# What does it mean when Elasticsearch cannot index something?

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-does-it-mean-when-elasticsearch-cannot-index-something/112957>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [December 22, 2017, 7:18am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-does-it-mean-when-elasticsearch-cannot-index-something/112957 "2017-12-22T07:18:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![arisbanach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f07891/32.png) [@arisbanach](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/arisbanach)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 7:18am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-does-it-mean-when-elasticsearch-cannot-index-something/112957/1 "2017-12-22T07:18:59Z")

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I've run across several errors when using Logstash's Elasticsearch output that say Elasticsearch couldn't index something because of a field mapping issue. When this happens, what exactly does this mean?

A. Elasticsearch doesn't even have the document stored in it anywhere.  
B. Elasticsearch has the document and can search all the fields except for the one that mapping failed on.  
C. Elasticsearch has the document but it can't search any of it at all.

I would love some more clarity on exactly what is happening with this.

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**Author:** ![Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/christian_dahlqvist/32/4617_2.png) [@Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Christian_Dahlqvist)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 7:52am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-does-it-mean-when-elasticsearch-cannot-index-something/112957/2 "2017-12-22T07:52:02Z")

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The mapping error prevents the document from getting indexed at all (option A).

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**Author:** ![arisbanach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f07891/32.png) [@arisbanach](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/arisbanach)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 1:21pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-does-it-mean-when-elasticsearch-cannot-index-something/112957/3 "2017-12-22T13:21:21Z")

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Thanks!

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 1:21pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-does-it-mean-when-elasticsearch-cannot-index-something/112957/4 "2018-01-19T13:21:27Z")

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