FunctionImport is not mapped to a store function Error

Somehow I fell from the “happy path” creation of a stored procedure and the Entity Framework.

I had to make changes to a stored procedure and it got deleted from the Entity Data Model Xml file (*.edmx) resulting in the following error message when trying to compile the project:

System.Data.EntityCommandCompilationException
An error occurred while preparing the command definition. See the inner exception for details.

Inner exception:
{“The specified FunctionImport is not mapped to a store function and cannot be executed.”}

There is an easy solution to fix that error.

How to Solve FunctionImport Error Message

First open your edmx file and right click on the model that owns the stored procedure.

Click Add then  select “Add Function Import“.

Add the same Function Import name that is used in your Context file (if like me, the method was already created but messed up, otherwise is all new and it will be recreared anyways).

Select the Stored Procedure Name that you are trying to fix.

Choose the Entities and click OK.

A new window might pop up “Verify that the FunctionImport name is unique”.

If that is the case, and you get the “Verify that the FunctionImport name is unique” window popup, do the following:

Open your *.edmx file and right click over the model you want to update.

Select “Show in Model Browser”.

Now the Model Browser window opens up.

Go to: {myProject}.DataModel > EntityContainer: {somethingEntities} > Function Imports.

The function import causing the problem should be there, just delete it and save the *.edmx file.

Try to add the Function Import again.

Voila! no issues this time.

Save the *.edmx file and recreate the context file (by making a simple non-invasive change like adding a space to the {myProject}.Context.tt file). make sure the new method:

public virtual ObjectResult<MyEntity> <MyEntity>_NameoftheSP(parametets) is present in your Context file.

After that I get no more errors at build time or runtime.