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Error 'bad field names' when you import Person Accounts

Publish Date: May 25, 2026
Description

When you import Person Accounts into Salesforce using the Data Import Wizard or Data Loader, you may receive the following error: Account: bad field names on insert/update call: Name

Resolution
While Person Accounts are technically Accounts, they share many features with the Contact object, specially the naming convention.

This means that Person Account names consist of First Name and Last Name. 

When you create or edit Person Account records, your .csv file must include 'First Name' and 'Last Name' columns. Mapping these fields to the Name field will result in the error above, since this field is used for the 'Business Account' record type. 
Additional Resources

See also :

Knowledge Article Number

000386207

 
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Salesforce Help | Article