Customer Issue

When attempting to update an existing user's email address via SFTP user sync, the sync fails with the error: "two different users found". This occurs even if the email address and the Federated Identifier (Universal ID) are unique within the specific brand being updated.

The issue typically arises when the email address being provided in the sync file is already associated with a different user record in another program. While the system allows creating a new user by linking to an existing email holder across brands, it currently blocks updating an existing user to an email address held by a different record.

Environment

• Creator Studio | User Sync (SFTP)

• Member Experience | All Platforms

Issue Details

This error occurs because email addresses are currently global across the Firstup platform, whereas Federated Identifiers are unique only within a single brand.

When a user sync runs:

1. The system identifies the existing user in the current brand using the Federated Identifier.

2. It then checks the email address provided in the file.

3. If that email address is already "owned" by a different user (even one in a completely separate brand), the validator sees two distinct records: one matched by ID and one matched by email.

4. Because the system cannot merge these two existing records during an update, it returns the "two different users found" error to prevent data corruption or unintended account linking.

Resolution

A permanent fix is currently being researched by the Engineering team to improve how validation handles cross-brand email matches during updates.

Workaround:
To resolve the block for a specific user, you can "forget" the user record in the program where the update is failing and then recreate it.

1. In Studio, navigate to People > Users.

2. Search for the affected user and select Forget User.

   • Note: This will remove the user's history in this specific program.

3. Run the SFTP user sync again with the correct Federated Identifier and email address.

4. The system will now see the email exists elsewhere and correctly link the "new" user to the existing record holding that email.

Please check the current status of this issue on the Known Issues Tracker. (Issue ID: FE-33104)