# How to Fix: INVALID_NAVIGATE_ACTION_PAYLOAD – Fields in the Next Screen’s Data Model Are Missing from the Payload
Author: Prashant Jangid
Author URL: https://www.heltar.com/blogs/author/prashant-jangid
Published: 2025-05-02
Category: Troubleshoot
Category URL: https://www.heltar.com/blogs/category/troubleshoot
Tags: WhatsApp Flows Error
Tag URLs: WhatsApp Flows Error (https://www.heltar.com/blogs/tag/whatsapp-flows-error)
URL: https://www.heltar.com/blogs/how-to-fix-invalidnavigateactionpayload-fields-in-the-next-screens-data-model-are-missing-from-the-payload-cma6xyfkp003wg9xi1c535m2f

If you’re designing a screen-based UI flow using a declarative schema (like in conversational or visual app builders), you may encounter this error:

**INVALID\_NAVIGATE\_ACTION\_PAYLOAD**

**Following fields are expected in the next screen's data model but missing in payload: \[fieldNames\]**

Let’s break down:

- What this error means

- Why it happens

- How to fix it with an example


### **What Does the Error Mean?**

This error shows up when:

- You're navigating from one screen to another using an action

- The next screen's data model expects some fields

- But you didn’t send those fields in the payload of the navigation action


In other words, the next screen is asking for data you didn’t give it.

### The Problem

Here's the problematic schema:

```
{
  "version": "2.1",
  "screens": [
    {
      "id": "FIRST_SCREEN",
      "layout": {
        ...
        {
          "on-click-action": {
            "name": "navigate",
            "next": {
              "type": "screen",
              "name": "SECOND_SCREEN"
            },
            "payload": {}
          }
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "SECOND_SCREEN",
      "data": {
        "name": { "type": "string" }
      },
      "layout": {
        ...
      }
    }
  ]
}
```

The issue:

- SECOND\_SCREEN expects a field called name in its data model.

- But when navigating from FIRST\_SCREEN, the payload is empty.


The system complains:

“You're taking me to SECOND\_SCREEN, but you didn't give me the data I need!”

## The Fix

To resolve this, you need to include all required data fields from the next screen’s data model in the payload of the navigate action.

### Fixed Example

```
{
  "version": "2.1",
  "screens": [
    {
      "id": "FIRST_SCREEN",
      "layout": {
        ...
        {
          "on-click-action": {
            "name": "navigate",
            "next": {
              "type": "screen",
              "name": "SECOND_SCREEN"
            },
            "payload": {
              "name": "John Doe"
            }
          }
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "SECOND_SCREEN",
      "data": {
        "name": { "type": "string" }
      },
      "layout": {
        ...
      }
    }
  ]
}
```

Now, when the user navigates to SECOND\_SCREEN, the required name value is provided.

For more troubleshooting tips related to WhatsApp Business API, check out [heltar.com/blogs](https://www.heltar.com/blogs).


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