Error occurs when you try to connect Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 for Microsoft Office Outlook to a CRM Online 2015 organization

This article provides a solution to an error that occurs when you try to connect Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 for Microsoft Office Outlook to a CRM Online 2015 organization.

Applies to:   Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, Microsoft CRM client for Microsoft Office Outlook
Original KB number:   3089572

Symptoms

When you attempt to connect Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 for Microsoft Office Outlook to a CRM Online 2015 organization, you receive the following error:

"There is a problem communicating with the Microsoft Dynamics CRM server. The server might be unavailable. Try again later. If the problem persists, contact your system administrator."

Cause

You typed the URL for your CRM Online organization instead of selecting CRM Online from the drop-down list.

Resolution

Instead of typing the URL, select CRM Online from the drop-down list.

If you're still meeting issues connecting CRM for Outlook to your CRM Online organization, a diagnostic tool is available to help diagnose the issue.

More information

The following error can be found in the log file:

12:56:39| Error| Error connecting to URL: https://.crm.dynamics.com/XRMServices/2011/Discovery.svc Exception: System.InvalidOperationException: Metadata contains a reference that cannot be resolved: https://crmserviceability.crm.dynamics.com/_common/error/errorhandler.aspx?BackUri=&ErrorCode=&Parm0= 12:56:39| Error| Error connecting to URL: https://.crm.dynamics.com/XRMServices/2011/Discovery.svc Exception: System.InvalidOperationException: Metadata contains a reference that cannot be resolved: https://crmserviceability.crm.dynamics.com/_common/error/errorhandler.aspx?BackUri=&ErrorCode=&Parm0= details: The service '/XRMServices/2011/Discovery.svc' cannot be activated due to an exception during compilation. The exception message is: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Crm.Site.Services, Version=7.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified..&RequestUri=/XRMServices/2011/Discovery.svc?wsdl&user_lcid=1025'. ---> System.Xml.XmlException: CData elements not valid at top level of an XML document. Line 1, position 3.
at System.Xml.XmlExceptionHelper.ThrowXmlException(XmlDictionaryReader reader, XmlException exception)
at System.Xml.XmlUTF8TextReader.Read()
at System.ServiceModel.Description.MetadataExchangeClient.MetadataLocationRetriever.GetXmlReader(HttpWebResponse response, Int64 maxMessageSize, XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas readerQuotas)
at System.ServiceModel.Description.MetadataExchangeClient.MetadataLocationRetriever.DownloadMetadata(TimeoutHelper timeoutHelper)
at System.ServiceModel.Description.MetadataExchangeClient.MetadataRetriever.Retrieve(TimeoutHelper timeoutHelper) --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at System.ServiceModel.Description.MetadataExchangeClient.MetadataRetriever.Retrieve(TimeoutHelper timeoutHelper)
at System.ServiceModel.Description.MetadataExchangeClient.ResolveNext(ResolveCallState resolveCallState)
at System.ServiceModel.Description.MetadataExchangeClient.GetMetadata(MetadataRetriever retriever)
at System.ServiceModel.Description.MetadataExchangeClient.GetMetadata(Uri address, MetadataExchangeClientMode mode)
at Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk.Client.ServiceMetadataUtility.RetrieveServiceEndpointMetadata(Type contractType, Uri serviceUri, Boolean checkForSecondary)
at Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk.Client.ServiceConfiguration1..ctor(Uri serviceUri, Boolean checkForSecondary) at Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk.Client.ServiceConfigurationFactory.CreateConfiguration[TService](Uri serviceUri, Boolean enableProxyTypes, Assembly assembly) at Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk.Client.ServiceConfigurationFactory.CreateConfiguration[TService](Uri serviceUri) at Microsoft.Crm.Outlook.ClientAuth.ClientAuthProvidersFactory\1.GetAuthProviderForDeployment(Uri endPoint, Credential credentials, Uri webEndPoint)
at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Outlook.Config.DeploymentsInfo.DeploymentInfo.ValidateAuthProvider()
at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Outlook.Config.DeploymentsInfo.SortAndValidateDeployments()
12:56:39| Error| Exception : Metadata contains a reference that cannot be resolved: https://crmserviceability.crm.dynamics.com/_common/error/errorhandler.aspx?BackUri=&ErrorCode=&Parm0= details: The service '/XRMServices/2011/Discovery.svc' cannot be activated due to an exception during compilation. The exception message is: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Crm.Site.Services, Version=7.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified..&RequestUri=/XRMServices/2011/Discovery.svc?wsdl&user_lcid=1025'. at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Outlook.Config.DeploymentsInfo.LoadOrganizations(AuthUIMode uiMode, Form parentWindow)
at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Outlook.Config.ServerForm.LoadOrganizationsInternal(Boolean forceUI, String deploymentUrl) at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Outlook.Config.ServerForm.<>c__DisplayClass17.<LoadOrganizations>b__10()
at Microsoft.ExceptionHelper.ExceptionFilter.TryFilter[TEx](Action body, Predicate`1 filter, Action`1 catchClause)
at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Outlook.Config.ServerForm.LoadOrganizations(Boolean forceUI)
at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Outlook.Config.ServerForm.<InitializeBackgroundWorkers>b__0(Object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e) at System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker.OnDoWork(DoWorkEventArgs e)
at System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker.WorkerThreadStart(Object argument)
12:56:39| Error| Exception : CData elements not valid at top level of an XML document. Line 1, position 3. at System.Xml.XmlExceptionHelper.ThrowXmlException(XmlDictionaryReader reader, XmlException exception)
at System.Xml.XmlUTF8TextReader.Read()
at System.ServiceModel.Description.MetadataExchangeClient.MetadataLocationRetriever.GetXmlReader(HttpWebResponse response, Int64 maxMessageSize, XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas readerQuotas)
at System.ServiceModel.Description.MetadataExchangeClient.MetadataLocationRetriever.DownloadMetadata(TimeoutHelper timeoutHelper)
at System.ServiceModel.Description.MetadataExchangeClient.MetadataRetriever.Retrieve(TimeoutHelper timeoutHelper)