Fix errors in Zapier Chatbots

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Updated at August 20th, 2025

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Table of Contents

context_length_exceeded rate_limit_exceeded max_completion_limit timeout internal_server_error unknown You exceeded your current quota, please check your plan and billing details

Beta

Zapier Chatbots is a beta product. It’s available for use, but still in active development and may change.

This guide describes errors that can occur when using Zapier Chatbots and how to resolve them.

context_length_exceeded

Problem
The chat conversation has reached the maximum amount of tokens the model allows.

Cause
Although chatbots automatically reset token usage whenever a conversation is close to the token limit, at times, the conversation thread or directive's size may still reach the tokens' limit.

Resolution

In your chatbot settings:

Shorten your directive.
Add your OpenAI key to your chatbot and use a model with a larger token limit, such as GPT-4.

Note

There's no character limit for directives, but keep directives brief and organized to ensure they work well.
Token limits are per conversation, but the length of the directive, the length of the questions, and the length of the response all use tokens within that conversation.

rate_limit_exceeded

Problem

The chatbot displays the error rate_limit_exceeded at the very beginning of the conversation.

Cause
This error is usually caused when you select a large token length for the model and a large greeting message, leading the chatbot to reach OpenAI's tokens per minute limit as soon as it starts the conversation.

Resolution
Contact OpenAI's support to increase the rate limit on your account or request access to a model with a larger token limit.

max_completion_limit

Problem
The chatbot's individual response has exceeded the maximum token limit set.

Cause
This error can happen if the user asks for a response that requires a large number of tokens. For example: "Write me a 10-chapter book," or if you've set your max response length field to a small maximum limit.

Resolution

In your Interfaces chatbot settings:

Specify simplified response goals within your directive.
Use your OpenAI key with your chatbot and use a model with a larger token limit, such as GPT-4.

timeout

Problem
Zapier didn’t get a response from OpenAI within 10 seconds of your prompt being sent.

Cause
OpenAI struggles to keep up with requests, or the general network is slow.

Resolution
Review OpenAI’s status page and try using your chatbot again later.

internal_server_error

Problem
Communication between Zapier and other service providers is not working as expected.

Cause
The cause of this error is unknown.

Resolution
Contact Chatbots support, as this is likely a bug.

unknown

Problem
Zapier can’t extract a standard error code, so the cause of this error is unknown.

Cause
The cause of this error is unknown.

Resolution

Contact Chatbots support, as this is likely a bug.

You exceeded your current quota, please check your plan and billing details

Problem
Your OpenAI account may be out of credit, or your recently purchased credit is not yet available through the API.

Cause
This error may appear if your OpenAI account is out of credit. If you just purchased more credits, it may not yet be available on OpenAI's API. There is a delay between purchasing new credits and their unavailability through the API.

Resolution

Purchase additional credits, or wait some time and try your chatbot again, if you have recently purchased them.

Fix errors in Zapier Chatbots

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context_length_exceeded

rate_limit_exceeded

max_completion_limit

timeout

internal_server_error

unknown

You exceeded your current quota, please check your plan and billing details

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