date entry habits. Keep the feed contract on ISO format and validate at intake, not in the parser error queue.

### Contractor records without start dates
Short engagements sometimes start on task assignment. Agree a default of the first assignment date with HR and document it as policy rather than leaving blanks.

Compatibility: Applies to Deel worker feeds into HRIS, identity, and payroll downstream systems via API or file import. Requires Deel admin access for record correction.

## Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_suN8ksbrm5AzEoaqDPY4Rg