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How to use Low-No Code Plugin using Data verse accelerator in dynamics 365

Inkey, December 6, 2024 196 Views

As everybody knows, in Dataverse, if we need to do anything that is not available in OOTB functionality and crucial to implement, we need to use plugin. To write a plugin, we need to write a code to mitigate our functionalities. But now, we do have another option available that will help us to create a plugin by using Low-No Code mechanism. Yes…. Its. Dataverse accelerator

The Dataverse accelerator is a tool that enables the creation of low-to-no-code plugins using PowerApps’ fx (formula) language. It’s a platform that helps users quickly build custom functionalities or extend the capabilities of their PowerApps solutions with simple coding knowledge.

Now let’s move to the implementation.

There are two types of plugins:

• Instant Plug-ins: These are manually triggered business logics. Users initiate them through buttons, unbound actions in Power Automate flows, or from Canvas Apps. You can pass information into these plugins using input parameters and define what information they return using output parameters.
• Automated Plug-ins: These run automatically based on specific data events like Create, Update, or Delete operations on a specified table. You can register them to run before or after these events, allowing you to access and modify data at key stages of the event.

How does it work? Below is an example of an automated plug-in.

In the Dataverse accelerator app, like plugins in CRM, we can create automated plugins. As shown in the screenshot above, there are table options where we can select the table to run the code, along with triggers such as ‘created’, ‘updated’, and ‘deleted’ that we can choose from.

Additionally, there’s an expression section where we can create plugin code using the ‘fx’ function. Below that, there’s an operation section where we can specify whether the plugin should run before or after the operation.

For example, when creating an account, a plugin can be triggered to run, setting a fixed phone number into the account’s table field. This plugin would work on the post-operation, meaning it would execute after the record has been created.

Below is an example of an Instant plug-in.

Create an instant plugin to get an immediate response that converts uppercase text to lowercase using the Instant Plugin in the Dataverse Accelerator. We can handle the provided input and output parameters using FX code to store the response value.

After it is successfully saved, a notification will be provided to test the plugin manually.

To test, provide values in the input parameters and click the ‘Send’ button to get the response from the instant plugin.

The response from the plugin will be stored in the output parameter.

We can use the environment table as a data source in a Canvas app, as the instant plugin stores data into the environment entity in Dataverse. By adding this table as a data source, we can retrieve the response as shown in the screenshot below.

As we know, everything has their own pros and cons. So, let’s see the pros and cons of this mechanism.

Pros:

• Easy to Understand: Properties and constructors help organize code in a way that’s easy to understand for developers.
• Avoiding Mistakes: Using properties and constructors helps catch mistakes early on.

Cons:

• Can Get Complicated: Sometimes, using too many properties and constructors can make code harder to understand.
• Stuck in One Way: If a plugin is built with lots of properties and constructors, it might be hard to change later if new needs come up.

Dataverse accelerator can be downloaded from Microsoft App source to be used. Here is a link to download.

Download Link: https://appsource.microsoft.com/en-us/product/dynamics-365/mscrm.dataversekit1?tab=Overview