Airtable error: You must provide either “Search by field” AND “Search Value” or “Search Formula”

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Updated at August 20th, 2025

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Causes How to fix it Still need help?

When using the Airtable search action in your Zaps, you see the error message "You must provide either “Search by field” AND “Search Value” or “Search Formula”". You may see this error when setting up a Zap or in the details of a Zap run in your Zap history.

Causes

This happens when the mapped field from the previous step is blank. Airtable requires a value in either the Search by Field and Search Value fields or in the Search Formula field to complete the search.

How to fix it

To fix this issue:

Ensure the data from the previous step is consistently sent to the Airtable step, or replace the current mapped field with one that consistently provides a value.
- Re-test your previous step to ensure you have the most current fields.
If you cannot change the current mapped field, you can either:
- Add a step to set a default value as a fallback whenever your mapped field does not have any data.
- Add conditional logic using a filter or branching logic with paths to your Zap. This will allow you to define what the Zap should do if the To field does not receive data from the previous step.

Still need help?

If this article did not fix the issue, Zapier has a few other options to get you the help you need:

Contact Zapier Support. Our Support team can investigate your account to find solutions.
Ask in the Zapier Community. Get advice from experienced Zapier users in the Zapier Community.
Learn more about getting help. Read our guide on how to get help and support with Zapier to find the best resources for your specific problem.

Airtable error: You must provide either “Search by field” AND “Search Value” or “Search Formula”

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