What causes DynamicsInvalidTypeForMultiTargetLookupField?

The source column mapped to the lookup field contains a value that is not a valid GUID or entity reference. A string representation of the GUID does not follow the correct GUID format. A non-GUID value (such as an integer ID or name) was mapped to a lookup field that requires a GUID

How do I fix DynamicsInvalidTypeForMultiTargetLookupField?

Verify the source data for the lookup field contains valid GUIDs in the correct format (xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx).. Add a data flow transformation to convert the source ID to a properly formatted GUID before the copy activity.. Review the Dynamics entity reference format requirements in the ADF connector documentation.

Medium severitydata source

Power BI Refresh Error:
DynamicsInvalidTypeForMultiTargetLookupField

What does this error mean?

The data type being mapped to a Dynamics 365/Dataverse multi-target lookup field is not compatible with the lookup's expected type.

Common causes

1The source column mapped to the lookup field contains a value that is not a valid GUID or entity reference
2A string representation of the GUID does not follow the correct GUID format
3A non-GUID value (such as an integer ID or name) was mapped to a lookup field that requires a GUID

How to fix it

1Verify the source data for the lookup field contains valid GUIDs in the correct format (xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx).
2Add a data flow transformation to convert the source ID to a properly formatted GUID before the copy activity.
3Review the Dynamics entity reference format requirements in the ADF connector documentation.

Frequently asked questions

Does this error affect all pipeline runs or just the current one?

Depends on the root cause. A persistent misconfiguration fails every run; a transient issue may resolve on retry. Check the run history.

Can this error appear in Azure Data Factory and Microsoft Fabric pipelines?

Yes — the same connector errors appear in both ADF and Fabric Data Factory pipelines.

How do I see the full error detail for an ADF pipeline failure?

In ADF Monitor, click the failed run, then the failed activity. The detail pane shows the error code, message, and sub-error codes.

Will downstream Power BI datasets be affected when an ADF pipeline fails?

Yes — a dataset refreshing after the pipeline will use stale data or fail if the target table was cleared. The Power BI refresh may succeed while serving wrong data.

Official documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-factory/connector-troubleshoot-dynamics-dataverse