In this blog article, we will see how we can create a project and deploy a dynamic 365 operations environment using Lifecycle services. Prerequisites: Azure Subscription Lifecycle Service Account Step by Step approach: Environment Setup  Azure Subscription: Login to the Azure portal using credential use below URL and buy Pay-As-You-Go subscription as LCS will consume more resource and if we choose start free option it will give error later when we deploy the VM. “https://portal.azure.com/” Once we done with the subscription go to the subscription tab and select the Access Control option and create a role select the role as the Contributor and Add a user select the user as the “Dynamic Deployment Services.” We can now login to the Lifecycle Services remember we should login in LCS using the account which has the admin access to the subscription. After login we can see the following screen. The first step in LCS is to create new project so click on (+) sign to create new project.  Once we click on (+) sign we’ll have different option the option may vary as per the version of LCS you are using, here we are setting up environment for development and learning purpose select the “Migrate, Create Solutions, and Learn” option. Enter the project details and click on the create option. All the information is related to the how you want your project settings to show and the methodology option let you select what you want to shows up on the default project information that shows up in lifecycle services so the migrate and create dynamic 365 for operation solution give you these options.  Once we click on create we’ll land to the life cycle project homepage Access the Azure subscription:- Scroll to the right and click on the project settings We are accessing the azure subscription so click on the Azure connectors options we’ll see the following screen. The first step is to authorize your organisation in the LCS click on the authorize link. Linking LCS to Azure subscription click on the Add option and set the required option make sure the subscription id is same as you have in the azure portal as we may have multiple subscription set so keep in mind to use correct subscription. Once we fill the required details click on the next. Once we click on next we’ll required to authorize the user to the subscription or we can download the certificate and upload to the azure portal by going to the Subscription > Management Certificates > Upload then upload the certificate that we have downloaded. Select the server environment region for LCS. Now we can see the azure connection in the project setting we got Azure subscription id that is showing . Deployment for the virtual machine In newly created environment go to the Project and in environment tab click on the (+) sign Once we click on (+) sign we’ll application platform option choose the latest application and platform version. Select the environment topology here we are selecting Demo environment Specify the Deploy environment setting by clicking on the Advance setting option Choose the below option and leave the other settings as default Click on the next. We can set size of the virtual machine of our choice it’s fine to keep the default settings and go ahead. Once confirm and deploy the VM deployment will start, usually deployment will take 3 hr. So, this will create the D365 Operation Environment for us. In next blog we’ll see how to setup the post deployment configuration setting for the environment

Often, one of the real-life scenarios is making time entries by either remembering what you did the whole week or looking at the Schedule Board and based on what you were booked, making each Time Entry in PSA manually. Tiresome and inefficient, right? Not any more, a cool feature let’s you just create Time Entries in PSA v3 by a single click. Now, let’s say your Bookings look like the below. I’m booked on 2 projects across the week. And now let’s see how we import these. Import Time Entries Let’s see you want to make time entries now based on you Bookings in D365. On the Time Entries scree, drop down to the arrow besides Import. Select Resource Bookings. (Obviously, like this method – you can import from Resource Assignments and Outlook Sync too! But we will keep that for some other day) Then, you can select what all Time Entries should actually make it to the records. So you can select the ones you need and leave the rest. Once you click on Import, it’s done! Time Entries are created. Works like a breeze!

Introduction While fetching images using fetch XML there is a possibility that you will not able to get the complete image. You will also notice that these issues generally happens when you are using multiple internal entities. Description: We were working on a project where we displaying the records notes using the multiple entities, we noticed that it is not showing the complete images, but it is truncated or incomplete. Let’s see the actual query and the output Scenario 1: In the below query we are getting the incomplete images as a base 64 string. Result Scenario 2 In the below fetch xml we are getting complete image If you will closely look into the query distinct parameter for the first was true whereas in the second case it was false. Conclusion Hope this helps you to retrieve the complete image and not the truncated one

Problem Definition: As soon I upgraded my PSA version from V2 to V3, I saw that the role field got deprecated. Not only that, it was removed from Schedule (WBS in V2). We now had the functionality to directly assign resource to the task against having assign role. The projects that got migrated from V2 to V3 were all tagged with the resource named “Auto-Developer” and were with the roles, but, was not advisable to go the deprecated way. We now as an organization, heavily dependent on our day-to-day activities had to change the way we work and had to understand and reframe the working methodology for the following things: How to take care of the tasks that we need to make it Non-Billable Where to assign roles and learn to assign Resources instead. Solution: The above problem was not an easy cake to eat. The impact went all the way to Schedule Board and we need to redesign the way we allocate on tasks, since, I started seeing duplicate tasks on schedule board, one with Role and one without Role. I had to change the view query to reflect the tasks without role and match the remaining hours to the previously assigned hours on the task. Now this became a major challenge. We had to export all the bookings from the system and delete the previous allocations on the task with role to the task without role. This would then match the remaining hours to allocate on the task. The next things I did to make the tasks be treated as Non-Billable was to add the Column in the Schedule named Category, Wherein I added a Category named “Non-Billable”. This category was made Non-Chargeable. This is the Transaction Category which can be added from SettingsàTransaction Categories. I added a Calculated Field on the Project form then to calculate the Billable Hours which excluded this Non-billable Category task to see the correct Billable estimate of the project. BI Team in your organization will now need to change the reports adjusting to the above criteria to reflect the correct data. This blog reflects my personal findings and based solely on my experience of using PSA for last 3 years. For those who are looking for a platform that can track and manage the entire procedures of sales and project managements, I would highly recommend them to try Microsoft dynamics 365 for project service automation.  

This being an obvious approach to how Dashboards are by default seen by all. And how you can disable/hide for users. Even for D365 System Administrators! Unlike usual forms, view or other records, And Deleting the Dashboard isn’t an option. Enable Security Roles way So a simple trick is to remove entire access from Enable Security Roles Make sure Display only to these selected security roles And then just untick if you want to provide no access to anyone Hope this works!

Introduction While working with workflow, we can map the same data type field while creating or updating a record. But there was an issue with optionset mapping. Description: I have used workflow quite a lot time but recently I was mapping an option set with another option set which has the same value, but it was not showing the value. I found that due to local option set not allowed to map. As you can see in the below screen it is not showing the field to map. To overcome with this, we need to perform the below three steps 1.) Create a global option set 2.) Create local option set using the global option set on source record 3.) Create local option set using the global option set on target record Once above field is created you will able to see the mapping field Note: 1.) Since we are creating another field, make sure that you have kept the history value of old record. 2.) Do not delete the field while creating new field mapping Conclusion: Hope this helps you to map optionset using workflow.

Introduction: This blog explains How to set up Gmail Authentication for D365 Portals. Steps: 1.) Register D365 Portal with Google API Go to Google API Console: https://console.developers.google.com/apis/dashboard?project=symmetric-axle-236007 2.) Create New Project or select the Project. 3.) Click on “+Enable APIS and Services” 4.) Select “Social” under category. 5.) Select “Google+API” 6.) Click on Enable. 7.) Configure consent screen. – Enter Application Name. – Enter Authorized domains: “microsoftcrmportals.com” – Enter Application Homepage link: “URL of D365 Portal” 8.) Click on credentials 🡪 Create Credentials and select OAuth Client ID. 9.) Enter the below details. – Select the Application type as “Web Application” – Enter Name. – Authorized JavaScript origins: “Enter Portal URL” – Authorized redirect URIs: “PortalURL/signin-google” – Click on Create. – Popup window will come copy the “client ID” and “client secret” values from that. Step 2: Creating Site Settings in CRM. 1. Go to Portals 🡪 Site Settings. 2. Create new records as per below. Name: Authentication/OpenAuth/Google/ClientId Value: Copy and Paste the Client ID value. Name: Authentication/OpenAuth/Google/ClientSecret Value: Copy and Paste the Client Secret value. Now you can see “Google” as sign in Option.      

Introduction: This blog explain the steps to update the child records when parent record is updated in D365 CE using Microsoft Flow. Steps: Below are steps to be performed. 1.) Create new field on parent entity “Update Child record” of two option type in CRM.We will use this field in Microsoft Flow. 2.)Create Workflow Whenever ”CURB ID “, “Driver License Number” and “Email” is updated on the parent reord trigger workflow. (select the fields which you want to update on child) Update the “Update Child record” field value to “Yes”.   3.) Create MS Flow. – Select “When Record is Updated” trigger. – Enter Condition: Check “Update Child Record” field is equal to “True” 4.) Select “List Records” Action of “Dynamics 365”. – This will retrieve all the related records of that particular account.   5.) Update Child Records. – Use “Apply to each” loop. – And “Update a record” Action of “Dynamics 365” – Enter the values in fields which we want to update. 6.) Update Parent Record – Set the field value to “NO” which we created for triggering the flow. Note: After Comleting the MS Flow and Workflow hide the field from the form which we are using to trigger the MS Flow.

Add Power BI report and Dashboard in D365 Portal Introduction: This blog explains how we can add Power BI report and dashboard in D365 portal. Below are the Steps: Step 1: Set up Power BI from Portal Admin Center 1. Go to the Dynamics 365 Administration Center page and select the Applications tab. 2. Select the name of the portal for which you want enable Power BI visualization, and then select Manage. 3. Click on Set up Power BI integration –> Enable Power BI visualization. 4. Click on Enable button you will get the below message. Step 2: Add Power BI Visualization in D365 Portal – Liquid tag is used to add the Power BI dashboard and reports. Parameters used in Liquid code: 1.) Path: Path of the Power BI report or dashboard. 2.) Authentication type: There are two authentication type Anonymous and AAD. If the Power BI report or dashboard is secure, then we use authentication type as AAD. It ensures that it is shared with Dynamics 365 Portal Azure Active Directory authenticated users. Adding Anonymous Reports: 1.) Click on File 🡪 Publish to web. 2.) Click on Create Embed Code. 3.) Click on Publish. 4.) Copy below Link. Liquid code: {% powerbi authentication_type:”anonymous” path:”URL” %} 5.) Add the liquid code on Web page where you want to display the report. – Click on Edit 🡪 Language Content🡪 Source – Add the Liquid code in Source code. – Click on ok and Save. – Report on Web Page. Adding Secured Dashboard: 1.) Click on Share. 2.) Copy the Dashboard Link. 3.) Displaying Dashboard on Portal. – Add the liquid code on Web page where you want to display the dashboard. Liquid code: {% powerbi authentication_type:”AAD” path:”URL” %} Click on Edit 🡪 Language Content🡪 Source Dashboard in Portal: – It will ask you to sign In to see the secured Power BI Report. – Sign In and Accept the Permissions. – Now you can see the Dashboard in Portal.  

[SOLVED] Change Password is not working on Contacts in UCI. Introduction: To change portal password of a portal contact, we click on the “Change Password” option. When we try to set username and password for Contact “Change Password” button is not working on Unified Interface. Solution: 1.) Go to Settings 🡪 Advance Settings.   2.) Settings 🡪 Processes   3.) Select the “Change Password for Portal Contact” Process and Activate the Process. 4.) Click on Activate.   5.) Go to Contact Record 🡪 Refresh the Page. 6.) Click on “Change Password” button again to set the password.   7.) Enter Password and Click on Next. Hope this Helped!