Azure DevOps pipeline can't create defects in ALM defect-tracking module

ALM Micro Focus ALM / Quality Center
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1

Our Azure DevOps pipeline extension fails when trying to push defects to ALM’s defect-tracking module. Field validation errors block the entire defect sync process.

We’re using custom field mapping to translate Azure DevOps work items to ALM defects, but the REST API keeps rejecting our requests with field validation errors. The extension worked fine until we added custom fields to our ALM defect template:


POST /qcbin/rest/domains/DEFAULT/projects/CI_TEST/defects
Response: 400 Bad Request
{"error": "Field 'user-03' validation failed"}

We’ve verified the custom field IDs in ALM, but batch processing limits might be causing issues when we try to sync multiple defects at once. Should we upgrade the Azure DevOps extension, or is this a REST API field mapping problem?

2

Your error mentions ‘user-03’ which is typically a custom user field. These fields often have strict validation rules like required user lists or specific formats. Make sure the values you’re sending from Azure DevOps match the allowed values in ALM. Also, some custom fields in ALM 25.3 require specific permissions to set, even via REST API. Verify your API user has permission to modify all custom fields in the defect template.

3

This issue requires addressing all four problem areas systematically:

Custom Field Mapping Configuration: The ‘user-03’ field validation failure indicates incomplete field mapping. Query ALM’s field metadata to get exact field definitions:


GET /qcbin/rest/domains/DEFAULT/projects/CI_TEST/customization/entities/defect/fields

This returns all field IDs, types, and validation rules. Update your Azure DevOps extension mapping file with precise field IDs. For user fields like ‘user-03’, ensure you’re sending the user’s ALM username, not display name.

REST API Field IDs: ALM uses internal field IDs that differ from UI labels. Custom fields follow the pattern ‘user-NN’ (user-defined fields). Your extension must use these exact IDs in POST requests. Verify field IDs by inspecting an existing defect via GET request and examining the response structure. Map Azure DevOps fields to correct ALM field IDs in your extension configuration.

Batch Processing Limits: ALM 25.3 enforces a 50-entity limit per batch REST API call, but performance degrades above 25. Modify your Azure DevOps pipeline to process defects in smaller batches:

- task: ALMDefectSync@2
  inputs:
    batchSize: 20
    retryOnFailure: true

This prevents timeout and validation cascading failures when syncing large defect sets.

Extension Upgrade: Critical - upgrade to Azure DevOps ALM Extension version 3.2.0 or later. Earlier versions don’t support ALM 25.3’s enhanced field validation. The newer extension includes:

  • Automatic field metadata discovery
  • Improved custom field mapping UI
  • Better error reporting for validation failures
  • Support for ALM 25.3 REST API changes

After upgrading, reconfigure your field mappings using the extension’s mapping wizard. It will auto-detect ALM custom fields and help you create correct mappings. Test with a small batch first to validate the configuration before syncing your full defect backlog.

4

Field validation errors usually mean the custom field ID doesn’t match what ALM expects. The error mentions ‘user-03’ - have you checked if this field exists in your defect template? Use the ALM REST API to query field metadata and verify the exact field name. Sometimes custom fields use different IDs than what’s shown in the UI.

5

The 400 error with field validation typically occurs when required fields are missing or field values don’t match the allowed list. Query the defect entity metadata first to see all required fields and their constraints. Your batch processing might be hitting this for some defects but not others if field values vary across work items.