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Fixing Skill Input Path Not Found Error in Azure AI Search Skillset

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.
```json
{
  "skills": [
    {
      "@odata.type": "#Microsoft.Skills.Text.SplitSkill",
      "name": "split-skill",
      "context": "/document",
      "inputs": [
        {
          "name": "text",
          "source": "/document/content"
        }
      ],
      "outputs": [
        {
          "name": "pages",
          "targetName": "pages"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@odata.type": "#Microsoft.Skills.Text.V3.SentimentSkill",
      "name": "sentiment-skill",
      "context": "/document/pages/*",
      "inputs": [
        {
          "name": "text",
          "source": "/document/pages/*"
        }
      ],
      "outputs": [
        {
          "name": "sentiment",
          "targetName": "sentiment"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```

You have the above Azure AI Search skillset. The indexer fails with the error 'The skill 'sentiment-skill' cannot find the input '/document/pages/*' because the path does not exist.' What is the most likely cause?

Quick Answer

The correct answer is that the SplitSkill did not split the content because the document content is too short. This error occurs because the SplitSkill, operating with a context of '/document', is configured to output 'pages' via its targetName, but if the source text is under the minimum character threshold for splitting, no pages are produced. Consequently, the downstream SentimentSkill cannot find the expected input path '/document/pages/*', as the path simply does not exist in the enriched document tree. On the Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate AI-102 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how skill outputs and input paths chain together in a skillset; a common trap is to misdiagnose the issue as a misspelled targetName or a missing skill definition. Remember that the SplitSkill only creates the 'pages' array when the content is long enough to split—if the text is too short, the path is never generated. A useful memory tip: "No split, no path—short content breaks the chain."

Answer choices

Why each option matters

Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.

Correct answer & explanation

✓

The SplitSkill did not split the content because the document content is too short.

The error indicates that the input path '/document/pages/*' does not exist. This path is generated by the SplitSkill when it splits the document content into pages. If the SplitSkill does not produce any output, the path will not exist. The most likely cause is that the document content is too short to be split, so no pages are created. Therefore, option A is correct. Option B is incorrect because the SplitSkill is defined. Option C is incorrect because the SentimentSkill's input path is correct, but the source is missing. Option D is incorrect because the error is about a missing path, not a misspelled targetName.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✓
The SplitSkill did not split the content because the document content is too short.
Why this is correct
If content is too short, no pages are produced.
✗
The SplitSkill is not defined in the skillset.
Why it's wrong here
It is defined.
✗
The SentimentSkill is missing a required input.
Why it's wrong here
Input is correct but path does not exist.
✗
The targetName in SplitSkill is misspelled.
Why it's wrong here
It is 'pages'.

Go deeper

1 more way this is tested on AI-102

These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.

Variation 1. You have the above Azure AI Search indexer definition. The indexer runs successfully but the 'content' field in the index is empty for all documents. What is the likely cause?

hard

✓ A.The outputFieldMapping references '/document/content' which is not produced by the skillset.
B.The indexer schedule is too frequent.
C.The fieldMapping for 'metadata_storage_path' is incorrect.
D.The batchSize is too large, causing some items to fail silently.

Why A: The indexer runs successfully but the 'content' field is empty because the outputFieldMapping maps a path '/document/content' that does not exist in the enrichment tree produced by the skillset. The skillset must output a node at that path; if it doesn't, the mapping cannot populate the field. Option A correctly identifies this as the likely cause.

Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security

Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva

This AI-102 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the AI-102 exam.

Fixing Skill Input Path Not Found Error in Azure AI Search Skillset

Exhibit

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

Related to this question

1 more way this is tested on AI-102