DirectLine do not preserve the ChannelData node while sending Activity

Question

DirectLine do not preserve the ChannelData node while sending Activity

Christin Joseph 20

I am sending a message Activity to the DirectLine channel. My aim is to integrate Custom Channel with Dynamics 365 Contact Center (Omnichannel).
I am using DirectChannel in my Azure Bot Service to do the communication.
I have attached the incoming call back Url of the omnichannel to the message end point of Azure Bot Service.

While sending message to the DirectLine channel I can see the message is reaching Omnichannel, but the ChannelData (I need to preserve the conversationcontext property in channeldata) is getting empty (initialised with empty data for the child nodes: channeltype, customercontext, conversationcontext).

This has been verified with the echo message Directline send to all channel when we send the first message.

While sending:

"ChannelData": 
{
   "channeltype":"MyCustomChannel", 
   "customercontext":{"name":"Firstname Lastname","phone":"123456789"},
   "conversationcontext":{"ContextVar1":"Data","ContextVar2":"Data"} 
}

The echo message from DirectLine forwarded to all participant (I guess thsi will be the one being forwarded to Omnichannel as well (via bot message endpoint url))

"ChannelData":
{
   "channeltype":[],
   "customercontext":[],
   "conversationcontext":[]
}

Since the data is not reaching the Dynamics (I guess the data is not being forwarded to dynamics too), the context variables set in Omnichannel Workstream is not getting filled (I checked the Context Item Value table in Dynamics).

My doubt is that if this is the actual behavior of DirectLine channel? Or should I make some changes in the data being send in Activity?

Azar 31,725 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2025-10-23T19:20:50.5133333+00:00

Hi there Christin Joseph

Thanks for using QandA platform

when you send a message with channelData, Direct Line will forward it to the bot, but when the bot (or the connector) echoes the message back, it rebuilds the activity and doesn’t retain the original custom payload. This is why you’re seeing empty objects in channeltype, customercontext, and conversationcontext.

To work around this:

You can manually include the required channelData in the bot’s reply activity (before calling turnContext.sendActivity() or equivalent).

Alternatively, store the context data in conversation state or user state so your bot can rehydrate and pass it along when needed.

For Omnichannel integration, make sure your adapter (or middleware) explicitly transfers channelData fields to Dynamics instead of relying on the echo activity.

So yes — this is expected behavior from Direct Line, not an error on your side, but it does mean you’ll need to explicitly preserve and resend the channelData from within the bot logic.

If this helps kindly accept the answer thanks much.
Aryan Parashar 3,695 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-24T07:02:22.2233333+00:00

Hi Christin,

Direct Line API 3.0, is part of .NET SDK, to integrate your channel using Direct Line, here is relevant documentation:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customer-service/develop/bring-your-own-channel

Make sure you correctly process inbound activity in the directline, here is relevant documentation:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customer-service/develop/bring-your-own-channel#process-inbound-activities

In Omnichannel, ensure that you don't update or delete the context variables after you create them. If you do need to update or delete the variables, make sure that they aren't used in any of the unified routing classification or assignment rules.
Here is the relevant documentation:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customer-service/administer/manage-context-variables#considerations

To send an activity in Direct Line API, here is relevant documentation:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bot-service/rest-api/bot-framework-rest-direct-line-3-0-send-activity?view=azure-bot-service-4.0

Feel free to accept this as an answer.
Thankyou for reaching out to The Microsoft QNA Portal.
Christin Joseph 20 Reputation points

2025-10-24T09:30:55.26+00:00
Hi Azar,
Thanks for your reply.

I understand why I don't see the ChannelData in the echo message.
I guess this is why I don't get the information at Dyanmics side as well.

Let me tell you the complete picture.

I created Custom Channel in Dynamics Contact Center (with Azure AppId of Azure Bot Service). From there I got the incoming call back url which I needed to set at the Azure Bot message endpoint.

Under the Bot, I created a DirectLine channel and this is the channel I use to communicate from My middleware to the dyanmics.

var response = await _client.Conversations.PostActivityAsync(conversationId, activity);

So when ever i send a message, the middleware process it and create an Activity from that. There I am adding the channelData s well as shown in my actual question.

Form there my middelware send it to DirectLine, and the DirectLine forward it to Bot and the Bot send it to Dyanmics.

So if the DirectLine sanitize my channelData node and the Bot do not get it, it might not be reaching the Dynamics.

I confirmed before sending the activity that my payload has the proper data.

var payload = JsonSerializer.Serialize(activity);

So the only part I can do something is at the middleware and I am doing it in the proper way I guess.

As per the Microsoft documentation, in order to pass the context variables, I need to use the channelData any way. (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customer-service/develop/bring-your-own-channel)

Still do you think I have to make change at any part?
Or did I get you properly? Please correct me if I am wrong.

Once again thank you for your time and response.
Christin Joseph 20 Reputation points

2025-10-24T09:34:28.06+00:00

Hi Aryan,
Thanks for your reply.

Aryan, I hope I have followed the same process as per the documentation.
I am not sure why still it is not working.
I had added a reply to a comment in the same question above.

Could you please have a look and see if I am doing something wrong there?

Once again thank you for your time and response.
Aryan Parashar 3,695 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-04T10:17:35.8833333+00:00

Hi Christin,
Make sure you correctly process inbound activity.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customer-service/develop/bring-your-own-channel#process-inbound-activities

Your answer

Azar 31,725 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2025-10-23T19:20:50.5133333+00:00

Hi there Christin Joseph

Thanks for using QandA platform

when you send a message with channelData, Direct Line will forward it to the bot, but when the bot (or the connector) echoes the message back, it rebuilds the activity and doesn’t retain the original custom payload. This is why you’re seeing empty objects in channeltype, customercontext, and conversationcontext.

To work around this:

You can manually include the required channelData in the bot’s reply activity (before calling turnContext.sendActivity() or equivalent).

Alternatively, store the context data in conversation state or user state so your bot can rehydrate and pass it along when needed.

For Omnichannel integration, make sure your adapter (or middleware) explicitly transfers channelData fields to Dynamics instead of relying on the echo activity.

So yes — this is expected behavior from Direct Line, not an error on your side, but it does mean you’ll need to explicitly preserve and resend the channelData from within the bot logic.

If this helps kindly accept the answer thanks much.
Aryan Parashar 3,695 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-24T07:02:22.2233333+00:00

Hi Christin,

Direct Line API 3.0, is part of .NET SDK, to integrate your channel using Direct Line, here is relevant documentation:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customer-service/develop/bring-your-own-channel

Make sure you correctly process inbound activity in the directline, here is relevant documentation:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customer-service/develop/bring-your-own-channel#process-inbound-activities

In Omnichannel, ensure that you don't update or delete the context variables after you create them. If you do need to update or delete the variables, make sure that they aren't used in any of the unified routing classification or assignment rules.
Here is the relevant documentation:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customer-service/administer/manage-context-variables#considerations

To send an activity in Direct Line API, here is relevant documentation:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bot-service/rest-api/bot-framework-rest-direct-line-3-0-send-activity?view=azure-bot-service-4.0

Feel free to accept this as an answer.
Thankyou for reaching out to The Microsoft QNA Portal.
Christin Joseph 20 Reputation points

2025-10-24T09:30:55.26+00:00

Hi Azar,
Thanks for your reply.

I understand why I don't see the ChannelData in the echo message.
I guess this is why I don't get the information at Dyanmics side as well.

Let me tell you the complete picture.

I created Custom Channel in Dynamics Contact Center (with Azure AppId of Azure Bot Service). From there I got the incoming call back url which I needed to set at the Azure Bot message endpoint.

Under the Bot, I created a DirectLine channel and this is the channel I use to communicate from My middleware to the dyanmics.

var response = await _client.Conversations.PostActivityAsync(conversationId, activity);

So when ever i send a message, the middleware process it and create an Activity from that. There I am adding the channelData s well as shown in my actual question.

Form there my middelware send it to DirectLine, and the DirectLine forward it to Bot and the Bot send it to Dyanmics.

So if the DirectLine sanitize my channelData node and the Bot do not get it, it might not be reaching the Dynamics.

I confirmed before sending the activity that my payload has the proper data.

var payload = JsonSerializer.Serialize(activity);

So the only part I can do something is at the middleware and I am doing it in the proper way I guess.

As per the Microsoft documentation, in order to pass the context variables, I need to use the channelData any way. (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customer-service/develop/bring-your-own-channel)

Still do you think I have to make change at any part?
Or did I get you properly? Please correct me if I am wrong.

Once again thank you for your time and response.
Christin Joseph 20 Reputation points

2025-10-24T09:34:28.06+00:00

Hi Aryan,
Thanks for your reply.

Aryan, I hope I have followed the same process as per the documentation.
I am not sure why still it is not working.
I had added a reply to a comment in the same question above.

Could you please have a look and see if I am doing something wrong there?

Once again thank you for your time and response.
Aryan Parashar 3,695 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-04T10:17:35.8833333+00:00

Hi Christin,
Make sure you correctly process inbound activity.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customer-service/develop/bring-your-own-channel#process-inbound-activities