SharePoint Document Issues

How to Fix [Object Object] in SharePoint Lookup Fields

Maira Mehtab Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users need to resolve an issue where custom JSON formatting causes lookup fields to display as '[object Object]' instead of the actual data value.

Product: SharePoint / Microsoft Lists
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Applying JSON formatting to a SharePoint list view, card, or column that contains a lookup data field.
Observed behavior: The lookup field incorrectly renders the literal string '[object Object]' on the screen rather than displaying the expected text value.

Before you start

Before modifying your list configuration, ensure you have sufficient permissions to edit column formatting in your SharePoint environment and copy your existing JSON code to a safe place.

Solution 1Recommended

Update JSON Formatting Property References

Adjust your JSON code to extract the specific text value from the lookup object rather than referencing the entire object itself.

In SharePoint and Microsoft Lists, lookup fields are complex field types. When you reference a lookup column directly in JSON (e.g., [$LookupColumn]), SharePoint returns the entire data object. Because the browser cannot display the object directly as text, it outputs '[object Object]'. To fix this, you must append a sub-property to your column reference.

Access Column Settings

Navigate to your SharePoint list, click the column header for the affected lookup field, select 'Column settings', and click 'Format this column'.

Open Advanced Mode

In the formatting pane on the right side of the screen, click on 'Advanced mode' at the bottom to view the raw JSON code.

Append Lookup Sub-Property

Locate the reference to your lookup field (for example, '[$YourColumnName]') and append '.lookupValue' to it so that it reads '[$YourColumnName.lookupValue]'.

Save and Verify

Click 'Save' at the bottom of the pane. The list should immediately update to display the actual text string instead of the object error.

Using Lookup IDs: If your JSON formatting requires the numeric ID of the lookup item rather than the display text (for example, when constructing custom URLs), use '[$YourColumnName.lookupId]' instead.

Solution 2

Seek Guidance from the SharePoint Developer Community

If adjusting the lookup property does not resolve the issue, consult with experts by sharing your exact configuration.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does SharePoint display [object Object] in my list?

This happens when custom JSON formatting attempts to render a complex data type, such as a lookup, person, or location field, directly as plain text. The system outputs the standard JavaScript representation of an object instead of its underlying value.

How do I access the text value of a SharePoint lookup field in JSON?

You can access the readable display text by appending '.lookupValue' to the internal column name reference in your JSON code, formatting it as [$YourColumnName.lookupValue].

Does this issue affect Microsoft Lists as well?

Yes. Because Microsoft Lists is built on top of the SharePoint platform infrastructure, the exact same JSON formatting rules and [object Object] display errors apply to lookup fields in Lists.

How can I fix the [object Object] error for a Person or Group field?

Similar to lookup fields, Person fields return objects. To display the person's name in JSON formatting, you must append '.title' to the column reference, such as [$PersonColumn.title].

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