Scribe Online – Replication Service

Current Scenario:

Currently the delta records from online 2016 CRM to on-premise data processed using Scribe console application. Internally it uses the scribe insight packages. Using scribe console, packages are scheduled for particular time interval. For every x hours packages run and pick the delta records from online and push to SQL staging DB.

Disadvantages:

1. Slow performance
2. Monitoring and processing the failure records.
3. Need to create multiple packages for each entity.
4. Need to do the mapping for each column.

Advantages:

1. We can write custom formulas.
2. In target, we can do the alteration in table schema.

Scribe Online approach:

Scribe online replication service helps to replicate data from MS CRM online 2016 to SQL staging DB.

The steps are below:

1. Install agents
2. Install source and target from market place (In our case source is MS CRM online and destination is MS SQL Server)
3. Create single solution with multiple entities.
4. Schedule the solution.

Difference between scribe console and scribe online:

1. In Scribe console, we need to create packages for each entity where as in scribe online we can create single solution with multiple entities.
2. In scribe packages, we need to do the mapping for each column. Whereas in scribe online, we can’t create the tables and do the mapping in target table. During first time run Scribe online will create the table exactly same as source entity along with few more additional columns (scribe_id, scribe_createdon, scribe_modifiedon and scribe_deletedon).
3. Scribe online will create additional table called “Scribe_ReplicationStatus” along with details like Entity Name, Start date, end date, fatal last attempt, scribe_id, scribe_createdon, scribe_modifiedon, scribe_deletedon
4. In Scribe console, we can schedule each package for different intervals. Whereas in scribe online, the schedule is for a single solution and not for entity wise.
5. Scribe online is not deleting the record physically in SQL database. Instead it is updating the column scribe_deletedon.
6. In Scribe insight package, we have to mention the steps like insert / update/ insert or update/ update or insert/ delete / seek, etc.., whereas in scribe online the update , insert operations take care by scribe online.
7. Whenever there is a delete in source entity, scribe online will not delete the record physically in sql target database. Instead it will update the column scribe_deletedon for the corresponding record in target table.
8. In Scribe Console, whenever there is a schema changes (any column change) need to do the mapping in the corresponding scribe package. In case of Scribe online, there is no need to make any changes except refresh Metadata. The target table will get modified according to the changes.
9. IN Scribe console we have option to activate or pause the package in a collaboration. But in Scribe online solution, we do not have option to pause one entity alone.
10. We can add new columns in target table. Scribe Online updates/Overwrites the fields with null values for the updated records.
11. Whenever there is any error or solution gets failed, user receives email from scribe online.
12. Scribe_replicationStatus table does not maintain the history of the solution execution details. It maintains the last status of the each target table.
13. Whenever we delete the replication solution from online the target database along with data tables also will get delete.

Happy Learning..!

Azure – Tenant ID

Do you know how to find the tenant id of azure account? Below is the simple method to get all the account related information like Security, tenant, subscriptions, asset types..,

Open azure portal using https://portal.azure.com

Click on the “? – Help” on right side corner

Now click on the “Show Diagnostics” option like below:

It will open the popup with all the account related details.

Happy Learning…

 

Image attribute in MS Dynamics 365

MS Dynamics CRM provides one image data type. We can’t create image attribute for the system entity since it has one default entity image field. We can add image attribute only to the custom entities that also restricted to only one. We can’t create more than one image attribute for custom entity.

Please find the below screenshots when we try to create image attribute for system entity.

The below error will come when we try to create more than one image attribute in custom entity.

 

The image attribute is used to display the image of the record like the profile picture in FB.

We need to enable to show images option in form properties under display. Then only we can edit/show the picture on form. Please find the below screenshot with image.

 

If we double-click on the image then the pop up will get open and we can select the image which we want to display.

Happy Learning…

Global option set Pros and Cons

Global Option Set :

When we do not require any text field to enter any predefined values we always have the choice to create option sets/ pick list / drop downs. In Dynamics 365 CRM we call it as Option set.

We can have more than one pre-defined values in the list and make user to select the value from the list. There are two types of option sets in Dynamics 365 CRM. Local and global option set. Whenever we think the same optionset can be used in more than one entity then we go for a global option set.

Global option set can be used in multiple entities by pointing the local option set to global option set.

Advantage:

One time create and we can use it in multiple entities

Disadvantage:

However we have few disadvantages also in using global option set. Whenever customer says they do not want to use the option set anymore then we have to remove the global option set from the entity. But the existing data that was entered by users will also get deleted. We will lose the data in those records.
Solution to avoid data loss:

In these kind of situations we can use custom entity. Custom entity we can use it as lookup field instead of global option set. In case if the customer wants to remove the values then we can simply deactivate the records. When they want the data back then we can always reactivate the records.

Dynamics CRM 365- OOB Workflow to send email notification

Dynamics CRM 365 – OOB Workflow

How to send email from OOB Workflow:

Email plays a major role in sending notifications. There are many situations where we need to send email notification to the customers/users. There are many ways to achieve this functionality like OOB Workflow, custom workflow or plugins. One of the easiest way is to create OOB Workflow to send any email notification with or without using templates.

Let us see how to create OOB workflow to send an email.

Scenario:

Whenever there is any case/incident created the email notification has to be sent to the respective customer with the subject of the case and case number as the content.

Please follow the steps as mentioned below:

1. Open Dynamics CRM 365 and Navigate to Settings -> Process Center -> Processes.
2. Click on “New” to create new process.
3. You will get the popup screen like below:
   1. Enter the workflow name
   2. Select the category “Workflow”
   3. Select the Entity “Case”
   4. Make sure that the option “Run this workflow in the Background” has selected.
   5. Select “New Blank Process” and click “OK”

4. Once you click on “OK” button, the below screen will get opened.

5. Click the drop down on “Add Step” and select “Send Email”

6.Once you click “Send Email” there will be a new line added in the bottom like below. Now click on “Set Properties”.

1. By Default “Create New Message” is selected. We can use template also to send email which we discuss in next posts.

4. When you click “Set Properties”, the below screen will get opened.
   1. Click on “From”
   2. Right side bar, Go to “Look for” section and select the entity and field from which address you want to send the email. In the below image I have selected the case -> created by person. Now the mail will have the sender as the person’s mail address whoever has created this case.
   3. Click “Add” and it will be appeared in the below box. Now select the field and again click on “OK” button. Now you can see the values like below:

4. In the same way select “To” address also as Case -> Customer. Since we are going to send the email notification to the respective customer. Add Subject and Body of the mail like below:

4. Click “Save and Close” and then Save the workflow form and activate the workflow.
5. Now the emails will be send to customer whenever there is a case created for them.

I have created a case and system sent mail to the customer. Please find the corresponding screenshots below:

 

 

Happy Learning.

Dynamics CRM 365 – Quick Find

Quick Find

In MS Dynamics CRM, There is a feature to do a quick search for organization. There are different types of searches available in MS CRM. They are

1. Quick Find
2. Quick Find View
3. Advanced Find

Today we are going to discuss about Quick Find which is available on top right side of the UI. We can enable and disable the Quick find and we can limit the entities which we are going to allow global searching. We can use special symbol (*) to find anything that contains those characters which are typed along with *.

Let’s see how to use the Quick find in Dynamics 365.

First select the quick find icon which is on top right side. Please find the below screenshot for the same.

2. In the search box let’s type the text whatever we want to search and click the icon.
3. Now the results will be shown as below irrespective of the text found or not

4. if we know only the part of the text then type the text as below

*city / city*/ *city*

2. We can restrict the entities to be searched also for the quick find. Please follow the below steps to restrict the entities.
   1. Navigate to Settings -> Administration
   2. Open System Settings -> General tab as below.

Scroll down and find the option “Setup on Quick Find” -> Select

1. When we click on “Select” there is another dialog box opened with available and selected entities.

We can add/remove the entities for quick find as below.

1. After clicking OK, Navigate to the Quick find page and see the Filter with drop down. It has all the entities whichever we have selected for the Quick find.

In this way we can do the search across the organization without navigating to the entities.

 

Dynamics 365 – CRM – Dashboards

Dashboards

Whenever we login into Dynamics CRM the very first page what we see is Dashboards. It will clearly say how our module is doing in an easy to read format like chars and graph.

For example, if we are in Sales then we can see what is the status of the opportunities and how many leads got generated in that particular period.

How to create new dashboard in dynamics 365 – CRM

Navigate to the module Sales

Now on top select the New -> Dynamics 365 Dashboard

When we click new dashboard the next step is to select the layout from the below screen

After the selection of the layout we will be landed in the new dashboard fresh page where all the blocks are empty.

Please follow the below steps:

1. First give the appropriate name to the new dashboard.

For ex: My Sales Board

2. Double click on the “Tab” and change the display name of the Tab.
3. Next select the section table and provide descriptive name for the section.a.
   1. If we want to prevent the user to not remove the section then select the option “Lock the section on the dashboard”. The section cannot be removed and we cannot modify the items in it. Once we enable this option, then we can’t add/remove any items from this section.
      1. If the locked option is enabled then we receive the above error message when we try to add any component inside the section.

4. Now in the section we can add different types of controls. We add the control one by one.
5. First select the type chart on top menu to insert chart. Please find the below image

6. Once we select the chart component then we get the below screen to select Record Type, View and also Chart filter type with chart preview. After selecting the all options click on “Add” then we can see the chart in the dashboard.

In the same way we can add/remove List, Iframe and web resources.

Types of Dashboards:

Dynamics CRM 365 is providing 2 different types of dashboards.

1. User Dashboard
2. System Dashboard

User Dashboard:

Any user can create his own dashboard from the modules Sales, Service or Marketing. This dashboard will be visible only to the users who created the dashboard. If he/she shares/assigns the dashboard with others then in that case other person also can see the dashboard. No need to publish this dashboard. It will be overridden the system dashboard if the user makes it as default dashboard.

System Dashboard:

System administrator or customizer can create the dashboard from the settings. This dashboard can be seen by all the users in that organization. It can be hidden based on the security roles. In order to make this as default dashboard for the organization it should be published.