Using LinqPad to write Linq Queries

The following are steps on how to query data using Linqpad against an entity Framewok
1. Download and Install Linqpad from http://www.linqpad.net/
2. When you run linqpad you get the following screen

3. Click Add connection, choose Your data context as Entity Framework(db context..

4. Browse to your assembly that contains the edmx framework file. The full name of they typed DBcontext should be automatically populated

5. Choose the Path to the configuration file(should be same folder)

6. Write your query

List of Reports and Workflows

Workflows- Run against the *_MSCRM database 

SELECT name , createdbyname,createdon,statuscodename
    FROM FilteredWorkflow

Reports run against the ReportServer database 
Select   [Name],
               [Description],
               SubString([Path],1,Len([Path]) - (CharIndex('/',Reverse([Path]))-1)) As [Path],
               Case
                        When [Hidden] = 1
                        Then  'Yes'
                        Else    'No'
               End As [Hidden]
From    [Catalog]
Where  [Type] = 2
Order By SubString([Path],1,Len([Path]) - (CharIndex('/',Reverse([Path]))-1)),
               [Name]

Increase the attachment size to 10mb CRM 4

The default attachment file size limit in Microsoft Dynamic CRM 4.0 is 5 MB.  There is good reason for this - as a general rule you should be placing some restrictions on the amount of file data that can enter CRM so that the database can maintain a reasonable size and so that performance is optimized. However, your business may find the need to increase this size a little in order to handle larger file attachments.  Here are the instructions to increase the file size limit to 10 MB.  You can go larger than this, but pay close attention to the table size and performance over time as you want to keep CRM running as well as possible. Note - even though the System Settings option looks like this it would apply to email attachments only, it does apply to "notes" type attachments as well.  Finally, this procedure to change the max attachment size is not an officially published recommendation, so use this at your own risk. How to increase the max attachment size in CRM 4.0:

1.           Open the application web.config (C:\Inetpub\CRM\web.config).

2.           Locate the <httpRuntime> key within the <system.web> element and change the values to the following:

<httpRuntime executionTimeout="9999" maxRequestLength="10240"/>

3.           Locate the <httpRuntime> key within the <system.web> element of the <location path='MSCRMServices"> element, and change it to the following:

<httpRuntime maxRequestLength="10240"/>

4.           Save and close the web.config.

5.           Open the CRM web application (http://crm).

6.           Navigate to Settings | Administration | System Settings.

7.           Click the E-mail tab.

8.           Change the maximum file size (in kilobytes) field to 10240.

9.           Click Ok to save the changes.

10.        Perform IISReset. 

CRM 2013 Javascript Special Functions

• Xrm.Page.context.client.getClient() – Returns client type i.e. outlook, web or mobile.
•  Xrm.Page.context.client.getClientState() – Returns client state i.e. online or offline.
• Xrm.Page.data.refresh() – This is one interesting as it refreshes the data on the form without even reloading the page. This also enables developers to pass a callback method.
• Xrm.Page.data.save() – Save the form
•  Xrm.Page.data.getIsValid() – Returns true is form is valid for save else false
•  Xrm.Page.data.setFormDirty() – Sets the form dirty for force save.
•  Xrm.Page.data.entity.getPrimaryAttributeValue() – Returns the value of primary attribute
• Xrm.Page.ui.setFormNotification(message,level,uniqueId) – Sets the notification on top of the form.
• Xrm.Page.ui.clearFormNotification() – Clears the form notification
• Xrm.Page.ui.refreshRibbon() – Refreshes the ribbon. This method does not work on CRM for tablets.
•  Xrm.Page.getControl(“field_name”).setNotification(“Notification”) – Sets the notification for a specific field right next to the field label. This can often be used as a custom tool tip.
• Xrm.Page.getControl(“new_name”).clearNotification() – Clears the notification
•  Xrm.Page.getAttribute(“new_precision”).setPrecision(2) – Override field precision
•  Xrm.Page.getControl(“createdon”).setShowTime(true) – Toggle show time at form
•  Xrm.Page.getControl(“field_name”).addCustomFilter(fetchFilter, entityType) – Allows developer to add custom filter to a lookup view.
• Xrm.Page.getControl(“field_name”).addPreSearch(handler) – adds pre trigger filter to the lookup.
• Xrm.Page.getControl(“ownerid”).removePreSearch(handler) – removes the trigger
•  Xrm.Utility.openWebResourceDialog(webResourceName, webResourceData, width, height) – opens a sepecified webresource as a web dialog window.

Assigning a Task to a Queue in CRM 2013 Workflow

In CRM 4.0 , tasks could be assigned directly to a queue using the assign function in a workflow.

It is not possible to use the assign function this way in CRM 2013. The assign Function only allows you to assign to a Team or User but not a queue.. Instead you have to create a queue item

And using the set properties of the queue item Specify the queue you want the queue item to go to and the Task the queue item represents

Result . Tasks item in the Registration Renewal Queue:

Use Scribe to Upload data to CRM online 2013 from a Excel file

The folloowing are example steps on how to upload data from a CSV file to CRM 2013 online.

1. Download and install Scripe Insight from the following location 

https://openmind.scribesoftware.com/html/insight_download
2. Run The Scribe workbench. You will have to register at this point. Follow the instructions in the Product key. You will be presented with a screen to configure source and target.
3. Configure the Source for the CSV file. Click Configure Source.
4. In the connection manager click Add.
5. You need to add the odbc driver in for excel by first clicking add/Modify ODBC Data source under ODBC Data sources and then click ok 

6. In the System DSN tab of the ODBC Data Source Administrator screen click add , select the Driver do Microsoft Excel(.xls)

7. Click Finish.You will then be asked to specify a name and description

  8. Click Ok and Ok again. CSV will now be in you list of drivers so select it and click ok

9. Select CSV on the configure source screen and select ok. The source is now set up

10.  Now Configure the Target. Click on Configure Steps. Then Click on Connections , Click Add . This Time Click Microsoft Dynamics CRM under adapters and click Ok
11. You will be prompted to enter the CRM connection details. Give the connection details of your online instance.The server should be  https://disco.crm4.dynamics.com in a Office 365 instance
12. Click ok(wait for it to connect  and then close on the connection manager screen. Select the Adapter from the drop down menu back on the configure steps screen.

13. Now you need to specify your insert steps. Under all Data objects (alphabetical) find the entity you want to insert data into first , highlight and click Add insert step.

14. Click Close on the window. You are now back to Main Scribe work Bench window where you start mapping fields. Tou can use the link button to link fields together

15 You can use the formula button to specify conditions for you link. For example in the screenshots below. Conditions are used to set the target picklist to 1 if the source ia null

16. You can test the data before running it and iron out any mismatches

17 Once Happy with all your links you can  Run for real. You May get more errors at this point. Click error info once finished

18. The records will be migrated from your source csv file to your target CRM online contact entity

19. The solution can be saved and checked into a source control.

CRM Online 2013 and SharePoint 2013 Document Management integration setup

The following is a guide on how to Configure CRM Online Document Management using SharePoint.
Prerequisites

• Office 365 Instance with CRM 2013 and SharePoint 2013 online E2 plan
• Download the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 List Component for SharePoint 2013(CRM2013-SharePoint2013-ENU-amd64.exe) at :http://www.microsoft.com/en-ie/download/details.aspx?id=40345 

Steps:

1. Log into Office 365 and select Sites from the upper right menu bar
2. Select Team Site and copy the Team Site URL and save it for later.  The URL should look something like https://southwestern673.sharepoint.com.
3. Select Site Settings
4. Select Solutions
5. Select Upload Solution
6. Run the downloaded sharepoint component earlier. It will extract the contents to a folder for you. Then Select Choose File
7. Select the file named crmlistcomponent.wsp from the folder where you extracted the list component files
8. Select OK
9. Select the Activate button and wait for the activation process to complete
10. The process may take a few minutes to complete
11. It will look like this when completed
12. Next we need to configure the CRM Online site to integrate with SharePoint. Select CRM from the top navigation menu
13. In CRM Navigate to Settings>Document Management > Document Management Settings
14. Select the entities you would like to enable for Document Management, paste the SharePoint Team Site URL that you saved from the previous step into the URL field and select Next
15. Leave the Based on entity button unchecked and select Next
16. Click ok 
17. Wait for the setup to complete and select Finish
18. Document management is now set up and you can add documents to any entity configured for document management.

One Improvement of note for CRM 2013 the documents are now mapped by the entity id rather than the name field 

Update Entity Icons CRM 2013

The blogs how to Apply icons to a custom entity in CRM

1. Download a 16*16 icon and a 32 *32 icon from the internet. Google Images is good tool to use because you can specify exact size in the search tools. Also try to find images of type ICO
https://www.google.ie/imghp?hl=en&ei=PPAyU_jjO8fLhAeSt4HQBQ&ved=0CAMQqi4oAg

2. Once you have the two icons downloaded. Uploaded them as web resources in your customization solution. You have to select the correct web resource format eg ICO (Icon)

 3. In the solution Navigate to the entity you want to apply the images to and click the update icons button

4. Select the 16*16 icon and 32*32 icon respectively and click OK

5. Publish

The icons will now be displayed on your Entity :

Creating a Business Rule Crm 2013

Business Rules is new functionality in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013, with Business Rules you can apply form logic without writing JavaScript code. Business rules provide a simple declarative interface to implement and maintain fast changing, commonly used business rules that will be applied to Main and Quick Create forms for both the web application and Microsoft Dynamics CRM for tablets.

What can Business Rules do?:  Business rules allow for a subset of the capabilities provided by form scripts. With Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, you can define conditions and apply the following actions:

• Set field values
• Set field requirement levels
• Show or hide fields
• Enable or disable fields
• Validate data and show error messages

Below is a Guide on how to add a business Rule. Senario: When a registraion application record  type is set to renewal then a "Renewal of" lookup(to registration application) will be displayed and set to required.

You need two business Rules here . One to display the Renewal of Field and set it to required and another to hide the field and set it to not required when the type is set to something other than Renewal

1. navigate to the registration application form via your solution.

2. Click on Home>Business Rules via the form Ribbon. The Business Rules Explorer will appear 

3. Click New Business Rule

4. Give the rule a name.

5. Set the condition to the following and the click the correct icon to add

6. Add an action to display the Renewal of Field

7. Add a second action to set the Renewal field to Required

8. Give the rule a description and save.

10. Activate the Rule via the activate button which appears after the save. this is an important step

11. Add a second Business Rule to hide the Field when the type is set to something other than Renewal. The condition should be the following 

12. You Should end up with the following

 

13. Save. Activate . You now have to rules set up . Publish