Help:Cite errors/Cite error references missing group

This page will help you to fix the cite error message:

• If you have read this help page and find something missing or confusing, please discuss it at the main talk page.
• Please reference this page and the page where you have the problem so we can understand your issues.
• For basic information on the footnotes system, see Referencing for beginners; for advanced help, see Footnotes.

1. The message appears if you mistakenly embed {{sfn}} or {{sfnp}} (rather than {{harv}}, {{harvnb}}, or {{harvp}}) inside <ref></ref>:

   <ref>{{sfnp|Foo|1999}}</ref>
    

2. Or the error message is correctly warning you of an improperly defined <ref> under list-defined reference under:

   {{reflist|refs= ... }}

Extended content

Overview

Further information: Help:Footnotes

References may be defined within the reference list:

{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=rename1>refcontent1</ref>
<ref name=rename2>refcontent2</ref>
}}

List-defined references may be within groups:

{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=rename1>refcontent1</ref>
<ref name=rename2 groupname=groupname>refcontent2</ref>
}}

Issues and resolution

A list-defined reference uses a group name that is not used within any <ref>...</ref> tags. All list-defined references must be used or commented out.

This message does not show in preview mode.

Examples

A defined reference in the reference list has a group named note, but there is no reference in the content with that group and name.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

==References==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=ipsum group=note>ipsum</ref>
}}

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

References

Technical

Pages with this error message are placed into Pages with incorrect ref formatting. The system message page is at Cite error references missing group.

Bugs

Tracked in Phabricator
Task T26600

• T26600 The first defined reference that is not invoked will show an incorrect error message.