Error 0x80040265: Cannot Delete Due to References

Error Message: "The object cannot be deleted because it is referenced by one or more other objects".
What it means: Dynamics 365 prevents deletion because other records depend on this one. You must remove or reassign dependent records first.

Common Scenarios

ScenarioExampleCauseSolution
Account with ContactsCannot delete Account 'Contoso' because it has 15 related ContactsContacts reference the Account via Parent Customer fieldDelete or reassign Contacts first
Product in Price ListCannot delete Product because it exists in ProductPriceLevel recordsProductPriceLevel references ProductRemove from price lists first
Currency in TransactionsCannot delete EUR currency because Quotes use itQuotes, Orders, Invoices reference the CurrencyDeactivate instead of delete
Quote with OrdersCannot delete Quote because Orders were created from itOrders reference originating QuoteDelete Orders first or close Quote
Custom Entity CascadeCannot delete custom parent record with related child recordsRelationship configured as Restrict deleteDelete children or change cascade rules

How to Fix

Step 1: Identify What's Blocking the Delete

The error message usually includes which entity type is referencing the record. If not clear:

  • Open the record in D365 UI: Look for related records in sub-grids
  • Check entity relationships: Settings > Customizations > Entities > Relationships
  • Query related records: Use Advanced Find or API to find dependencies

Step 2: Choose Your Strategy

Option A: Delete Dependent Records First (Cascade Delete)

Best for: Test data, bulk cleanup, parent-child hierarchies

  • Query all related records
  • Delete child records first
  • Then delete parent record

Option B: Reassign References (Preserve Data)

Best for: Production data, maintaining history

  • Find all dependent records
  • Update them to reference a different parent
  • Then delete original record

Option C: Deactivate Instead of Delete

Best for: Master data (Currencies, Products, Price Lists)

  • Set State to Inactive instead of deleting
  • Preserves historical references
  • Prevents use in new transactions

Option D: Remove References (Clear Lookups)

Best for: Optional lookup fields

  • Set lookup field to null on dependent records
  • Then delete the record