What could be causing the "ValidationError: Validation Failure" message when trying to publish a YouTube video item through a Zapier integration on Webflow?
TL;DR
- Ensure all required Webflow CMS fields have correctly formatted data mapped from Zapier.
- Verify field types (e.g., valid URLs, correct item IDs for references, proper date formats).
- Double-check Zapier field mappings and refresh fields if Webflow schema has changed.
- Make sure custom slugs are unique, properly formatted, or leave them unmapped to auto-generate.
You're seeing the "ValidationError: Validation Failure" when attempting to publish a YouTube video item to Webflow via Zapier, often due to a mismatch in expected fields or data formats.
1. Check Required CMS Fields in Webflow
- Go to Webflow → CMS → Collection Settings for the collection where you're sending the video.
- Make sure all required fields (marked with a red asterisk) are receiving valid data from Zapier.
- Common issues:
- Empty required fields (e.g., “Video URL”, “Slug”, or “Name”).
- Invalid data types (e.g., sending plain text to a Reference or Date field).
2. Confirm Field Format Compatibility
- Webflow expects specific data types for each field. Common examples:
- A Video field expects a valid YouTube or Vimeo URL, not just a video ID.
- A Reference or Multi-reference field must receive the Item ID from the linked collection—not a name or slug.
- If using a Date field, ensure Zapier sends a properly formatted date (e.g., “2024-06-15”).
3. Examine Zapier Mapping
- In the Zapier editor, double-check field mappings within the Webflow “Create Live Item” or “Update Item” action.
- Watch for:
- Missing or incorrect field mappings.
- String truncation: Webflow has length limits for certain fields (e.g., 256 characters for plain text).
- Use dynamic fields from the YouTube trigger step to ensure content is correctly passed.
4. Inspect the Slug Field
- If you’re sending a custom Slug, it must be:
- Unique within the collection.
- Lowercase, dash-separated, and exclude special characters.
- Under 256 characters.
- Alternatively, let Webflow auto-generate the slug by leaving the slug field unmapped in Zapier.
5. Check for Zapier/Webflow API Sync Issues
- Webflow occasionally updates its API schema. If your Zap used old field mappings, reselect the collection and refresh the field list in Zapier.
- If using a newly added field in Webflow, click “Refresh Fields” in Zapier to load the latest structure.
Summary
The “ValidationError: Validation Failure” in your Zapier–Webflow integration is likely caused by missing or improperly formatted data in required CMS fields. Verify your field mappings in Zapier, ensure data matches Webflow's expected formats, and refresh fields if needed to maintain schema sync.