Riva Insight: "Invalid Field or Missing Permission" Error (Salesforce)

Overview

The “Invalid Field or Missing Permission” error can occur when Riva Insight attempts to access, create, or update a Salesforce field that the logged-in user does not have permission to use. It can also occur when a field referenced in the Riva Insight configuration no longer exists in Salesforce.

This issue is commonly related to Salesforce field-level security, object-level permissions, or outdated field references in the Riva configuration.

Symptoms

Users may encounter an error similar to:

• Invalid Field or Missing Permission

The error may occur when Riva Insight tries to read, create, or update CRM data in Salesforce.

Common Causes

1. Field-level security restrictions — The Salesforce user lacks read/write access to a specific field (e.g., a custom field like Example_Name__c or BVP_Contact__c). 
2. Field no longer exists in Salesforce — A field referenced in the Riva configuration was removed or renamed in Salesforce (e.g., HomePhone, Profile_Name__c). Riva will throw an InvalidField error when it tries to query or set that field.
3. Object-level permissions — The user may lack access to an entire Salesforce object (e.g., Opportunity, Lead), not just a field. In this case, the issue is not limited to a single field. The user may be missing access to the entire Salesforce object.
4. Insight uses the logged-in user's permissions, not the service account — so even if the service account has full access, individual users may still encounter permission errors. 

Resolution

1. Fix Field-Level Permissions in Salesforce

Verify that the affected field is accessible (read/write) for the user's profile or permission set:

• Salesforce: Salesforce field-level security
• Microsoft Dynamics: Field security in Dynamics

For Salesforce, review the field-level security settings for the affected object and field.

For Microsoft Dynamics, review column-level security and confirm that the user or team has the required permissions to read, create, or update the secured column. Microsoft’s column-level security permissions include read, update, and create access.

2. Verify Riva Insight Create/Update Permissions

In Riva Insight, ensure users have the appropriate create and/or update permissions for the relevant CRM records For more information, see Insight Field Error.

3. Remove Invalid Fields from the Riva Configuration

If the field no longer exists in Salesforce, remove the invalid field reference from the Riva object definition or connection configuration.

This prevents Riva Insight from attempting to query or update a field that Salesforce no longer recognizes.

After removing the invalid field reference, test again to confirm that the error no longer occurs.

4. Enable Per-User Module Permissions (Advanced)

If users consistently encounter permission errors because their Salesforce permissions differ from the service account, consider enabling SDK Per-User Module Permissions. This causes Riva Insight to retrieve each user's CRUD permissions at login and skip operations they are not allowed to perform.

Important: Contact Riva Support Team before enabling this feature, as incorrect configuration can cause login failures or unexpected sync behaviour.

5. Increase Logging Level for Diagnosis

If the root cause is unclear, change the Insight logging level from ERROR to DEBUG to capture more detail about which field or operation is failing. 

Debug logging can help identify:

• The field that Riva Insight is trying to access
• The object involved
• Whether the operation is a read, create, or update
• Whether the error is caused by permissions or an invalid field reference

After collecting the required diagnostic information, return the logging level to its previous setting to avoid excessive log generation.

Additional Notes

When troubleshooting this error, confirm both Salesforce permissions and Riva Insight permissions.

A user may have access in one system but still encounter errors if access is missing in the other. In Salesforce environments, always verify whether the issue affects a single user, a group of users, or all users. This can help determine whether the cause is user-specific permissions, profile-level restrictions, or a configuration issue.

When to Contact Riva Support

Contact Riva Support Team if:

• The affected field or object cannot be identified
• The error continues after permissions are updated
• The Riva configuration references fields that are difficult to validate
• You are considering enabling per-user module permissions
• Debug logs show unexpected Salesforce permission behaviour