Writing a Simple Dynamics 365 Plugin: A Step-by-Step Guide

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is one of the most popular Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms on the market, providing businesses with a powerful set of tools to manage their interactions with customers. One of the key benefits of Dynamics 365 is its extensibility, which allows developers to create plugins that extend the platform’s functionality.

In this article, we will guide you through the process of writing a simple Dynamics 365 plugin. Whether you are a seasoned developer or just getting started with Dynamics 365 development, this guide will provide you with everything you need to know to get started.

What is a Dynamics 365 Plugin?

A Dynamics 365 plugin is a piece of code that runs in the background of the system when a certain event occurs, such as when a record is created, updated, or deleted. Plugins can be used to automate tasks, enforce business rules, and integrate with other systems.

Plugins are written in C# and can be deployed to Dynamics 365 using the Plugin Registration Tool, which is part of the Dynamics 365 SDK.

Step 1: Set Up Your Development Environment

Before you can start writing a Dynamics 365 plugin, you need to set up your development environment. This involves installing the necessary software and configuring your machine.

To develop Dynamics 365 plugins, you will need:

– Visual Studio 2019 or later
– .NET Framework 4.6.2 or later
– Dynamics 365 SDK

Once you have installed the necessary software, you can create a new project in Visual Studio and select the Dynamics 365 Plugin template.

Step 2: Define the Plugin

The next step is to define the plugin. This involves specifying the event that will trigger the plugin, the entity that the plugin will operate on, and the stage at which the plugin will run.

To define the plugin, you need to create a new class that implements the IPlugin interface. The IPlugin interface defines a single method, Execute, which is called when the plugin is triggered.

public class MyPlugin : IPlugin
{
public void Execute(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
{
// Plugin code goes here
}
}

Inside the Execute method, you can write the code that will perform the desired action. For example, if you want to update a field on a record when it is created, you would write code similar to this:

public void Execute(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
{
// Get the execution context
IPluginExecutionContext context = (IPluginExecutionContext)serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(IPluginExecutionContext));

// Verify that the target entity is of the correct type
if (context.InputParameters.Contains(“Target”) && context.InputParameters[“Target”] is Entity)
{
Entity entity = (Entity)context.InputParameters[“Target”];

// Update the field on the entity
entity[“new_field”] = “new_value”;
}
}

Step 3: Register the Plugin

Once you have defined the plugin, you need to register it with Dynamics 365. This involves creating a new record in the plugin assembly entity, which specifies the location of the plugin assembly and the plugin class.

To register the plugin, you need to use the Plugin Registration Tool, which is included in the Dynamics 365 SDK. The tool allows you to connect to your Dynamics 365 instance and manage the plugins that are deployed to it.

After registering the plugin, you need to configure it to run on the desired event and entity. This involves creating a new step in the plugin step entity, which specifies the event, entity, and stage at which the plugin should run.

Step 4: Test the Plugin

The final step is to test the plugin to ensure that it performs the desired action and does not cause any issues. To test the plugin, you can create a new record and verify that the field has been updated as expected.

Conclusion

Writing a simple Dynamics 365 plugin is a relatively straightforward process that can provide significant benefits to your business. By automating tasks, enforcing business rules, and integrating with other systems, plugins can help you get the most out of your Dynamics 365 implementation.

To get started with Dynamics 365 plugin development, you need to set up your development environment, define the plugin, register it with Dynamics 365, and test it thoroughly. With a little bit of practice, you can become proficient in writing Dynamics 365 plugins and take your CRM system to the next level.