Overview
When Flowsite sends data from Dashpivot into Excel, the data passes through Power Query for transformation. If the data doesn't match what Power Query expects — a blank value, wrong type, or renamed column — it throws a format error and the refresh fails. This article covers the most common data format errors, why they happen, and how to fix them.
What's happening
Flowsite acts as a pass-through: it exports whatever Dashpivot sends and delivers it to Excel as a CSV. It does not validate or transform column types. This means that if a field in Dashpivot contains unexpected data — a blank where a number is expected, a text string where a date should be, or a renamed column header — Excel's Power Query will reject it and throw an error.
These errors do not mean Flowsite is broken. In almost all cases, the CSV is successfully delivered — the issue is on the Excel Power Query side.
Why this happens
Error message | Most likely cause |
| A date field in Dashpivot was left blank, or a form was submitted with an invalid date |
| A numeric field (hours, pay rate, quantity) received a blank, a dash ( |
| A field in the Dashpivot template was renamed, deleted, or added after the integration was built |
| A field type was changed in the template (e.g. single date changed to date range), shifting column positions |
Register view looks broken or columns are misaligned | A new field was added to the template shifting column positions, or the Power Query QuoteStyle is incorrectly set |
How to fix it
1. Fix a date format error
Error: [DataFormat.Error] We couldn't parse the input provided as a Date value.
This is almost always caused by a blank or invalid date value submitted in a Dashpivot form — not by Flowsite itself.
Go to the Dashpivot template register and look for any forms with blank or unusual date fields.
Open the affected form(s) and fill in or correct the date value.
In Flowsite, manually trigger the flow using the Run Now button to refresh the export.
Refresh Excel and check if the error is resolved.
To prevent this from recurring, consider making the date field required in the Dashpivot template so it cannot be left blank.
Note: Power Query is sensitive to date formats. If multiple date columns exist in the template, confirm each one has consistent, valid values across all forms.
2. Fix a number conversion error
Error: [DataFormat.Error] We couldn't convert to Number.
This happens when a field Power Query expects to be a number receives a blank, a dash (-), or a text value instead.
Check the most recent form submissions in Dashpivot for the relevant template. Look for any numeric field (e.g. hours, pay rate, quantity) that was left blank or filled with a non-numeric character.
Correct the affected forms in Dashpivot.
Trigger a manual run in Flowsite via Run Now.
Refresh Excel.
Immediate unblock: In Power Query, temporarily change the affected column type from Whole Number or Decimal Number to Text. This will allow the refresh to succeed while the underlying data is corrected.
If the error persists after correcting the data, contact us via the live chat in Dashpivot so we can investigate further.
3. Fix a missing column error
Error: [Expression.Error] The column 'X' of the table was not found.
This error means a column that Power Query references by name no longer exists — because it was renamed, deleted, or its position shifted in the CSV export.
Common causes:
A field in the Dashpivot template was renamed (Power Query is case-sensitive and uses exact column names)
A field was deleted from the template
A new field was added early in the template, shifting all subsequent column positions
A field type like Photos or a new table was added, changing the column order
Check whether any changes were made to the Dashpivot template recently — field renames, deletions, reordering, or new fields added.
If you can identify the change, try reverting it in Dashpivot and trigger a manual run in Flowsite.
If you're unsure or the change needs to stay, contact us via the live chat in Dashpivot so our team can update the integration configuration to match your current template.
Important: Do not rename, delete, or reorder fields in a Dashpivot template once a Flowsite integration is active. Any structural change to the template risks breaking the Excel configuration. This includes adding photo fields or new table sections.
4. Fix a field type change error
Error: [Expression.Error] The field 'X' of the record wasn't found.
This is caused by changing a field type in Dashpivot after the integration was set up — for example, changing a single date field to a date range. A date range field exports as two columns instead of one, shifting all column references downstream.
Identify what field type was changed in the template.
If the change was unintentional, revert it in Dashpivot and trigger a manual run in Flowsite.
If the change needs to stay, contact us via the live chat in Dashpivot so our team can update the integration to match your new template structure.
5. Fix a broken or misaligned register view
If data appears in the wrong columns or the register looks scrambled, start by checking the Power Query QuoteStyle setting:
Open Power Query Editor (Data > Get Data > Launch Power Query Editor).
Under Applied Steps, click Source.
In the formula bar, check whether
QuoteStyle=QuoteStyle.Noneis present.If so, change it to
QuoteStyle=QuoteStyle.Csvand save.
If QuoteStyle is already correct but the data is still misaligned, a recent template change (new field added, field reordered) has likely shifted the column positions. Contact us via the live chat in Dashpivot with details of any recent template changes.
If the issue continues
If none of the above steps resolve the error, reach out via the live chat in Dashpivot and include:
The exact error message (copy the full text)
A screenshot or screen recording showing the error in Excel
The Flowsite workspace URL and flow URL
The Dashpivot template link
Details of any recent template changes (field renames, additions, deletions, or type changes)
Our team will inspect the export, confirm whether the data Flowsite is delivering is correct, and update your integration configuration if needed.