OLE DB provider 'SQLNCLI' for linked server '' returned data that does not match expected data length for column '[server].[database].[dbo].[view]'. The (maximum) expected data length is <number>, while the returned data length is <number>.

03 March 2015 Dave-Stuart SQL Server, T-SQL

The Actual Error for me was

Msg 7347, Level 16, State 1, Line 2

OLE DB provider 'SQLNCLI10' for linked server 'Common_Pts' returned data that does not match expected data length for column '[Common_Pts].[Pts].[dbo].[veRegulatoryInstrument].prefix'. The (maximum) expected data length is 4, while the returned data length is 5. 

After creating a linked server in ms sql express. and running the view I got the following error. to solve the problem run sp_refreshview command from the server that is hosting the view.

sp_refreshview [ @viewname = ] 'viewname' 
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms187821.aspx