Error Handling Techniques in Dynamics 365 Plugins

Have You Ever Struggled with Debugging Errors in Dynamics 365 Plugins?

If you’ve been working with Dynamics 365 plugins, you’ve likely encountered scenarios where your plugin failed unexpectedly. Debugging these failures can be a challenge, especially in production environments where attaching a debugger is not always an option. How do you ensure that errors are logged effectively? How do you prevent the plugin from breaking critical business processes?

In this blog, I will walk you through the best error-handling techniques for Dynamics 365 plugins, ensuring that you can capture, log, and handle errors gracefully.

Why Trust Me?

As a Microsoft Certified Trainer and Dynamics 365 Consultant, I have extensive experience working with Dynamics 365 CRM, Power Platform, and Azure. Over the years, I have encountered and resolved numerous plugin errors in live environments. Through my blogs and speaking engagements, I have shared valuable insights on building robust and scalable solutions in Dynamics 365. This expertise allows me to provide you with practical and effective error-handling strategies that you can implement immediately.

Understanding Plugin Execution and Error Scenarios

Before diving into error handling techniques, let’s briefly understand the plugin execution model. Plugins in Dynamics 365 execute in the sandbox (isolated) mode or full-trust (non-isolated) mode and can be synchronous or asynchronous.

Common error scenarios in plugins include:

1. Null reference exceptions due to missing entity attributes.
2. Unauthorized access when calling external APIs.
3. Infinite loops due to recursive triggers.
4. Unhandled exceptions causing transaction rollbacks.
5. Issues with dependencies like configuration records or missing security privileges.

Now, let’s explore how to handle these errors effectively.

1.) Using Try-Catch Blocks for Exception Handling

The simplest and most effective way to handle errors is by wrapping your plugin logic inside a try-catch block.

public void Execute(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
{
    try
    {
        ITracingService tracingService = (ITracingService)serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(ITracingService));
        tracingService.Trace("Plugin execution started.");
        
        IPluginExecutionContext context = (IPluginExecutionContext)serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(IPluginExecutionContext));
        IOrganizationServiceFactory serviceFactory = (IOrganizationServiceFactory)serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(IOrganizationServiceFactory));
        IOrganizationService service = serviceFactory.CreateOrganizationService(context.UserId);
        
        // Your plugin logic here
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        throw new InvalidPluginExecutionException($"An error occurred: {ex.Message}", ex);
    }
}

Why This Works:

1. Prevents the plugin from failing silently.
2. Ensures meaningful error messages are logged.
3. Provides exception details for debugging.

2.) Using ITracingService for Logging

Dynamics 365 provides the ITracingService to log debug messages, which is particularly useful in sandboxed plugins where direct debugging is not possible.

public void Execute(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
{
    ITracingService tracingService = (ITracingService)serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(ITracingService));
    try
    {
        tracingService.Trace("Plugin execution started.");
        // Plugin logic
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        tracingService.Trace($"Error: {ex.Message}\n{ex.StackTrace}");
        throw new InvalidPluginExecutionException("An error occurred. See trace log for details.");
    }
}

Benefits:

1. Captures step-by-step execution for debugging.
2. Available in Plugin Execution Logs under System Jobs.
3. Helps identify root causes without needing remote debugging.

3.) Logging Errors to a Custom Entity

For persistent logging, consider storing error details in a custom entity (e.g., Plugin Error Log).

private void LogError(IOrganizationService service, string message, string stackTrace)
{
    Entity errorLog = new Entity("new_pluginerrorlog");
    errorLog["new_name"] = "Plugin Error";
    errorLog["new_errormessage"] = message;
    errorLog["new_stacktrace"] = stackTrace;
    errorLog["new_occurreddate"] = DateTime.UtcNow;
    service.Create(errorLog);
}

public void Execute(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
{
    try
    {
        // Plugin logic
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        IOrganizationServiceFactory serviceFactory = (IOrganizationServiceFactory)serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(IOrganizationServiceFactory));
        IOrganizationService service = serviceFactory.CreateOrganizationService(null);
        LogError(service, ex.Message, ex.StackTrace);
        throw new InvalidPluginExecutionException("An error occurred. Details have been logged.");
    }
}

Why This Helps:

1. Centralized error tracking.
2. Helps with debugging historical issues.
3. Can be monitored using Power Automate for proactive alerts.

4. Using Secure Configuration for External API Calls

If your plugin interacts with external APIs, store credentials in the secure configuration rather than hardcoding them.

string apiKey = context.SharedVariables.Contains("SecureApiKey")
                 ? context.SharedVariables["SecureApiKey"].ToString()
                 : throw new InvalidPluginExecutionException("API Key not found in secure configuration.");

Benefits:

1. Prevents exposure of sensitive information.
2. Secure values are encrypted and only accessible in runtime.

5. Handling Recursion and Infinite Loops

Dynamics 365 allows detecting recursive plugin execution using Depth in IPluginExecutionContext.

if (context.Depth > 1)
{
    tracingService.Trace("Preventing infinite loop.");
    return;
}

Why?

1. Avoids unnecessary re-execution of the plugin.
2. Prevents performance degradation due to infinite loops.

Conclusion

Error handling in Dynamics 365 plugins is crucial for maintaining stability and ensuring seamless business operations. By implementing try-catch blocks, using tracing services, logging errors to a custom entity, managing secure configurations, and handling recursion, you can build robust and maintainable plugins.

I encourage you to apply these techniques to your plugins and explore additional monitoring tools like Application Insights for even better observability.

Have you faced any plugin debugging challenges? Share your experiences in the comments below!

We hope you found this blog useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfonts.com.