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How to Troubleshoot Syncing Issues Between BuildOps and Spectrum

Written by Angelene Rosario

If a record is not syncing between BuildOps and Spectrum, the fastest way to resolve it is to review the failed record and any available sync error details in BuildOps, then correct the related data or Spectrum setting. If the error details are unclear or missing, contact BuildOps Support.

In most cases, sync failures are caused by one of these issues:

  • The customer, job, or project has not fully synced yet

  • The invoice or PO date falls outside an open accounting period in Spectrum

  • A field exceeds Spectrum’s character or format limits

  • A department in BuildOps does not match the related cost center in Spectrum

  • A Spectrum or AppXchange setting is preventing the export

Before making changes, first review the failed record in BuildOps and check any visible sync status or error details.

The error message usually points to the field or setting that needs to be corrected.

How to read your sync error message

Spectrum sync errors include a message that points to the root cause. Match your error message below to identify the most likely fix before working through the Common Fixes section.

Error message

Likely cause

Go to section

XML parse error

A field value contains a special character or exceeds Spectrum's character limit

Descriptions or values are too long

Object not found

The customer, job, or project has not yet synced to Spectrum

Customer, job, or project has not synced yet

G/L date error / processing date error

Invoice or PO date falls outside an open accounting period in Spectrum

Invoice date is outside the open accounting period

Tax class code is invalid

Tax classification setting mismatch between BuildOps and Spectrum

Tax classification error on a job

Duplicate document or reference ID

A record with the same ID already exists in Spectrum

Duplicate document or reference ID in Spectrum

Status stuck at "In Progress" or "Syncing"

Export stalled, or WebConnector / HH2 is blocking the process

Sync status stuck in "In Progress" / WebConnector or HH2 connection timeout

If your error message is not listed, review the Sync Log for the full error text and contact BuildOps Support if the cause remains unclear.

Common fixes

Edit button unavailable? If a record is in Posted, Active, or Closed status, the Edit button may be disabled. You will need to contact BuildOps Support to request a manual status reset before you can re-trigger the sync.

Sync in the right order — check parent records first

Spectrum requires records to sync in a specific order. Before syncing an invoice or PO, verify that these records have already successfully synced to Spectrum:

  1. Customer

  2. Property

  3. Job or Project

If any parent record has not synced, use Edit > Save on that record first, wait for it to complete, then retry the child record. AppXchange project phases and cost types must also be synced before downstream transactions (invoices, POs) that reference them.

Customer, job, or project has not synced yet

If an invoice, PO, or related record fails because the customer or job has not synced first:

  1. Open the customer, job, or project in BuildOps

  2. Click Edit

  3. Click Save

This re-triggers the export to Spectrum. After that finishes, try syncing the dependent record again.

Invoice date is outside the open accounting period

If the invoice fails with a G/L date or processing date error:

  1. Open the invoice in BuildOps and review the Issue Date

  2. In Spectrum, go to System Administration > Installation > Processing Dates

  3. Review the current, minimum, and maximum dates for Accounts Receivable

  4. Update the invoice date in BuildOps so it falls within an open period

  5. Retry the sync

If your team uses strict G/L period controls, you may also need to review the Spectrum setting Invoice Date must be in G/L period.

Job or contract cost center does not match the BuildOps department

If the department in BuildOps does not align with the related cost center in Spectrum, invoice sync can fail.

To fix this:

  1. Open the job in BuildOps and note the selected Department

  2. In Spectrum, go to Job Cost > Maintenance > Jobs

  3. Find the matching job and verify the Cost Center

  4. Update the BuildOps department or the Spectrum setup so they match

  5. Retry the sync

Tax classification error on a job

If the error says the tax class code is invalid:

If the error says the tax class code is invalid:

  1. In Spectrum, go to System Administration > Installation > Job Cost.

  2. Review whether Utilize Tax Classification is enabled.

  3. Check with your accounting admin before changing this setting, since this configuration depends on how your Spectrum environment is set up.

  4. If your accounting admin or BuildOps Support confirms that a change is needed, update the setting and save it in Spectrum.

  5. In BuildOps, open the job, click Edit, then Save to re-trigger the sync.

Descriptions or values are too long

Spectrum enforces field-length and formatting limits. Syncs may fail if values are too long or do not fit Spectrum’s required format.

Common examples include:

  • Customer Name over 30 characters

  • Customer Address Line 1 over 30 characters

  • Property Address Line 1 over 30 characters

  • Phone Number over 14 characters

  • State Code not using a 2-character abbreviation

  • Schedule of Values description over 30 characters

  • Item Description over 30 characters

  • Product or item code containing special characters — dashes, slashes, or ampersands may be rejected; use letters and numbers only

If a record fails to sync, shorten the affected value and try again.

Special characters such as dashes (–), slashes (/), and ampersands (&) in field values can also cause Spectrum to reject a record even if the field length is within limits. Replace these with alphanumeric equivalents and retry the sync.

Project cost code does not fit the Spectrum phase mask

If a project or cost code sync fails:

  1. In Spectrum, go to System Administration > Installation > Job Cost

  2. Review the Phase Number Mask

  3. In BuildOps, update the project cost code so it matches that mask

  4. Save the record and retry the sync

Item, GL account, or cost type mismatch

If a PO or receipt fails, the issue may be that the item’s GL account and cost type mapping in BuildOps does not match Spectrum.

To review:

  1. In BuildOps, open the item and review the assigned GL Expense Account

  2. In Spectrum, go to General Ledger > Maintenance > Master File

  3. Review the allowed cost type for that GL account

  4. Update the BuildOps line item or item setup so the cost type matches

  5. Retry the sync

If you are not sure which GL account or cost type should be used, check with your accounting admin before updating item setup.

Product or item code formatting issue

If the error points to an item or product code:

  1. Review the product or item code in BuildOps

  2. Remove any extra spaces or invalid formatting

  3. Save the record

  4. Retry the sync

Duplicate document or reference ID in Spectrum

If a record fails because a duplicate document or reference ID already exists in Spectrum, the sync will be rejected. This can happen if an invoice, PO, or customer record was exported more than once, or if a reference number was reused.

  1. In Spectrum, search for the duplicate document or reference ID

  2. Determine whether the original record was successfully created — if so, no further action may be needed in BuildOps

  3. If the duplicate needs to be removed, delete it in Spectrum, then retry the sync in BuildOps

  4. If you are not sure whether to delete the record, check with your accounting admin before making changes

Sync status stuck in "In Progress"

If a record shows a sync status of "In Progress" or "Syncing" for an extended period without completing or showing an error, the export may have stalled.

  1. Wait a few minutes, then refresh the record to see if the status updates

  2. If the status has not changed, open the record in BuildOps, click Edit, then click Save to re-trigger the export

  3. Check the Sync Log for any related errors

  4. If no error is shown and the status does not clear after re-saving, contact BuildOps Support

WebConnector or HH2 connection timeout

If your integration uses WebConnector or HH2 (Hydrous Host) to connect BuildOps to Spectrum, a connection timeout or client-side issue can cause exports to stall or fail without a data-level error.

  1. Confirm that WebConnector or HH2 is running on the correct machine

  2. Check for any Windows dialog boxes on that machine that may be blocking the sync process — these must be acknowledged before the import thread can continue

  3. Verify that API credentials are still valid and that the connection to Spectrum has not been interrupted

  4. Retry the export

  5. If the issue persists, contact BuildOps Support — these errors typically require a connection-level investigation

To reduce future sync issues:

  • Make sure customer, property, and project fields stay within Spectrum field limits

  • Keep department and cost center mappings consistent

  • Confirm invoice and PO dates fall within open Spectrum processing periods

  • Review item, GL account, and cost type mappings before exporting transactions

  • Keep line item quantities to two decimal places or fewer when syncing with Spectrum.

  • Check the affected record’s sync status first, then review the Sync Log for additional details if needed. If the reason for the failure is still unclear, BuildOps Support can help

  • Check for and remove duplicate reference IDs or document numbers before re-exporting records

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