Bulk API limits

Every Eloqua instance has the following soft limits by Bulk API sync type:

Bulk API Sync Type Limit
Export 2000 per hour
Import 2000 per hour
Sync Action 4000 per hour

There are many variables to sync processing. We'd expect minimal impact due to volume on its own if within these limits and following best practices. The number of syncs being executed is logged and monitored to ensure the Bulk API's stability and reliability.

Important: If the sync limit is exceeded, it is possible there will be slowdowns in processing imports and exports in Eloqua. In certain cases, it is possible that other clients could be affected. If there is impact on other clients, we may take action to alleviate the effect on those clients.

Import limits:

  • Definition limit: An import definition can include a maximum of 100 fields. The import definition will fail to create if more than 100 fields are specified.
  • Request limit: There is a hard limit of 32 MB per request when posting data to an import sync’s staging area. Requests larger than 32 MB will fail by returning a 404 Not Found response. To import more than 32 MB of data, you can make multiple posts of 32 MB (or less) to the import definition before syncing.
  • Staging limit: It is recommended to sync an import whenever approximately 250 MB of data has been posted to its staging area.
  • File limit: There is a hard limit of 500 files per Bulk API import / sync action sync. Attempting to include more than 500 files will result in a "400 There was a validation error." response. A file is a single request to upload data to a definition data endpoint. There is no limit on the number of records included in a single request to a definition data endpoint; however, there is a size limit per request to a definition data endpoint of 32MB. When receiving this validation error, sync data and wait for sync to complete to upload more files to the definition.
  • Sandbox limit: There is a hard limit of 10,000 contacts in a sandbox. New contacts will be rejected when the sandbox contact limit is reached, while existing contacts will still be updated. The sync logs will include Eloqua status code, ELQ-00153, with message "Sandbox contact limit of {contactLimit} exceeded."

Export limits:

  • Definition limits: An export definition can include a maximum of 250 fields. The export definition will fail to create if more than 250 fields are specified.

    Note: When specifying fields for an app or service instance, you can specify a maximum amount of 249 fields because AppCloud developer reserves the contact ID field, which is required to update the status of records and move them to subsequent steps or pass cloud content.

  • Request limit: There is a limit of 50,000 records per request while retrieving data from an export. You can use the offset parameter to retrieve additional records.
  • Staging limit: When exporting activities there is a limit of 5 million records per sync.

Data limitations:

Request limit: If a POST request to a data endpoint exceeds 32 MB, a 404 Not Found response will be returned. Multiple post requests of 32 MB or less must be made instead. This limitation applies to following data endpoints:

Data retention:

  • Syncs: Retention is applied to Bulk API syncs, including sync logs and rejects, that are older than one year. The age of a sync is based on the date the sync was created.
  • Unused Definitions: Retention is applied to Bulk API definitions that do not have an autoDeleteDuration set, were created at least one year ago, and have not been used in a sync for one year. This retention policy will be implemented for all Bulk API definition types: export, import, and sync action.

Learn more

Oracle Eloqua Bulk API