Record Creation for N:N Relationships in Dynamics 365 with JavaScript and Custom Plugins

 This comprehensive guide provides a detailed approach to automate the creation of many-to-many (N:N) relationship records in Dynamics 365 using a custom plugin and a JavaScript action. The solution streamlines the association of multiple records through a straightforward interface, making it indispensable in scenarios requiring batch processing or integration tasks.

Overview

Dynamics 365 supports complex data models, including many-to-many (N:N) relationships between entities. Automating the process of record association within these relationships not only saves time but also reduces potential errors in data management. This article details the creation of a custom plugin and a corresponding JavaScript action that triggers the plugin to facilitate these associations dynamically.

Custom Plugin: CreateNNAssociations

The CreateNNAssociations plugin automates the association of records based on a specified N

relationship. It leverages Dynamics 365's AssociateRequest to link multiple related records to a primary record dynamically.

Plugin Code:

using System;

using Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk;

using Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk.Query;

namespace GeneralFunctions.Plugins

{

    public class CreateNNAssociations : IPlugin

    {

        public void Execute(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)

        {

            IPluginExecutionContext context = (IPluginExecutionContext)serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(IPluginExecutionContext));

            if (context.MessageName.ToLower() != "associate") return;

            EntityReference primaryRecord = (EntityReference)context.InputParameters["PrimaryRecord"];

            EntityCollection relatedRecords = (EntityCollection)context.InputParameters["RelatedRecords"];

            string relationshipSchemaName = (string)context.InputParameters["RelationshipSchemaName"];

            IOrganizationServiceFactory serviceFactory = (IOrganizationServiceFactory)serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(IOrganizationServiceFactory));

            IOrganizationService service = serviceFactory.CreateOrganizationService(context.UserId);

            AssociateRequest associateRequest = new AssociateRequest

            {

                Target = primaryRecord,

                Relationship = new Relationship(relationshipSchemaName),

                RelatedEntities = new EntityReferenceCollection(relatedRecords.Entities)

            };

            try

            {

                service.Execute(associateRequest);

                context.OutputParameters["Result"] = true;

                context.OutputParameters["Message"] = "Association created successfully.";

            }

            catch (Exception ex)

            {

                context.OutputParameters["Result"] = false;

                context.OutputParameters["Message"] = "Error creating association: " + ex.Message;

                throw new InvalidPluginExecutionException("An error occurred while creating associations.", ex);

            }

        }

    }

}

Action:

Input Parameters:

1. PrimaryRecord (EntityReference): Specifies the primary entity involved in the relationship.
2. RelatedRecords (EntityCollection): Lists the entities to associate with the primary entity.
3. RelationshipSchemaName (string): Indicates the schema name of the relationship to utilize.

Output Parameters:

1. Result (bool): Indicates the success or failure of the association operation.
2. Message (string): Provides feedback about the operation's outcome.

JavaScript: Triggering the Plugin

To facilitate the plugin's operation directly from the Dynamics 365 UI, a JavaScript function can be employed to collect necessary records and initiate the plugin via an action.

JavaScript Code:

function associateProductsWithParent(primaryControl, selectedProducts)

{

    var parentProductId = primaryControl.data.entity.getId().replace("{", "").replace("}", "");

    var actionName = "dsl_CreateRecordForNNRelationship";

    var relatedRecords = selectedProducts.map(function(product) {

        return {

            "@odata.type": "Microsoft.Dynamics.CRM.product",

            "productid": product.id.replace("{", "").replace("}", "")

        };

    });

    var request = {

        "PrimaryRecord": {

            "@odata.type": "Microsoft.Dynamics.CRM.EntityReference",

            "entityType": "product",

            "id": parentProductId

        },

        "RelatedRecords": relatedRecords,

        "RelationshipSchemaName": "dsl_stream",

        getMetadata: function () {

            return {

                boundParameter: null,

                parameterTypes: {

                    "PrimaryRecord": { typeName: "Microsoft.Dynamics.CRM.EntityReference", structuralProperty: 5 },

                    "RelatedRecords": { typeName: "Collection(Microsoft.Dynamics.CRM.EntityReference)", structuralProperty: 5 },

                    "RelationshipSchemaName": { typeName: "Edm.String", structuralProperty: 1 }

                },

                operationType: 0,

                operationName: actionName

            };

        }

    };

    Xrm.WebApi.online.execute(request).then(

        function success(response) {

            console.log("Associations created successfully!");

        },

        function error(error) {

            console.error("Error executing action: " + error.message);

        }

    );

}

Note: 1. RelationshipSchemaName:

Conclusion

By combining the power of a custom Dynamics 365 plugin with a JavaScript action, organizations can automate the management of N:N relationships efficiently. This solution not only facilitates data integrity and operational efficiency but also enhances the user experience by providing a seamless interface for complex data interactions.