soda scan failed: failed checks found error on freshness check

TL;DR

Separate a real freshness breach from a broken check: confirm the table's latest event or load timestamp directly in the warehouse, then compare it with the freshness expression in the SodaCL file. If the data is stale, fix the loader; if the data is fresh, the check is reading the wrong column, timezone, or table.

soda scan failed: failed checks found error on freshness check

Use this when

• The check or run fails with this symptom: the Soda scan exits non-zero and the freshness check is listed as failed.
• You are working on a Soda scan whose freshness check reports failed checks found and the failure repeats on the same data or configuration.
• You need the failing rows, rule, or stage isolated before changing thresholds or code.

Not for this skill when

• A scan that cannot connect at all, which is a datasource configuration problem instead.
• The error text names a different tool, stage, or root cause. Match the verbatim error first and use that skill.

Steps

1. Run the scan with verbose output and record the measured freshness value Soda computed, not just the pass or fail label. Verify: you have the measured age Soda used for the decision
2. Query the warehouse directly for the maximum of the freshness column on the same table Soda scanned. Verify: the warehouse maximum timestamp is known for comparison
3. Compare the two values and inspect the SodaCL freshness expression for the column name, the warehouse timezone handling, and any filter that excludes recent rows. Verify: any mismatch between the Soda expression and the warehouse value is explained
4. Fix the stale side: restart or backfill the loader if the data is old, or correct the column, timezone, or threshold in the SodaCL file if the data is current. Verify: the corrected check measures the real table state
5. Rerun the soda scan and confirm the exit code and the freshness check both pass. Verify: the scan exits zero with the freshness check green

Variant phrasings

soda scan failed checks found freshness

The exit-code phrasing from CI logs.

soda freshness check failed but data is fresh

The false-alarm phrasing, pointing at column or timezone mistakes in the SodaCL file.

soda scan freshness threshold configuration

The configuration phrasing for tuning the threshold and column.

Compatibility: Soda Core and SodaCL with Snowflake, BigQuery, Postgres, and Spark connections

Why it happens

Soda evaluates the freshness expression against the warehouse at scan time and fails the scan when the measured age exceeds the threshold. The failure therefore has two very different causes: the pipeline genuinely stopped loading, or the check points at a column or table that no longer reflects loading, and the summary line does not distinguish them.

Edge cases / pitfalls

• Freshness on a load timestamp measures the loader, not the event time. Pick the column that matches the SLA being promised.
• Weekend and holiday gaps trip fixed thresholds. Use a threshold that reflects the real load cadence.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pstYceQuysrv8283g9ogDyXA

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pstYceQuysrv8283g9ogDyXA

Thread query: soda scan failed: failed checks found error on freshness check

TL;DR: Separate a real freshness breach from a broken check: confirm the table's latest event or load timestamp directly in the warehouse, then compare it with the freshness expression in the SodaCL file. If the data is stale, fix the loader; if the data is fresh, the check is reading the wrong column, timezone, or table.