I have seen a couple of issues where users are attempting to edit their profiles and report the following error:

“There was a problem retrieving data for this field. Updating values in this field is disabled temporarily. You can still update values in other fields”.

 

What might seem odd is that it doesn’t affect all properties but only a few. Some built-in properties are enabled to utilize the Managed Metadata Service Application. That is, when you edit one of these particular properties, you will notice a term set field available.

For Example: The Proxy addresses property:

 

Cause # 1:

Properties containing these fields are linked to the Managed Metadata Service Application. These particular properties require a healthy Managed Metadata Service Application\Service Connection as well as associated (service instance) to be started.

For Example: Central Administrator\System Settings\Manage services on server 

When a Managed Metadata Service Application is unhealthy or the associated service instance is stopped, you will run into these errors on OOB properties that are enabled to utilize Managed Metadata Service

 

Cause # 2:

The Managed Metadata Service Connection is missing from the associated proxy group . I would verify this by going into Central Administrator\Application Management\Manage Web Applications. Select corresponding web application and hit the Service Connections button from the ribbon.

 

Note:  This error could also throw on custom properties if they were created with a term set field.