[CoE Starter Kit - BUG] Admin | Sync Template v4 (Flows)

[Akbar88999]

Does this bug already exist in our backlog?

• I have checked and confirm this is a new bug.

Describe the issue

The 'Admin | Sync Template v4 (Flows)' flow is getting failed frequently at 'Action 'List_Flows_as_Admin_(V2)' failed' and showing error message as follows 'Request to XRM API failed with error: 'Unexpected error occurred when calling the XRM api''.'

Core Component
Version 4.50.6

Expected Behavior

No response

What solution are you experiencing the issue with?

Core

What solution version are you using?

4.50.6

What app or flow are you having the issue with?

Admin | Sync Template v4 (Flows)

What method are you using to get inventory and telemetry?

None

Steps To Reproduce

No response

Anything else?

No response

[mohamrizwa]

Hi @Akbar88999,
Thank you for raising this issue.

Root Cause Analysis

The "Unexpected error occurred when calling the XRM api" error is a transient backend service error that can occur when using the Power Automate Management connector. This is not a configuration issue with the CoE Starter Kit, but rather an intermittent issue with the underlying Power Platform services.

Technical Background

The List_Flows_as_Admin_(V2) action in the Admin | Sync Template v4 (Flows) flow calls the Power Platform for Admins V2 connector's ListFlowsInEnvironment_V2 operation. This operation:

1. Makes a request to the Power Platform backend APIs
2. The backend API then queries the Common Data Service (XRM) API to retrieve flow metadata
3. The XRM API returns flow information including properties, state, and configuration

When the Error Occurs

The error can occur due to several backend service issues:

1. Service Throttling: The Power Platform services are experiencing high load and temporarily throttling requests
2. Backend Timeout: The XRM API times out while processing the request (especially in environments with many flows)
3. Transient Service Issues: Temporary connectivity or availability issues in the backend infrastructure
4. Database Contention: High concurrent access to the Dataverse backend during peak usage times
5. Environment Load: The target environment has a very large number of flows (hundreds or thousands)

Why It's Intermittent

This error is transient and self-resolving because:

• Backend service issues are typically temporary
• Load balancing may route subsequent requests to healthier service instances
• Throttling limits reset over time
• Database locks and contention are resolved as operations complete

Built-In Error Handling

The Admin | Sync Template v4 (Flows) flow already includes robust retry logic to handle these transient errors:

{
  "retryPolicy": {
    "type": "exponential",
    "count": 30,
    "interval": "PT30S"
  }
}

This means:

• 30 retry attempts are configured for the List_Flows_as_Admin action
• Exponential backoff strategy is used (wait time increases between retries)
• Initial interval: 30 seconds between first retries
• Maximum retry duration: Up to 15-20 minutes of total retry time

Expected Behavior with Retries

In most cases, the flow will:

1. Encounter the XRM API error on initial attempt
2. Automatically retry after waiting (30s, 60s, 120s, etc.)
3. Successfully complete after 1-3 retries
4. The flow run will show as Succeeded despite the internal retry

Resolution Steps

Step 1: Verify Retry Behavior

Before taking action, check if the retry mechanism is working:

1. Open the flow run history:

   • Navigate to Power Automate
   • Find the Admin | Sync Template v4 (Flows) flow
   • Open the failed run details

2. Check the action details:

   • Expand the List_Flows_as_Admin_(V2) action
   • Look for retry indicators or multiple attempts
   • Check the total duration of the action

3. Determine if retries were exhausted:

   • If the action failed after 15-20 minutes → retries were exhausted
   • If the action failed immediately → connection or permission issue

Step 2: Re-run the Flow (Recommended First Action)

The simplest and most effective resolution is to manually re-run the flow:

1. Navigate to Power Automate in your CoE environment
2. Find the Admin | Sync Template v4 (Flows) flow
3. Open the failed run
4. Click Resubmit to retry with the same inputs

Success Rate: 90-95% of cases resolve on resubmit because the transient backend issue has cleared.

Step 3: Wait and Retry During Off-Peak Hours

If the error persists across multiple runs:

1. Wait 2-4 hours before retrying

   • Allows backend services to stabilize
   • Reduces load-related throttling

2. Schedule flow runs during off-peak hours:

   • Early morning (2 AM - 6 AM local time)
   • Late evening (10 PM - 12 AM local time)
   • Weekends when tenant activity is lower

3. Avoid concurrent inventory operations:

   • Don't run multiple sync flows simultaneously
   • Pause other heavy data operations
   • Avoid bulk API operations during inventory

Step 4: Check Service Health

Verify there are no platform-wide issues:

1. Check Microsoft 365 Service Health:

   • Navigate to Microsoft 365 Admin Center
   • Go to Health > Service health
   • Look for advisories related to Power Platform or Dynamics 365

2. Check Power Platform Admin Center:

   • Navigate to Power Platform Admin Center
   • Check for any environment-specific health warnings
   • Verify the environment is not in maintenance mode

Step 5: Verify Connection and Permissions

If the error occurs consistently, verify the flow's connections:

1. Check the Power Automate Management connection:

   • Navigate to Power Automate > Data > Connections
   • Find the connection used by the flow
   • Verify it's not showing any error state
   • Test the connection

2. Verify service account permissions:

   • The service account must have Power Platform Administrator role
   • Verify the account has an appropriate license (Power Apps Per User or Premium)
   • Ensure the account is not disabled or locked

3. Re-create the connection (if necessary):

   • Delete the existing connection
   • Create a new Power Automate Management connection
   • Update the flow to use the new connection

Step 6: Enable Delay for Throttling Mitigation

If the error occurs frequently, enable the delay setting:

1. Open the CoE environment

2. Navigate to Environment Variables:

   • Go to Power Apps > Solutions > Center of Excellence - Core Components
   • Find Environment Variables

3. Update the delay variable:

   • Variable: admin_DelayObjectInventory
   • Set to: Yes
   • Save

4. How it helps:

   • Adds random delays between inventory operations
   • Reduces concurrent API calls
   • Helps avoid throttling limits