Introduction

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a powerful Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool that offers businesses a wide range of features to manage customer interactions and sales processes. Dynamics 365 offers developers an opportunity to extend the functionality of the platform through plugins.

A plugin is a custom code that can be added to Dynamics 365 to enhance its functionality. In this article, we will explore how to write a simple Dynamics 365 plugin that performs a basic function. By the end of this article, you will be able to create your own custom plugin to extend the functionality of the Dynamics 365 platform.

Step 1: Set up your development environment

Before you can start writing your plugin, you need to ensure that you have a suitable development environment. The requirements for this include the following:

– Microsoft Visual Studio
– Microsoft Dynamics 365 SDK
– Access to a Dynamics 365 organization instance

If you do not have access to a Dynamics 365 organization instance, you can sign up for a free trial account by visiting the Dynamics 365 website.

Step 2: Create a new project in Visual Studio

Once you have set up your development environment, the next step is to create a new project in Visual Studio. To do this, open Visual Studio and follow these steps:

– Click on File > New > Project
– Select “Class Library” under the “Visual C#” section
– Name your project and click “Create”

Step 3: Add the required references

The next step is to add the necessary references to your project. To do this, follow these steps:

– Right-click on your project in the Solution Explorer and select “Manage NuGet Packages”
– Search for “Microsoft.CrmSdk.CoreAssemblies” and install it
– Search for “Microsoft.CrmSdk.Deployment” and install it

Step 4: Define your plugin class

Now that you have set up your project and added the required references, it is time to define your plugin class. The plugin class is the entry point for your custom code in Dynamics 365. To create your plugin class, follow these steps:

– Create a new class file in your project
– Add the following code to define your plugin class:

“`csharp
using Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk;

namespace MyPluginNamespace
{
public class MyPlugin : IPlugin
{
public void Execute(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
{
// Your code goes here
}
}
}
“`

Step 5: Implement your plugin logic

Now that you have defined your plugin class, you can start implementing your plugin logic. In this example, we will write a simple plugin that creates a new account record when a contact record is updated.

To implement this logic, add the following code to your plugin class:

“`csharp
using Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk;

namespace MyPluginNamespace
{
public class MyPlugin : IPlugin
{
public void Execute(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
{
// Retrieve the execution context
IPluginExecutionContext context = (IPluginExecutionContext)serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(IPluginExecutionContext));

// Check if the primary entity is a contact
if (context.PrimaryEntityName == “contact”)
{
// Retrieve the service object
IOrganizationServiceFactory serviceFactory = (IOrganizationServiceFactory)serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(IOrganizationServiceFactory));
IOrganizationService service = serviceFactory.CreateOrganizationService(context.UserId);

// Retrieve the updated contact record
Entity contact = (Entity)context.InputParameters[“Target”];

// Create a new account record
Entity account = new Entity(“account”);
account[“name”] = “New Account from Contact”;

// Save the new account record
service.Create(account);
}
}
}
}
“`

Step 6: Register your plugin with Dynamics 365

The final step is to register your plugin with Dynamics 365. To do this, follow these steps:

– Open the Dynamics 365 web portal and navigate to “Settings > Customizations > Customize the System”
– Expand “Entities” and select “Contact”
– Click “Plug-in Assemblies” and then “New”
– Enter a name for your plugin assembly and select the DLL file from your Visual Studio project folder
– Click “Add Steps” and then “New”
– Select the entity and the message that will trigger your plugin
– Select your plugin from the list and click “Save”

Conclusion

In conclusion, writing a Dynamics 365 plugin is a straightforward process that requires a basic understanding of C# programming and the Dynamics 365 SDK. With the steps outlined in this article, you can create a custom plugin that extends the functionality of the Dynamics 365 platform and meets your business needs. By following these steps, you can save time and money by reducing the need for manual data entry and automating your business processes.