Managing Multiple Notifications for a Single Field in Dynamics 365

 Introduction: Dynamics 365 allows for multiple notifications to be set on a single field. However, without proper management, these notifications can override each other, leading to loss of critical information. This article explores how to manage these notifications effectively to ensure that users are well-informed without missing important alerts.

Understanding Notification Prioritization: In Dynamics 365, notifications set on a field do not inherently have a prioritization unless explicitly managed. If multiple notifications are triggered for the same field, the most recently set notification will appear, potentially overriding previous ones. This behavior necessitates a strategy to manage notifications to ensure all relevant information is conveyed.

Contrasting Old and New Approaches: Let’s examine the differences between a typical approach and an improved strategy using a practical example related to date validations.

Old Code:

// This code does not handle multiple notifications well; it might override important alerts.

function validateDates(executionContext) {

    var formContext = executionContext.getFormContext();

    var startDate = formContext.getAttribute("tri_restrictionstartdate").getValue();

    var endDate = formContext.getAttribute("tri_restrictionenddate").getValue();

    if (!startDate || !endDate) {

        formContext.getControl("tri_restrictionstartdate").setNotification("Start and End Date are required.");

    } else if (startDate > endDate) {

        formContext.getControl("tri_restrictionstartdate").setNotification("Start Date must be before End Date.");

    }

}

New Improved Code:

// This code uses unique identifiers for each notification, preventing overrides.
function validateDates(executionContext) {
    var formContext = executionContext.getFormContext();
    var startDateControl = formContext.getControl("tri_restrictionstartdate");
    var startDate = startDateControl.getAttribute().getValue();
    var endDate = formContext.getAttribute("tri_restrictionenddate").getValue();
    if (!startDate || !endDate) {
        startDateControl.setNotification("Start and End Date are required.", "requiredFields");
    } else {
        startDateControl.clearNotification("requiredFields");
        if (startDate > endDate) {
            startDateControl.setNotification("Start Date must be before End Date.", "dateOrder");
        } else {
            startDateControl.clearNotification("dateOrder");
        }
    }
}
Key Differences Explained:
Notification Identifiers: 
The improved code assigns unique identifiers to each type of notification ("requiredFields" and "dateOrder"). 
This allows each notification to be managed independently.
Clearing Notifications: 
The new approach ensures that once a condition is no longer met (e.g., the dates are correctly entered), 
the corresponding notification is cleared, reducing clutter and potential confusion.