Number of link entities in query exceeded maximum limit

[Anonymous]

Hi,

When designing a PowerApps App,  I encounter this run time error 'The requested operation is invalid. Server Response: Number of link entities in query exceeded maximum limit'.

I trace the error and it is related to an entity  called 'Projects' I used in my app.  I have a gallery with data source as 'Projects'. I have another form to edit the project. When I set the form item to GalleryProject.Selected, the run time error appears.

But if I save the app, quit the design mode and just run the app, the form seems working. The form doesn't work only in design mode because of the run time error above.

What is the cause of error and how to work around it? Thanks much!

[v-xida-msft]

Hi @Anonymous ,

Based on the issue that you mentioned, I have made a test on my side, and don't have the issue that you mentioned.

Please consider take a try to set the Item property of the Edit form to following:

LookUp('Projects Entity', 'Unique Identifier Column' = GalleryProject.Selected.'Unique Identifier Column')

then check if the issue is solved.

In addition, you could also consider save the selected Gallery Item into a variable, then use the variable within the Item property of the Edit form. Set the OnSelect property of the Gallery to following:

Set(CurrentItem, GalleryProject.Selected)

Set the Item property of the Edit form to following:

CurrentItem

Note: Please make sure the Edit form has been connected to the Projects Entity already

Also please make sure you have turned on the "Formula-level error management" option within Advanced settings of App settings of your app, then re-load your app, check if the issue is fixed.

Best regards,

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I did try using variable for form item, but the error is still there.

After many tests, there is one more observation that the error is linked to 'look up' field. My entity 'Project' has many look up fields. After adding certain number of look up fields to the form (may be 10), the error appears if I add one more look up field to the form. But there is no error if I add few more text fields to the form.

I think for look up field, it requires 'join' to other table when query in DB. And there is a constraint in number of 'joins' checked by system (not likely the DB, but maybe some middleware) due to performance consideration. Could this be a possible reason? If yes, how to overcome this? 10 lookup field in a form is too few.

Thanks.

[v-xida-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous ,

Yeah, based on the issue that you mentioned above, I think this issue may be related to the amount of LookUp fields in your Entity.

Actually, it is an known issue with LookUp fields in CRM Entity, please check the following article for more details:

https://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/6d0a81af-6da0-4452-b8d1-bcdf80082d24/number-of-link-entities-in-query-exceeded-maximum-limitquot?forum=crmdevelopment

https://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/b3978065-7215-4643-a9e8-e9b388f44814/limit-on-quantity-of-ltlinkentitygt-in-fetch-xml-is-10?forum=crm

Currently, there is a limit on the amount of the LookUp type fields in CRM Entity/CDS Entity -- we could only add 10 LookUp fields within a CRM/CDS Entity.

As an alternative solution, please decrease the amount of LookUp fields in your CRM Entity, instead, add Text type columns to store the value (e.g. store the 'Unique Identifer' column value from your Referenced Entity). Then within your canvas app, you could find the corresponding record in referenced Entity using LookUp function based on the Text column value.

Note: I think this issue may be related to data source itself rather than PowerApps.

Best regards,

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply.

Since CRM/CDS entity also supports 10 lookup field only, I guess it is the same limit in PowerApps when using CDS.

Thank you again for your suggestion of using text field instead. I test it and it works. I just need to manually change the input type to dropdown so that query to CDS is separate and not 'join' with main entity 🙂

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Just want to share my experience on the same issue.

I am working on a Canvas (PowerApps), there are total 15 lookups in my app, 15 lookup (including lookup fields and lookup function). If I try to add one more lookup field in form or lookup function, it gives error "Number of link entities in query exceeded maximum limit".

Additionally, I tested the limit of lookup per screen in PowerApps, I can put 8 lookups fields per form on a single screen in app. (I made new screen, inserted a form and dropped 8 lookup fields on it. Again, I inserted a new form on the screen and dropped 8 lookup fields on it). So I think 8 lookups is the limit per form in PowerApps.

[jefferygleason]

I don't find this limitation anywhere in the product documentation (unless Microsoft now counts community forums as their documentation).  Would have been really nice to know this limitation before designing and building an application with this platform, releasing it to users that have used it for nearly a year only to find out that adding one more lookup column essentially invalidates the use of this platform for the entire use case.

[SameerJakkali]

Hi, I have tried splitting the forms in multiple screen still getting the same error and also assigning variable couldn't help. is there any other way to use more then 10 lookup values of the same entities.