Analyzing long running AL methods telemetry
> APPLIES TO: Business Central 2020 release wave 2 and later, version 17.1. Available in extension telemetry starting with version 18.1.
Note
Azure Active Directory is now Microsoft Entra ID. Learn more
The Business Central Server server will emit telemetry about the execution time of long running AL methods, including the time spent in the database. The signal also includes a breakdown of how much time each event subscriber added to the total time. As a partner, this data gives you insight into bad performing code and enables you to troubleshoot performance issues caused by extensions.
Note
To collect this telemetry for Business Central on-premises, the AL Function Timing and AL Function Logging Threshold - Application Insights settings must be configured on the Business Central Server instance. For more information, see Configuring Business Central Server. With Business Central online, this telemetry is enabled with a specific threshold on a case-by-case basis by the service.
General dimensions
The following table explains the general dimensions included in the trace. The table lists the dimensions that are specific to Business Central.
| Dimension | Description or value |
|---|---|
| message | Operation exceeded time threshold (AL method) |
| severityLevel | 2 |
| user_Id | The user telemetry ID for the user. From the user card, you can use user_Id to identify the user who triggered this telemetry event. Learn more in Assign a telemetry ID to users. |
CustomDimensions
This table describes the different dimensions of a Operation exceeded time threshold (AL method) operation.
| Column (key) | Description or value |
|---|---|
| aadTenantId | Specifies the Microsoft Entra tenant ID when using Microsoft Entra authentication. For on-premises, if you aren't using Microsoft Entra authentication, this value is common. |
| alMethod | The name of the long running AL method. |
| alObjectId | The type of the AL object that executed the AL method. |
| alObjectName | The name of the AL object that executed the AL method. |
| alObjectType | The type of the AL object that executed the AL method. |
| alStackTrace | The stack trace in AL. |
| clientType | Specifies the type of client that opened the session, such as Background or Web. For a list of the client types, see ClientType Option Type. |
| companyName | The current company name. |
| component | Dynamics 365 Business Central Server |
| componentVersion | Specifies the version number of the component that emits telemetry (see the component dimension.) |
| deprecatedKeys | A comma-separated list of all the keys that have been deprecated. The keys in this list are still supported but will eventually be removed in the next major release. We recommend that update any queries that use these keys to use the new key name. |
| environmentType | Specifies the environment type of the Business Central solution, such as Production or Sandbox. |
| environmentName | Specifies the environment name of the Business Central solution, such as Production or Sandbox. |
| eventId | RT0018 |
| exclusiveTime | Specifies the execution time of the operation without the time where AL execution was suspended due to client callback (such as when waiting for user input.) The value has the format hh:mm:ss.sssssss. Introduced in versions 21.6 and 22.1. |
| executionTime | Specifies the total time that it took to execute the AL method. The value has the format hh:mm:ss.sssssss. |
| extensionInfo | Specifies information about individual extensions that contributed to the execution time spent in the call stack up until the point at which the long-running threshold was exceeded and the trace was emitted. The following information is included for each extension:
|
| extensionName | Specifies the name of the extension that was currently executing when the long-running threshold was exceeded and the trace was emitted. |
| extensionPublisher | Specifies the publisher of the extension that was currently executing when the long-running threshold was exceeded and the trace was emitted. |
| extensionVersion | Specifies the version of the extension that was currently executing when the long-running threshold was exceeded and the trace was emitted. |
| extensionId | Specifies the ID of the extension that was currently executing when the long-running threshold was exceeded and the trace was emitted. |
| longRunningThreshold | Specifies the time that defines a long-running AL method, after which the trace is emitted. The value has the format hh:mm:ss.sssssss. |
| sqlExecutes | Specifies the number of SQL statements that was executed in the method. This dimension was introduced in Business Central 2023 release wave 1, version 22.0. |
| sqlRowsRead | Specifies the number of table rows that were read by the SQL statements. This dimension was introduced in Business Central 2023 release wave 1, version 22.0. |
| telemetrySchemaVersion | Specifies the version of the Business Central telemetry schema. |
Sample KQL code for analyzing AL method performance
Use this KQL code if you want to analyze AL method performance.
traces
| where timestamp > ago(60d) // adjust as needed
| where customDimensions.eventId == 'RT0018'
| where customDimensions.alObjectId > 0 // filter out internal server calls
| project aadTenantId = customDimensions.aadTenantId
, environmentName = customDimensions.environmentName
, environmentType = customDimensions.environmentType
, companyName = customDimensions.companyName
, alMethod = customDimensions.alMethod
, alObjectId = customDimensions.alObjectId
, alObjectName = customDimensions.alObjectName
, alObjectType = customDimensions.alObjectType
, alStackTrace = customDimensions.alStackTrace // use the KQL snippet parseStackTrace to get top/bottom of the stack trace details
, clientType = customDimensions.clientType
// exclusiveTime is the execution time of the operation, without the time where AL execution was suspended due to client callback
, exclusiveTime = customDimensions.exclusiveTime // This dimension was introduced in Business Central 2023 release wave 1, version 22.1. Backported to version 21.6
, exclusiveTimeInMS = toreal(totimespan(customDimensions.exclusiveTime))/10000 //the datatype for exclusiveTime is timespan
// exclusiveTime is the total time of the operation, including wait time due to client callback
, totalTime = customDimensions.executionTime
, totalTimeInMS = toreal(totimespan(customDimensions.executionTime))/10000 //the datatype for executionTime is timespan
, extensionId = customDimensions.extensionId
, extensionInfo = customDimensions.extensionInfo // parse this json structure to find out if other extensions is involved
, extensionName = customDimensions.extensionName
, extensionPublisher = customDimensions.extensionPublisher
, extensionVersion = customDimensions.extensionVersion
, longRunningThreshold = customDimensions.longRunningThreshold
, longRunningThresholdInMS = toreal(totimespan(customDimensions.longRunningThreshold))/10000 //the datatype for executionTime is timespan
, sqlExecutes = toint(customDimensions.sqlExecutes) // This dimension was introduced in Business Central 2023 release wave 1, version 22.0
, sqlRowsRead = toint(customDimensions.sqlRowsRead) // This dimension was introduced in Business Central 2023 release wave 1, version 22.0
, usertelemetryId = case(
// user telemetry id was introduced in the platform in version 20.0
toint( substring(customDimensions.componentVersion,0,2)) >= 20, user_Id
, 'N/A'
)
See also
Monitoring and Analyzing Telemetry
Enable Sending Telemetry to Application Insights
Monitoring and Analyzing Long Running SQL Queries On-Premises
The Business Central Administration Center