Troubleshooting General Function Failure errors in ArcGIS Pro

Error Message

Troubleshooting "General Function Failure" errors in ArcGIS Pro

A General Function Failure error message in ArcGIS Pro is a non-specific, catch‑all error that provides no additional diagnostic information. This error most commonly occurs when exporting maps, layers, projects, or creating packages. While the message does not identify the root cause, it indicates that ArcGIS Pro encountered a condition that prevented the operation from completing safely.

The sections below outline common causes of this error and recommended troubleshooting steps.

Solution or Workaround

Check system memory (RAM) usage

Verify that your system’s available memory is not being overutilized when running the tool or process.

• In general, ArcGIS Pro may experience degraded performance or unexpected failures when system memory usage exceeds approximately 80–85%.
• Recommendation: Close other applications and background processes to reduce memory consumption and improve ArcGIS Pro performance.

Verify Available Disk Space

Ensure sufficient free disk space is available on both:

• The local C:\ drive
• The target drive where outputs (exports, packages, or data) are being written

ArcGIS Pro requires free disk space to store temporary and intermediate files during processing. A minimum of 32 GB of available disk space is recommended.

• Recommendation: Free up disk space on the local drive and/or the destination drive or network location used for output storage.

Validate Layer Data Integrity

One or more layers in the map may be corrupted or contain invalid data. Common data issues include:

• Invalid or corrupt geometries
• Null or unsupported field values
• Active joins or relates
• Recommendation:
• Export the affected layer(s) to a new feature class (Right‑click layer > Data > Export Features), or
• Run the Repair Geometry geoprocessing tool to correct invalid geometries.

Review Naming Conventions

Layer, map, or project names containing spaces or special characters may cause processing failures.

• ArcGIS Pro does not support special characters or spaces in certain workflows. Use letters, numbers, and underscores only. Avoid starting names with numbers.
• Recommendation: Rename items to remove spaces and special characters, then retry the operation.

Evaluate Security and Antivirus Software

Security or antivirus software may block ArcGIS Pro from accessing temporary directories or required system resources.

• Esri Technical Support often uses Microsoft Process Monitor to identify blocked file access or permission-related issues.
• Recommendation:
• Work with your IT department and Esri Technical Support to configure temporary, directory‑specific exclusions for ArcGIS Pro.
• If exclusions resolve the behavior, contact your antivirus/security software vendor to discuss appropriate long‑term configuration options.

Evaluate Connectivity Between ArcGIS Pro, project files, and data

As was the case in the previous section, if the ArcGIS Pro application is having issues connecting to the project file(s) (.aprx) and/or the data itself, you may run into a General Function Failure.

• Recommendation:
  • It is Esri's general recommendation to have data and projects stored on the same local machine as the ArcGIS Pro application to decrease communication distance between the software and the files it is utilizing.
    • This may not always be possible - please refer to Data location considerations for more information.
    • When this is not possible, it is more important for the ArcGIS Pro project files, rather than the data, to be closer to the application.

Additional Packaging Considerations

If the error occurs during project package creation, test packaging individual maps or layers instead.

• Successfully packaging individual components may indicate that a specific layer or dataset within the project is causing the failure.

Additional Troubleshooting Reference

Many of the troubleshooting steps documented for the 999999 geoprocessing error address similar underlying issues and may also be useful when diagnosing General Function Failure errors. Reviewing and applying the guidance in that article can help identify data, system, or workflow conditions contributing to this behavior.