It’s important to know when and how to use plugins and custom workflows to build smart and easy-to-manage solutions in Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM. The real-life examples below show different situations and help you choose the right automation method for each one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scenario:<\/strong> Question:<\/strong> What is the execution order of these components?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Answer:<\/strong> Scenario:<\/strong> Solution:<\/strong> Why:<\/strong> Scenario:<\/strong> Solution:<\/strong> Why:<\/strong> Scenario:<\/strong> Solution:<\/strong> Why:<\/strong> Scenario:<\/strong> Solution:<\/strong> Why:<\/strong> Scenario:<\/strong> Solution:<\/strong> Why:<\/strong> Scenario:<\/strong> Solution:<\/strong> Why:<\/strong> Scenario:<\/strong> Solution:<\/strong> Why:<\/strong> Scenario:<\/strong> Solution:<\/strong> Why:<\/strong> Scenario:<\/strong> Solution:<\/strong> Why:<\/strong> Scenario:<\/strong> Solution:<\/strong> Why:<\/strong> It’s important to know when and how to use plugins and custom workflows to build smart and easy-to-manage solutions in Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM. The real-life examples below show different situations and help you choose the right automation method for each one. 1. Execution Order: Synchronous Plugin, Asynchronous Plugin, Real-Time Workflow, On-Demand Workflow Scenario:You have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37944,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[70,17,72],"tags":[93,974,891,882],"class_list":["post-37940","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-learn-technology-free","category-learn-microsoft-dynamics-crm","category-tech","tag-coding","tag-custom-workflows","tag-dynamics-365-crm","tag-plugin"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/techmasala.addastudents.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37940","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/techmasala.addastudents.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/techmasala.addastudents.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techmasala.addastudents.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techmasala.addastudents.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37940"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/techmasala.addastudents.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37940\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techmasala.addastudents.com\/dev\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/techmasala.addastudents.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37940"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techmasala.addastudents.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37940"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techmasala.addastudents.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37940"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
You have all of the following registered on the same entity:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
The actual execution order is as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\nOrder<\/th> Component<\/th> Mode<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> 1<\/td> Pre-Validation Plugin<\/td> Synchronous<\/td><\/tr> 2<\/td> Pre-Operation Plugin<\/td> Synchronous<\/td><\/tr> 3<\/td> Core Platform Save<\/td> CRM Action<\/td><\/tr> 4<\/td> Post-Operation Plugin<\/td> Synchronous<\/td><\/tr> 5<\/td> Asynchronous Plugin<\/td> Async Queue<\/td><\/tr> 6<\/td> Real-Time Workflow<\/td> Synchronous<\/td><\/tr> 7<\/td> On-Demand Workflow<\/td> Manual<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n 2. Preventing Record Creation Without Required Field<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You want to stop users from creating a Contact without an email address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use a synchronous plugin registered in the Pre-Validation stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Plugins can cancel the operation before data is saved. Workflows, including real-time workflows, cannot prevent the save from happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Creating a Task After a Case is Created<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You want to automatically create a follow-up Task when a Case is created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use a post-operation plugin or a real-time workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both run after the record is saved. Plugins are more efficient for complex logic, while workflows are better suited for simpler, configurable actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Business Users Want to Modify the Logic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A non-developer wants to change the logic executed when a Lead is qualified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use a real-time workflow or a custom workflow activity exposed within a workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Workflows can be modified without code and deployment. Custom workflow activities allow code reuse while remaining configurable through the CRM UI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n5. Background Processing After Opportunity is Closed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You need to send an email and update related records after an Opportunity is closed, without delaying the user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use an asynchronous plugin or asynchronous workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asynchronous plugins are suitable for complex or high-volume logic. Asynchronous workflows are easier to set up for simple processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n6. Reusable Logic Across Workflows<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You have a business logic (e.g., checking a customer’s credit limit) that should be used across multiple workflows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Create a custom workflow activity and reference it across workflows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It promotes code reuse, centralization of logic, and easier maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n7. Canceling Record Save with Error Message<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You want to prevent saving an Account record if the name contains restricted keywords and show an error message to the user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use a synchronous plugin in the Pre-Operation or Pre-Validation stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Plugins can throw an exception to block the transaction. Workflows do not have this capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n8. Execution Before and After Save<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You need one logic block to run before save and another after save.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Create two plugin steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
This provides control over the order and behavior of your logic around the record lifecycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n9. Logic Triggered Manually by User<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Users should be able to manually trigger escalation logic on a Case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use an on-demand workflow or Power Automate flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On-demand workflows can be manually triggered via the UI. Plugins cannot be triggered directly by users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n10. Integration with External APIs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You need to call a third-party API when a record is updated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use a plugin, ideally asynchronous if the external operation is time-consuming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Plugins support API integration with better error handling and retries. Workflows are not ideal for complex integrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n11. Updating Many Child Records When Parent Updates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You want to update hundreds of child records when a parent record is modified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use an asynchronous plugin<\/strong> on Post-operation stage<\/strong> to handle child record updates using ExecuteMultiple<\/code> for efficient processing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Plugins are optimized for bulk operations, whereas workflows may perform poorly under high volume.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"