Question

Sub-Zap "missing sample data"

  • 6 December 2023
  • 5 replies
  • 74 views

I have a Sub-Zap where some arguments are going to be empty strings or null, but when trying to test, they come through in the Sub-Zap with a string value of “missing sample data”.

All other references to this seem to have been marked resolved, but clearly it’s still an issue.  Is this still an outstanding bug?


5 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +14

Hi @ForestZ 

Good question.

Have you tried turning the Zap ON and testing then check your Zap Runs to see the DATA IN/OUT?

https://zapier.com/app/history/

 

Help articles about Sub-Zaps: https://help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/8496308527629-Build-reusable-Sub-Zaps#frequently-asked-questions-0-4

Hi @ForestZ 

Good question.

Have you tried turning the Zap ON and testing then check your Zap Runs to see the DATA IN/OUT?

https://zapier.com/app/history/

 

Help articles about Sub-Zaps: https://help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/8496308527629-Build-reusable-Sub-Zaps#frequently-asked-questions-0-4

I have not, as this Zap is some Python code that calls out to an API and I’m still in the process of testing both the python code in the Zap and the changes made to the API to handle the call.  I feel like requiring me to publish the Zap and pull in live data just to test it kind of misses the point of purpose of the whole “testing” portion.

I currently can’t test, as my back end API requires either an empty value or an Integer for certain fields, and instead it’s coming across as a string, which is an issue.  And until I can verify the entire process runs without throwing an error, I have no way of knowing which parts of the process are broken.

I’ve done Sub-Zaps before doing basically this exact same thing and I don’t recall having this problem.  But if I compare the new Sub-Zaps I’m working on with my old ones, it seems like they’ve change something, as the entire interface on the site is different for them now.

Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@ForestZ 

Make sure to test each Zap steps between the parent Zap and the Sub-Zap.

Trigger data to be sent to the Sub-Zap from the parent Zap.

Refresh the Sub-Zap triggers step to get that data.

Test each Sub-Zap step.

Test the parent Zap step where the data returns from the Sub-Zap.

 

If you still need help post screenshots with how your Zap steps are configured.

@ForestZ

Make sure to test each Zap steps between the parent Zap and the Sub-Zap.

Trigger data to be sent to the Sub-Zap from the parent Zap.

Refresh the Sub-Zap triggers step to get that data.

Test each Sub-Zap step.

Test the parent Zap step where the data returns from the Sub-Zap.

 

If you still need help post screenshots with how your Zap steps are configured.

My Calling Zap has two steps, 1) Pull from source, 2) Call sub zap. The data from step one looks like this:

The data in step 2 looks like this:

So here we can see that the record being pulled has an empty/null value for Email and PhonePrimary, and those are being mapped to the “No data”, as are Notes, which aren’t included in this screenshot.

 

In the Zap being called, it has 3 steps: Start a Sub-Zap, Run Python, Return from Sub Zap.  In the Start a Sub-Zap we receive the following data from the previous Zap:

That value of “missing sample data” is being passed along as the string value of those fields.

Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@ForestZ 

Sometimes the behavior and data when manually configuring/testing a Zap can be different. (not ideal I get it)

Here’s a possible work around to test.

Add a static value so that a value gets sent to the Sub-Zap, so you can finish configuring the Sub-Zap, the add back the dynamic variable.

 

Reply