Power BI Refresh Error:
DF-Xml-InvalidDataField

What does this error mean?

The XML source contains a field that cannot be mapped to the ADF dataset schema. The field name doesn't match, or the value type is incompatible with the mapped column.

Common causes

• 1The XML source file has a different element or attribute name than what is defined in the ADF dataset schema
• 2The XML namespace in the file does not match the namespace defined in the dataset settings
• 3A field in the XML contains a value that cannot be cast to the target data type — for example, an element mapped to an integer that contains the text 'N/A'
• 4The XML structure changed (element renamed or restructured) but the dataset schema was not refreshed
• 5A repeated element (array) is being mapped as a single value, causing a type conflict

How to fix it

1. 1Read the error detail in the ADF activity run output — it names the field and the value that caused the failure.
2. 2Open the XML dataset in ADF Studio and click Import Schema — this re-reads the current XML file structure and updates the schema to match the actual file.
3. 3In debug mode, run a Data Preview on the XML source to see the actual field names and values being read.
4. 4Compare the field name in the error with the element names in the XML file — check for namespace prefixes, case differences, and attribute vs element notation.
5. 5If the field contains an unexpected value type (e.g., empty string mapped to integer), add a Derived Column transformation after the source to cast it safely: toInteger(iifNull(fieldName, '0')).
6. 6If the XML structure uses namespaces, verify the namespace URI in the dataset matches the xmlns declaration in the actual XML files.

Frequently asked questions

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