"Required field missing: PicklistMasterId" error when deploying a path from a sandbox to another

Question

When deploying a case path assistant from a sandbox to another I'm getting an error when deploying the package:

Required fields missing: [PicklistMasterId]

We have deployed all fields being used in the case object to this environment as well. What can be causing this error message?

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After playing with the Migration Tool, directly with the metadata, I noticed that I can retrieve the path and related metadata, such as:

• BusinessProcess
• CustomField
• PathAssistant
• Queue
• RecordType
• Role
• Settings

And when commenting all the fields in the path metadata the validation succeeds as expected. However, the path would be deployed without its fields. For example:

<pathAssistantSteps>
    <!-- <fieldNames>Observations__c</fieldNames> -->
    <picklistValueName>Call customer</picklistValueName>
</pathAssistantSteps>

The Observations__c custom field is a text area field. When commented out, the validation succeeds. Otherwise, I get an error describing that it is not possible to deploy a path step because a picklist value is unsupported. This error doesn't make sense for this specific field.

Am I correct to assume this is an internal error with Salesforce?

Answer 1

Required fields missing: [PicklistMasterId]: I had the same error and I fixed it by adding a default path for the same object (in your situation 'Case') with record type --Master-- After that was created, I could deploy met custom path.
Cannot insert Path Assistant Step Item: Picklist value is not supported: Remove all <info>blablabla</info> tags from the .pathAssistant file. It's a bug (https://success.salesforce.com/issues_view?id=a1p3A0000008gWXQAY)

Answer 2

I managed to resolve this error. In my case I was including a PathAssistant in a change set for an unmanaged custom object with no record types. The path was already in Production so it had been successfully moved via change set before.

The problem was the picklist field had different picklist values in Production and the Sandbox. (I added some new options in my Sandbox). The picklist field was not included in the change set. This was the cause of the "Required fields are missing: [PicklistMasterId]" error.

I manually adjusted the picklist values in Production to match the Sandbox and the change set was then able to deploy.

Answer 3

What solved this answer, after some days working with SFDC's tier 2 support, was to redeploy the picklist field that controls the path steps (so this field is technically the "master" here).

Answer 4

A quicker way to resolve this is to NOT deploy Lead Process at all.

Do a manual pre-deployment step of adding the Lead Process and assignment of record type DIRECTLY into the Target Environment.

Note: I have tried segregating the change sets, making sure all FLS is setup, deploying record types with Path assistant and all the same error "Required fields missing: [PicklistMasterId]". The only way you can do this right now is manual pre-deployment step or ask Salesforce Support