ERI — Error Invalid

What ERI Means

The lead data contains an invalid entry that prevents dialing — typically an invalid phone number format, missing required fields, or data corruption. The lead cannot be processed in its current state.

When This Status Is Set

ERI is assigned automatically during lead validation when the phone number or required data fails VICIdial’s format validation rules. The most common trigger is a phone number that does not conform to the expected digit count — VICIdial requires a 10-digit phone number for US/Canada operations, and numbers with fewer digits, non-numeric characters, or obviously invalid patterns (all zeros, all ones) receive ERI status during import. ERI can also be set during hopper loading if a lead that passed initial import validation is later found to have corrupted data in the phone_number field of vicidial_list. In some configurations, the lead recycling process may assign ERI when it encounters data inconsistencies that prevent proper status reassignment.

Impact on List Management

ERI leads cannot be dialed successfully and must be excluded from your dial_status_filter. These leads are effectively dead in the dial flow until the underlying data issue is corrected — unlike DC or DNC where the lead is intentionally suppressed, ERI represents a fixable problem. The correct remediation path is to identify the data error (typically via a SQL query against vicidial_list filtering by status = 'ERI'), correct the phone number or missing field, and reset the status to NEW so the lead re-enters the hopper. If ERI leads are left unaddressed, they silently reduce your effective list size without appearing in standard non-contactable reports. Track ERI counts per list_id to identify which data sources are producing the most formatting errors.

Best Practices

• Monitor ERI count after each list import — high counts indicate data quality issues at the source, not a VICIdial configuration problem

• Batch-correct ERI leads using SQL updates against vicidial_list if the data issue is systemic (e.g., a vendor sent 7-digit numbers missing area codes)

• Implement pre-import validation scripts to catch formatting errors before they enter VICIdial, reducing post-import cleanup work

• Report ERI rate to your data vendor as quality feedback — include specific examples of the malformed data for their correction

• Build an automated daily report that flags new ERI leads so they can be reviewed and corrected within 24 hours of detection

Admin Configuration

ERI is a system-level status defined in Admin → System Statuses with callable set to N and selectable set to N since it is never manually chosen by agents. To review ERI leads, navigate to Admin → List Modification and filter by status ERI, or query vicidial_list directly. The validation rules that trigger ERI assignment are built into VICIdial’s lead loading process and are not directly configurable through the admin interface — they enforce standard phone number formatting (10 digits, numeric only). After correcting the data, use Admin → List Modification or a direct SQL UPDATE to reset corrected leads from ERI to NEW status.

ViciStack’s List Management module monitors disposition distribution in real time — automatically adjusting recycling logic, dial_status_filter priorities, and hopper fill strategies based on how your dispositions are trending. No manual SQL, no spreadsheet audits.