Integrating Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM with Business Central can feel like strolling a tightrope. You’ve got systems talking one-of-a-kind languages, each bringing its quirks and peculiarities to the table. But don’t worry! With a few fingers-on coding and the right equipment, you’ll have these systems humming together smoothly right away. To successfully implement a business central integration, partnering with expert CRM consultancy can simplify complex customizations and coding tasks. Here’s a step-through-step breakdown of a way to get that integration going for walks like a properly-oiled device.
STEP 1: Connecting the Common Data Service (CDS)
In the arena of CRM integration, putting matters up manually within the Common Data Service (CDS) is frequently the higher route. Instead of the usage of the usual guided setup, start by way of heading immediately to the CDS connection web page.
On that first web page, fill on your connection info, toggle the ‘Enabled’ switch, and voilà, the link is alive! That’s it for this part, however there’s greater to return.
STEP 2: Managing Pending Jobs in the Job Queue
When you peek into the Job Queue , you’ll note a group of pending sync jobs. These are the mixing duties ready in line. However, don’t let them run simply, but transfer their status to ‘On Hold.’ Why? Because permitting them to kick off prematurely is like handing a half-baked cake to a client. Not best, proper?
STEP 3: Understanding the CRM Contact Table
If you investigate closely the usage of the page inspection tool , you’ll see that it is a desk named ‘CRM Contact.’ It mirrors your CRM’s contacts however isn’t a regular Business Central desk.
Behind the scenes, it works as a proxy desk , storing the facts at the CRM aspect but permitting Business Central to have interaction with it. If your CRM has been customized with extra fields or entities (which it possibly has), those fields will show up here, too. For instance, a field like ‘CustomerTypeCode’ contains the belongings ‘ExternalName.’ This translation layer continues the 2 systems in sync.
STEP 4: Introducing the AL Table Proxy Generator
Ready to create something new? Microsoft offers you a nifty tool, the AL Table Proxy Generator , to make your life simpler. Forget the old PowerShell days; we’re operating with a contemporary solution now. Look for the tool in the AL Language extension folder for your gadget. Once in the `bin` folder, you’ll discover the magic button: altpgen.Exe.
STEP 5: Using the Table Proxy Generator with Custom Entities
Let’s take this a step further by way of deciding on ‘Contact’ and setting its desk type to CDS. The Table Proxy Generator will scour your CRM and construct a brand new table for your assignment, mistakes and all.
When you open your AL editor, you’ll spot the brand new desk, categorized as something like ‘Contact.Al.’ Sure, the ones mistakes might look intimidating at the beginning, but they’re just a part of the system, Microsoft’s way of saying, “I’m operating on it, grasp tight!”
STEP 6: Creating a Page with the AL Page Wizard
With your new table in the area, it’s time to create a page. Use the AL Page Wizard and set the source table to ‘CDS Contact.’ Select the fields you need, and voilà, a custom web page is born. There’s simply one vital step left: connecting this desk to the CRM. This occurs inside the ‘OnInit’ occasion, wherein you name a Codeunit .
STEP 7: Testing the Table with CRM and CDS Types
Here’s where matters get interesting. Delete the primary version of your desk and recreate it using the use of ‘tabletype: CRM.’ Now, instead of getting a brand new desk, you’ll see a desk extension. This smart adjustment happens due to the fact the generator discovered that the bottom app already had a matching desk.
STEP 8: Switching Between CRM Contact and CDS Contact
Swap the supply table of your page from ‘CDS Contact’ to ‘CRM Contact.’ Since you’ve already extended the base desk, all of your greater fields continue to be intact.
This flexibility permits you to mess around with each setups, using the CDS model whilst you need particular CRM fields or the CRM version while working with native statistics.
