"Attribute ... cannot be NULL" error for optional attributes while importing data

[pinja]

I'm using the import wizard for importing data, but am getting this error for some fields, even if they aren't required (they're required in a business process, though). I could put some dummy values in but that seems silly. Any way to fix this?

[cchannon]

Optional and non-nullable aren't the same thing. Some columns are non-nullable, such as boolean or integer columns.

Because your columns are optional, you could provide them in your import or not, DV won't care. But, if you're going to include those columns in your import, you can't just give null values, you have to give a valid non-null value.

[pinja]

What are valid null values for choices, lookups and dates? Should I just try with NULL?

EDIT: Well I tried NULL and it didn't work. Oh and it wasn't happy with me not including the columns at all, either.

[cchannon]

those are nullable field types

[pinja]

The import wizard seems to disagree with you, unfortunately 😞

[cchannon]

"...wasn't happy with me not including the columns..."

What do you mean? if they are optional columns and they are not in your import then there is no problem. You must have some other problem, like an incorrect data map during import or something.

[EricRegnier]

Hi @pinja, in your CSV import file, just keep those cells as empty, even boolean fields/columns. 

[pinja]

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@cchannon wrote:

"...wasn't happy with me not including the columns..."

What do you mean? if they are optional columns and they are not in your import then there is no problem. You must have some other problem, like an incorrect data map during import or something.

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I mean that it gave me the same "Attribute x cannot be NULL" error for columns I left out completely.

It might be another problem, sure, but if it is it isn't telling me about it...

[pinja]

They are empty currently, and that's exactly what it seems to be complaining to me about.

[EricRegnier · Accepted solution]

It shouldn’t complain then unless you have some synchronous workflows or plugins that throws some errors?