Power Platform

Implementing and Registering Dataverse Plugins: Create Message End-to-End Guide Server-side logic in Dataverse runs when specific events occur. Plugins let you inject custom behavior during these events. This section covers how to compile plugin code, register it, connect it to a trigger, and validate its execution. Compile the Plugin Assembly Your plugin must be compiled into a DLL before Dataverse can run it. In Visual Studio, use Rebuild on your project. After a successful build, open the project’s output folder and locate the DLL inside bin\Debug . // Example: Locate compiled plugin DLL ProjectFolder\bin\Debug\YourPluginAssembly.dll Connect to Dataverse Environment Use the Plugin Registration Tool inside XrmToolBox. Launch the Connection Wizard, enter your organization URL, and authenticate. Set a highlight color for the environment to avoid deploying to the wrong system. Register the new assembly by selecting ...

Implementing Plugin Logic in Dataverse – Create Message Dataverse plugins allow you to execute server-side logic in response to platform events such as Create , Update , or Delete . This section focuses on implementing logic for the Create message, where data can be validated, enriched, or controlled before or after it is saved to the database. The Create message is triggered when a new record is saved in Dataverse. Plugins registered on this message are commonly used for enforcing business rules, setting default values, or creating related records automatically. Accessing the Target Entity The core of plugin logic begins with the Target entity. This object contains the attributes entered by the user during record creation. Defensive checks are mandatory to avoid runtime failures. if(context.InputParameters.ContainsKey("Target") || context.InputParameters["Target...

Plugin Project Structure and Coding Foundation With the development environment and tools ready, the next step is to organize your project files so you can begin writing plugin logic that Dynamics CRM will accept and run. Project Creation and Naming In Visual Studio, create a new project using the Class Library (.NET Framework) template. Use a clear naming pattern such as CompanyName.Plugins.EntityName. For example, a plugin for the Account table could be named LS.Plugins.AccountPlugins. Make sure the project targets .NET Framework 4.6.2, as this is required for compatibility with Dynamics CRM. Signing the Assembly Before a plugin can be registered in CRM, its assembly must be signed with a strong name key. In Visual Studio, open the project properties and go to the Signing tab. Check Sign the assembly, then create a new key file such as key.snk. For simplicity during development, you can choose to ...

Plugin Development Workflow: Registration, Deployment, and Validation Tools After completing the initial Visual Studio setup for plugin development, the next phase focuses on registering and validating plugin logic inside Dataverse. Writing code alone is not enough. The assembly must be deployed correctly and its behavior verified in the Dynamics interface. XrmToolBox – Deployment and Registration XrmToolBox is a community-maintained Windows application used extensively in Dynamics CRM and Dataverse development. It provides a collection of tools for managing environments, metadata, and custom components. The tool is distributed as a ZIP file and does not require installation. Extract it into a local directory under your user profile. Avoid placing it in cloud-synced folders such as OneDrive to prevent file locking issues. After launching XrmToolBox, use the Connection Wizard to authenticate and conn...

Preparing the Development Setup for Model-Driven App Plugins Setting up the development environment for Model-Driven App plugins requires strict alignment with Microsoft Dataverse requirements. The environment must be configured exactly as specified; any deviation results in unsupported code that fails at registration or runtime. Choosing the Correct IDE Plugin development must be done using Visual Studio . Visual Studio Code is not sufficient because plugins depend on the full .NET Framework and project templates that VS Code does not provide. While installing Visual Studio, select the .NET desktop development workload. This ensures that all necessary build tools, compilers, and templates for .NET Framework class libraries are installed. Installing the Supported .NET Framework After selecting the workload, go to the Individual components tab in the Visual Studio Installer. Microsoft Dataverse ...

Plugins in Dynamics CRM and Model-Driven Apps In Dynamics CRM and Model-Driven Apps, plugins are custom code components used to extend platform behavior. They allow developers to enforce business rules, manipulate data, and integrate external systems. Both platforms operate on the same underlying data layer known as Microsoft Dataverse. Dataverse stores all information as tables, including business records such as accounts and contacts, as well as system-level components like forms and views. Plugins attach logic to these tables by responding to messages generated during data operations. How Plugins Work: The Messaging Pipeline Whenever a user performs an action—such as saving a record—the data is packaged into a structure called the Target and sent to Dataverse. This action generates a message like Create or Update . That message then moves through a predefined execution pipeline. Plugins can be registered at ...