Low-code development has revolutionized the way businesses build software applications. By providing a visual, drag-and-drop interface, low-code platforms enable developers to quickly create complex applications without writing much code. However, even with the power of low-code platforms, there may be times when you need to extend their capabilities to meet specific business requirements. This is where low-code plugins come into play. Low-code plugins are small pieces of software that can be added to a low-code platform to extend its functionality. In this blog post, we will discuss the benefits of using low-code plugins, the steps involved in creating them, and some tips for successful development. Benefits of Using Low-Code Plugins Low-code plugins offer a number of benefits for businesses, including: Steps in Creating a Low-Code Plugin The process of creating a low-code plugin typically involves the following steps: Tips for Successful Low-Code Plugin Development Here are some tips for developing successful low-code plugins: Example Use Cases Low-code plugins can be used to solve a variety of business problems. Here are some examples: Conclusion Low-code plugins offer a powerful way to extend the capabilities of low-code platforms and create custom solutions that meet specific business needs. By following the steps outlined in this blog post and incorporating the tips for successful development, you can effectively leverage low-code plugins to drive innovation and achieve your business objectives. Later we will see working of the Low-Code Plugin in Dynamics 365 CRM with an example. We hope you found this blog useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfonts.com.

Introduction Document management is a critical aspect of any organization using Dynamics 365 CRM, and finding a simple, scalable solution can often be a challenge.  In this blog, I’ll show you how PowerApps Custom Pages can transform your document handling experience. By leveraging model-driven capabilities, I’ve built a solution from scratch that allows you to handle multiple document templates at once without the complexity and clutter of traditional methods. Using Custom Pages, you can generate and organize documents across different entities directly within the Dynamics 365 environment, making it easy to scale your solution for any table or scenario. Let’s take a closer look at how Custom Pages can streamline and simplify document management for your organization. The Use-Case: Document Management Application Key Components of the Solution which I have chosen for this use-case and blog Step-by-Step Process Step 1: Create the Custom Page (refer to my previous blog if needed) Create a solution, create custom Page and then embed it into Model-Driven App. I’ve made a sample example below: Step 2: How to retrieve parameters when App is opened. For the App’s ‘OnStart’ property, enter the following code Step 3: Trigger Document Generation App (I have used a ribbon button to trigger using JS) You will need to write a JavaScript in order to trigger and display the Custom Page. Where to find the app name, you will find in the solution. My example is below Step 3: Trigger Document Generation Page Once the document is created, you can close the Page using X button. As per JS code, our code will navigate to Document Tab. Ensure the name of Document Tab is correct. Step 4: Automation to SharePoint Use PowerApps Connector and add your input parameters to it. In the Custom Page, do insert the newly created Power Automate flow and pass the input values respectively Also, once the flow is completed, you can send a response back to Custom Page using same connector but of different action ‘Respond to PowerApp or Flow’. Conclusion Conclusion This Custom Page use-case demonstrates how a thoughtfully designed solution can enhance productivity and user experience in Dynamics 365. By streamlining document creation and navigation, it reduces friction in day-to-day operations, empowering teams to focus on higher-value tasks. Whether you’re a technical developer or a functional consultant, this approach provides actionable insights for building powerful and efficient solutions. References We hope you found this blog useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfonts.com. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Introduction In this guide, I’ll Walk you through creating your first PowerApps Custom Page in Dynamics 365. This beginner-friendly approach will demystify the process and include a high-level use-case to inspire your developing use-cases in creative and simple way. Why are Custom Pages good? Custom Pages are Model-Driven exclusive Pages that can be used with Dataverse/CRM easily, it can bring flexibility and power to your Model-Driven Apps by allowing tailored layouts, interactive designs, and seamless integration within Dynamics 365. Custom Pages supports Power FX commands which are not present in Canvas Apps. Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Custom Page Step 1: Prerequisites and Environment Setup Ensure users have the necessary permissions and access to PowerApps Studio and Dynamics 365.Also, prefer using Solutions as pages are seen in solutions but not in Apps section. Step 2: Create a New Custom Page There are 2 ways to create Custom Page, I will highly recommend 1st point but 2nd point is also there for your knowledge. You will land to PowerApps Editor screen for Page after this Add desired content to the Page as per your use-case, for the blog purpose, I made a contacts page. Save your Custom Page and Publish it. [Note: Do save and publish the App] Step 3: Embed the Custom Page in Dynamics 365 Model-Driven App To add the newly created Page in your Model-Driven App, add the Model-Driven app to your solution and click on Edit For showing it on the Navigation Menu, do select checkbox. But if you want to show it Page as on-demand style/pop-up or JS triggered style then simply add the page to Model-Driven and hide it on Sitemap. [Note: Once completed, Do save and publish the App] Final Output Your Custom Page will be embedded directly to the Model-Driven App. That’s all for creating Custom Page in Model-Driven App. Conclusion Creating a Custom Page in D365 is a simple yet powerful way to enhance your Model-Driven Apps. With this guide, you’re ready to start building interactive, dynamic solutions tailored to your business needs. Hope my blog helps you! We hope you found this blog useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfonts.com. Reference Links Microsoft documentation: Understanding Custom Page Microsoft Documentation: Create Custom Page Microsoft Documentation: Calling/Navigating to Custom Page

What Makes Custom Pages Unique? Key Differences Between Custom Pages and Canvas Apps Benefits of Using Custom Pages in D365 Conclusion In conclusion, Custom Pages stand out as a powerful tool for enhancing the functionality and user experience within the D365 ecosystem. By offering seamless integration with Model-Driven Apps, advanced design capabilities, and tailored interactions, Custom Pages provide users with a dynamic, responsive interface that feels native to the D365 environment. While Canvas Apps offer broader cross-platform flexibility, Custom Pages excel in scenarios requiring deep integration and advanced Model-Driven functionalities. Whether you’re looking to improve user engagement or create personalized, context-sensitive workflows, Custom Pages offer a unique advantage, making them an essential tool for any D365 implementation. We hope you found this blog useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfonts.com. Reference Links PowerApps Custom Page: Microsoft Documentation – Custom Page

Introduction Global Search for Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a custom module, which allows you to search across all CRM entities at the same time, providing results in a single-view convenient layout. For more details please follow the link: Global Search for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online User Manual Adding an Entity and fields in Global Search On Dynamics 365 CRM Step 1: Log in to the required Power Apps environment using the URL https://home.dynamics.com. by providing a username and password and select your environment accordingly. Step 2: Once you have logged into your environment, click on the Settings Icon and select Advanced Settings. Step 3: Drop down Settings and then click on Administration. Step 4: After clicking on Administration, select System Settings. Step 5: Go onto the option Set up Search and then click on Select. Step 6: For FYI, you can select 10 Entities at a time for Global Search. So Select the 10 Entities according to your requirements. We can even sort the Entities using the options Move up and Move down. Step 7: As I have said in Step 5, the maximum number of entities that can be added is 10. Step 8: Once the above steps are done, Return to the below page and click on [Solutions]. Create a solution and add the required table which you wanted to show in Global Search. In my case, the table name is Order Fulfillment. So accordingly add your Entity/Tables. Step 9: Click on the Entity in which you are working inside the solution and click on Views. Step 10: Typically, the global search option in D365 CRM is associated with Quick Find View. Select the Quick Find Active Order Fulfilments view. Step 11: Add the Fields which are needed for View and Find Columns. FYI, in the main D365 CRM Form, the global search has the feature of displaying only the first 3 fields of that view. So insert the important 3 fields in the view first. Step 12: Once all the customizations are done, Save and publish the solution. Step 13: Return to the D365 CRM Main page of our Model Driven App and as highlighted below, click on that icon and try searching for the value of the field. For example, If you have added a field named ‘Order Number’, Try searching the value of that field. Step 14: Once I type the value, the entity in which the value has been present has shown up. For your information, only three fields will be visible once you do the global search and 10 Entities can be visible during the global search. Hope this Helps!!!

Hi All, I’m going to show a useful feature that you can leverage to view and create instant Power BI visuals that is generated automatically based on the current view. Documentation Link Just an example: How it looks Steps to achieve this: Step 1: You need to enable this feature in Model-Driven App itself Edit Model-Driven App -> Settings -> Features -> ‘Enable Power BI quick report visualization on a table‘. Save and publish the settings Note: You also need ‘TDS endpoint‘ enabled in the environment feature settings Step 2: Refresh your browser and navigate to any table records view ( I took cases in the example) Step 3: Click the ‘Visualize this view‘ button on the command bar Note: You need to add the necessary columns in the current view if you want to show those columns in Power BI Reports Step 4: You can now see the Report generated automatically within a few mins. You can save these Reports if all necessary information is displayed here. Hope this helped you get faster Business Insights with auto-generated Power BI visuals.

Hi All, Have you ever wondered how to use Dataverse In-App notification that can be helpful in many scenarios, I’ll give an overview of the usage with a use-case. Documentation Link Business Insights in Real-Time – Documentation This is the In-App Notification Let’s see how to create such an In-App notification Step 1: In order to use this In-App notification, we need to enable it. -> Go to Editor of Model-Drivel App -> Click on Settings -> Click on ‘Features’ -> Enable ‘In-App Notification’ Note: This In-App notification creates records in Dataverse, therefore the storage will be consumed. There’s also a time-based auto-deletion that can be configured by Admin. Step 2: Save & Publish your Model-Driven App. You will see a Bell Icon on the top-right of the App. Step 3: Now, we will create the notification. There are 3 ways to create the notification, Using JavaScript -> will be using in this example Using C# Plugins (Dataverse SDK) Using HTTP Request (Web API) Step 4: As example, I will be sending a Notification to me but you can configure it to send to anyone in the organization. Note: You must have the necessary permissions to do so, Admin can configure these privileges by customizing Security Roles for the ‘app notification‘ table Refer what type of format you want to display from the documentation link provided above Step 5: I’ve created a Web-Resource that triggers when I manually close the case, So when I close a case, here’s the output. Note: You can automate these and send to anyone.Some examples are:1. Automatic send Notification of new case created to assigned person.2. Automatic notification to the Team whenever a critical ticket is raised.3. Apart from these, you can have notification whenever a Business critical flow has been failed. Some of the best ways to use is with having rich user experience with Icons and formatting options that are available to use.Icons, font styling and mentioning anyone That’s how we can achieve In-App notifications. Hope this helped you!