This error appears when the same Finding Reference Number is used more than once within your submission.
Each Finding Reference must be unique across all findings listed in your Federal Awards Audit Findings tab of the Excel file.
Example:
If you list the finding reference 2023-001 more than once, even under different awards, the system will display this error.
How to fix it:
Open your Excel submission file.
Go to the Federal Awards Audit Findings tab.
Make sure each finding reference is unique across the entire sheet.
Update any repeated numbers to distinct values.
Once you correct the duplicates, you can re-upload your file and continue submission.