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Error when publihsing an extension: failed with code UnprocessableEntity

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Posted on by DK-27050928-0

I'm currently developing a fairly large extension for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. The project includes various components such as:

Reports (RDLC, Excel, Word)
Report layouts
Codeunits
Page modifications
And other AL objects

The extension builds successfully without any compilation errors.

However, I'm intermittently encountering an issue when publishing the extension to a Business Central Sandbox (cloud environment). The publishing process sometimes fails with the following error:

[2025-06-05 11:17:14.17] Publishing AL application using launch configuration 'Microsoft cloud sandbox'.
[2025-06-05 11:17:15.36] Authenticated as user '' in tenant ''.
[2025-06-05 11:17:15.36] Targeting Dynamics 365 Business Central.
[2025-06-05 11:17:15.36] Sending request to https://api.businesscentral.dynamics.com/v2.0/Sandbox-Dev/dev/apps?SchemaUpdateMode=synchronize&DependencyPublishingOption=default
[2025-06-05 11:17:45.50] Error: An error occurred while processing the request.
Request ID: 
Session ID: 

[2025-06-05 11:17:45.52] The request for path /v2.0/Sandbox-Dev/dev/apps... failed with code UnprocessableEntity.  
Reason: Publishing failed due to 'Object reference not set to an instance of an object.' The original extensions could not be restored due to the same error.  
Extensions that were previously installed but could not be reinstalled. These should be manually reinstalled. If they are part of your current workspace, you can use the 'Full Dependency Publishing' command.

Temporary Workaround
Restarting the affected environment from the Business Central Admin Center allows me to successfully re-publish the extension afterward.

This issue is not tenant-specific—I experience the same behavior on other tenants as well. After some time, publishing fails with the same error, and restarting the environment resolves it temporarily.

Request for Guidance
Are there recommended steps I can take to further analyze:

Whether this is a code-level issue in the extension?
Or whether the problem lies within the target environment(s)?

Any insights, tools, or debugging techniques to help pinpoint the root cause would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

Additional Image for Reference (Ignore the 327 problems, they're not substantial as they did not block extension building/pushing previously ):

Categories:

Dynamics 365 Business Central

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RockwithNav 6,999 on at

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Error when publihsing an extension: failed with code UnprocessableEntity

This is one of the error with too many possibilities, have faced this once -

Missing Dependencies – Required extensions or objects are not referenced or installed.

Permission Issues – User lacks required rights to publish or modify objects.

App.json Issues – Missing or incorrect fields like id, name, publisher, or version.

Dependencies Mismatch – Incompatible or incorrect versions of required apps.

Invalid Object IDs – Reuse or misalignment of object IDs with environment.

Tenant or Environment Issues – Wrong tenant, or environment doesn't allow extension deployment.

Schema Mismatch – Extension fields or tables conflict with existing database schema.

Invalid Data Format – Unsupported or malformed values in records or fields.

Extension Dependencies – Missing or improperly referenced packages or symbols.
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Sagar Dangar, MCP 536 on at

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Error when publihsing an extension: failed with code UnprocessableEntity

Hi,

Please change"SchemaUpdateMode"::ForceSync and try again
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Sohail Ahmed 2,552 on at

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Error when publihsing an extension: failed with code UnprocessableEntity

You're encountering a known issue in Business Central SaaS where publishing large or complex extensions intermittently fails with UnprocessableEntity and the vague error:

"Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

This is usually not caused by your AL code, but rather an internal environment instability in the sandbox or timeout/lock during schema sync.

✅ Recommended Actions:

1. Use “Full dependency publishing”

In VS Code → Ctrl+Shift+P → select AL: Publish with Full Dependencies.

This resolves the "previous extension couldn't be restored" issue in many cases.

2. Avoid SchemaUpdateMode=synchronize for complex schema changes

If your extension includes significant schema changes, use "SchemaUpdateMode": "Recreate" in your launch.json.

⚠️ Be cautious — this removes data.

3. Clear pending/unpublished apps

Go to the Admin Center → check if any apps/extensions are stuck in install/uninstall state and remove them manually.

4. Keep extension size and dependencies in check

Very large AL projects (many objects or layouts) may hit service limits. Consider splitting your app into smaller dependent apps if feasible.

5. File a support ticket with Microsoft

Since this affects multiple tenants, report it via Microsoft Support for Partners or contact your CSP/Microsoft Partner if you're not direct.

✅ Mark this answer as verified if it helps you.
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Mohamed Amine Mahmoudi 23,637 Super User 2025 Season 1 on at

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Error when publihsing an extension: failed with code UnprocessableEntity

Hi @DK-27050928-0,

Try to use "Full Dependency Publishing" from VS Code.

In Command Palette: AL: Publish with Full Dependencies

Best regards,

Mohamed Amine MAHMOUDI