Steps to follow when refresh dual-write integrated environments (FO and CE)
Scenario: The D365 finance & operations app is linked to Common Data Services through dual-write in development or sandbox environments. You are required to refresh databases in D365 FO and CDS both from another production environment (dual-write integrated (linked) environments in the scenario) Steps to follow: Before initial refresh, log on to target environment Go to Data management > Dual write and stop all jobs Refresh FO and CDS environments from the same integrated source environments Go to Data management > Dual write and Unlink environments Clean data from following tables in D365FO if data exists DualWriteProjectConfiguration – A sample URL would be like this to access tables from D365FO environment <Environemnt URL>/?mi=SysTableBrowser&prt=initial&limitednav=true&TableName=DualWriteProjectConfiguration&cmp=<CompanyId> DualWriteProjectFieldConfiguration- A sample URL would be like this to access tables from D365FO environment <Environemnt URL>/?mi=SysTableBrowser&prt=initial&limitednav=true&TableName=DualWriteProjectFieldConfiguration&cmp=<CompanyId> Clean data from DualWriteRunTimeConfiguration Table in Dataverse [Customer Engagement] – Click on little funnel on top right side of the CE environment to open table browser or Advance find and look for Dual write Runtime configuration table Link Environments Apply MS dual-write solutions and your custom solution if there is any Start jobs and no need for initial sync, both environments are already sync as were copied from another dual-write integrated source environments
Dual-write connection set error: An item with the same key has already been added
If you happen to see this error message then you have duplicate records in cdm_company entity in CDS environment. Check for cdm_companycode field this is normally not allowed but have a look and delete the ones with duplicates.
Dual-write integration for Cross-Company data in D365 Finance and SCM
Dual-write does not work with the cross company data sharing policies in D365 FinOps (there are so many names but I am using this name for reference 😊). Brief overview about cross company data sharing policy first to set the base for the readers, the Cross-Company data sharing lets you have your data accessible from multiple legal entities (companies in D365 FinOps). For example, if you setup a policy for vendors to be crossed-company then whenever you create a new vendor it will be created in all data sharing legal entities. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/fin-ops-core/dev-itpro/sysadmin/cross-company-data-sharing Now, What happened when you a table under cross-company data sharing (e.g. VendTable) and want to sync vendors through dual-write? Since, VendTable is one of the data sources for Vendors data entity (dual-write entity map) and we know dual-write does not work well with cross-company data sharing by design. You get following error message when you try to Run the entity map. “Copying pre-existing data completed with errors. For additional details, go to initial sync details tab.” The error message is confusing and does not reflect the actual issue behind the scene – you will never be able to figured it out what is wrong until you raise it with MS dual-write team and share the activity Id of the job with them to investigate the telemetry (you don’t have access to check this one 😒) then they share the root cause. However, You can also investigate by putting a breakpoint in method validateDataSharingEnabledForEntityTableBeforDualWriteEnable() of class SysDataSharingValidation. /// <summary> /// Validates that cross company data sharing is not enabled when enabling Dual Write. /// </summary> /// <param name = “_entityName”>The name of the entity containing the table being enabled</param> /// <param name = “_tableName”>Table in entity</param> /// <param name = “_dataAreaId”>Company info</param> [SubscribesTo(classStr(BusinessEventsRegistrationBase), staticdelegatestr(BusinessEventsRegistrationBase, onTableEnabled))] public static void validateDataSharingEnabledForEntityTableBeforDualWriteEnable(str _entityName, str _tableName, DataAreaId _dataAreaId) { SysDataSharingOrganization sysDataSharingOrganizationTable; SysDataSharingRuleEnabled sysDataSharingRuleEnabledTable; select firstonly SharedTableName from sysDataSharingRuleEnabledTable where sysDataSharingRuleEnabledTable.SharedTableName == _tableName join DataSharingPolicy, DataSharingCompany from sysDataSharingOrganizationTable where sysDataSharingRuleEnabledTable.DataSharingPolicy == sysDataSharingOrganizationTable.DataSharingPolicy && sysDataSharingOrganizationTable.DataSharingCompany == _dataAreaId; if (sysDataSharingRuleEnabledTable) { throw error(strFmt(“@DataSharing:CrossCompanySharingError“, _entityName, sysDataSharingOrganizationTable.DataSharingPolicy)); } }
D365FO: LCS Exported Bacpac File Contains Corrupted Data
If you experience the below error message when trying to import bacpac file into tier 1 (DEV) environment then use the suggested steps to get over this error and get your database imported. Importing to database ‘AxDB_Daxture’ on server ‘.’. SqlPackage.exe : *** Error importing database:Could not load package from ‘C:UsersAdminb1c06345afDownloadsdaxturebackup.bacpac’. At line:13 char:5 + & $LatestSqlPackage $commandParameters “/p:CommandTimeout=0” + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (*** Error impor…backup.bacpac’.:String) [], RemoteException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandError File contains corrupted data. Based on this docs link https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/fin-ops-core/dev-itpro/database/import-database, download the .NET CORE version of SqlPackage.exe. This is the .zip file that can be extracted to C:TempSqlpackage-dotnetcore From there, instead of using the Sqlpackage.exe under C:Program Files (x86), use the Sqlpackage.exe in C:TempSqlpackage-dotnetcore. Command will be: C:TempSqlpackage-dotnetcore>SqlPacage.exe /a:import /sf:D:Exportedbacpacmy.bacpac /tsn:localhost /tdn:<target database name> /p:CommandTimeout=1200
Tips and Tricks on how to validate your dual-write integration field-by-field level – its easy believe me 😊
After you are done with your entity field mappings for a required entity map e.g. for Vendor Groups, we started to look at in previous post to get the payload for dual-write integration, two records get created in the following tables. 1. DualWriteProjectConfiguration 2. DualWriteProjectFieldConfiguration Records only get created when you Run the entity map and get deleted once you stopped it. DualWriteProjectConfiguration table does not hold data for Vendor groups when the entity map is stopped. DualWriteProjectFieldConfiguration table does not hold data for Vendor groups when the entity map is stopped. Run the entity map and check data in these tables, 1. Both tables link each other using Name field 2. For each entity map (e.g. Vendor groups) there are two records; one for Insert and Update and the other one is for delete which ends with _end Import information about DualWriteProjectConfiguration table: 1. External URL field holds the CDS environment’s URL which is linked with FO in this format https://<CDS environment URL>/api/data/v9.0/msdyn_vendorgroups. This API URL can be browsed to see available data in CDS environment 2. Project partition map field holds list of legal entities linked for dual-write, you can copy this list in notepad++ (or any where) and check all legal entities from there too – this may help you in troubleshooting 3. IsDebugMod field if marked then failure records are stored in DualWriteErrorLog table 4. Filter query expression field if you have defined Finance and Operations apps filter for entity maps it stores here Import information about DualWriteProjectFieldConfiguration table: Filter records from this table based on the project name you have retrieved from DualWriteProjectConfiguration table as shown below as an example 1. External lookup urls field holds information how different lookups from CDS tables are linked for this integration. Trick and Tip: Copy data from this field and paste into Notepad ++, data looks like this Format JSON and you can review all data easily in JSON viewer 2. Field mapping field holds information on how fields are mapped between both apps (Finance Operations app and Common Data Service) Trick and Tip: Copy data from this field and paste into Notepad ++, Format JSON and it shows like this DualWriteProjectConfigurationEntity data entity is the triggering point to sync data across based on pre-defined sync direction as discussed above. In case you want to debug outbound call for vendor groups this will be the stack trace. I hope this may have helped you to understand the tables and classed behind dual-write and troubleshoot your issue at some point. If you still have any question please reach out to me via comments section.
Want to see the inbound and outbound Payload for dual-write integration
Let’s continue where we left in first post “What got changed (Technical) in D365 Finance Operations with dual-write” our journey to understand what are the technical changes being done for dual-write framework. This post we will look at what are highly used tables, entities, and classes involved for dual-write sync. I will only cover few tables, classes, and data entities but complete list of objects can be explored from AOT as shown below. Business scenario: Create or update Vendor Groups in FO and sync over to CDS and vice versa. Open Vendor groups screen – Accounts Payable > Vendors > Vendor groups Out-of-the-box dual-write template is available for vendor groups These fields are mapped between Finance and Operations apps and Common Data Service for Vendor groups dual-write template. NOTE: only data will sync between apps only for mapped fields and the integration will also only trigger when we change data for these mapped fields in either side of the integration apps (FO or CDS) provided the sync direction is set to bi-directional (which is set for this scenario). Requirement: You want to debug the integration (outbound or inbound) Two important classes: 1. DualWriteSyncInbound 2. DualWriteSyncOutbound If you want to debug data going out of FO to CDS (Outbound) then put a breakpoint at method WriteEntityRecordToCDS() of class DualWriteSyncOutbound. This is quite extensive method and also gets a payload going out of FO to CDS, this payload can be watched and changed using all debugging features of D365 Finance and Operations. Method BuildCDSPayload() being called inside method WriteEntityRecordToCDS() creates complete payload. Pasting this just for reference purpose, this is subject to change at anytime so always refer to the updated code. internal str BuildCDSPayload(str cdsLookupUrls, common entityRecord, str fieldMappingJson, ICDSSyncProvider syncProvider) { var executionMarkerUniqueIdentifier = newGuid(); DualWriteSyncLogger::LogExecutionMarker(‘DualWriteOutbound.BuildCDSPayload’, true, strFmt(‘Execution start for record %1 with uniqueId %2’, entityRecord.RecId, executionMarkerUniqueIdentifier)); CDSPayloadGenerator payloadGenerator = syncProvider.CDSPayloadGenerator; responseContract.DualWriteProcessingStage = DualWriteProcessingStage::TransformingSourceData; FieldMappingIterator fieldMappingIterator = FieldMappingIterator::ReadJson(fieldMappingJson); if (fieldMappingIterator == null) { responseContract.AddRecordResponse(ExecutionStatus::Failed, strFmt(“@DualWriteLabels:InvalidFieldMapping”,fieldMappingJson), ”); DualWriteSyncLogger::LogSyncError(‘BuildCDSPayload’, ”, ”, strFmt(‘Failed to create CDS payload. Error reason %1′, responseContract.GetFormattedResponseObject()), DualWriteDirection::Outbound); } while (fieldMappingIterator.MoveNext()) { FieldMapping fieldMapping = fieldMappingIterator.Current(); var valueTranforms = fieldMapping.ValueTransforms; var sourceValue = this.FetchSourceFieldDataFromMapping(entityRecord,fieldMapping); // If there is a value default value transform then the payload creation is skipped // The payload gets added in CDSSyncProvider boolean skipPayloadCreation = false; if (valueTranforms != null) { var transformEnum = valueTranforms.GetEnumerator(); while (transformEnum.MoveNext()) { IValueTransformDetails transform = transformEnum.Current; sourceValue = this.ApplyValueTransform(transform, sourceValue); skipPayloadCreation = (syncProvider.GetProviderType() != CDSSyncProviderType::CDSQueueSync && transform.TransformType == ValueTransformType::Default); if (transform.HasTransformationFailed) { responseContract.AddFailedFieldResponse(fieldMapping.SourceField, strFmt(“@DualWriteLabels:FailedTransform”, sourceValue, fieldMapping.SourceField, enum2Str(transform.TransformType)), ”); } } } if (!strContains(fieldMapping.DestinationField,’.’) || fieldMapping.IsSystemGenerated) { if (!skipPayloadCreation) { payloadGenerator.AddAttributeValuePair(fieldMapping.DestinationField, sourceValue, fieldMapping.IsDestinationFieldQuoted, this.FetchSourceFieldTypeCode(entityRecord, fieldMapping)); } } syncProvider.AddSourceColumnTransformedValue(syncProvider.GetMappingKey(fieldMapping.SourceField ,fieldMapping.DestinationField) ,sourceValue); } responseContract.DualWriteProcessingStage = DualWriteProcessingStage::ResolvingLookups; var cdsPayLoad = syncProvider.BuildCDSPayloadForLookups(cdsLookupUrls, fieldMappingJson); DualWriteSyncLogger::LogExecutionMarker(‘DualWriteOutbound.BuildCDSPayload’, false, strFmt(‘Execution ends for record %1 with uniqueId %2’, entityRecord.RecId, executionMarkerUniqueIdentifier)); return cdsPayLoad; } To debug data coming in FO from CDS (Inbound) then put a breakpoint at method WriteDataToEntity() of class DualWriteSyncInbound. Pasting this just for reference purpose, this is subject to change at anytime so always refer to the updated code. private ResponseContract WriteDataToEntity(str entityName, str entityFieldValuesJson, str companyContext, boolean runValidations = false, boolean isDelete = false, DualWriteTransactionId transactionId = ”, str CDSSyncVersion = ”, boolean isBatchCommit = true) { var executionMarkerUniqueIdentifier = newGuid(); this.InitializeInboundSync(entityName); return reponseContract; }
What gets changed (Technical) in D365 Finance Operation with dual-write
Being a developer I have to explore how a new feature or a framework has been developed and how can this be extended when needed. While working on dual-write implementation I came across many technical difficulties as the framework was not mature enough at that time since the dual-write is only generally available in end of March 2020 and I have been working on dual-write since mid-year 2019. I must say MS has done tremendous amount of work to make the integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance Operations apps and Common Data Services via Dual-write Bunch of AOT objects have been added at D365 FO side – screen shot taken from 10.0.13 these can grow with future releases if needed. Application class has also been modified for dual-write, below method gets called when the database transaction tries to get committed, between ttsbegin and ttscommit. public void ttsNotifyPreCommit() { if (!isInTtsNotifyPreCommit) { try { isInTtsNotifyPreCommit = true; if (sysTransactionScope) { sysTransactionScope.onTtsCommitting(); } super(); if(this.canRaiseEvent()) { this.onTtsNotifyPreCommit(); } // Checks that all suspension of recId allocation invoked by calling appl.SysRecIdSequence().suspendRecIds() have been removed. if (sysRecIdSequence) { if (!this.sysRecIdSequence().areAllRecIdSuspensionsRemoved()) { throw error(“@SYS344764”); } sysRecidSequence = null; } if (this.ttsLevel() == 1) { DualWriteChangeProcessorBase::processTransactionPrecommit(); } } finally { isInTtsNotifyPreCommit = false; } } } Dual-write triggers only at ttsLevel 1, to understand this concept I did a small test. From the trace log I can see that before ttscommit it goes to Application::ttsNotifyPreCommit and from there is makes a call to DualWriteChangeProcessorBase and in my scenario it goes to DualWriteSyncOutbound class. If you dig deeper in this class, this creates the complete JSON message and sync this to CE. In my next post, I will show what tables, entities, classes are involved and how you can see what JSON message is going out from FO to CE. Stay tune.
Error resolution: Copying pre-existing data completed with errors. For additional details, go to initial sync details tab
If you happen to face this error message “Copying pre-existing data completed with error, For additional details, go to initial sync details tab” while starting the dual-write entity map then please check you have setup the cross company data sharing policy for the underline table of the entity map (which is a data entity in D365 FO). To resolve this issue, Go to System Administration | Setup | Configure cross=company data sharing screen and look for policy where you may have setup the underline table of the data entity used for dual-write entity map. Disable the policy and then run the dual-write job again, wait until it turns to running state. Enable the cross-company data sharing policy again choose No on the next open pop-up window otherwise it will run against all data across all legal entitles which might not be necessary for this exercise as you just disabled it to start dual-write entity map.
Source of truth for your Dual-write questions, issues discussions, and get resolutions
If you happen to stuck with any issue with the Dual-write implementation from on how and where to start with dual-write – The source of truth is a yammer group https://www.yammer.com/dynamicsaxfeedbackprograms/#/threads/inGroup?type=in_group&feedId=16038053 runs by Microsoft Dual-write product team. FILES tab in the group contains all A-Z documentation. Get your questions answered today by various experts including MS dual-write product team. You can even raise your live issue with them in the yammer group and they connect with you in no time – very much useful!!
DynamicsCon Recording – The Power of Dual Write
Excited to share that the recording of my session on “The Power Of Dual Write” is now available. Please watch and share your feedback. Please feel free to ask questions – this way we all can learn more!!