In the fast-evolving business landscape, sales leaders and business owners—whether new startups or established enterprises—face an unprecedented challenge: how to scale efficiently while maintaining a competitive edge. The digital revolution has created a vast ecosystem of tools, but many businesses are still unsure of how to leverage them effectively. For existing businesses, the challenge lies in moving away from manual data entry, disjointed workflows, and delayed decision-making that hinder productivity. Many companies still rely on outdated methods like Excel sheets, paperwork, and disconnected systems, leading to inefficiencies and lost revenue. For new or growing businesses, the challenge is different—they need to build a scalable foundation from day one, ensuring that the right digital tools are in place to support growth, automation, and decision-making. This is where Microsoft’s cloud ecosystem, particularly Dynamics 365 CE, Power Platform, and Power BI, plays a critical role in setting up businesses for long-term success. Automation is no longer just an operational advantage; it is a strategic imperative. Leveraging these tools, organizations can create a seamless, data-driven ecosystem that empowers sales teams to work smarter, not harder. But automation must be approached thoughtfully. It’s not about replacing human intuition; it’s about enhancing it. The Business Challenge: Automation is for Everyone, Not Just Tech Giants A common misconception is that automation is reserved for large enterprises with vast IT budgets. However, small and mid-sized businesses, as well as new startups, can also harness automation to streamline operations and scale efficiently. The key lies in understanding where automation can add value and how leaders can architect a strategy that integrates human judgment with system intelligence. Consider a mid-sized manufacturing firm that still manages leads and customer follow-ups manually. The sales team spends hours logging interactions, tracking deals, and following up via emails, leading to lost opportunities. By implementing Power Automate with Dynamics 365 CE, the company can: For a new business venturing into the cloud ecosystem, automation is a game-changer from day one. Instead of relying on traditional methods, they can: The result? More deals closed in less time, with greater accuracy and a human-first approach to relationship-building. The “ACTION” Framework for Sales Automation (Automate, Connect, Track, Improve, Optimize, Nurture) Sales Process Automation: From Lead to Close with Structured Chaos The “SMART” Approach to Sales Automation (Simplify, Monitor, Automate, Refine, Transform) Example 1: Automating Lead Qualification Imagine a sales rep manually filtering through hundreds of incoming leads to identify high-potential prospects. This process is not only time-consuming but also prone to bias. With AI-powered lead scoring in Dynamics 365 CE, the system automatically: Example 2: Automated Follow-Ups to Prevent Lost Deals A major challenge in sales is following up consistently. Research suggests that 80% of sales require five follow-ups, yet many reps give up after one or two. With Power Automate, businesses can: These micro-automations ensure no lead falls through the cracks, keeping the pipeline healthy and sales reps focused on closing deals. Power Virtual Agents (Copilot Agents): Revolutionizing Customer Engagement With the rise of AI, Power Virtual Agents, now called Copilot Agents, have transformed how businesses handle customer engagement and service. These AI-driven chatbots can: CRM Integration: The Power of a Unified System Many organizations use third-party tools for sales, marketing, and customer service. However, seamless CRM integration with Dynamics 365 CE provides unmatched insights and operational efficiency. By integrating with external platforms: Stakeholders & Business Owners: Making Data-Driven Decisions For business owners and key decision-makers, automation isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about strategic growth and profitability. By leveraging AI and automation tools, they can: Challenges in Sales Automation and How to Overcome Them 1. User Resistance to Automation 2. Integration Difficulties 3. Lack of Proper Communication 4. Data Quality Issues Conclusion: The Future of Business is Automated, But Still Human Automation is not a replacement for human expertise—it’s a force multiplier. Businesses that embrace automation with a strategic, human-first approach will thrive in the modern market. By leveraging Dynamics 365 CE, Power Platform, and Power BI, businesses can build a scalable, insight-driven ecosystem that not only improves sales productivity but future-proofs the organization for long-term success. I hope you found this blog useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfonts.com.

If you are working with SSRS reports in Dynamics 365 CRM, you may have to run or use the report for a single selected record, depending on your need. In this blog, I will explain how to run a report on a selected record in CRM. Running a report on a selected record is also referred to as prefiltering, so let’s first understand what prefiltering is in an SSRS Report.  What is Prefiltering in an SSRS Report?  Prefiltering in an SSRS Report is the process of applying filters before data is retrieved from the data source. It limits the dataset to include only the relevant records by incorporating conditions directly into the query or stored procedure used to fetch data for the report. It only shows relevant data that is needed for the reporting.  To add prefiltering to an SSRS report, follow these steps:  – First, identify the entity you want to run the report for. If the same report needs to be run on multiple entities in CRM, you will need to add the prefiltering condition to all required entities.   – For example, I have considered this project entity   <entity name=”msdyan_project” enableprefiltering=”1″ prefilterparametername=”Parameter1″>  enableprefiltering = “1” specifies that the data for ‘msdyan_project’ will be filter before report is shown for user.  – When running the above query, a parameter named “Parameter1” will be created automatically in Visual Studio.  – Now, publish the SSRS report to the desired environment and add the required field to the related project field to the related record type and you are all set.  Conclusion  Running an SSRS report on a single CRM record is an effective way to display relevant data while ensuring the report remains context sensitive. In this blog, we have provided a step-by-step guide to adding a prefilter in your SSRS report.  We hope you found this article useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfronts.com

Dynamics 365 provides functionality to create a text field of type website field where the user can type in the website name. But out of the box, it has no validation to validate if the user is actually putting a web URL or just a text value, this can be achieved using simple JavaScript.  In this blog, let’s see how to put a validation on a website field in CRM so that users enter the correct data.  I have created a website field in CRM and here is how it looks.  Using the below javascript code you can put a validation on this website field. Code:       validateWebsiteURL: function (formContext, fieldName) {          if (formContext.getAttribute(fieldName)) {              var websiteurl = formContext.getAttribute(fieldName).getValue();              if (websiteurl != “”) {                  var pattern = new RegExp(‘^(https?:\\/\\/)?’ + // protocol                      ‘((([a-z\\d]([a-z\\d-]*[a-z\\d])*)\\.)+[a-z]{2,}|’ + // domain name                      ‘((\\d{1,3}\\.){3}\\d{1,3}))’ + // OR ip (v4) address                      ‘(\\:\\d+)?(\\/[-a-z\\d%_.~+]*)*’ + // port and path                      ‘(\\?[;&a-z\\d%_.~+=-]*)?’ + // query string                      ‘(\\#[-a-z\\d_]*)?$’, ‘i’); // fragment locator                  if (!pattern.test(websiteurl)) {                      formContext.getControl(fieldName).setNotification(‘Website: Enter a valid Website URL.’);                  } else {                      formContext.getControl(fieldName).clearNotification();                  }              }          }      }  I hope this helps 😉! 

Hi Everyone, Let me explain this topic with an example of a scenario that you might encounter. I’ll walk you through how to complete this scenario in a concise manner below. Use Case Let’s say you have a Table (Entity) with or without multiple Business Process Flows (BPFs) that include some required Fields and even on the Form. Even if the required fields are empty and you want to change a field or flag within the form and save the record. We must disable all required Fields on the Form and then re-enable the requirements for those fields. We can do this with some simple JavaScript code. Step 1: Find a trigger point for your JS function to be called.It can be done with a Ribbon Button or by manually changing a Field. Find the code you’ll need below. I’ll be using Ribbon Button to trigger my JS Function. Quick Tip: You cannot get any Attribute Value of a Field residing in BPF directly. You need to get the entire Control of the Field and then call its attribute values. Step 2: Register your JS function onto your Ribbon Workbench or OnChange of any Field on Form. Since I called my function using Ribbon Button, I used “OpportunityForm.executeMain” with Parameters; “CRM Parameter -> Primary Control“ If you’re calling the JS using Field OnChange, then register the function as “OpportunityForm.executeMain” and do pass ‘executionContext‘. In this case, your part of the script will change as below (use this if you use JS on your Form only) OUTPUT This is how all fields will have no requirement on the Form. I took this output before re-enabling the requirement level for the fields. That’s all, I hope this helped you

Customer Engagement apps running on a web browser on an iOS or Android tablet provide a similar experience to using it with a web browser on your desktop or laptop computer. However, some features are not available on the mobile app or mobile web browser out of which one is running SSRS reports. Let’s say we need to run a Sales History report as below on a web application. But on mobile but there is not Reports Menu/Button on mobile application. We can use the following work around with Model Driven apps. Step :1 Run the Report 1st time on the web browser and copy the URL.Step Step : 2 Open App designer Step: 3 Create a URL Menu Submenu Item and paste the about URL in the URL field. Step: 4 Save and Publish the app and you can see the same menu appearing on the mobile app # Run the report and it will open on the mobile browse you may continue with the same login credentials. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]   Hope this helps!

To keep track of all your customer data in one place, you may want to import contacts, leads, or other record types into Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (on-premises) from other sources, such as from an email program, a spreadsheet, or your phone. In this blog we will be looking on how to import bulk data from excel and populating it in Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM. Use Case: Importing Bulk amount of Leads into Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Solution: Step 1 : How to download a template for data import Go to Settings > Data Management > Templates for Data Import. Select the entity that you want to import the data for from the drop down list, then click Download. (Note) You can use a text file, a compressed zip file, an Excel spreadsheet, or Excel workbook to do the data import. The template will have the fields of that particular entity as the columns to be filled by the user. Adding all the details for the lead to be imported. Step 2 : How to import leads with a template Go to Settings > Data Management > Imports. Click on Import Data > Browse. Choose the file you’d like to upload, then click Next. In this example, I used Lead.xls. (Note) If you used a template for the lead upload, your data will automatically be mapped. If not, see Above for how to get a template for the upload. 4.) Set the owner on the Review Settings and Import Data screen, then click Submit. Once submitted, your lead will show up on the My Imports leads screen. When the upload is completed, the status will show as “Submitted.” 5.) Open Dynamics CRM to see whether the data has been imported or not as in the excel sheet. You can further use this according to your requirement either to import Accounts, Contacts and for many other Entities related customizations. Hope this helps !

Many times, we feel like why I can’t access D365 CRM Database directly from MS SQL Server, so here is my blog that will guide you on how you can connect D365 CRM CDS Database using MS SQL Server Steps to enable D365 CRM CDS Database to make it connect from MS SQL Server: Login to https://admin.powerplatform.microsoft.com/ using administrator credentials. In Environment section, click on your environment for which you want to enable D365 CRM CDS for MS SQL Server. (In my case I am clicking on DemoEnvironment as shown below.) When Environment opens click on settings in header. Settings page will open, Click on Product and then click on Features. When features Page opens enable TDS Endpoint (Preview) and click save. Now, we have successfully enabled D365 CRM CDS to connect it from MS SQL Server. Steps to Connect CDS Database from MS SQL Server: Open MS SQL Server. In connect to SQL Server Window enter Server name (It will be your D365 CRM URL) followed by comma and Port Number (5558) e.g. of server name yourdomain.crm.dynamics.com,5558. Select Authentication as Azure Active Directory – Password. Enter Username: Your admin user id e.g. admin@xyz.com Enter Password: (Your Login password) ******** Click Connect. Now, you have successfully connected to D365 CRM DB. Write a select query and test if it’s working.

Introduction Power Automate has finally got one of the most awaited features. Let me explain it to you. So, if you are willing to deploy similar type of actions inside flow, you had no option but to write each action separately from the beginning. phew! That sounds like lot of work! But now, thanks to Power Automate, flexible solutions have emerged to save time and create better user experiences, which means now you are not required to write each action distinctly every time right from the start, instead just copy and paste actions in Power Automate! Voila! There you go! Copy Click on ellipsis (…) on action which you want to copy or duplicate. Click on “Copy to my clipboard” Paste Click on “Add an action” Go to “My Clipboard” Under My Clipboard you can see all the actions which you have copied. Select the action which you want to paste.