Resolve SQL compilation errors

SQL compilation errors in Hightouch usually come from your warehouse when Hightouch runs a query to preview a model, compute an audience, evaluate journey logic, or execute a sync.

In most cases, Hightouch is surfacing the warehouse's error message directly.

Where these errors appear

You may see SQL compilation errors in:

• Model preview and model edits
• Customer Studio audience preview or count calculations
• Customer Studio journeys that evaluate audience/event conditions
• Sync run failures

Quick checklist

When you hit a SQL compilation error:

1. Copy the full error message and note object names, column names, and line/position details.
2. Run the same SQL in your warehouse using the same role/context as Hightouch.
3. Classify the error pattern below.
4. Fix the issue at the right layer (warehouse object/permissions vs model/filter/mapping config).
5. Re-run model preview, then re-run the audience/journey/sync flow.

Common error patterns

Invalid identifier (including _ht_to_filter)

Example patterns:

• SQL compilation error: invalid identifier ...
• invalid identifier '"_ht_to_filter"."COLUMN_NAME"'

What it means:

• A referenced column is missing from the query result Hightouch is filtering or mapping.

Common causes:

• Column renamed or removed in model SQL.
• Audience filter, trait, journey condition, or sync mapping still references old column.

How to fix:

1. Confirm the column still exists in model output.
2. Update filters/conditions/mappings that reference the old name.
3. Preview and re-save the model if metadata is stale.

Unresolved column with suggestions

Example pattern:

• [UNRESOLVED_COLUMN.WITH_SUGGESTION] ... cannot be resolved. Did you mean ...

What it means:

• A referenced column name does not exist in the active query output.

Common causes:

• Typo in a field name.
• Renamed/removed model column (for example after changing from SELECT * to an explicit column list).
• Stale audience, trait, journey filter, or suggestion-job configuration.

How to fix:

1. Verify the column exists in the parent model/event model output.
2. Preview and re-save the model to refresh available columns.
3. Update filter logic to use valid column names.

Ambiguous column name

Example pattern:

• SQL compilation error: ambiguous column name 'COLUMN_NAME'

What it means:

• The final query references a column name that exists in multiple joined sources, and the warehouse cannot infer which one you intended.

Common causes:

• Multiple tables expose the same column name and the model output does not disambiguate with aliases.
• Downstream filters/mappings reference a shared name after query wrapping.

How to fix:

1. Alias ambiguous columns in model SQL (for example, a.faq_url AS faq_url_from_a, b.faq_url AS faq_url_from_b).
2. Update filters, traits, journeys, and sync mappings to reference the intended alias.
3. Re-run preview and dependent workflows.

Object does not exist or not authorized

Example pattern:

• Object 'DB.SCHEMA.OBJECT' does not exist or not authorized

What it means:

• Warehouse object is missing, moved, renamed, or inaccessible to the configured role.

How to fix:

1. Verify object path (database/schema/object) is correct.
2. Confirm the Hightouch role has required USAGE/SELECT privileges.
3. Update model SQL or restore the object.

View definition column mismatch

Example pattern:

• View definition ... declared N column(s), but view query produces M column(s)

What it means:

• The warehouse view definition is out of sync with the underlying query.

How to fix:

1. Recreate or repair the view in the warehouse.
2. Prefer explicit column lists over SELECT * in long-lived views.
3. Re-test the view in warehouse SQL before re-running in Hightouch.

Invalid data type for predicate / row comparison

Example pattern:

• Invalid data type ... for predicate [ROW(...)]

What it means:

• Filter predicates compare incompatible data types.

How to fix:

1. Inspect predicate/filter logic for mixed types.
2. Align types with explicit CAST(...) where needed.
3. Re-test in warehouse, then in Hightouch.

Works in warehouse UI but fails in Hightouch

What to check:

• Role differences between your user and Hightouch connection.
• Different default database/schema/warehouse context.
• Model points to a different object/version than expected.
• SQL succeeds in UI context but fails under Hightouch role with a standard pattern above.

How to fix:

1. Re-run under the same role/context as Hightouch.
2. Use fully qualified names (DATABASE.SCHEMA.OBJECT) in SQL.
3. Confirm Hightouch model references the intended object.

When to contact support

Contact support with:

• Link to model/audience/journey/sync run
• Full SQL compilation error text
• Whether the error reproduces in warehouse SQL with the same role/context