Major Entities of D365 Portals

1. Entity List

Entity list is used to display all the content of an entity in grid view format. For example you want to display all contacts in grid view than you have to create an Entity List on contacts entity.

Step by step procedure to create an Entity List on contacts entity:

Navigate to following path in the work areas of Dynamics CRM

Portals –> Entity Lists

It will open the Entity Lists page the page looks as below.

In the above page click on +New tab. It will redirect to the New Entity List Page this page looks like below.

Name field define the name of the entity list.

Entity Name: Select the entity on which we want to create an entity list.

Website: Select the website name on which we want to deploy this entity list.

Views: Select the views for entity list. For example Active Contacts, Inactive Contacts….etc.

Note: Before selecting the views you should select Entity Name otherwise it won’t display Views.

Page size: It will represents the number of records that we want to display per page.

Web Page for Details View: Here You have to select a web page (entity form with edit) for displaying record details when we clicked on it.

Details Button Label: It will display name on the details button.

ID Query String Parameter Name: parameter to retrieve the Record details. By default it is Id.

Web Page for Create: Provide the web page (entity form with create) for creating a new record.

Create Button Label: Display Name for create button.

Empty List Text: Empty List Text will appear when the list doesn’t contain any data.

Enable Entity Permissions: When we check the check box it will enables the entity permissions. When we uncheck then it will disables the entity permissions

Search:

Enable: When we check the check box it will enables the searching for entity list.

Place Holder Text: This Test Will appears as a water mark with in the search text box.

Tool Tip Test: This will appear when we move the mouse on to the search text box.

OData Feed:

 Enabled: If we check the check box then it will enables the OData Feed.

 Entity Name: Here provide the logical name of an entity.

 View: Select the view name that we want to provide in OData.

 Entity Set Name: This name we is used to access the OData.

Options:

Custom Java Script: Here we will provide the Scripting to change Entity list properties like background color…etc..

ð Grid Configurations:

Ø View Actions:

· Create: When we click on Create then it will display like below (You can use web page for create also. if you use this, Create will display inside the Grid)

· Target Type: Select either Entity Form or Web Page or URL.

· If you select Entity Form then select Target Entity Form. If you select Web Page then select Target Web page for redirecting. If you are selecting URL then enter Redirect URL.

· Button Label: This text will appears on the button.

· Download: When we Click on this link then it will create s a button to download the content presented in the entity list

Item Actions:

· Details: By using this we can see the details of a particular record.

· Edit: It will enables the editing facility.

· Delete: By using this we can delete a particular record.

· Workflow: Here we will provide the workflow that we want to run when we click the button. The workflow must be Background workflow.

· Create Related Records: It will creates the related records for a particular record.

· Activate: It will activates the particular record.

· Deactivate: It will deactivates the particular record.

Filtering: Used to filter records by column. Not working in dynamics 365 – may work in new release.

Map View: Not Working in Dynamics 365 – may work in new release.

Calendar View: Not Working in Dynamics 365 – may work in new release.

Web Pages: Here we can add the entity list to the web pages.

Note: After adding entity list to web page then only Entity list page will display on portal as below (this can be done in CRM or Portal – using New, Child page from right box [Admin]).

2. Entity Forms

Features of Entity forms:

• We can display CRM form through portals.
• We can gather information directly from users or customers.
• No developer code is required.
• Using entity form Meta data we can override existing properties.

Attributes:

Name: Here we will provide the name for the entity form.

Entity Name: Here provide name of the entity on which we want to create/edit/display the entity form.

Form Name: Here select the CRM entity form (to show complete form leave “tab” as empty).

Tab Name: Select the tab from Form (to show only this tab in portal).

Mode: It will represents the type of the Entity form. In Dynamics 365 we have three types of modes like below.

1. Insert: This mode is used to create a record.

2. Edit: This Mode is used to edit the record details.

3. Read Only: This mode is only for displaying the record details in the page.

Website: Provide the Name of the website to which we want to add

Enable Entity Permissions: It will enables the entity permissions if check the check box otherwise disables the entity permissions.

Record Source Type: It will contains three types like below

Record source type will not appear when we select the mode as Insert.

• When we select the Record source type as Query string then a text box will appear with a name Record ID Query string parameter name. (used for Edit/display page based on query string value).
• When we select the source type as Record associated to current user then we have to provide the relationship name.

Add Captcha: If we check then it will add captcha to the page. (To check you are not robot)

Show Captcha for Authenticated Users: It will shows captcha even for an authenticated user.

Validation Group: It will act as group name for input controls.

Auto generate steps from tabs: It will generates the steps based on the tabs. For example if we have four tabs in a form then it will creates four steps automatically.

ToolTip Enabled: It will enables the tooltip for viewing the description of an attribute.

Show Unsupported Fields: It will shows the unsupported fields. (Invalid input formats)

Make all Fields Required: It will make all the fields in the form as required.

On Success: Here we have two options like below.

If we select Display Success Message then it will show like below.

If we check the Check box then the form will hide when operation is success. If we didn’t check the then the form will still appear even the operation is successfully completed.

When we select the On Success type as Redirect then page will appear like below

External URL: Here we will provide the external URL whom we want to redirect after success operation. For example after success operation if we want to navigate to google then we will provide the External URL as www.google.com

Webpage: Here we will select the web page that we want to navigate after success operation.

Append Existing Query string: It will appends the existing query string for redirecting.

Additional settings:

This tab looks like below

Associate Current Portal User: Checked indicates the currently logged in user’s record should be associated with the target entity record.

Target Entity Portal User Lookup Entity: The logical name of the attribute on the target entity that stores the portal user.

Add Attach File:

Attach File: Checked means it will creates file uploader in the page.

Allow Multiple File: Checked indicates file uploader allows multiple files.

Attach File Storage Location: Here select the storage location for storing the uploaded files.

Attach File Required: Checked means the file uploading is mandatory.

Required Error Message: We have to provide the error message when the file is not uploaded.

Restrict Files to Accept types: Checked means restricts the accepted file types.

Maximum File Size: Here we will provide the maximum acceptance size of a file in kilo bytes.

Entity Reference on save: If yes then it will save the targeted Relation into the record when we create or edit…etc.

Entity Form Meta Data: Entity Form Metadata is used to modify a particular field or fields of an entity into our customized requirement. Entity form metadata page will appears as below.

Entity Form: Here we will provide the entity form name.

Type: Here we have 5 types like below.

If we select type as attribute then page will appears as like.

Attribute:

Attribute Logical Name: Here we have to select the logical name of the attribute to which we want to make customizations.

Label: Replaces the default label assigned to the attribute on the entity with the text specified in this input.

Control style:

Control style can be following:

• Option Set as Vertical Radio Button List
• Option Set as Horizontal Radio Button List
• Single Line of Text as Geolocation Lookup Validator (requires Bing Maps Settings )
• Group Whole Number as Constant Sum (requires Group Name)
• Group Whole Number as Rank Order Scale No Ties (requires Group Name)
• Group Whole Number as Rank Order Scale Allow Ties (requires Group Name)
• Multiple Choice Matrix (requires Group Name)
• Multiple Choice (requires Group Name)
• Group Whole Number as Stack Rank (requires Group Name)

· Render Lookup as Dropdown

Group Name: It is the common name for all the controls.

Multiple Choice Minimum Required Selected Count: This is the required minimum values selected in the multiple choice question. Only necessary if Multiple Choice Control Style is selected.

Multiple Choice Max Selected Count: This is the maximum number of values that is permitted to be selected in the multiple choice question. Only necessary if Multiple Choice Control Style is selected.

Constant Sum Minimum Total: This is the required minimum value applied to a constant sum response field. Only necessary if Group Whole Number as Constant Sum Control Style is selected.

Constant Sum Maximum Total: This is the maximum number of value that is permitted to be applied to a constant sum response field. Only necessary if Group Whole Number as Constant Sum Control Style is selected.

Randomize Option Set Values: This will specify the order of displaying the data if it is checked then it will displayed in random manner.

Notes: This page will looks like below

Using this notes we can Create/Edit/Delete the notes of entity and we can restrict the content acceptance type of note.

Section:

This Page will looks as below

For section name we have to select the name of the section to which we want place the customized text.

Label represents the customized text for a section.

Sub grid:

This will appears like below.

Using sub grid we can Create/Download/Associate an item and also we can Details/ Edit/Delete/Workflow/Create Related Records/Disassociate/Activate/Deactivate a particular item in the sub grid.

Tab:

Using Tab we can rename the particular tab of a form with customized name.

3. Web Forms 

Web forms will allow us to render the data from the CRM without any developer’s code.

Web forms will support single step logic, multiple steps logic and branching logic.

A web form steps contains the logic to render the data from the CRM.

A single web form can have multiple steps and every step will have a lookup point with the previous step. The first step can’t be condition type.

Web forms are mainly used for Taking surveys…etc..

To Create a Web form navigate to following Portals –> Web forms. It will open the page like below.

Attributes:

Name: Name specifies name of the web form.

Website: Name of web site to which we are assigning this web form.

Start step: Here starting step for the web form. Step contains logic to render the data from CRM. First step can’t be of condition type.

Start New Session on Load: If ‘Yes’ then new session will create for every page load. If ‘No’ then new session will not create. (No - Only one time process for user).

Multiple Records per User Permitted: If ‘Yes’ then a logged in user can have permission to create more than one submissions.

Progress Indicator:

Enabled: If ‘Yes’ then it will displays the Progress bar in the web form.

Type: Specifies the type of progress bar.

Position: Specifies the position of the progress bar.

Save Changes Warning:

Display save Changes Warning On Close: If checked then it will displays the warning message when we close the page without saving.

Save Changes Warning Message: Message for Displaying.

Procedure for creating a step for Web form:

To create a step click on start step attribute in the web form. It will show pop up like below

If you want to add an existing step then select otherwise click on New It will open the New Step Creation Page like below.

Note: The first step can’t be of condition type.

Attributes:

Name: It specifies the name for step.

Web form: specifies the web form name to which we want to add this step.

Target Entity Logical Name: Logical name of entity on which we are creating this step.

Next Step: This will specifies the next step.

Move Previous Permitted: If checked then we can move form current step to previous step

Enable Entity Permissions: Enables the entity permissions if checked.

Type: It specifies the type of the step. Every step will supports 5 types of step types they are.

· Condition: Displays the condition related properties. This page looks as below

Condition specifies the condition. The condition should like below

<Schema name of attribute> <operator> <Value>

Operands for condition checking are listed below

Example Condition: new gender=true

If the condition is valid then it will goes to next step that we provide otherwise it will redirect to step provide in Next Step If Condition Fails.

· Load Form: Displays the properties of a form. Load form is similar like entity form all the attributes are similar like entity form.

· Load Tab: Displays the all tab related properties. This one also similar like entity form the only difference is load form will display the entire form and the load tab will display a particular tab that we select.

· Redirect: If the step type is Redirect Then it will redirects to an external URL or a page that we provide.

The redirect page will looks like below

External URL: Here we will provide the external URL for navigation.

Web page: Here we will provide the page for navigation.

Append Existing Query String: If ‘Yes’ then it will append the existing query string.

Append Entity ID to Query String: If checked then it will appends the entity ID to Query string.

Query String Parameter Name: This will be the query string parameter.

Attribute Logical Name: Query string attribute.

· Load User Controller: This will specifies the properties of web user controller. This page will looks like below

Here we will provide the path of the user controller within the User Controller Path field. And provide title within the Title attribute.

4. Web Pages

Web pages are used to maintain the hierarchy in the website. Web pages access can be controlled by web roles. Web pages can contain Entity list or Entity form or Web form or Page Templates. To create Web page navigate to following path in the work areas of CRM

Portals –> Web Pages

This will opens the web page form. The page looks like below. Web page entity is the important entity in the Portals work area.

Here click +New tab it will opens the New Web Page Creation page as shown below.

Attributes:

Name: Name specifies the name of the web page.

Website: Here we have to provide the website to which we want to assign this page.

Parent Page: Parent page for the current page. [If Main page select “Home”]

Partial URL: This URL is used to access the web page. If we provide parent page than partial URL is user defined.

Eg: https://[domain]/[PartialURL] or https://[domain]/[ParentPage]/[PartialURL]

Page Template: Provide the page template here. [Full Page, _blank Page]

Publishing State: If we selected published means the page will published otherwise it will be created as draft.

Display Date: This date is only for the display purpose it doesn’t involve any functional actions. We use display date in cases like manually provide Publishing date….etc,

Releasing Date: This date will be the releasing date of web page. Web page will appear from the Date that was provided in the releasing date.

Expiration Date: Web Page will appear in the web site till the expiration date.

Web Forms: Here we have to provide the web form for the web page if it requires.

Entity List: Here we will provide the entity list for web page.

Entity Form: Provide here entity form that we want to add.

Page Options:

Enable Ratings: By default value is ‘No’ if ‘Yes’ then it will display rating submission page in our web page.

Enable Tracking: If ‘Yes’ then log data of that page will be stored in web page logs.

Hidden From Site Map: If ‘Yes’ then the page will disappear in the site map.

Comment Policy: It will display a comment page to take comments from the user.

Exclude from search: If ‘Yes’ then the page can’t be searched.

Miscellaneous:

Author: Specifies the author for that page.

Description: Description about that page.

Subject: Subject of the web page.

Category: Specifies the web page category.

Display Order: Specifies the display order of web page.

Access Control Rules: Using Access control rules we can restrict the web page visibility. We can restrict the web page visibility by adding web roles to access control rules. Web page can be visible or restrict the page to the contacts that are available in the added web role.

Navigate to Portals –> Web page access control rules. It will open the new web page access control rules page. It will appears as below.

Attributes:

Name: Name for the web page access control rule.

Web site: Name of web site in which the page deployed.

Web page: Web page to which we want to add access control rules.

Right: Specifies the right of that web page access control rule.

In web page access control rules we have to types of rights they are.

Grant Change: Only contacts available in that web role have right to change the web page.

Restrict Read: Only contacts available in the web role can be restricted to read the content in the web page.

5. Page Templates

Page templates is to display Custom content with Styles and Scripts by using web templates and System pages like Full page.

At the time of creating a web page we need to select a page template this will visible to the Users of that portal.

Navigate to Portals –> Page Templates.

Type: It decides the type of template that we want to add. Here we have to types they are.

Rewrite: For rewrite type we have to provide the rewrite url. This url is the location of the web page.

Web Template: Select the web template here.

Creating a web template:

A web template is the content for liquid to render the data from CRM dynamically.

Navigate to Portals –>Web templates.

It will opens the page like below.

Source: This attribute contains the liquid markup source.

MIME Type: It is the MIME type of the source in the web template. It is an optional attribute if we didn’t provide any value then it will take as text/html.

Use website header and footer: If checked then page template uses the web site header and footer.

Is Default: If checked then page template will be assigned to the drop down in the client side editing tools.

Entity Type: The CRM page entity type that this template expects to render. Usually this will be Webpage (adx_webpages).

6. Web Files

Web files represents downloadable files in D365 portals. Web files are used to store the images, documents, and any other type of files.

Navigate to Portals –>Web files.

It will open page like below.

Here click on +New tab it will open new web file creation page the will looks like below.

Attributes:

Name: Name of the web file.

Website: Website name

Parent Page: Page to which we want to attach this web file.

Partial URL: URL for accessing the web file.

Display Date: This attribute is only for display purpose it doesn’t involve any interventions. It is purely for display purpose.

Publishing State: Provide the web file publish state.

Release Date: The page appears in the portal from the release date.

Expiration Date: The page will appear up to the expiration date.

Cloud blob address: This attribute is used to store the web file in the azure.

Content-disposition: If inline then the image will directly appear in a new page. If Attachment then it will display a pop up and then download.

7. Content Snippets

Content snippets are small editable text fields that can be placed with in the page template.

Navigate to Portal –> Content Snippets.

It will opens the content snippets page and the page will looks like below.

Here click on +New it will opens the New Content Snippet page it will looks like below.

Attribute:

Name: Name of the content snippet.

Website: Website for content snippet.

Display Name: Display name for Content snippet.

Type: It will decides the type of the Content snippet. Here we have two types they are:

ð Text

ð HTML

If text then we can provide text value for the content snippet.

If HTML then we can display HTML content in the content snippet.

Value: The content in the Value attribute will appears in the Content snippet body.

For Registering and to sign in to Dynamics 365, please refer this blog http://blog.mtccrm.com/registering-and-creating-invitation-for-dynamics-365-portal

To assign Rules and Permission to the Dynamics 365 Portal, Please refer this blog

http://blog.mtccrm.com/permissions-and-rules-to-access-dynamic-365-portal