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# Not receiving the expected response

> Steps to take when a call succeeds but the adapter returns unexpected or missing data.

## Issue

A call to the external system returns successfully, but the response data is missing, incorrect, or formatted unexpectedly.

## What to check

**Check `responseDatatype`.** The adapter runtime library processes the response differently depending on the declared datatype. If `responseDatatype` does not match the actual format of the response, the adapter may fail to parse or format the data correctly. See [Changing data types](/adapters/authentication/patterns/changing-data-types) for the supported options.

**Check the response schema.** The response schema defines how the adapter translates data between the external system andItential Platform. If data is missing from the response or appearing in an unexpected place, the schema translation may be routing it incorrectly. The response schema also handles decoding, decrypting, and parsing individual fields.

**Check the return data flag in `adapter.js`.** Many update and delete calls in `adapter.js` have the return data flag set to `false`. When this flag is false, only the call status (success or failure) is returned toItential Platform — not the response payload. If you need the full response, set this flag to `true` in the relevant method.

**Review the endpoint configuration.** If changes are needed, the relevant files are in `/adapter-home-dir/entities/<entity-name>`: `action.json` for call-level settings such as path, method, and data types, and the schema files for data translation.

If the logs do not identify the cause, contact the Itential Adapters Team with the log output.