Trade Shield | Knowledge Centre TROUBLESHOOTING

The Object Reference Error

⏳ 3 min read 3 steps

⚠ What causes this error?

This error appears when a mandatory upload field was skipped somewhere on the credit application. It typically happens when an applicant clicks between steps without using the Next button, bypassing required document uploads.

In this article

1. What the error looks like	2. How to fix it
3. Creating a substitution document

What the error looks like

When this error occurs, the applicant will see the following red error message on screen. It is often confusing because it doesn't mention the missing document directly.

APPLICATION ERROR SCREEN

app.tradeshield.ai/application

Error ✕

Please try your action again, or let your system administrator know.

More information:

Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Error code:

8FF808DAC5

⚠ Note: Error code 8FF808DAC5 always means a mandatory upload field was skipped. Contact Trade Shield support if this error persists after following the steps below.

↓

How to fix the error

This error is caused by skipping steps on the application — for example, clicking from Step 2 directly to Step 5 without using the Next button at each step. This bypasses mandatory upload fields.

To fix this, the applicant must:

Go back to Step 3 of the application
Work through to Step 4, using the Next button at each step
Ensure all upload fields have documents uploaded into them
Re-submit the application

In most cases, the missing documents are bank statements or financial statements. If these are confidential, the applicant can upload a substitution document instead — see Step 3 below.

APPLICATION STEP NAVIGATION

app.tradeshield.ai/application/step-3

✓

Step 1

✓

Step 2

Step 3 ⚠

Step 4

Step 5

⚠ Bank Statements *Required

No document uploaded. Click to upload.

⚠ Financial Statements *Required

No document uploaded. Click to upload.

ⓘ Tip: Always use the Next button to move between steps. This ensures all required fields are validated before proceeding.

↓

Creating a substitution document

If bank statements or financial statements are confidential, the applicant does not need to upload the real documents. Instead, they can create and upload a simple substitution document.

As long as the estimated turnover is provided on the application, Trade Shield can still calculate a limit recommendation.

How to create the substitution document:

1	Open a blank document — preferably on a company letterhead
2	Type a short note stating that your financial statements are confidential
3	Save the document as a PDF
4	Upload the PDF into the upload fields where the statements are required (Steps 3–4)
5	Submit the application — the object reference error will no longer appear

EXAMPLE: SUBSTITUTION DOCUMENT

Confidential_Statement.pdf

ABC Company (Pty) Ltd

123 Business Park, Sandton, 2196

To Whom It May Concern

Please note that our company's financial statements and bank statements are strictly confidential and cannot be shared externally.

We confirm that our estimated annual turnover is provided within the application form. We trust this is sufficient for your assessment.

Signed: _________________________

Date: ___________________________

ⓘ Tip: A substitution document is perfectly acceptable. Trade Shield only needs the estimated turnover to calculate a credit limit recommendation — not the actual financial statements.

Need more help?

The support team is ready to assist

support@tradeshield.ai

+27 (0) 10 753 1630

The Object Reference Error

What the error looks like

How to fix the error

Creating a substitution document

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