Google Sheets error: Unable to get a value when looking for "responses". Is it empty or missing?

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Updated at August 20th, 2025

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Causes How to fix it Still need help?

When using the Google Sheets Update Spreadsheet Row(s) action, you see the error message "Unable to get a value when looking for "responses". Is it empty or missing?".

This error will appear in the Zap editor when testing Zap steps or in Zap history after your Zap runs. The Zap run status will display as stopped.

Causes

This happens when:

The row numbers mapped to the Row Number field aren't in line item format.
The row numbers were separated by commas but were not truly formatted as line items.
The value provided to the Row Number field does not exist in the spreadsheet.
- For example, the value 5051 is provided, but the spreadsheet contains only 100 rows.

How to fix it

To fix the issue:

Ensure the data from the previous step contains the row IDs and that they are formatted properly:
- If the row numbers are not formatted as line items, add a Formatter step to your Zap to re-create the row numbers as line items.
- If the previous step does not contain row numbers, add a Google Sheet step using the Lookup Spreadsheet Rows (output as Line Items) action.

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.

Google Sheets error: Unable to get a value when looking for "responses". Is it empty or missing?

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Causes

How to fix it

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