Plugin cannot locate export.json in working directory.

Question

I followed the setup instructions and created the following export.json:

{
  "objects": [
    {
      "query": "SELECT Id, Name FROM Account",
      "operation": "Upsert",
      "externalId": "Name"
    }
  ]
}

I saved it in ./scripts, installed SFDMU successfully, and then ran:

$ sfdx sfdmu:run -sourceusername source -targetusername target -p ./scripts

I received this error:

Execution of the command sfdmu:run has been started. 
Command in progress ...... done 
[ERROR] Command initialization error: Missing export.json file in the working directory. 
Execution of the command sfdmu:run has been finished. Exit code 2 (COMMAND_INITIALIZATION_ERROR). 
Total time elapsed: 00h 00m 00s 005ms.

How can I resolve this?

Answer

The path passed to --path must point to a directory that contains export.json directly. The file name must be exactly export.json.

Use an explicit path with the current CLI command:

$ sf sfdmu run --sourceusername source --targetusername target --path "./scripts"

If your script is in a different folder, pass that exact folder to --path.

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Last updated on 17th Feb 2026