fix: updates field validation error messages to use labels if applicable (#10601)

### What?

Previously, field error messages displayed in toast notifications used
the field path to reference fields that failed validation. This
path-based approach was necessary to distinguish between fields that
might share the same name when nested inside arrays, groups, rows, or
collapsible fields.

However, the human readability of these paths was lacking, especially
for unnamed fields like rows and collapsible fields. For example:

- A text field inside a row could display as: `_index-0.text`
- A text field nested within multiple arrays could display as:
`items.0.subArray.0.text`

These outputs are technically correct but not user-friendly.

### Why?

While the previous format was helpful for pinpointing the specific field
that caused the validation error, it could be more user-friendly and
clearer to read. The goal is to maintain the same level of accuracy
while improving the readability for both developers and content editors.

### How?

To improve readability, the following changes were made:

1. Use Field Labels Instead of Field Paths:
- The ValidationError component now uses the label prop from the field
config (if available) instead of the field’s name.
       - If a label is provided, it will be used in the error message.
       - If no label exists, it will fall back to the field’s name.

2. Remove _index from Paths for Unnamed Fields (In the validationError
component only):
- For unnamed fields like rows and collapsibles, the _index prefix is
now stripped from the output to make it cleaner.
       - Instead of `_index-0.text`, it now outputs just `Text`.

3. Reformat the Error Path for Readability:
- The error message format has been improved to be more human-readable,
showing the field hierarchy in a structured way with array indices
converted to 1-based numbers.

#### Example transformation:

##### Before:
The following fields are invalid: `items.0.subArray.0.text`

##### After:
The following fields are invalid: `Items 1 > SubArray 1 > Text`

packages/payload/src/errors/ValidationError.ts

@@ -3,12 +3,15 @@ import type { TFunction } from '@payloadcms/translations'
 import { en } from '@payloadcms/translations/languages/en'
 import httpStatus from 'http-status'
 
+import type { LabelFunction, StaticLabel } from '../config/types.js'
+
 import { APIError } from './APIError.js'
 
 // This gets dynamically reassigned during compilation
 export let ValidationErrorName = 'ValidationError'
 
 export type ValidationFieldError = {
+  label?: LabelFunction | StaticLabel
   // The error message to display for this field
   message: string
   path: string
@@ -35,7 +38,7 @@ export class ValidationError extends APIError<{
         : en.translations.error.followingFieldsInvalid_other
 
     super(
-      `${message} ${results.errors.map((f) => f.path).join(', ')}`,
+      `${message} ${results.errors.map((f) => f.label || f.path).join(', ')}`,
       httpStatus.BAD_REQUEST,
       results,
     )

packages/payload/src/fields/hooks/beforeChange/promise.ts

@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import type { Field, TabAsField } from '../../config/types.js'
 
 import { MissingEditorProp } from '../../../errors/index.js'
 import { deepMergeWithSourceArrays } from '../../../utilities/deepMerge.js'
+import { getFormattedLabel } from '../../../utilities/getFormattedLabel.js'
+import { getTranslatedLabel } from '../../../utilities/getTranslatedLabel.js'
 import { fieldAffectsData, tabHasName } from '../../config/types.js'
 import { getFieldPaths } from '../../getFieldPaths.js'
 import { getExistingRowDoc } from './getExistingRowDoc.js'
@@ -159,7 +161,15 @@ export const promise = async ({
       )
 
       if (typeof validationResult === 'string') {
+        const label = getTranslatedLabel(field?.label || field?.name, req.i18n)
+
+        const fieldLabel =
+          Array.isArray(parentPath) && parentPath.length > 0
+            ? getFormattedLabel([...parentPath, label])
+            : label
+
         errors.push({
+          label: fieldLabel,
           message: validationResult,
           path: fieldPath.join('.'),
         })

packages/payload/src/utilities/getFormattedLabel.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+export const getFormattedLabel = (path: (number | string)[]): string => {
+  return path
+    .filter((pathSegment) => !(typeof pathSegment === 'string' && pathSegment.includes('_index')))
+    .reduce<string[]>((acc, part) => {
+      if (typeof part === 'number' || (typeof part === 'string' && !isNaN(Number(part)))) {
+        // Convert index to 1-based and format as "Array 01", "Array 02", etc.
+        const fieldName = acc.pop()
+        acc.push(`${fieldName} ${Number(part) + 1}`)
+      } else {
+        // Capitalize field names
+        acc.push(part.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + part.slice(1))
+      }
+      return acc
+    }, [])
+    .join(' > ')
+}

packages/payload/src/utilities/getTranslatedLabel.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { getTranslation, type I18n } from '@payloadcms/translations'
+
+import type { LabelFunction, StaticLabel } from '../config/types.js'
+
+export const getTranslatedLabel = (label: LabelFunction | StaticLabel, i18n?: I18n): string => {
+  if (typeof label === 'function') {
+    return label({ t: i18n.t })
+  }
+
+  if (typeof label === 'object') {
+    return getTranslation(label, i18n)
+  }
+
+  return label
+}

test/collections-graphql/int.spec.ts

@@ -1159,7 +1159,7 @@ describe('collections-graphql', () => {
         })
         .then((res) => res.json())
       expect(Array.isArray(errors)).toBe(true)
-      expect(errors[0].message).toEqual('The following field is invalid: min')
+      expect(errors[0].message).toEqual('The following field is invalid: Min')
       expect(typeof errors[0].locations).toBeDefined()
     })
 
@@ -1207,7 +1207,7 @@ describe('collections-graphql', () => {
       expect(errors[1].extensions.data.errors[0].path).toEqual('email')
 
       expect(Array.isArray(errors[2].locations)).toEqual(true)
-      expect(errors[2].message).toEqual('The following field is invalid: email')
+      expect(errors[2].message).toEqual('The following field is invalid: Email')
       expect(errors[2].path[0]).toEqual('test4')
       expect(errors[2].extensions.name).toEqual('ValidationError')
       expect(errors[2].extensions.data.errors[0].message).toEqual(

test/database/int.spec.ts

@@ -892,7 +892,7 @@ describe('database', () => {
         errorMessage = e.message
       }
 
-      await expect(errorMessage).toBe('The following field is invalid: title')
+      await expect(errorMessage).toBe('The following field is invalid: Title')
     })
 
     it('should return proper deeply nested field validation errors', async () => {

test/fields/collections/Array/index.ts

@@ -54,6 +54,24 @@ const ArrayFields: CollectionConfig = {
               name: 'text',
               type: 'text',
             },
+            {
+              name: 'textTwo',
+              label: 'Second text field',
+              type: 'text',
+              required: true,
+              defaultValue: 'default',
+            },
+            {
+              type: 'row',
+              fields: [
+                {
+                  name: 'textInRow',
+                  type: 'text',
+                  required: true,
+                  defaultValue: 'default',
+                },
+              ],
+            },
           ],
           type: 'array',
         },

test/fields/collections/Collapsible/index.ts

@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ const CollapsibleFields: CollectionConfig = {
                   name: 'textWithinSubGroup',
                   type: 'text',
                 },
+                {
+                  name: 'requiredTextWithinSubGroup',
+                  type: 'text',
+                  required: true,
+                  defaultValue: 'required text',
+                },
               ],
             },
           ],

test/fields/int.spec.ts

@@ -486,6 +486,20 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
     })
   })
 
+  describe('rows', () => {
+    it('show proper validation error message on text field within row field', async () => {
+      await expect(async () =>
+        payload.create({
+          collection: 'row-fields',
+          data: {
+            id: 'some-id',
+            title: '',
+          },
+        }),
+      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Title within a row')
+    })
+  })
+
   describe('timestamps', () => {
     const tenMinutesAgo = new Date(Date.now() - 1000 * 60 * 10)
     let doc
@@ -693,7 +707,7 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
             min: 5,
           },
         }),
-      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: min')
+      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Min')
     })
     it('should not create number above max', async () => {
       await expect(async () =>
@@ -703,7 +717,7 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
             max: 15,
           },
         }),
-      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: max')
+      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Max')
     })
 
     it('should not create number below 0', async () => {
@@ -714,7 +728,7 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
             positiveNumber: -5,
           },
         }),
-      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: positiveNumber')
+      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Positive Number')
     })
 
     it('should not create number above 0', async () => {
@@ -725,7 +739,7 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
             negativeNumber: 5,
           },
         }),
-      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: negativeNumber')
+      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Negative Number')
     })
     it('should not create a decimal number below min', async () => {
       await expect(async () =>
@@ -735,7 +749,7 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
             decimalMin: -0.25,
           },
         }),
-      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: decimalMin')
+      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Decimal Min')
     })
 
     it('should not create a decimal number above max', async () => {
@@ -746,7 +760,7 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
             decimalMax: 1.5,
           },
         }),
-      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: decimalMax')
+      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Decimal Max')
     })
     it('should localize an array of numbers using hasMany', async () => {
       const localizedHasMany = [5, 10]
@@ -1128,7 +1142,7 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
             min: 5,
           },
         }),
-      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: min')
+      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Min')
 
       expect(doc.point).toEqual(point)
       expect(doc.localized).toEqual(localized)
@@ -1662,6 +1676,46 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
 
       expect(res.id).toBe(doc.id)
     })
+
+    it('show proper validation error on text field in nested array', async () => {
+      await expect(async () =>
+        payload.create({
+          collection,
+          data: {
+            items: [
+              {
+                text: 'required',
+                subArray: [
+                  {
+                    textTwo: '',
+                  },
+                ],
+              },
+            ],
+          },
+        }),
+      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Items 1 > SubArray 1 > Second text field')
+    })
+
+    it('show proper validation error on text field in row field in nested array', async () => {
+      await expect(async () =>
+        payload.create({
+          collection,
+          data: {
+            items: [
+              {
+                text: 'required',
+                subArray: [
+                  {
+                    textInRow: '',
+                  },
+                ],
+              },
+            ],
+          },
+        }),
+      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Items 1 > SubArray 1 > Text In Row')
+    })
   })
 
   describe('group', () => {
@@ -2168,6 +2222,28 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
       expect(res.camelCaseTab.array[0].text).toBe('text')
       expect(res.camelCaseTab.array[0].array[0].text).toBe('nested')
     })
+
+    it('should show proper validation error message on text field within array within tab', async () => {
+      await expect(async () =>
+        payload.update({
+          id: document.id,
+          collection: tabsFieldsSlug,
+          data: {
+            array: [
+              {
+                text: 'one',
+              },
+              {
+                text: 'two',
+              },
+              {
+                text: '',
+              },
+            ],
+          },
+        }),
+      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Array 3 > Text')
+    })
   })
 
   describe('blocks', () => {
@@ -2429,6 +2505,26 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
     })
   })
 
+  describe('collapsible', () => {
+    it('show proper validation error message for fields nested in collapsible', async () => {
+      await expect(async () =>
+        payload.create({
+          collection: 'collapsible-fields',
+          data: {
+            text: 'required',
+            group: {
+              subGroup: {
+                requiredTextWithinSubGroup: '',
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        }),
+      ).rejects.toThrow(
+        'The following field is invalid: Group > SubGroup > Required Text Within Sub Group',
+      )
+    })
+  })
+
   describe('json', () => {
     it('should save json data', async () => {
       const json = { foo: 'bar' }
@@ -2450,7 +2546,7 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
             json: '{ bad input: true }',
           },
         }),
-      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: json')
+      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Json')
     })
 
     it('should validate json schema', async () => {
@@ -2461,7 +2557,7 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
             json: { foo: 'bad' },
           },
         }),
-      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: json')
+      ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Json')
     })
 
     it('should save empty json objects', async () => {

test/relationships/int.spec.ts

@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ describe('Relationships', () => {
               // @ts-expect-error Sending bad data to test error handling
               customIdRelation: 1234,
             }),
-          ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: customIdRelation')
+          ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Custom Id Relation')
         })
 
         it('should validate the format of number id relationships', async () => {
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@ describe('Relationships', () => {
               // @ts-expect-error Sending bad data to test error handling
               customIdNumberRelation: 'bad-input',
             }),
-          ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: customIdNumberRelation')
+          ).rejects.toThrow('The following field is invalid: Custom Id Number Relation')
         })
 
         it('should allow update removing a relationship', async () => {

test/versions/int.spec.ts

@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ describe('Versions', () => {
 
         expect(updateManyResult.docs).toHaveLength(0)
         expect(updateManyResult.errors).toStrictEqual([
-          { id: doc.id, message: 'The following field is invalid: title' },
+          { id: doc.id, message: 'The following field is invalid: Title' },
         ])
       })
     })