Troubleshoot errors

Here are some common errors that might occur during Data Fetcher runs, with steps describing how to fix them.

Duplicate records being created

The most common cause of duplicate records is Airtable filters applied to your output view.

Data Fetcher only searches for existing records in your selected output view, not the entire table. If filters hide existing records, Data Fetcher can't find them and creates duplicates.

Solution: Create a dedicated view for Data Fetcher with no filters. Also verify your Update Based on Field(s) setting in Advanced settings is using a unique identifier field.

Request works in Postman but not in Data Fetcher

This is usually caused by different headers being sent, particularly the User-Agent header.

Solution: Copy all headers from Postman to Data Fetcher:

1. In Postman, go to the Headers tab of your working request

2. Note all headers being sent (including hidden/auto-generated ones - click Show auto-generated headers)

3. In Data Fetcher, click the Headers tab

4. Add each header from Postman, especially:

• User-Agent

• Accept

• Accept-Encoding

The User-Agent header is often the critical one - some APIs block requests without a browser-like User-Agent (Data Fetcher sends axios/0.22.0 as the User-Agent).

Request works in browser but not in Data Fetcher

This typically indicates the website has bot protection (like Cloudflare) that blocks programmatic requests.

Solution: First verify if the API URL accepts any programmatic requests:

1. Test the same URL in Postman

2. Or test using curl in your command line: curl "YOUR_URL"

3. If these also fail with 403 errors, the URL likely blocks all automated requests

If the site has anti-bot protection, you generally cannot access it via Data Fetcher. Consider:

• Looking for an official API

• Checking if the site offers developer access or API keys

• Contacting the site owner for programmatic access

Note: Some sites only work in browsers due to JavaScript rendering or cookie requirements that Data Fetcher cannot replicate.

Cannot create records in linked table "X" for response field "Y"

You have a linked field in the response field mapping and Data Fetcher needs to create records in the linked table (in order to link to them) but is not able to. This typically happens for two different reasons:

1. The linked table is a synced table. Records cannot be created in synced tables.

To fix this, you can turn off creating records in the linked table:

• Open the response field mapping and find the response field.

• Click the field settings icon .

• Disable the Create missing records option.

• Click "Save" on the field settings.

• Click "Save" on the response field mapping modal.

Alternatively, you may want to investigate why Data Fetcher has to create new records in the synced table in the first place - perhaps the Airtable table sync is not working as expected.

1. The linked field in the linked table is a computed field, e.g. a formula. Records cannot be created with values in computed fields.

To fix this, you can either follow the steps above to turn off creating missing linked records or consider changing the field type of the linked field to a non-computed type, e.g. Number.

"X" variable is missing in workspace

Your request uses a variable but this variable no longer exists in your Data Fetcher workspace. You need to create the variable again in your workspace or update the request to not use this variable.

Output table "X" not found in base

The output table you selected has been deleted. You need to select a different output table for this request.

• Open the request.

• Under Output Table & View, select a table.

• Click "Save".

Output view "X" not found in base

The output view you selected has been deleted. You need to select a different output view for this request.

• Open the request.

• Under Output Table & View, select a view.

• Click "Save".

Field "X" cannot accept the provided value

There is a mismatch between the field's type in the response field mapping and the Airtable field's type. For example, a number field is mapped to a "Single line text" field in Airtable. This can happen if you change the Airtable field's type after setting up the response field mapping.

• Open the response field mapping.

• Find the relevant field.

• Use the field type dropdown to select a type which matches the field's type in the output table.

Too many records in table "X"

The table is at the record limit for your Airtable plan.

You need to delete some records or upgrade to a larger Airtable (not Data Fetcher) plan with higher base/table record limits.

You can also turn off record creation in Data Fetcher:

• Open the request.

• Open the "Advanced settings" and scroll down to Write mode.

• Change the Write mode to Update.

• Disable Create records leftover after update.

Data Fetcher does not have access to base X. Please re-authenticate via the extension and select "All current and future bases in all current and future workspaces"

Your Data Fetcher workspace needs to be authorized to access all the bases where you want to use scheduled/ trigger/ webhook URLs runs. You either need to turn off the failing request's scheduled/trigger/webhook URL or re-authenticate Data Fetcher and Airtable.

Your X references table "Y" but it is missing in base. Has it been renamed?

Your request references a table by name, but that table cannot be found in the base. This most commonly happens after the table is renamed.

• Open the request.

• Find the outdated table reference.

• Clear the reference to the old table name (use the x button on the right-hand side).

• Create a new reference (use the + button on the right-hand side).