Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Instance Adapter – Part 7 – Sample Data Integration – Part 5

Colin Maitland, 13 June 2013

I am now at the end of this series of blogs on integrating two Microsoft Dynamics CRM Organisations using the Connector for Microsoft Dynamics and the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Instance Adapter. 

In my most recent posts I have discussed a number of findings with respect to the integration of the Sample Data provided by Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 from the Source Organisation to the Destination Organisation. Refer to Part 1 onwards. 

In Part 3 I discussed some findings with regard to Created On, Created By, Modified On, Modified By, Owner, Status and Status Reason. 

Continuing on from there I will discuss some findings with regard to triggering actions such as Workflow Processes. I am using Adventure Works as an example: 

 

I first created a mapping and mapped all Account fields, in the Connector for Microsoft Dynamics, between the Source and Destination Organisations and synchronised all Accounts from the Source Organisation to the Destination Organisation. 

I then updated the mapped fields so that only a subset of these were mapped between the Source and Destination Organisations; e.g. Account, Account Name, Account Number, Description, Communication Preferences, Phone, Fax, E-mail and Website fields only. 

I also created a Workflow Process in the Destination Organisation to be triggered when the Account Number field on an Account is updated. This Workflow Process adds a Note to the Account to record the change of Account Number. 

I then performed the following tests: 

• Test 1: I updated the Account Number for Adventure Works in the Source Organisation. As a result the integration updated the Account Number, and all other mapped fields between the two Organisations, for Adventure Works in the Destination Organisation. This update triggered the Workflow Process in the Destination Organisation. The following screenshot shows the updated Account Number and the Note that was created.

 

 

• Test 2: I updated the Website for Adventure Works in the Source Organisation. As a result the integration updated the Website, and all other mapped fields between the two Organisations, in the Destination Organisation. Because all other mapped fields between the two Organisations were also updated by the integration this resulted in an update to the Account Number in the Destination Organisation which in turn triggered the Workflow Process. This was despite the fact that the Account Number had not actually been changed.

 

• Test 3: I removed the Account Number from the list of mapped fields in the integration and then updated the Account Number for Adventure Works in the Source Organisation. As a result of the Account Number field no longer being mapped between the two Organisations this change did not trigger any update to Adventure Works in the Destination Organisation. The following screenshots show the different Account Numbers now in the Source and Destination Organisations.

 

 

• Test 4: I updated the Web Site for Adventure Works in the Source Organisation. As a result of the Account Number field no longer being mapped between the two Organisations, even though this change triggered an update to Adventure Works in the Destination Organisation, there was no update made to the Account Number field in the Destination Organisation and subsequently there was no triggering of the Workflow Process. Compare this result with the result from Test 2 where the Account Number field was mapped between the two Organisations.

A key point from these tests is to be aware of the fact that an update to a single mapped field between the two Organisations results in all mapped fields being updated by the integration in the Destination Organisation. This is a significant point to be aware of when there are related Workflow Processes and/or Plugin Processes triggered by updates to specific fields. 

In my next blog I will conclude this series by discussing some findings with regard to the Creation, Update, Deletion, Activation and Deactivation of records. I will also discuss some findings with regard to Duplicate Detection Rules.