Why does the Chat Trigger node return empty items without variables?

Below is a checklist of things to verify, which should help resolve the “No fields - item(s) exist, but they’re empty” issue:

1. Verify That a Valid Chat Message Is Sent
   The Chat Trigger node only produces output when it receives a properly formed chat message. If you’re testing without sending an actual message (or using a test button that doesn’t simulate a complete payload), the node might return an empty item. Ensure that your chat client (hosted or embedded) is submitting a message with a defined text or output value.

2. Check Your Chat Mode Configuration
   – If you’re using Embedded Chat, make sure you’re passing any additional data (like a user ID or other info) using the metadata field via the createChat function. For example:

   JAVASCRIPTCopied
   createChat({
   	webhookUrl: 'YOUR_PRODUCTION_WEBHOOK_URL',
   	metadata: {
   		'YOUR_KEY': 'YOUR_DATA'
   	}
   });

   – If you’re using Hosted Chat, confirm that the chat is made publicly available (by turning on the “Make Chat Publicly Available” toggle) when running the workflow.

3. Review Session and Memory Settings (if applicable)
   If you’ve enabled options such as “Load Previous Session,” remember that:

   • Both the Chat Trigger node and the downstream Agent (or chain) must be connected to the same memory sub-node unless you need separate session handling.
   • The memory node’s Session ID setting should be correctly configured to either take it from the previous node automatically or set uniquely.

   Misconfigured session loading might sometimes lead to empty data if the expected context isn’t passed along.

4. Testing Environment Considerations
   Since you’re on n8n Cloud (and running version 1.78.1), ensure that any testing mode you’re using isn’t automatically filtering or discarding the chat data. Sometimes a workflow running in test mode might behave slightly differently from production.

By ensuring that:

• A valid chat message is being provided and contains the necessary fields (like text/output),
• Your chat node (hosted or embedded) is correctly configured with required parameters, and
• Session settings are properly set if you are using previous session loading,

you should be able to resolve the issue of the Chat Trigger node returning empty items.

If the problem persists, try simplifying the workflow to only use the chat trigger node (with default settings) and see if the output changes. This can help narrow down if the issue is due to additional configuration (such as memory nodes or metadata) or something else in the workflow.