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Error: Field Is Not a Valid GROUP BY Expression

Error​

The error field is not a valid group by expression occurs when a SQL query violates GROUP BY rules. This happens when you use aggregate functions like SUM, COUNT, or MAX in your SELECT statement, but non-aggregated columns aren't included in the GROUP BY clause.

Possible Causes​

  • Non-aggregated columns not in GROUP BY: When you use aggregate functions in your SELECT statement, any column that isn't aggregated must be included in the GROUP BY clause.
  • Missing GROUP BY clause: If you're using aggregate functions but haven't specified which columns to group by.
  • Column reference issues: The error can occur due to how columns are referenced or aliased in the query.

Possible Solutions​

  • Add missing columns to GROUP BY: In the Join tab of your Node, add a GROUP BY clause that includes all non-aggregated columns from your SELECT statement.
  • Use GROUP BY ALL: Coalesce supports the "GROUP BY ALL" syntax which automatically groups by all non-aggregated columns in your SELECT statement.
  • Apply aggregate functions: Convert non-aggregated columns to use aggregate functions like MAX(), MIN(), or FIRST_VALUE() in the column transforms.
  • Remove unnecessary columns: If certain columns don't need to be in the output, remove them from the mapping to avoid GROUP BY conflicts.