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Dynamics CRM

The Dynamics CRM actions in linqi allow you to read and write data from a Microsoft Dynamics 365 / Dynamics CRM environment from processes. For example, you can automatically reconcile customer data between linqi and Dynamics CRM, take over responsibilities from the CRM into a process, or create new entries.

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To work with Dynamics CRM actions, you must create a Dynamics CRM connection and activate the corresponding feature.

Shared configuration​

All four Dynamics CRM actions have a fundamentally similar configuration. Therefore, these common settings are explained first here so that they do not have to be repeated in every action.

General configuration​

Each Dynamics CRM action works with a concrete entity in a concrete Dynamics 365 environment. The following configuration options are available for this:

  • Connection: Select the Dynamics CRM connection that is used to log on to Dynamics CRM. This determines the user context of the action in the external system.
  • Environment URL: The environment URL is the URL of the Dynamics 365 environment from which data is retrieved or into which data is inserted. This normally has the format https://organisation.crm4.dynamics.com.
  • Entity: Select the entity you want to work with here. As soon as you have specified the environment URL, linqi loads the available entities of your environment and makes them available in this dropdown.

Column assignment​

If you want to write values into a Dynamics CRM entity (for example, to create or update an entry), you define in the column assignment which values are written into which column.

  • Column: Select the column that is to be filled with a value here. The columns are loaded by linqi from the selected entity. You can select a column only once.
  • Value: Specify the value that is to be written into the column here. You can either enter a fixed value or use a placeholder.

Filter assignment​

Many Dynamics CRM actions allow you to define a filter. This way, you can define, for example, which entries are loaded, updated or deleted. You define a filter via the following settings:

  • Allow multiple entries: This option is only available for actions that update or delete data. By default, linqi allows a maximum of one entry to be processed at a time so that you do not accidentally overwrite or delete a large number of entries. If you want to process several entries at once, you must activate this option.
  • Combine filters: Select whether an entry must fulfil all filters (And) or only one of the filters (Or) to be affected by the action.
  • Filter assignment: Define the actual filters here. First select the column of the entity by which the filter is performed. Then determine the comparison operator (for example, equals or contains) via the Operator. The Value defines the value the column is to match.

Enable error output​

As soon as you activate this toggle, you can catch and process errors.

Actions​

Query Dynamics CRM entry​

You can use this action to query entries from a Dynamics CRM entity. The following configuration options are available:

  • General configuration: The general configuration (see above) defines from which entity you want to query entries.
  • Filter assignment: Via the filter assignment (see above) you can optionally define which entries you want to query. If no filter is defined here, all entries of the entity are loaded.
  • Columns which are loaded: Select here which columns are to be loaded. At least one column is required. These columns are then available as placeholders.
  • Sort column: You can optionally select a column here by which the results are sorted, and define whether the results are sorted in ascending or descending order.
  • Maximum number of entries that can be queried: Using this option, you can determine that you want to query only the first n entries. If no value is defined, any number of entries is queried. In particular, in combination with the sort column, this can be useful, for example, to query only the most recent entry.
  • Remove duplicates: If this option is activated, duplicates are removed from the results. A row is considered a duplicate if there is another row with the exact same column values.

This action provides the following placeholders:

  • Every selected column: Every selected column can be selected as a placeholder.
  • Number of entries: Via this you can reference the number of entries found. You can use this, for example, in a condition to check whether an entry exists.
  • Entries: Within a loop or, for example, a table in a form, you can reference the entries that are then iterated over via this.

Typical use cases are querying customer data or determining responsibilities (for example, the responsible sales employee) directly from Dynamics CRM.

Create Dynamics CRM entry​

You can use this action to create a new entry in a Dynamics CRM entity. The following configuration options are available:

  • General configuration: The general configuration (see above) defines in which entity you want to create the new entry.
  • Column assignment: Via the column assignment (see above) you can define which values are to be written into the various columns for the new entry.

This action provides the following placeholder:

  • Id of the created entry: Via this you can reference the Id of the newly created entry. You can use this, for example, to subsequently update or delete the entry.

Typical use cases are creating a new lead or account (for example, starting from an anonymous start link) or the automatic creation of activities for processed items.

Update Dynamics CRM entry​

You can use this action to update one or more entries in a Dynamics CRM entity. The following configuration options are available:

  • General configuration: The general configuration (see above) defines in which entity you want to update entries.
  • Filter assignment: Via the filter assignment (see above) you define which entries are to be updated.
  • Column assignment: Via the column assignment (see above) you define which new values are written into the columns. Only the columns you specify here are updated.
note

If the filter does not find any entries, the action does not update any entries and the process simply continues.

Typical use cases are automatically keeping customer data in sync between linqi and Dynamics CRM or feeding back process results to an existing entry.

Delete Dynamics CRM entry​

You can use this action to delete one or more entries from a Dynamics CRM entity. The following configuration options are available:

  • General configuration: The general configuration (see above) defines from which entity you want to delete entries.
  • Filter assignment: Via the filter assignment (see above) you define which entries are to be deleted. Since deleting cannot be undone, it is worth configuring the filter particularly carefully.
note

If the filter does not find any entries, the action does not delete any entries and the process simply continues.