IT Skills

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Advanced




designing workflows, creating custom forms, and setting up automations in Microsoft Dynamics 365 to streamline processes and improve efficiency.

1. Designing Workflows in Dynamics 365

What Are Workflows?

Workflows in Dynamics 365 automate repetitive processes like email notifications, field updates, or record creation. They can run in the background or require user interaction.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough: Creating a Workflow

Scenario: Automating a Follow-Up Task for New Opportunities

Step 1: Access the Workflow Designer

  1. Go to Settings Processes.
  2. Click New Enter:
  3. Process Name: "Opportunity Follow-Up Workflow."
  4. Category: Workflow.
  5. Entity: Opportunity.

Step 2: Define the Workflow Properties

  1. Set Scope to Organization (applies workflow globally).
  2. Check Start When:
  3. Record is created (automatically triggers when a new Opportunity is added).

Step 3: Add Workflow Steps

  1. Create a Follow-Up Task:
  2. Click Add Step Create Record Task.

  3. Fill in task details:

    • Subject: "Follow-Up with Prospect."
    • Description: "Reach out within 3 days of Opportunity creation."
    • Due Date: Use Dynamic Values (e.g., 3 days after created date).

  4. Send Notification Email (Optional):

  5. Add Step Send Email.
  6. Personalize the email using Dynamic Content (e.g., Customer Name, Opportunity Amount).

Step 4: Publish the Workflow

  • Click Activate to publish the workflow.
  • Test by creating a new Opportunity to verify that the task and email are generated automatically.

2. Creating Custom Forms in Dynamics 365

What Are Custom Forms?

Custom forms in Dynamics 365 let you tailor the layout, fields, and functionality of record forms (e.g., for Leads, Opportunities, or Cases).

Step-by-Step Walkthrough: Creating a Custom Form

Scenario: Creating a Lead Capture Form

Step 1: Open the Form Editor

  1. Go to Settings Customizations Customize the System.
  2. Navigate to Entities Lead Forms.
  3. Select Main Form New to create a new form.

Step 2: Add Fields

  1. Drag and drop fields from the Field Explorer onto the form.
  2. Add fields like First Name, Last Name, Email, and Lead Source.
  3. Create custom fields if needed:
    • Click New Field, set data type (e.g., text, date), and add to the form.

Step 3: Organize the Layout

  1. Sections and Tabs:
  2. Group related fields into Sections (e.g., Contact Details, Lead Info).

  3. Use Tabs to divide content into logical parts (e.g., Details, Timeline).

  4. Formatting:

  5. Adjust column widths and align fields for a clean layout.

Step 4: Add Business Rules

  1. Add dynamic behavior:
  2. Go to Business Rules New.
  3. Example: If Lead Source = Referral, show a field for "Referrer's Name."

Step 5: Publish the Form

  • Save, publish, and assign the form to specific security roles (e.g., Sales Reps).
  • Test the form by creating a new Lead.

3. Setting Up Automations in Dynamics 365

What Is Automation in Dynamics 365?

Automation reduces manual tasks by using tools like Power Automate, Business Rules, and Plugins to handle processes automatically.

Scenario 1: Automating Email Notifications for Case Updates

Step 1: Use Power Automate to Create a Flow

  1. Open Power Automate Create Automated Flow.
  2. Choose a trigger: When a record is updated (Dynamics 365).

Step 2: Configure the Trigger

  1. Select the entity: Case.
  2. Add conditions:
  3. Example: Status = "Escalated."

Step 3: Add an Action

  1. Send an Email:
  2. Use Office 365 Outlook Send an Email.
  3. Personalize the subject and body with dynamic fields like:
    • Case Title.
    • Escalation Time.

Step 4: Test the Flow

  • Update a case to "Escalated" in Dynamics 365.
  • Verify that the email notification is sent to the assigned user.

Scenario 2: Automatically Assigning Leads to Sales Reps

Step 1: Use Dynamics 365 Workflow

  1. Create a new workflow for the Lead entity.

Step 2: Define the Logic

  1. Trigger the workflow when a Lead is created.
  2. Add a Step Update Record.
  3. Set Owner = Assigned Sales Rep.

Step 3: Use Conditional Branching (Optional):

  1. Add conditions:
  2. Example: If Lead Source = "Website" Assign to Web Team.
  3. Use Add Conditional Step for branching.

Step 4: Test and Activate

  • Test by creating a Lead and verify it is assigned correctly.

Scenario 3: Automating Data Updates Using Plugins

Step 1: Create a Plugin

  1. Use Visual Studio to create a plugin for Dynamics 365.
  2. Example Plugin Logic: Automatically calculate a "Probability Score" for an Opportunity based on custom criteria.

Step 2: Register the Plugin

  1. Use the Plugin Registration Tool to upload your plugin.
  2. Trigger: Pre-Operation of Opportunity Update.

Step 3: Test the Plugin

  • Update an Opportunity record to ensure the plugin executes properly.

4. Useful Workflows

Workflow 1: Auto-Convert Leads Into Opportunities

  • Trigger: Lead Status = Qualified.
  • Action:
  • Create a new Opportunity.
  • Copy relevant data from Lead to Opportunity (e.g., Name, Email, Budget).

Workflow 2: Reassign Inactive Opportunities

  • Trigger: Opportunity Not Updated in 30 Days.
  • Action:
  • Reassign the Opportunity to a Manager or Senior Rep.

Workflow 3: Notify Stakeholders About Important Events

  • Trigger: When a Deal is Won.
  • Action:
  • Send an email to the Sales Manager.
  • Post a message in Microsoft Teams via Power Automate.
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