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Dynamic 365 Business: documentAttachments API call return TimeOut

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Need help on Dynamic 365 Business central documentAttachments API call

Query :

API calls are throwing TimeOut Error, when there are more than 3-4K records in documentAttachment table.

API Call : https://api.businesscentral.dynamics.com/v2.0/production/api/v2.0/companies(--------)/documentAttachments

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Holly Huffman 6,538 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Good morning, afternoon, or evening depending on your location!

The Timeout Error when calling the documentAttachments API in Dynamics 365 Business Central is likely due to the large volume of records (3-4K) being retrieved in a single request. Here are some strategies to resolve this issue:

1. Use Pagination

The Business Central API supports pagination to handle large datasets.

Add the $top and $skip query parameters to your API call to retrieve data in smaller chunks.

Example:
https://api.businesscentral.dynamics.com/v2.0/production/api/v2.0/companies({companyId})/documentAttachments?$top=100&$skip=0

Increment the $skip value in subsequent calls to fetch the next set of records.

2. Apply Filters

Use the $filter query parameter to reduce the number of records returned in each call.

Example:
https://api.businesscentral.dynamics.com/v2.0/production/api/v2.0/companies({companyId})/documentAttachments?$filter=lastModifiedDateTime gt 2023-01-01

3. Optimize API Calls

Batch Requests: Combine multiple API calls into a single batch request to reduce overhead.

Expand Related Entities: Use the $expand parameter to fetch related data in one call, if applicable.

4. Increase Timeout Settings

If you control the client application making the API call, increase the timeout settings to allow more time for the response.

5. Use Webhooks for Real-Time Updates

Instead of polling the API for large datasets, consider using webhooks to receive updates in real time. This reduces the need for frequent large API calls.

6. Monitor API Limits

Ensure you are within the API rate limits and operational constraints set by Business Central. You can find more details on API limits and rate limits.

7. Split Data Retrieval

If the dataset is too large, consider splitting the data retrieval process into smaller, manageable chunks using custom logic.

Hope this helps some!

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KP - Solution Archi... 658 on at

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Hi,

Use of the Job Queue might help resolve this error.

Records can be retrieved via a report/codeunit in a job queue running in the background.

Thanks,

KP

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Raj Borad 1,428 on at

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Hi,

The timeout error occurs due to the large volume (3–4K+) of records being fetched in a single API call.

Are you currently using pagination or filtering in your API call?

To avoid this, use pagination with $top and $skip parameters to retrieve records in manageable batches. Also, consider applying filters to narrow results.

Thanks.

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Gerardo Rentería Ga... 25,371 Most Valuable Professional on at

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Hi, good day
I hope this can help you, and give you some hints.

Current API Limits in Dynamics 365 Business Central - Business Central | Microsoft Learn

Best Regards
Gerardo

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YUN ZHU 95,746 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Hi, hope the following can give you some hints.

OData/API web service client performance

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/webservices/odata-client-performance?wt.mc_id=DX-MVP-5004336

Web services performance: General anti-patterns (don't do this)

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/webservices/web-service-performance?wt.mc_id=DX-MVP-5004336#general-anti-patterns-dont-do-this

Thanks.

ZHU

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Khushbu Rajvi. 20,643 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Check this: https://community.dynamics.com/forums/thread/details/?threadid=d6a52f5a-6606-f011-bae2-0022482c0258

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/administration/operational-limits-online

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/api-reference/v2.0/dynamics-rate-limits

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