**Source URL:** https://limited.veevavault.dev/vault-api/references/entry-criteria-evaluation-response

# Entry Criteria Evaluation Response

Some of Vault API's object and document lifecycle and workflow action endpoints support the `entrycriteria` query parameter. When a supported lifecycle or workflow action fails due to entry criteria violations and the `entrycriteria=true` query parameter is included in the request, the response includes a `source_context` object and an `entry_criteria` array in addition to the standard error fields.

If `entrycriteria` is omitted or set to `false`, the response is unchanged from the existing behavior. If `entrycriteria=true` is used on an unsupported action type, Vault returns `OPERATION_NOT_ALLOWED`.

<Aside type="note">
Field-level security is enforced on the response. The `field` and `related_data` objects within `entry_criteria` are only returned if the user who sent the request has read or edit access to the relevant field. If the user has no read access, the response omits the nested object.
</Aside>

## Source Context Fields

The `source_context` object contains context about the record or document that caused the entry criteria error. When a nested state change on a related record triggers the failure, `is_nested` returns `true` and the `source_context` reflects the related record, not the originally targeted record. For example, approving a *Contract* record automatically moves its *Tasks* and a *Task* fails entry criteria. In this example, *Task* is a nested object and the *Task* record is the `source_context`, rather than *Contract*.

<FieldTable>
| Field | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `source_context.is_nested` | This is set to `true` when the source of the entry criteria error is not the record or document the action was originally initiated on. Otherwise, `false`. |
| `source_context.type` | The type of source context: `object` or `document`. |
| `source_context.object_name` | The name of the object. For example, `task__c`. |
| `source_context.record_id` | The ID of the failing object record. |
| `source_context.document_id` | The ID of the failing document. |
| `source_context.major_version_number__v` | The major version of the failing document. |
| `source_context.minor_version_number__v` | The minor version of the failing document. |
| `source_context.lifecycle` | The name of the lifecycle the target state belongs to. For example, `contract_management_lifecycle__c`. |
| `source_context.target_state` | The name of the target state the action attempted to reach. For example, `in_review_state__c`. |
</FieldTable>

## Entry Criteria Array

The `entry_criteria` array contains one or more entry criteria requirements. Each item represents a single unmet criterion. The array includes all in-scope criteria that are not met. An empty array indicates all entry criteria passed.

As records or documents are updated, rule conditions may activate or deactivate. Vault drops criteria whose conditions have been deactivated from subsequent responses.

<FieldTable>
| Field | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `entry_criteria[].type` | The type of requirement: `field`, `related_data`, or `message`. |
| `entry_criteria[].message` | The entry criteria validation message in the initiating user's language. |
| `entry_criteria[].field` | This is returned when `type` is `field`. See . |
| `entry_criteria[].related_data` | This is returned when `type` is `related_data`. See . |
</FieldTable>

### Field Type Fields

The following fields are returned for entry criteria that validate a field on the lifecycle's associated object or document:

<FieldTable>
| Field | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `entry_criteria[].field.name` | The name of the field that must be populated. |
| `entry_criteria[].field.url` | The Metadata API URI for the field. For [object fields](/vault-api/api-reference/26.3/vault-objects/retrieve-object-field-metadata): `/api/{version}/metadata/vobjects/{object_name}/fields/{field_name}`. For [document fields](/vault-api/api-reference/26.3/documents/retrieve-document-fields/retrieve-all-document-fields): `/api/{version}/metadata/objects/documents/properties`. |
</FieldTable>

### Related Data Type Fields

The following fields are returned for object lifecycle entry criteria that validate the lifecycle state of related records or documents:

<FieldTable>
| Field | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `entry_criteria[].related_data.direction` | The relationship direction: `INBOUND`, `OUTBOUND`, or `JOIN`. |
| `entry_criteria[].related_data.related_object` | The name of the related object, or `documents` for document relationships. |
| `entry_criteria[].related_data.join_object` | The name of the join object if the direction is `JOIN`. |
| `entry_criteria[].related_data.field_name` | The name of the reference field. For inbound relationships, this is the field on the related object. For outbound relationships, this is the field on the source object. For join relationships, this is the field on the join object. |
| `entry_criteria[].related_data.field_url` | The Metadata API URI for the field in `field_name`. The version matches the version used in the request. |
| `entry_criteria[].related_data.relationship_name` | The name of the inbound or outbound relationship. For example, `contract_owner__cr`. |
| `entry_criteria[].related_data.source_field_name` | The source object field name on the join object if the direction is `JOIN`. |
| `entry_criteria[].related_data.required_states[]` | The state names configured in the entry criteria. For example, `active_state__sys`. This is not returned when `required_state_types` is present. |
| `entry_criteria[].related_data.required_state_types[]` | The state type names configured in the entry criteria. For example, `complete_state__sys`. This is not returned when `required_states` is present. |
| `entry_criteria[].related_data.required_state_lifecycle` | The name of the lifecycle that owns `required_states`. This is not returned when `required_state_types` is configured. |
| `entry_criteria[].related_data.operator` | The evaluation operator used in the entry criteria configuration. See . |
| `entry_criteria[].related_data.unmet_count` | The total count of related records or documents that do not meet the entry criteria. See  to interpret the counts returned in the response. |
</FieldTable>

### Message Type Fields

The `message` type is returned for all other entry criteria types, such as formula validations. The response returns no additional fields besides `type` and `message`. For example, the message returned may be `Formula must be TRUE.`

## Evaluation Operators

The `operator` field in the  returns one of the following values:

<FieldTable>
| Value | UI Label |
| --- | --- |
| `EQUALS` | Equals |
| `NOT_EQUALS` | Is not equal to |
| `INCLUDES` | Includes |
| `NOT_INCLUDES` | Does not include |
| `ALL_EQUAL` | All records equal |
| `NONE_EQUAL` | No records equal |
| `AT_LEAST_ONE_EQUAL` | At least one record equals |
| `ALL_INCLUDE` | All records include |
| `NONE_INCLUDE` | No records include |
| `AT_LEAST_ONE_INCLUDE` | At least one record includes |
| `AT_LEAST_ONE_EXISTS` | At least one record exists |
</FieldTable>

## Unmet Count Behavior

The value of `unmet_count` depends on the operator and relationship direction.

### Outbound Relationships

For outbound relationships, `unmet_count` is `1` for most operators because an outbound relationship references a single related record. `AT_LEAST_ONE_EQUAL` and `AT_LEAST_ONE_EXISTS` always return `null` because a count is not meaningful when the check is only whether any matching record exists. Once the requirement is satisfied, the criteria no longer appear in the response.

<FieldTable>
| Operator | Value |
| --- | --- |
| `EQUALS`, `NOT_EQUALS`, `INCLUDES`, `NOT_INCLUDES`, `ALL_EQUAL`, `NONE_EQUAL` | `1` |
| `AT_LEAST_ONE_EQUAL`, `AT_LEAST_ONE_EXISTS` | `null` |
</FieldTable>

### Inbound Relationships

For inbound relationships, `ALL_EQUAL` and `ALL_INCLUDE` return the count of related records not meeting the criteria because an inbound relationship can reference multiple related records. `AT_LEAST_ONE_EQUAL`, `AT_LEAST_ONE_INCLUDE`, and `AT_LEAST_ONE_EXISTS` always return `null` because a count is not meaningful for existence-check operators.

<Aside type="note">
`NONE_EQUAL` and `NONE_INCLUDE` for inbound relationships currently return `null` for `unmet_count`.
</Aside>

<FieldTable>
| Operator | Value |
| --- | --- |
| `ALL_EQUAL` | Number of related records not in the required state |
| `ALL_INCLUDE` | Number of related records not belonging to the required states |
| `NONE_EQUAL`, `NONE_INCLUDE` | `null` |
| `AT_LEAST_ONE_EQUAL`, `AT_LEAST_ONE_INCLUDE`, `AT_LEAST_ONE_EXISTS` | `null` |
</FieldTable>

---

**Previous:** [Safety JSON Reference](/vault-api/references/safety)