Help CenterUnits & fieldsFix a problem
Fix unit and field problems: every message and its cause
What the error messages mean when you set up units and fields or save records, and how to fix them.
If something goes wrong
What you see
Why
What to do
“A unit with the same name already exists”
The name is used by an active unit.
Change the name, or deactivate the old unit.
“A field with this name already exists”
The internal name is repeated.
Change it. See Add, edit, reorder and deactivate a field.
“This is a system field and cannot be deactivated”
A core field.
Only change its label.
A warning that boards group by the field
A Kanban board depends on the field.
Change the grouping field first. See Create a table or Kanban view.
Saving the field is refused because of its options
An option without a label, an invalid color, or an empty list.
Give every option a label, and pick a color from the color picker.
A message that the option is required by the system and can’t be deleted
You tried to delete “Manual” or “Import” from the source field.
Only change its label. See Source field: where the client came from.
“Can’t make the field unique — there are duplicate values”
There are duplicate values right now.
Correct them from the duplicates list. See Stop duplicate values with a unique field.
A value already used in a unique field
Another record holds it.
Edit one of the two records.
“{Field} is required”
A required field is empty.
Fill it in. See Make a field required, always or on a condition.
“Must be on or before the due date”
The start date is after the due date.
Correct one of the two dates. See Start Date field: never after the due date.
“Can’t move the record from ... to ...”
A transition rule blocks it.
Follow the allowed statuses. See Set which statuses a record can move to.
“Must be a valid phone number”
A number without a country code, or with digits missing.
Write it with the country code. See Phone field.
“Invalid email address”
The email format is wrong.
Correct the email.
“Must be a valid link” or “Link type not allowed”
An incomplete or unsafe link.
Start it with
https://. See Link field.“Rating must be a whole number”
A fraction, or a value out of range.
Choose a whole number between 1 and the maximum.
A message that single-file mode allows only one file
You uploaded a second file.
Delete the first one, then upload the replacement. See File field: one file or several attachments.
“Unknown field” in the formula
A wrong or deactivated field name.
Use the internal name. See Work out values with a Calculation field.
The result is empty in a calculation field
An empty value in the formula.
Use
COALESCE, or change When Input Is Null.“A rollup needs a to-many relation”
The relation points to a single record.
Use a lookup field.
A message that the rollup would read itself, or goes past 3 levels
A loop, or a chain that’s too long.
A lookup field is empty for a teammate
They can’t see the source record, or the relation was deleted.
Check their level, or link the field again.
“Can’t sort by the lookup field”
A lookup on a to-many relation.
Sort by another field.
A message that a catalog display field is deactivated
A display field was deactivated in the source unit.
Remove it from the catalog’s columns. See Pick products from a price list with a Smart Catalog field.
The catalog doesn’t show all the products
A matching rule narrows the list.
Choose Show all items, or remove the condition. See Show only the catalog products that fit the record.
A second tag replaces the first
The workspace is in single-tag mode.
Turn on Allow multiple tags. See Manage one tag list for all your records, chats and email.
A value wasn’t saved, with no message
The field is locked for you.
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