Alternate Keys in Dynamics CRM

Hi,

One of the challenges we get in integrations when integrating external data with CRM is that in Order to update a record, we must know the GUID of the record.

Now with the introduction of alternate keys in CRM, we can use a unique value in the data set as a key for updating records as part of an integration.

For example, you have an external system that you want to integrate to your Account entity and system uses an email address as its key. You will have to define email address field as a alternate key on the Account entity.

Navigate to Customize the System -> Account Entity-> Keys -> New

select the field you want to use as a key (Emailaddress in this example), click Add. Give it a Display Name. Click Ok.

The system will then create a database index on that field to ensure fast querying and enforce the uniqueness of the values. Depending on how much data you have in your database, this could take a while. While this is processing, the key’s status will be either In Progress.

When the indexing operation is complete, the key’s status will change to Active.

You can use this key for Update and Upsert operations via the SDK. Here is the sample of Upsert Operation.

Entity entAccount = new Entity("account", "emailaddress1", "gopinath@crm.com");
entAccount.Attributes["name"] = "My Account 1234";
UpsertRequest request = new UpsertRequest()
{
      Target = entAccount
};
UpsertResponse response = (UpsertResponse)service.Execute(request);

The alternate key can be used for Entity Reference as well, wherein instead of specifying GUID we can now use alternate key.

Entity entContact = new Entity("contact");

entContact.Attributes["lastname"] = "Alternate Key Contact";

entContact.Attributes["parentcustomerid"] = new EntityReference("account", "emailaddress1", "gopinath@crm.com");

service.Create(entContact);

Points to remember

• You can define up to five different keys for an entity
• Currently alternate key can only be defined on field type – string, integer and decimal.

Hope this helps.

--
Happy CRM'ing
Gopinath

Tag Users and Records in Posts in Dynamics CRM

Hi,

Social Pane in CRM is very useful to the end users where they can track of Activities and Notes. Most of the users end up ignoring the Posts features. In this post, I would like to give the information about Posts in CRM.

Posts - Its looks very much like the wall on your Facebook and LinkedIn. Most of the users see automated Posts which are generated in the system when a new record is created, or opportunity is won etc..
Users can create posts and they can also tag other users or records. When the user make a post on the social pane of the record by tagging the other user that will be visible in the What's new section.

Tagging users or even other records in a post is easy – all you have to do is type the @ symbol.

Users will be presented with a list of possible records based on what they have viewed recently in CRM. User can select one of the records listed or click on Look up more records, which shows the familiar search dialog box.
After finding the user or record you want to tag, you will see the record’s name in the post displayed in brackets. Now you can write the rest of the text and you can even tag another record.

This post is now visible on your page, on your colleague’s page, and on the page for the tagged opportunity


Hope this helps.
--
Happy CRM'ing

Gopinath

Export and Import Product Catalog in CRM

Hi,
 
CRM provides very easy and rich interface to configure Product Catalog that will help the company to sell products and services.
 
Most of the times, we would be creating Product Catalog in one system and wanted to move from one CRM to other CRM. After the Product Catalog is fully built and tested on one of the CRM systems, we can always export the complete catalog and import to other systems using Data Migration tool.
 
Here is the procedure of exporting and importing catalog from one CRM system to other.
 

1) Download SDK, Navigate to Tools-> Configuration Migration

2) Double click on DataMigrationUtility

3) Select Create Schema

4) Give CRM Credentials

5) Select the Organization where Product Catalog was properly configured

6) Select the Solution, the application will automatically gets all the entities in the solution and shows in the dropdown. Select Product entity and click on Add Entity button.

7) Select the below entities and click on Entity

• Product
• Product Association (needed for bundles)
• Product Relationship (not a mandatory entity, needed only for relationships)
• Property
• Property Association
• Property Option Set Item
• Notes (needed, if there are any notes for the product)
• Currency
• Price List
• Price List Item
• Unit
• Unit Group
• Territory (needed if there is a default price list configuration)
• Connection (needed, if there is a default price list configuration)
• Competitor (needed, if there are any competitors for product)
• Sales Literature and Sales Literature Item (needed, if there is any sales literature for product)
• Discount (not a mandatory entity, needed only for discounts when added to price lists)
• Discount List (not a mandatory entity, needed only for discounts)

8) click on Save and Export button

 9) Choose the location to save Schema

10) Click Yes on the Pop Up.

11) Select the location to save the Data file and click on Export Data button.

12) Now open the same tool again and select Import Data

13) Give the credentials and connect to organization where you want to copy the data.

14) Browse the Zip file which was created by the Export Process and click on Import Data.

Hope this helps.
 
--
Happy CRM'ing
Gopinath 

You do not have permissions to see this view. Contact a system administrator on What's New - CRM 2015/2016

Hi,

Today we have observed for one of the users in CRM What's new section is not loading properly and it was showing the below error.

You do not have permissions to see this view. Contact a system administrator.
 

For fixing the issue, we need to give privileges on

1) At least User level Read rights on Filter
2) Organization level Read rights on Post Configuration

Without giving this, you may receive the above error but clicking on the Refresh symbol on the What's New section should still allow you to view the records strange but true.

--
Regards,
Gopinath